#DEC PDP-1

[vax-official]

You might have heard of 32-bit and 64-bit applications before, and if you work with older software, maybe 16-bit and even 8-bit computers. But what came before 8-bit? Was it preceded by 4-bit computing? Were there 2-bit computers? 1-bit? Half-bit?

Well outside that one AVGN meme, half-bit isn't really a thing, but the answer is a bit weirder in other ways! The current most prominent CPU designs come from Intel and AMD, and Intel did produce 4-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit and 64-bit microprocessors (although 4-bit computers weren't really a thing). But what came before 4-bit microprocessors?

Mainframes and minicomputers did. These were large computers intended for organizations instead of personal use. Before microprocessors, they used transistorized integrated circuits (or in the early days even vacuum tubes) and required a much larger space to store the CPU.

And what bit length did these older computers have?

A large variety of bit lengths.

There were 16-bit, 32-bit and 64-bit mainframes/minicomputers, but you also had 36-bit computers (PDP-10), 12-bit (PDP-8), 18-bit (PDP-7), 24-bit (ICT 1900), 48-bit (Burroughs) and 60-bit (CDC 6000) computers among others. There were also computers that didn't use binary encoding to store numbers, such as decimal computers or the very rare ternary computers (Setun).

And you didn't always evolve by extending the bit length, you could upgrade from an 18-bit computer to a more powerful 16-bit computer, which is what the developers of early UNIX did when they switched over from the PDP-7 to the PDP-11, or offer 32-bit over 36-bit, which happened when IBM phased out the IBM 7090 in favor of the the System/360 or DEC phased out the PDP-10 in favor of the VAX.

[thejaymo]

COMPUTER SPACE (1971)

"In 1971, a Californian entrepreneur named Nolan Bushnell decided to deliver Spacewar! to the masses. Computer Space—essentially Spacewar repackaged—was the first modern coin-operated arcade game."

SPACE WAR! (1962)

Spacewar! is a space combat video game developed in 1962 by Steve Russell in collaboration with Martin Graetz, Wayne Wiitanen, Bob Saunders, Steve Piner, and others. It was written for the newly installed DEC PDP-1 minicomputer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"the popularization of video games is better traced to Steve Russell, a graduate student who studied at MIT in the early 1960s. Russell is commonly credited for creating Spacewar with the help of collabora- tors. In Spacewar, each competitor controlled a spaceship. The players navigated the ships on a flat plane around a central sun (with simulated gravity) and attempted to destroy each other with missiles. In an interview with a reporter from Rolling Stone magazine, Russell described Spacewar not as a game, but as a way to “simulate a reasonably complicated physical system and actually see what is going on.”

Came across this whilst researching my book. Thought it was cool.

Quotes from Virtual Justice: The New Laws of Online Worlds by Greg Lastowka (2011) Read more about Computer Space at the Online Museum of play

[teknolojihaber]

Bilgisayar Tasarımcısı Gordon Bell 89 Yaşında Öldü

Bilgisayar teknolojisinin öncülerinden Gordon Bell vefat etti. PDP ve VAX bilgisayar sistemlerinin geliştirilmesinde önemli katkıları oldu. Bell daha sonra Microsoft'a katıldı ve burada insanların kişisel bilgilerinin küresel dijital arşivlenmesine yönelik MyLifeBits projesinde çalışmaya başladı. Gordon Bell, Ağustos 1934'te doğdu ve 1960'ların başından bu yana birçok devrim niteliğindeki bilgisayar sisteminin geliştirilmesinde aktif olarak yer aldı. Ken Olsen ve Harlan Anderson tarafından kurulan Amerikan bilgisayar şirketi Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) tarafından işe alındı. Bell, 1966 yılına kadar PDP-1 bilgisayarının giriş/çıkış alt sistemi üzerinde çalıştı ve PDP-4 ve PDP-6 modellerinin mimarı olarak görev yaptı. Gordon Bell ayrıca PDP-5'in (ilk 12 bit bilgisayar) ve PDP-11'in oluşturulmasına katıldı ve Genel Kayıt mimarisini geliştirdi. 1972 yılında Digital Equipment'ta VAX bilgisayar serisinin üretiminden sorumlu mühendislik başkan yardımcısı olarak çalışmaya devam etti. Bilişim teknolojisine imzasını taşıyan bir diğer önemli katkı da Genel Kayıt mimarisi oldu. Bell, 1983 yılında kalp krizi geçirdikten sonra DEC'ten istifa etti ve Encore Computer'ı kurdu. Kamu BT politikasında aktif rol aldı, paralel hesaplamaya yaptığı katkılardan dolayı Gordon Bell Ödülü'nü kurdu ve Boston Bilgisayar Müzesi'nin kurucularından oldu. 1990'larda Gordon Bell, Microsoft'un danışmanı oldu ve 1995 yazında, kullanıcıların kişisel bilgilerini "Bir Kişinin Hayatındaki Her Şey" kapsamında korumak amacıyla MyLifeBits projesinde çalışmak üzere şirkete çalışan olarak katıldı. Bu proje, Vannevar Bush'un Memex (bir prototip hiper metin sistemi) vizyonunu somutlaştırdı ve sosyal ağların ortaya çıkışını öngördü. Bell, Your Life, Uploaded: The Digital Way to Better Memory, Health, and Productivity adlı kitabında yenilikçi projesi MyLifeBits'i ayrıntılarıyla anlatıyor. Bu, katkıları gelecek nesiller tarafından takdir edilecek seçkin bir mühendis ve bilgisayar teknolojisi meraklısının birçok eserinden sadece bir tanesidir. Bell'in ölüm nedeni aspirasyon pnömonisiydi. Read the full article

[hackernewsrobot]

DEC PDP-1 emulator running "Spacewar", the earliest known digital video game

https://www.masswerk.at/spacewar/index.html

[hydralisk98]

Φlaumen Cooperative (Lisp-y style guide ref, part 1...)

