The above details differ across the 20year commercial history of the pdp8. In the way of introduction, i was the pdp8 software development manager in the late 1960s during the time when ps8, later called os8, was created. Gordon bell is generally credited with the original design of the pdp8 as well as designing the pdp4, 5 and 6. Core memory for the standard pdp8 has a capacity of 4096 words, 12 bits in length. You cant beat the book digital at work digital press, 1992 for short writeups on the people inside dec who made the pdp8. It was the first commercially successful minicomputer, with over 50,000 units being sold over the models lifetime. Introduction to programming digital pdp8 handbook series digital equipment corporation on. The pdp8 is a 12bit minicomputer that was produced by digital equipment corporation dec. Chapter5 thedecpdp8 introduction1 thepdp8 isasingleaddress,12bitwordcomputerofthesecond generation. The hd6120 was a single cmos chip implementation of the complete pdp8. The pdp8e small computer handbook 1972, 597page pdf, 27 mb this is the classic reference for the pdp8. In the way of introduction, i was the pdp8 software development manager in the late 1960s during the time when ps 8, later called os 8, was created. The pdp8 was a important early mini computer in the history of computing and many are still running today performing their original function.
Price new from used from paperback, january 1, 1970 please retry. It was in this year when dec released the pdp8, which is widely recognized as the first successful commercial minicomputer. Grcs pdp8 what can you actually do with an sbc6120. Made by decus digital equipment computer users society in america about 1968.
His latest book applying c for the iot with linux covers woking with inline assemble and is the companion volume to fundamental c. It was the start of a long series of incrementally improved models, later to be followed by the even more successful and groundbreaking pdp11 series, and then the vax. The pdp8 is widely considered to be the first commercial minicomputer. The pdp8 history released us from arbitrating architectural system varieties. Bob had produced kits, not only to allow hobbyists to build complete working pdp8 systems around this chip, but he went as far as to create a close copy of the original pdp8s front panel with its. Dec introduced it on 22 march 1965, and sold more than 50,000 systems, the most of any computer up to that date. Operator keys, switches, indicators, and the switch register on the operator console allow. Just for fun, i got a book on pdp8 assembly language programming and learned to program it. Price new from used from paperback, 1971 please retry. Memo pdp8, 28 june 1967, program library index with old name to new name conversion relating to pdp8 computer.
The first was built in 1970 and was among the first ever minicomputers and this one was small enough to fit. The pdp8a was also the first to provide a way to get past the 32 kword memory limit of all earlier pdp8 models. In 1969 they released the nova minicomputer and it quickly became a popular machine in scientific and educational markets. Answers to common questions about antique dec pdp8 computers. Benjamin gurley was the lead engineer on the project. During the late 1960s however, the time had come for the introduction of a 16bit machine to replace the pdp8. Angyk6, armynavy groundbased ydataprocessing komputer 6 price. The dec pdp8 computer, introduced almost 50 years ago on march 22, 1965, is generally recognized as the most important small computer of the 1960s. Part of this is due to the improvements made to this model, but a large reason for its commercial success was the price tag. Cesi vm816 pdp8 semiconductor memory extension system.
The greatest historical significance was that the pdp8s low cost and high volume made a computer available. But more than that, as you will see, the first portion of the book provides a very interesting walk down memory lane. On the historical finishline of a 20 years old technology or core. Books such as radio engineering, simply called the terman not. From the collection, a scannedin computerrelated c pdp8 software 8i discmonitor. It was the least expensive parallel general purpose computer on the market, the first computer sold on a retail basis, and the first parallel general purpose digital computer sold in a tabletop. After showing a prototype at the eastern joint computer conference in december 1959, dec delivered the first pdp1 to bolt, beranek and newman bbn in november 1960, and it was formally accepted in early 1961. For example, the later pdp8a had the ms8c option which provided 16 kwords of solidstate static ram in the form of an expansion bus card.
Pdp8s found uses as process controllers in manufacturing, in laboratory analysis, in hospitals to monitor medical equipment, and for small business record keeping. The pdp 8e was a model of the pdp8 line of minicomputers, designed by the digital equipment corporation to be a general purpose computer that inexpensively met the needs of the average user while also being capable of modular expansion to meet the more specific needs of advanced user. From the collection, a scannedin computerrelated document. Introduction to programming digital pdp8 handbook series. Edson decastro, the manager for digital equipment corporation s famous pdp8 minicomputer, left dec to establish data general in 1968. The digital equipment computer users society decus was set up by early users of the pdp1 computer.
