Chapter 4 Flashcards
How did the Cold War impact computer technology development?
- The Cold War significantly accelerated computer technology development.
- The need for real-time responses in critical situations like tracking enemy aircraft and managing nuclear weapons systems fueled the creation of systems like SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) and the Minuteman missile guidance computer → pushed for advancements in hardware, software, and miniaturization that ultimately benefitted various computing sectors.
What distinguishes analog computers from digital computers in real-time applications?
- Analog computers were designed to physically mimic the system being modeled.
- Digital computers, using numerical representations and programmable sequences, offered greater flexibility and accuracy, particularly as technology advanced.
How did Project Whirlwind contribute to the development of real-time computing?
Initially conceived as a flight simulator, Project Whirlwind transitioned into a critical component of the SAGE air defense system due to escalating Cold War tensions.
This shift demanded speed and responsiveness, leading to innovations like core memory, efficient instruction sets, and high-level language compilers.
What was the significance of the SAGE system, despite its limited practical use against ICBMs?
It pioneered the concepts of networking computers and sensors and introduced interactive computer graphics with CRT displays and light guns.
How did the miniaturization needs of missile guidance systems lead to the emergence of minicomputers?
The Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), drawing inspiration from MIT’s Whirlwind project, capitalized on these advancements (e.g. Minuteman) to create the PDP series of minicomputers. These affordable, high-performance machines, exemplified by the PDP-8, revolutionized real-time control applications and paved the way for more widespread interactive computing
What were the key features and advantages of the PDP-8 that made it the best-selling computer family of its time?
- Its compact size, modular design, and affordability made it highly adaptable for a range of applications
- Despite its short word length, it was significantly faster than other computers in its price class.
- DEC’s open approach to sharing technical information and encouraging customization fostered a thriving ecosystem of users and OEMs, further expanding the PDP-8’s reach and influence.
How did integrated circuits (ICs) revolutionize computer technology, and what role did the aerospace industry play in this transformation?
Integrated circuits, commonly known as silicon chips, allowed for the miniaturization of entire circuits onto a single piece of semiconductor material.
The aerospace industry, with its requirements for compact and reliable electronics in missiles and spacecraft like the Minuteman II and Apollo guidance computers, became a crucial early adopter of ICs.
What measures were taken to ensure the reliability of hardware and software in critical aerospace applications, and what lessons were learned for the broader computing world?
The demand for flawless performance in aerospace applications led to stringent quality control measures.
- For hardware, the Minuteman program introduced rigorous testing, traceability procedures, and clean room environments, significantly reducing failure rates.
- For software, NASA’s approach to Apollo missions involved meticulous code reviews and testing, emphasizing the importance of human oversight and formal verification processes.
These practices, though initially driven by aerospace needs, highlighted the critical importance of reliability and error-free operation in all computing systems.
When were Analog computers developed for military applications?
In the 1940s.
Computers such as the Norden bombsight and the M9 gun director
Who created the groundwork for information theory, and when was this?
Norbert Wiener published in 1942 a classified report on fire control, laying the groundwork for information theory.
He also wrote Cybernetics.
When did the Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb, and what effect did this have?
In 1949, the first atomic bomb test was performed, leading to the development of the SAGE air defense system.
When did the Whirlwind computer become fully operational as the heart of an air defense system?
In 1953.
What did IBM deliver for the SAGE network?
a prototype computer in 1955
When was the first SAGE installation declared operational?
In 1958. Declared operational at McGuire AFB, New Jersey
What led to the creation of the Integrated Circuit (IC)? When was this
In the early 1960s, the Air Force initiated the development of an improved Minuteman missile, leading to the creation of the integrated circuit (IC).
When were the first transistorized guidance computers using Minuteman missiles deployed?
1962
When was the System/360 introduced?
In April 1964.
It used solid logic technology instead of ICs.
When was the DIP introduced?
The Dual In-line Package for ICs, was introduced in 1964.
When was the PDP-8 minicomputer introduced and by whom?
In 1965 by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC)
When was the Minuteman II missile deployed?
In 1967. It also incorporated the first production computer build with integrated circuits.
When was the successful Apollo mission?
IN 1968 the Apollo 8 mission successfully orbits the moon using the Apollo Guidance Computer.
When was the first digital fly-by-wire system flown?
In 1972 by NASA
When was the final Apollo mission launched?
In 1975, Apollo-Soyuz
When was the Voyager 1 launched?
1977
Which changed in the 1980s did the Commercial Airbus planes go through?
Commercial Airbus planes began using digital fly-by-wire systems and redundant controllers
When did the Opportunity rover land on Mars?
2004
Who is Jay W. Forrester?
Leader of Project Whirlwind at the MIT Servomechanisms Laboratory
Who is Margaret Hamilton?
Leader of the software team for the Apollo Guidance Computer, credited with ensuring its reliability.
Who is Jean Hoerni
Engineer at Fairchild Semiconductor who developed the planar process for making silicon transistors.
Who is Jack Kilby?
Engineer at Texas Instruments who invented the integrated circuit.
Who is Robert Noyce?
He independently developed the integrated circuit using the planar process.