Reads as Pflaumen, loosely inspired onto the eponymous information technology firm within Machinegames' Wolfenstein franchise (reference page card below...) & plenty of historically-informed inspirations like DEC, Symbolics, Konrad Zuse KG, KDE E.V, etc.

Context

Essentially, I build my way towards a small creative business to call my very own (with major technological & culturally-driven aspects), which is also related to personal worldbuilding projects & manifestation goals of mine.

Some reference pictures

Keywords dump

Groovy soft natural retro grunge warm natural filmic comfort, tramway at dusk from mesas to the ocean far away, distant future LISP DIY copyleft cartoons, symbolic CAS LISP Gruvbox poetic devkit, soft-rounded bold geometric shape language, fontmap vector prefab modules, slice-of-life cozy rollerwave cartoons, communal retrofuturistic optimism, Bauhaus, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, "Gruvbox Light Medium + OldBook Light Academia" mashup, seventies toon cel, copyleft GLOSS data transparency movement, soviet-bloc indie shareware culture, Nintendo 64 console with 64DD expansion cartridge, SEGA Dreamcast, DEC Alpha, Sanyo 3DO TRY, Nuon, Ouya, Commodore PETSCII CBM-II, Commodore Amiga 3000+4000, bronze-age historical time period, Chronokinesis, True Polymorph, lunarpunk mysticism, Teslafunk, Solarpunk, Cyberfunk, syndicalism, georgism, ecology, harmonious innovation, progressives, seventies rollerwave futurism, filmic, OGG container format, OGV, OPUS, Vorbis, OpenEXR, Animated SVG, CSS3 animations, PK3/ZIP file archives, USD format, harsh raster XY plotters & printers, selectric typewriters, comforting Shoshone music / songs / hymns; "Soyuzmultfilm", "Helluva Boss", "The Powerpuff Girls Z", "The Powerpuff Girls", "Jet Set Radio", "Newgrounds", "Jin-Roh The Wolf Brigade", "Android Arts", "Nicky Case", "Jucika", Nintendo 64 with N64DD module, SEGA Dreamcast, Sanyo 3DO, Nuon, Ouya, DEC Alpha, Commodore 64, DECmate II, DECmate III, Intersil 6100 & 6120 lineups, PETSCII, OpenXanadu web, IBM Z/16 Linux One mainframe, OpenPOWER, Libre GLOSS data-transparent Apple Silicon M3 system, RTTY protocols, Minitel / Videotex services, hard-copy terminals, Typex, Telex Teleprinters (read-only & Read/Write), block data terminals, explorable explainers, federated ActivityPub RSS feeds, SPARC Voyager, Xerox Daybreak, R2E Micral Portal, libre bio-modding & cyberware, Pflaumen, Utalics, Lambda Star, Lambda Nova, Wyatt, Sass, MathML, XML+XSL, OpenREXX, PDP-8/e, PDP-12, PDP-15, ALGOL68, LISP 1.5, Steel Bank Common Lisp, Trial Engine, GNU Hurd, Linux, Macroware, SoundTracker, Multi-Agent Simulations, Mixtapes, Android Clades/Classes (Robots, Droids, Synthetics), Open Virtual Worlds, "Rogue Servitors"; "Liberty" caucus within "Union Party", Al-Gore (2000), Trump + Michelle Oprah (2004), Theodore Roosevelt (1912), Charles Hugues (1916), Progressives party since ~1910-1915, Pedro II of Brazil + Haile Selassie equivalent figure during the later 19th century, political split around 2024-2025, female programmers still in charge, gender inclusivity, major 3D, animation & game engine-y frameworks abundant in Common LISP (Trial Engine + AutoLISP as copyleft GLOSS / open source licensed software); Rust red dark grunge wood, translucid glass, matte plastics, fuzzy wool, forest flora, ocean water, arcade cabinets, hyper mall shops & stores, conversation pits, wax cylinder records, 45rpm autoplay mini-vinyl records, datasettes, cassettes, analog Laserdiscs, DECtape, MiniDiscs, programmable androids, retro unit record equipment, mainframes, LTO tape cartridges, amber earmuffs, black spirals-pattern balls, black matte libstick, cloven hoof shoes;

Links

Implicitly includes this blog's archives, especially what deemed relevant under the "maskoch", "maskutchew" & "16^12" hashtags;

Additional detailwork

GRUB 2 Bootloader custom theme, custom global theme with window decorations / Plasma styles / application styles combo, splash-screen / lock screens / login screens, vector-based wallpapers + icons & animated? cursors, 3x4 (soft, medium, hard; dark Gruvbox-alike, light Gruvbox-esque, warm olive green & warm rust orange-red variations), ;

DETAILS

OS: TuxedoOS (will diversify drastically soon, seriously)

DE: KDE/Plasma & KDE/Liquid

WM: KWin

Terminal: Konsole

Shell: Fish shell, with Bash as fallback

Fonts: Cascadia Code & Cascadia Mono

PlasmaStyle: Daisy (+ Old Plastics?), Breeze

Cursor: Simp1e-Gruvbox-Light

ColorScheme: WarmColorsLight

Icons: Gruvbox Plus Dark

Web Browsers: Librewolf, Firefox...

