Recent Posts

Hello JJW,

i can't remember any possibility on the Century under B1/B2/B3 to have index-sequential access to data files using NEAT/3. How could that work? Can you explain?
When using "Cobol74" there was a in-built index-sequential access.
As written, on VRX with NEAT/VS you can use "CAM"-Files.

Hello JimT,

yes, the CRAM was available on the Century. I remember during the C-200 education at the ITEC London (North Circular Road) in 1972 glancing stunned at this strange peripheral. I've never seen a CRAM on a Century in the field -  thanks God!

Heiko

Attached images provided by Rich Lapham!

Hi Lapham,

The mailbox to send any related photos: webmaster@thecorememory.com

Regards,
Aleksandrs Guba
Webmaster


P.S. Attached images provided by Rich Lapham!

Here you'll find more on the 315 rod memory.

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/A-Thin-Film-Rod-Memory-for-the-NCR-315-RMC-Computer-Higashi/b19a69abd207e2c4ef0acd8ec7e727d94a672e25

and here is a PDF on it
http://www.thecorememory.com/NCR_Higashi.pdf

Neither did I find anything on the 16k rod memory for the Century.

Regards Wally.

The CRAM units were on the 315's they also had.  There were rod memory cards, but I don't have a picture of one. I have many pictures of the data center (10)but haven't figured out how to post them on here. If you provide me with an email  (message me) I could sent them to you.

Hello,

the Link to the 605 nostalgia website seems to be dead.

This Link looks like the new address:
"http://www.geocities.ws/NCR605/"

Heiko

Hello lapham,

thanks for your post.

>> I unstuck many CRAM units

Did they in the Chicago Data Center ran a 315 System parallel to the two Century 300, or - I can't really believe it - did they connect the CRAMs to the Century?

>>It was a big deal the day they installed a one meg memory unit

Yes, the 16k Rod Memory Modules for the Century were really big and heavy. I serviced some Century-100 with two modules installed. But (in Germany) on Century-200 with more than 32k we used a memory from Memorex? EMC? in a 19 inch cage - really small compared with the rod memory module. I don't really remember why, but timing problems could be the reason.

I searched intensively in the Net for a picture from the 16k Century rod module, but could'nt find any.

Greetings
Heiko

I wasn't a century FE but worked in the Chicago Data Center where they had 2 Century 300's. I mainly took care of the phone line problems as they were on-line to banks in 8 states. I was 605 trained so also did the 621.s and 721's. I unstuck many CRAM units and dabbled/helped on other units. It was a big deal the day they installed a one meg memory unit - the size of 2 refrigerators. Compare that today  to a cell phone - cell has probably 100 times the computing power.

Hello,

I can't believe it - is there really not one Century Field Engineer all over the world able to tell us some storys from his daily work on the customers site?

Heiko

Hi Wally,

nice to hear from you again!

I read your scanned press release - you are right.

In 1981 IBM presented the first PC. The available processors on the market were the 8086, the 6502, the Z80, Motorola 68000 and others.

On the other hand: the NCR-605 was available and heavy used in several machines. He was (at this time) evolved to a 2-Board-processor and was much more powerful than the 8086, the 6502, the Z80, Motorola 68000 and others.

And: The I-Operating Systems, Compilers and other Software were available for the 605. I'm really wondering: Why did they  write a complete new OS for the I-8100-Series?

I know: this is only a "rhetorical question" ....

Best wishes
Heiko