On 4/1/2022 11:51 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
On Apr 1, 2022, at 2:38 PM, Brent Hilpert via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org>
wrote:
On 2022-Apr-01, at 6:02 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
When I looked at that ebay listing of "glass memory" it pointed me to another item,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/265623663142 -- described as "core rope memory". Obviously it isn't --
it's conventional core RAM. Interestingly enough, it seems to be three-wire memory (no inhibit line that I
can see). It looks to be in decent shape. No manufacturer marks, and "GC-6" doesn't ring any
bells.
Well, it would still work for 1-bit-wide words, so to speak. One wonders what
the application was.
I wonder if the sense wire was used as inhibit during write cycles -- that
seems doable. It would make the core plane simpler at the expense of more
complex electronics. With that approach, you have regular memory, not limited
to 1 bit words.
There are a couple of Soviet core-rope memories up right now:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/294558261336
https://www.ebay.com/itm/294851032351
Neat looking stuff. It doesn't look like core rope memory in the sense of the
AGC ROM, nor in the sense of the Electrologica X1. It looks more like the
transformer memory used in Wang calculators that you documented in your core
ROM paper.
paul
without the driver hardware there's no real way to determine for sure
what the interface was. It's clearly not structured as the Apollo or
other roms were. Not all of the core built that way for the Apollo
systems were ROMs as well.
Someone googled and found the descriptions of the Apollo use of core I
suspect and has no clue. No mention of documentation or provenance in
the listing which would be absolutely required for this sort of artifact
as it would be out of the normal for such use as the seller has.
Sad about all the Soviet stuff, probably will be a long time before
there is any more buying from there again.
Thanks
Jim