Dotfiles: Not yet anywhere near ready at this time.

More to come relatively soon...

[aaron-gj]

HISTORIA DE LAS COMPUTADORAS

La computadora es un dispositivo informático que es capaz de recibir, procesar, almacenar y devolver información. Una computadora está preparada, gracias a sus circuitos y hardware, para llevar a cabo operaciones lógicas o aritméticas de forma automática cuando el usuario se lo indique, mediante comandos a través del software.

EVOLUCION DE LAS COMPUTADORAS

PRIMERA GENERACION:

Modelo Z1: fue fabricado por Konrad Zuse en 1938. Es considerada la primera máquina completamente electromecánica.

ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer ): se desarrolló durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial (1944). Esta fue la primera computadora digital en la historia, con la que se podían hacer hasta 5 mil operaciones aritméticas por minuto. Tuvo un propósito sobre todo experimental y fue creada como un proyecto de investigación por ingenieros de la Universidad de Pensilvania, en EE.UU.

IBM 701: en la década de 1950, IBM sacó al mercado el modelo 701, que fue utilizado en aplicaciones científicas, militares y de negocios. Este computador podía realizar operaciones a una velocidad de 12 mil operaciones por segundo; y fue una de los primeros en utilizar un sistema operativo a partir de 1956.

SEGUNDA GENERACION:

PDP-1 (Programmed Data Processor-1): este computador fue desarrollado por la Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) en 1960. La PDP-1 se destacó por su capacidad para ejecutar una amplia variedad de programas, incluyendo uno de los primeros videojuegos de la historia: Spacewar!. Esta utilizaba la cinta de papel perforado como medio de almacenaje primario.

UNIVAC 1107 (Universal Automatic Computer): fue parte de la serie Sperry Rand UNIVAC 1100, lanzada en octubre de 1962. Se le conoció como la computadora de película delgada debido a que usaba una película magnética para el almacenamiento de información.

TERCERA GENERACION

IBM 360: este modelo salió al mercado en 1964 y marcó el inicio de la tercera generación, ya que fue un computador comercial que usó circuitos integrados.

PDP-8: fabricada a partir de 1965, la PDP-8 se convirtió en una de las computadoras más populares de la tercera generación. Fue pionera por su medida y calificada como "minicomputadora", aunque era grande para los estándares de hoy.

CUARTA GENERACION

IBM 360: este modelo salió al mercado en 1964 y marcó el inicio de la tercera generación, ya que fue un computador comercial que usó circuitos integrados.

PDP-8: fabricada a partir de 1965, la PDP-8 se convirtió en una de las computadoras más populares de la tercera generación. Fue pionera por su medida y calificada como "minicomputadora", aunque era grande para los estándares de hoy.

QUINTA GENERACION

IBM 360: este modelo salió al mercado en 1964 y marcó el inicio de la tercera generación, ya que fue un computador comercial que usó circuitos integrados.

PDP-8: fabricada a partir de 1965, la PDP-8 se convirtió en una de las computadoras más populares de la tercera generación. Fue pionera por su medida y calificada como "minicomputadora", aunque era grande para los estándares de hoy.

[crimechannels]

