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Adding local short description: "Mainframe computer introduced in 1958", overriding Wikidata description "computer"
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{{Short description|Mainframe computer introduced in 1958}} |
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<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Honeywell 800 at GEC.jpg|thumb|right|300px|''Honeywell 800 system console and peripherals.]] --> |
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Honeywell 800 at GEC.jpg|thumb|right|300px|''Honeywell 800 system console and peripherals.]] --> |
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The Datamatic Division of [[Honeywell]] announced the '''H-800''' electronic computer in 1958. The first installation occurred in 1960. A total of 89 units were delivered. The H-800 design was part of a family of [[48-bit]] word, three-address instruction format computers that descended from the [http://www.cs.clemson.edu/~mark/d1000.html Datamatic 1000], which was a joint Honeywell and [[Raytheon]] project started in 1955. The 1800 and 1800-II were follow-on designs to the H-800.<ref name=Smoth>Mark Smotherman [http://www.cs.clemson.edu/~mark/h800.html Paper about the Honeywell 800]</ref> |
The Datamatic Division of [[Honeywell]] announced the '''H-800''' electronic computer in 1958. The first installation occurred in 1960. A total of 89 units were delivered. The H-800 design was part of a family of [[48-bit]] word, three-address instruction format computers that descended from the [http://www.cs.clemson.edu/~mark/d1000.html Datamatic 1000], which was a joint Honeywell and [[Raytheon]] project started in 1955. The 1800 and 1800-II were follow-on designs to the H-800.<ref name=Smoth>Mark Smotherman [http://www.cs.clemson.edu/~mark/h800.html Paper about the Honeywell 800]</ref> |
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** A card reader/punch, |
** A card reader/punch, |
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** A high-speed printer |
** A high-speed printer |
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** Up to four magnetic |
** Up to four magnetic-tape units |
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* A control memory of 256 special registers of 16 bits each |
* A control memory of 256 special registers of 16 bits each |
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* A main memory containing four banks of 2048 words.<ref name=smanual/> |
* A main memory containing four banks of 2048 words.<ref name=smanual/> |
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Up to 12 more main memory banks could be added.<ref name=smanual/> |
Up to 12 more main memory banks could be added.<ref name=smanual/> |
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A random |
A random-access disc system with a capacity of 800 million alphanumeric characters could be added.<ref name=smanual/> |
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Multiprogram control allowed up to eight programs to be sharing the machine, each with its own set of 32 special registers.<ref name=smanual/> |
Multiprogram control allowed up to eight programs to be sharing the machine, each with its own set of 32 special registers.<ref name=smanual/> |
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A Floating-Point Unit was optionally available. The 48-bit word allowed a seven |
A Floating-Point Unit was optionally available. The 48-bit word allowed a seven-bit exponent and 40-bit [[Significand|mantissa]]. So numbers between 10<sup>−78</sup> and 10<sup>+76</sup> were possible and precision was 12 decimal places.<ref name=smanual/> If the floating point unit was not installed, the floating-point commands were implemented by software simulation. |
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Peripheral devices included: high-density magnetic tapes, high-speed line printers, fast card and paper tape readers and punches to high-capacity random access magnetic disc memories, optical scanners, self-correcting orthoscanners and data communications devices.<ref name=smanual>[http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Honeywell/Honeywell.1800II.1974.102646163.pdf Company Sales Manual for the Honeywell 1800]</ref> |
Peripheral devices included: high-density magnetic tapes, high-speed line printers, fast card and paper tape readers and punches to high-capacity random access magnetic disc memories, optical scanners, self-correcting orthoscanners and data communications devices.<ref name=smanual>[http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Honeywell/Honeywell.1800II.1974.102646163.pdf Company Sales Manual for the Honeywell 1800]</ref> |
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The Datamatic Division of Honeywell announced the H-800 electronic computer in 1958. The first installation occurred in 1960. A total of 89 units were delivered. The H-800 design was part of a family of 48-bit word, three-address instruction format computers that descended from the Datamatic 1000, which was a joint Honeywell and Raytheon project started in 1955. The 1800 and 1800-II were follow-on designs to the H-800.[1]
The basic unit of data was a word of 48 bits. This could be divided in several ways:
The Honeywell 800 was a transistorized computer with magnetic-core memory. Its processor used around 6000 discrete transistors and around 30,000 solid-state diodes.[2] The basic system had:
Extra peripherals could be added running through additional controllers with a theoretical possibility of 56 tape units.[3]
Up to 12 more main memory banks could be added.[3]
A random-access disc system with a capacity of 800 million alphanumeric characters could be added.[3]
Multiprogram control allowed up to eight programs to be sharing the machine, each with its own set of 32 special registers.[3]
A Floating-Point Unit was optionally available. The 48-bit word allowed a seven-bit exponent and 40-bit mantissa. So numbers between 10−78 and 10+76 were possible and precision was 12 decimal places.[3] If the floating point unit was not installed, the floating-point commands were implemented by software simulation.
Peripheral devices included: high-density magnetic tapes, high-speed line printers, fast card and paper tape readers and punches to high-capacity random access magnetic disc memories, optical scanners, self-correcting orthoscanners and data communications devices.[3]
Available software included:
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