The instructions set of the pdp8 was very limited, only eight basic instructions encoded by the three left bits of each 12bit. The pdp8l is a less expensive and much smaller version of the pdp8i. Get the best deals on dec pdp 8 when you shop the largest online. Built with 6 microsecond core memory, discrete metalcan transistors and a handsoldered backplane, it was too. Flip chip pdp8 planar stack core memory card dec computer. Highlights of the digital equipment corporation pdp series of. The pdp8i backplane is wired for many common peripheral controllers and for 8k of core memory. Image 1 of 5 for flip chip pdp8 planar stack core memory card dec. Instead, we had the obligation to preserve and guard compatibility for previous users and to breed substantial progress in order to generate new sales. Paperback january 1, 1970 by digital equipment corp. The pdp8 is the only computer in its price range with a fullsize coincidentcurrent randomaddress, ferritecore memory.
Data general corporation dg computer history museum. We have no way to test it so it is being sold as is, as a historical computer artifact. By late 1973 to 77, the pdp8 family was the best selling computer in the world. No one else is selling it on ebay or anywhere else that i. Dec, author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Pdp8 frequently asked questions posted every other month. The 36bit ibm machines were the birthplace of lisp and of timesharing mits compatible time sharing system, ctss, about 1962 and were also the inspiration for decs 36bit pdp6 1964, which was the precursor of the pdp10 and decsystem20, which lasted until 1988, the year dec stopped manufacturing 36bit machines. This nice little handbook, published in 1973 by digital equipment corporation, is a necessity if you have an old pdp8e it is comprised of 10 chapters as follows. Computer documents consisting of decus membership application forms, special interest group, program library ordering forms, and a program check list, to accompany the dec pdp8 data processor minicomputer. I was responsible for the omni2000, a rack tester that would check a newly built equipment rack for wiring errors. Pdp8e pdp8f pdp8m internal bus options maintenance manual, volume 2. The history of computing, the magazine, have fun there. From the collection, a scannedin computerrelated c pdp8 handbooks small computer handbook 1973.
The design of the pdp1 is based on the pioneering tx0 and tx2 computers, designed and built at mit lincoln laboratory. The company was cofounded by ken olsen and harlan anderson in 1957. The combination of speed, size, and cost enables the establishment of the minicomputer in thousands of manufacturing plants, offices, and scientific laboratories. Olsen was president until forced to resign in 1992, after the company had gone into precipitous decline. It was contemporary with but later than the packard bell pb250. The pdp7 is the third of digitals 18bit machines, with essentially the same instruction set architecture as the pdp4. The pdp7 was a minicomputer produced by digital equipment corporation as part of the pdp series. It caused shockwaves through the industry, giving birth to an entirely new class of non. This was the first machine with the 12bit architecture and instruction set later found in all pdp8 computers. At that time, roger pyle was the pdp8 software development supervisor. Introduction to programming pdp8 family computers unknown on. In 1965, computing history was made when dec introduced a new computer, called the pdp8.
This is the rare follow up book on dec basic for the pdp11 and vax11 by digital equipment corporation from 1982. The pdp8 was the first successful commercial minicomputer, produced by digital equipment corporation dec in the 1960s. The market is spotty, but looking back over the sales history is a good way. After the famous pdp1 in 1960, dec established a successful business and during the 1960s launched its remarkable 12bit pdp8 series of minicomputers. Pdp8 summary of models and options posted every other. The pdp8e appeared in 1970, the sixth generation of 12bit computers from dec able to run the same software. The pdp8 was used for industrial control, controlling experiments, running businesses, word processing, and many other uses. The isp of the pdp8 pc is about the most trivial in the book. Two years later, in 1965 dec introduced the pdp8 offsite link, the first production.
A pdp8 was used to control the news display in times square. Section 3 computers of historical significance pehiphehal. The version is this collection is the pdp8e which was released in 1971 and featured a new bus structure called the omnibus. A london doubledeck digital pdp8e omnibustm toy one of the 0. However, the pdp8 introduced in 1965 was also given this designation. What programming languages were supported on the pdp8. An engineering textbook popular in the 1980s, the art of digital design by david winkel and franklin prosser.