By • Olalekan Fagbade JUST IN;Chicago University gives condition to release Tinubu’s academic records       Chicago State University (CSU) has given a condition to release the credentials of President Bola Tinubu. Tinubu’s main opponent in the last presidential election, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had filed an application for his rival’s academic record. Atiku had approached a US court at the northern district of Illinois in Chicago, for an order compelling the CSU to release the academic records of Tinubu. Documents sought by Atiku, through his counsel, Angela M. Liu, include record of his admission and acceptance at the university, dates of attendance including degrees, awards and honours attained by Tinubu at the university, among others. Atiku informed the court that subpoena was to test the truth and veracity of Tinubu’s assertions, adding that he is currently the President of Nigeria and is facing various court proceedings concerning his election and the authenticity of documents relating to his attendance at Chicago State University.” Reacting, the university, in a document seen by Daily Trust said it does not “understand” why Tinubu’s academic records “could possibly have any bearing on a 2023 election challenge in a foreign country”. However, it said once an order is granted by a court in the United States (US), Tinubu’s academic record would be made public. The document reads: “Pursuant to this Court’s Order dated August 9, 2023 (Doc. 15), Respondent Chicago State University (the “University), for its response to the 28 U.S.C. 1782 Application filed herein by Atiku Abubakar (“Abubakar), states and submits as follows: “The University Defers to Intervener Tinubu Concerning Privacy and Relevance Issues. “Bola Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, graduated from the University in 1979. One of his political opponents, Abubakar, socks discovery from the University of Tinubu’s student records and information about the dates and circumstances certain diplomas were issued by the University, asserting such discovery is pertinent to a Nigerian proceeding challenging Tinubu’s election earlier this year. “The student records Abubakar seeks from the University via a documents subpoena (Doc.1-1) and the information Abubakar seeks the University to provide pursuant to a deposition subpoena (Dec. 1-2) concem Tinubu’s private educational records. But since Tinubu has intervened to oppose this discovery, the University defers to Tinubu on the privacy issues implicated by Abubakar’s Application. “Similarly, the University defers to Tinubu on whether any of the discovery information sought here is appropriate under 28 U.S.C. 41782, including whether it is relevant to the pending Nigerian proceeding. “The University struggles to understand how-given that Tinubu did in fact graduate from the University in 1979-Tinubu’s grades and other student records from the 1970s and date and signatory information on subsequently issued ceremonial diplomas could possibly have any bearing on a 2023 election challenge in a foreign country. “But the University is admittedly not familiar with the issues in the Nigerian proceeding or the evidentiary and other legal principles applicable therein. Accordingly, the University defers to Tinubu-who obviously is familiar with these issues and directly involved in that foreign proceeding-to advance procedural and relevancy objections to the Application. “In a recent conference with Abubakar’s counsel about the Application, Abubakar’s counsel confirmed that the evidentiary phase of the Nigerian proceeding has concluded, but that the information sought in the Application might be introduced in appellate proceedings to come. “The University respectfully requests that this Court, in ruling on the Application, scrutinize both the actual status of the Nigerian proceeding and the likelihood that any discovery information provided by the University would in fact be considered in the Nigeri

an proceeding. “The University Reserves Objections to the Scope of the Discovery Sought by Abubakar. Finally, in the event the Court determines to allow any discovery to proceed here, the University urges the Court to direct only limited, targeted discovery on the University. “As leave to issue any discovery has not yet been granted, and the Court’s views on what if any discovery is appropriate here under 28 U.S.C. $1782 are not yet known, it is premature for the University to raise objections to the scope of the documents and information sought in Abubakar’s subpoenas. “But without limiting further objections, which the University expressly reserves, the University notes that the scope and relevancy of certain of Abubakar’s requests are clearly inappropriate. For example, Abubakar’s document subpoena Request No. 5 seeks information on diplomas issued by the University for a 44-year period (1979 to the present), and Abubakar’s deposition subpoena Topic No. 7 seeks information on the employment status and reasons for departure of a former employee in the University’s General Counsel’s Office. “Following this Court’s ruling on the Application, should any discovery be permitted, the University will meet and confer promptly and in good faith with Abubakar’s counsel to attempt to address all the University’s concerns.” Tinubu had earlier filed a motion to quash subpoena before the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chicago, USA.

[ojighodovwan]

Delta Re-awards Ayakoromo Bridge Contract

*** Oborevwori Assures He Will Deploy His MORE Agenda For Betterment Of Deltans

NEWS UPDATE

On Dec 27, 2022

Delta Governor and Vice-Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday announced that his administration had re-awarded the Ayakoromo Bridge contract to Setraco Nigeria Limited, assuring that the project would be completed as promised.

Governor Okowa made this known during the party’s campaign at Burutu, headquarters of Burutu Local Government Area of the state.

He recalled that the government had some weeks ago revoked the contract due to poor performance by the former contractor.

He disclosed that Setraco would mobilise to site next week.

The governor expressed gratitude to the people of the area for their consistent support to the PDP over the years.

“My dear people of Burutu Local Government Area, I thank you for all your support for our party candidates over the years.

“We have also reciprocated your support by constructing concrete pavement of all internal roads in Burutu town; another 20.29-kilometre Obotobo 1– Obotobo 11– Sokebolou–Yokri road in Ogulagha Kingdom.

“We constructed modern market and built schools in Burutu Town, Ogulagha and other communities but unfortunately there is one project that you people are not happy about which is the Ayakoromo bridge.

“The contractor has not been doing well and we have recently terminated the contract and re-awarded it to Setraco Nigeria Ltd.

“Next week, we will mobilise them to start and they will finish it because it is a promise I made to you people and I must fulfil it,” he said.

He urged the people to remain committed to the Atiku-Okowa ticket, and assured them that PDP would win the presidency and rescue Nigerians from the hardship caused by the inept APC-led administration.

“Our party has recognised one of your own, my humble self as Vice-Presidential candidate and by the grace of God the Atiku-Okowa ticket will win the election in 2023.

“I appeal to you all to give us your support to enable us turn out more votes for our party; we have done well campaigning in 15 states so far and we are very sure of victory for the party,” he assured.

Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, while addressing the people said that the impressive turn-out of supporters was an indication that Burutu over time, had been a PDP local government area.

He said the Okowa’s administration had done quite a lot for Burutu town in terms of road construction and charged the people to vote all PDP candidates in the general elections.

The Governorship Candidate of the party and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, commended the Ijaw people for adopting candidates of the PDP for the 2023 general elections.

