[cctalk] Re: Drum memory on pdp11's? Wikipedia thinks so....

[Paul Koning via cctalk]

> On Apr 16, 2024, at 10:15 AM, William Donzelli via cctalk 
> <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
>> I'll bet the source was talking about large contemporary storage units that
>> looked like drums or may have been called "drums" but were not actual 50's
>> drum memory with tubes and such.  There was no rotating drum storage, the
>> media rotates in the PDP era.
>> 
>> Take a look at any pdp 11 peripheral handbook, there would be drum memory
>> there if it was an official product.
> 
> Key words being "official product".
> 
> Digital CSS department - Computer Special Systems, where all that
> weird stuff that was DEC engineered and built came from. Call it "low
> run semi custom".

For that matter, there are a lot of DEC products not seen in any Handbook.  If 
you want to see everything that was produced by DEC, check the Option/Module 
list.  

To pick an example, the typesetting products were certainly official DEC 
products, not CSS, though admittedly low volume.  But you won't find the PA611, 
or the VT61/t, or the VT71 or VT20, in any peripheral or other "handbook".

        paul