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From: herrickd@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: IBM 7094 II
Message-ID: <2188.2754cc44@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com>
Date: 29 Nov 90 13:52:20 GMT
References: <9011272349.AA25956@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Lines: 32

In article <9011272349.AA25956@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, jlol@REMUS.EE.BYU.EDU (Jay Lawlor) writes:
> Hi,
> 
> I was reading a paper which reported performance of an algorithm in
> the form of execution times on an IBM 7094 II.  Does anyone know how
> fast this machine was and how much memory it might have had?  As a
> reference point, the paper was published in 1965.
> 
> Thanks for any help.
> 
> Jay

I'm sure others will give you the kinds of answers you want that will 
let you know how inferior the 7094 model II is to the 386 on your
desk.  But the 7094 model II was the fastest (production) computer
in the world.  It was so fast that it couldn't afford to wait for
ordinary input and output devices.  In fact, the acolytes of a 7094 II
always included a 1401 (or 1410) roomful of computer to transfer card
decks to mag tape (800 bpi, and then, mirabile dictu, 1600 bpi) for
the attention of the 7094 II and then transfer the words of the oracle
back to new cards and printed paper.

I had a Summer job in Flint, Michigan with my deck of 2500 cards (we were
doing a relaxation on a 50 by 50 grid) and could actually see and push
buttons on the 1401.  (Oh the joys of turning the room lights down and
watching the Christmas display on the front panel of a Real (TM) computer.)
The 7094 II was in its temple in Warren, Michigan and could only be 
approached by special messengers carrying my data on mag tapes.  Its
light display was too special for a mere user to observe.

dan herrick
herrickd@astro.pc.ab.com