He affirmed that Okowa’s administration had provided a lot of infrastructure for Burutu Local Government Area , with over 30-kilometre roads constructed and over 44 schools renovated and constructed.

Rt Hon Oborevwori, who was flanked by his running mate, Chief Monday Onyeme, assured that he would deploy his MORE Agenda for the advancement of the state.

The State Chairman of the party, Chief Kingsley Esiso, said Deltans were happy that the state would for the first time, produce a Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and urged the people to work hard towards realisation of the Atiku-Okowa presidency.

The Director-General of the State Campaign Council, Chief Funkekeme Solomon lauded the Governor for terminating the Ayakoromo bridge project and re-awarding it to a more competent contractor and for transferring the State School of Marine Technology from Ministry of Transport to Higher Education for effective management.

Chief Funkekeme said that riverine communities in the state believes that an Atiku-Okowa Presidency would be very beneficial to them hence they have decided to throw their weight behind them.

Leaders of the party who spoke at the rally include Peter Biakpara; former Governorship aspirant Chief Braduce Angozi; among others.

[nemosynth]

episode zero - EMS VCS3

そう、シンセとは何であろう?

生楽器のものまね? 既存楽器の代用? アコピ、エレピ、オルガンの音が良ければ、キーボードは売れるという。まさに三種の神器。でもシンセって、そんなお約束の様式美でいいのか? 電子楽器は、もっと既存の束縛から自由な、しがらみの無さが良かったんじゃないのか? 聴いたことがない音、分類不能な音がしてこそ、シンセ の本懐ではなかったか? 使える音、使えない音なんて関係あらへん! シンセはシンセ独自のアイデンティティ を追求すべきではなかったのか?

未来に挑むカンブリア紀の大爆発シンセたち。それら、へんてこなシンセたちこそ、本当に宇宙の挑戦を受けて立つ人類にふさわしい。そんなシンセサイザーのフロンティアたちを紹介していくのがこの連載である。

♬　　　　　♬　　　　　♬

まだシンセと言えば、MOOG(モーグ)製かBUCHLA(ブックラ)製かしか無かった時代のこと。すべてシンセはアメリカ製、それも壁を覆う巨大モジュラー・システム、天文学的なお値段、大学の前衛音楽研究室か放送局の音響実験室かに納品されるものばかり。楽器として生まれる初の機種Minimoog (ミニモーグ) は、だがまだ世に 出る前の開発途上。後にMOOGの好敵手となるARP (アープ) に至っては創業して日も浅く、社名もいまだ TONUS INC. (トーナス) となっていた、そんな時代の話。

そのとき、アメリカ合衆国から大西洋を隔てたイギリスはロンドンにて、小さなシンセ・メーカーが誕生した。 その名もEMS (ELECTRONIC MUSIC STUDIOS)、和訳すれば「電子音楽スタジオ社」。このひねりゼロの、しか し当時最先端アートだった電子音楽にかけたドストレートな社名。そしてその電子音楽に賭けた夢の初号機が、創 業と同じ1969年に登場したVCS3 (Voltage Controlled Studio Version 3)、和訳すれば、「電圧制御式スタジオ 第3版」ですか。最先端レコスタを丸ごと電圧で制御してやろうだなんて、なかなかどうしてエンジニア魂こもった 素敵な名前じゃありませんか。こうして史上初のデスクトップ型フル・アナログ・モジュラー・シンセが、これま た生真面目なまでに正確無比な形のノコギリ状波でもって産声を上げた (MOOGなどのは波形が崩れていてそれが また不思議に音楽的な音なのよ)。

EMSを創設し、VCS3を作ったのは、この三羽ガラス。

・Peter Zinovieff:コンセプトと仕様を決めたジノヴィエフ氏  ・David Cockerell:回路設計をしたコッカレル氏  ・Tristram Cary:外装などを担当したケイリー氏

ジノヴィエフ氏の両親は、帝政ロシア貴族。かの国の革命のときにイギリスへ亡命。そのあとの1933年に彼は生まれた。科学者だった彼は、1950年代から黎明期の電子技術と音楽とのカップリングにご執心であった。ロンドンはテムズ河畔の自宅に半地下の実験室を作り、軍から払い下げられた機械をぎゅうぎゅう押し込み、何とかして最先端電子テクノロジーを音楽に応用しようと日夜没頭。時にはテムズ川が氾濫、半地下の実験室が浸水。それでも彼は張り切ってクラシック音楽界の前衛作曲家シュトックハウゼンらを招いては、無料で貸し出していた。

そこには助手となるエンジニアがいるも、ジノヴィエフによるテクノロジカ���無茶振りが過ぎるあまり、面倒くさくなったエンジニア君はかつての同窓生だったコッカレル氏を誘い込み、彼に丸投げしてトンズラこく始末。当時コッカレル氏はイギリス国立医療センター勤務の技術者。のちの回想で、 「ジノヴィエフはすべからくアマチュア っぽい稚拙なスキルで解決しようとしていて無理あり過ぎ、郵便局からかっぱらってきたリレー回路なんかで実現 できるわけねーじゃねーかよ、そして我慢強いコッカレルが呼ばれたのだろう」 と。で、残されたコッカレル氏が辛 抱強くジノヴィエフ氏の要望を聞いては、VCOをはじめ彼らの夢を具現化していった。

1960年ごろのジノヴィエフ氏は、だが、当時の最先端だった録音テープ編集音楽“ミュージック・コンクレー ト”が大っ嫌い。スマホDAWみたいなグラフィック波形表示も無いのに、音と耳だけを頼りに磁気テープへの一刀入魂ばかり繰り返して切った張ったなんてありえん。そう考えた彼は “シーケンサー” というものを思いつき、帝政ロシア貴族の末裔らしく、妻が使わずに余らせていたという宝飾品の数々を売り飛ばし、DEC の汎用コンピューター、それも軍事産業か科学研究機関でしか使われない小型冷蔵庫ほどもある機種PDP-8を、家一軒分のカネを払って購入。ばかでかいナリしてRAMは8KBだったが、なんせ当時これが最安価の機種だったのだ から仕方がない。さらにもう一軒の家が買えるカネで32KBに拡張、トドメにもう1台また買う。電動機械式タイプライター “テレタイプ端末” をばちばち打ってプログラミングし、シーケンサーを開発。そのうち数字をタイプしていてはめんどっちぃとノブをたくさん付けて制御せんとした。

アメリカ人らがようやく電圧ですべてを制御するモジュラー・シンセを世に送り出すころ、既にジノヴィエフ氏 の一味は、一足飛びに全部コンピューター制御による全く新しい電化された機械作曲や、電化された機械音楽を構想していたのだ。彼らは64基もの16ビット/46kHzデジタル・オシレーターを開発。ADコンバーターも実現しモ ーツァルトのピアノ・ソナタを1~2秒ほどサンプリングし、新開発の64バンド・フィルター・スペアナでもって解析、原音忠実にリシンセシスで再現せんと四苦八苦。ついに全自動電子音楽コンサートまで敢行、聴衆理解不能 阿鼻叫喚若干爆睡倫敦崩壊河川氾濫地下室水没床下浸水イカした浸水(要出典)。

だがさすがにオイタが過ぎて資金難になり、財源とすべく開発したシンセが、何を隠そうVCS3だったのである。

♬　　　　　♬　　　　　♬

試作機VCS1は、オシレーター2基、フィルター1基、EG1基をラックマウント型に収めた代物であった。だが これではMOOGみたいな連中に勝てないというので、そのあと開発されたVCS3は、目標定価100ポンドだか200 ポンドだかを超えて300ポンド、当時のレートで24万円ほどになったものの、MOOGやBUCHLAと比べてもはるかに安価、かつ卓上に載るコンパクト・サイズ。そして“パッチ・コードも大嫌いだった”というジノヴィエフのお かげで、史上初のマトリクス・ピンボードを採用。これが戦艦沈没ゲーム方式であるため、1つのソースから複数 のデスティネーションへパラったり、複数のソースから単一のデスティネーションへ集約したりと結線も自由自 在。さすが、英国の星!

だが、すべてをV/Octで統一したMOOGの偉大さを理解していたのか否か、EMS VCS3では、 ・VCO1:0.32V/Oct ・VCO2:0.32V/Oct ・VCO3:0.25V/Oct ・VCF:0.20V/Oct ・DK1 (別売専用鍵盤) のCV出力:1V/Oct ほんでしかもDK1を使って平均律を弾くためには周波数ノブを369.99Hzに設定って、何じゃその端数は!? 虎の子 のマトリクス・ピンボードに至っては、クロストークする始末。

いい加減な仕様と作りのため変な音しかしないVCS3は、だがそれでもなおピンク・フロイドをはじめとするイギ リスのプログレ界へ、そして全欧に広まり、ケミカル・ブラザーズなど多くの愛好家を生んだ。ブライアン・イー ノに至っては、VCS3を修理に出すにあたり、“ここは直すな、あの不具合は直すな”と長いリストを添えたという。

どだい変な音しかしないVCS3は、だが、見事にシンセらしいシンセであった。

その後もEMS社のラインナップは拡充するも、1989年、創業20周年とともにVCS3を20年間にわたり販売し続 けていることを発表。当時の海外フェアにて、YAMAHA SY77、KORG T1/2/3, ROLAND D-5などの最新フル・ デジタル・シンセと一緒にVCS3が展示されていることに、シーラカンスを目の当たりにしたような感慨にふけった 人も、世界中におったことであろう。

VCS3やSynthi AKSなどが出てから半世紀以上たった今、EMSの中古品は50万円以上し、程度の良いものであ れば100万円したりもする。長い歴史にわたり人々を魅了してきた名機として今なお語り継が���ているばかりか、 iOSアプリシンセAPESOFT iVCS3はもちろん、アナログ回路によるBEHRINGERの試作ハードウェアであると か、AKSクローンを超えたオマージュ機種ERICA SYNTHS Syntrxまで登場。デジタル化されたマトリクス・ピン ボードは、設定をメモリーに保存できて使い勝手がよく、モジュレーション・マトリクスの可視化という観点から しても、もっともっと広まってもいい。

♬　　　　　♬　　　　　♬

VCS3の外観デザインを担当したケイリー氏は、EMSに参加する以前から黎明期の電子音楽作曲家として活躍、 映画『火星人地球大襲撃』や TVシリーズ『ドクター・フー』などで電子音を鳴らして人々を唸らせ、偉大なコンポ ーザーとして2008年に82歳で没した。

VCS3の内部回路を設計したコッカレル氏は、その後、MiniKorg 700を見て、それがいかに洗練されているかを 目の当たりにして脱帽し、EMSからELECTRO-HARMONIXへ転職、今やビンテージとなっているフェイザー Small Stone や、フランジャーElectric Mistressなどを開発。彼が脱帽したMiniKorg 700や700Sも、仕様とし て今見ればけったいな機種なのだが設計思想が自由であり、かつ音にキャラがあって非常に良く、今年ご本家から 半世紀近くぶりに700Sの復刻版700FSとしてカーテンコールしたのは記憶に新しい。

さらにその後、コッカレル氏はフランス国立音響音楽研究所ことIRCAM(イルカム)にて研究。サンプラーを開 発、それをあちこちのメーカーへ売り込んで回り、最終的に興味を示したAKAI PROFESSIONALに就職、しかも当 時FAIRLIGHTやE-MU Emulatorしか無かった時代において価格破壊となったENSONIQ Mirageに続く、AKAI PROFESSIONAL初のサンプラーS612を1985年に開発。その後、彼はロジャー・リンとの共同開発たるMPC60 や、のちのS3200まで回路設計もしている。

そして今は、再びELECTRO-HARMONIXに戻って新しいエフェクトを開発。可動部品を一切使わないワウ・ペ ダルCrying Toneを世に送り出したりしている。彼はビンテージの復刻には興味が無いが、それは“あくまで最新の ものが最良”という、エンジニア魂の成せるところ。テクノロジーによるセンス・オブ・ワンダー、それがもたらす 明るく健全な未来感。この点は、デイヴ・スミス氏もトム・オーバーハイム氏も梯郁太郎氏も同じですね。

VCS3のコンセプトと仕様を決めたマッド・サイエンティストのごときジノヴィエフ氏は、その後“ブリテンのボ ブ・モーグ”とまで呼ばれ、グランド・ピアノ���ソレノイド磁石を付けハンマーを動かすことで、コンピューターによる自動演奏をさせる試みまでしている。

すっかりおじいさんになった21世紀に入っても、DAWにCOCKOS Reaperを、ノーテション用にAVID Sibelius とPRESONUS Notionを、そしてソフト音源NATIVE INSTRUMENTS Kontaktを使って音楽。VSTをはじめとするDAW環境は素晴らしいと彼は言うが、しかしその一方、彼はPCの中にあるソフトを直接わしづかみして操作したくてたまらないのだと愚痴っていた。そんな彼が、自宅で転倒してから10日間ほど入院したまま、ついに還ってこなくなったのは、今年2021年6月のこと。享年88歳。転んでいなければ、もっともっと楽しいもん作ってくれはったやもしれんのに、と思うと、残念でならない。

（2021年７月11日Sound & Recording公式サイト初出）

[oldguydoesstuff]

The original SPACEWAR from 1962, running on a vector graphics display driven by a DEC PDP-1.

Strangely modern-looking for a 60 year old game, isn't it?

[riastarthe]

SIGGRAPH Computer Art Show July 27th - 31st, 1987

selected excerpts

Peter Voci: Displayscape

Hdw: DEC Micro-PDP 11 Sftw: CGL

Steve Dipaola: Blue Cirque

Hdw: VAX 11/785/Ikonas/Dicomed Sftw: N.Y.I.T.

Mr. Screens: Control

Hdw: Minivax PDP11/Genisco F B/Matrix QCR Sftw: Images I

Delle Maxwell: Sketches of Venice

Hdw: Ridge 32/Raster Tech F B Sftw: In-house Affiliation/Location: Pacific Data Images

Craig Caldwell: What in the World

Hdw: Marc2/VAX 780 Sftw: TWIXT Affiliation/Location: Ohio State University

Alyn P. Rockwood: Toroidal Knot

Hdw: VAX 11/780/E&S PS340 Sftw: By artist

Randy Bradley: The Light Stuff

Hdw: DG MV/10000/E&S PS300/Raster Tech 1/380/DUNN 635 Sftw: Clockworks Affiliation/Location: Rensselear Polytechnic Institute

Lucia Grossberger, B. Bishop: SpaceLace ’87

Hdw: Apple II GS Sftw: PACK developed By B. Bishop

Karin Schminke: Grid Frieze

Hdw: Mindset/Diablo C150 Prtr Sftw: Lumena Affiliation/Location: Eau Claire and University of Wisconsin

Patricia Search: Visions

Hdw: Data General MV10000/E&S PS300 Sftw: Getto-Long Ray Tracer Rensselear Polytechnic Institute

What’s the point? What is the art in a computer art exhibit? Why have this exhibit at SIGGRAPH at all? Why is it that computer art is still being “discovered”? It seems to go without saying that all these and other questions are asked each year. Nevertheless, as the SIGGRAPH ’86 Art Show so graphically illustrated in its retrospective, this “new art” has been around for at least the last twenty years. Yet, for each new Columbus, working with the computer seems to present a challenge in and of itself. A challenge independent of the product that is produced. Approaching the “medium” from every conceivable direction, the visual architect sculpts meaning and imagery from a general purpose tool with roots extending through both every computing and every visualizing device ever produced.

SIGGRAPH chair Joanne P. Culver, from the overview

[omega2669]

Today I got to play Spacewar! on a DEC PDP-1, the only known known functioning PDP-1, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. My first kill I used the gravity well in the center to slingshot behind the enemy ship and blast it to hell.

The Museum is amazing. Some of the tech just looks so ancient you’d think anyone who ever used it is long dead, but I went with my step mother and as we went through she would tell about how she would use all this equipment in her first job out of college.

I had such a blast. I would definitely recommend you check it out if you’re ever passing through.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Soviet computing graveyard

In the 1970s, the Soviet Union started to clone DEC's PDP workhorse minicomputers, especially the PDP-8, which was replicated in the USSR as the Saratov-2. Today, the Saratov-2 is a distant memory, with not even a single high-quality photo of the system online.

Until now. Russian urban explorer Ralph Mirebs's photos of a "Soviet Computing Cemetery" (location undisclosed) that features the rotting remains of a Saratov-2 amid the ashes and fire-suppresant residue of a long-ago data-center blaze.

https://rusue.com/cemetery-of-soviet-computers/

The Saratov-2 was wild: it didn't have a microprocessor; rather, it was broken down into components, each in its own drawer: a 12-bit computing unit, I/O, RAM (ferromagnetic cubes).

Also present in the cemetery: an Electronics 100/25 - the Soviet version of the PDP-11 - and some DVK-2Ms (early personal computers).

The author recalls their own computer science education in 1993, when "one teaching DVK could distribute programs for a couple of dozen Spectrums through the network."

One of my last trips before the crisis hit was my visit to the Computer History Museum's boneyard - a massive warehouse filled with priceless paleocomputing remnants. Though the location is a secret, they let me take and post my photos:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=date-taken-desc&safe_search=1&tags=computerhistorymuseum&user_id=37996580417%40N01&view_all=1

It was the end of an incredibly educational day I spent with Museum personnel, doing research for my case studies on the role that adversarial interoperability played in competition in the tech industry:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability

That day reminded me powerfully of my visit to St Petersburg's Popov Museum in 2006, back when my (now dead) great-uncle Boris Rachman was curator:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=37996580417%40N01&sort=date-taken-desc&safe_search=1&view_all=1&tags=popov

Soviet computing history is heroic in a way that's hard to put into words: the constraints of the era - political, economic, material - required so much ingenuity. Mirebs' photos for Russian Urban Exploration were the best thing I've seen all weekend.

Image: Ralph Mirebs/Russian Urban Exploration https://rusue.com/cemetery-of-soviet-computers/

[commodorez]

Behold, the legendary Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-1

[hackernewsrobot]

The original "Spacewar!" running on a virtual DEC PDP-1

https://www.masswerk.at/spacewar/ Comments

[tutorialsmate]

Computer Fundamentals

Nowadays, computers are making jobs easier for people.

Therefore, it is very necessary to have knowledge of Computer basics. In this article, we have covered all the basics of the computer such as what is a computer, definition of computer, basic functions of a computer, generations of computer, classification or types of computer, advantages and disadvantages of a computer, etc.

What is Computer

In 1640, the term ‘Computer’ was initially referred to as ‘ one who calculates ‘. Later in 1897, it was called the ‘ Calculating Machine ‘. In 1945, it was indicated as ‘ programmable digital electronic computer ‘ which is now called a ‘computer’.

What is Computer definition?

“ A computer is a programmable electronic machine designed to take input, perform prescribed arithmetic and logical operations at fast speeds, and provide the output of these operations. “

Basic Functions of Computer

There are four basic functions of the computer: Input, Processing, Output, and Storage.

Generations of Computer

There are five generations of the computer, which are listed below with approximate period:

First Generation (1946–1959)

- Electronic Valves (Vacuum Tubes). — ENIAC, EDVAC, UNIVAC, etc.

Second Generation (1959–1965)

- Transistors. — IBM 1620, IBM 1400 and 7000 series, CDC 3600, etc.

Third Generation (1965–1971)

- Integrated Circuits (ICs). — IBM 360, IBM 370, PDP, etc.

Fourth Generation (1971–1980)

- Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) Circuits. — DEC 10, STAR 1000, CRAY-1 and CRAY-X-MP, etc.

Fifth Generation (1980 — Present)

- Ultra Large Scale Integration (ULSI), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Parallel Processing Hardware. — Desktop, Laptop, NoteBook, ChromeBook, and UltraBook, etc.

Uses of Computer

Here, we have explained the most important uses of the computer system:

* can store important data. * can communicate with people around the world. * used for the educational system. * used for office works like data entry, support, development, etc. * used in banking, finance, and marketing. * used in government sectors. * used in sports. * used for Press and publishing. * used for entertainment.

Classification of Computer

According to usage and functionalities, computers can be classified as:

Analog Computer

Digital Computer

Hybrid Computer

Types of Computer

Supercomputer

Mainframe Computer

Microcomputer

Mini Computer

Advantages and Disadvantages of Computer

Read more at TutorialsMate.

Read Complete Tutorial at https://www.tutorialsmate.com.