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The Programmed Data Processor (PDP) computer |
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PDP (Programmed Data Processor) minicomputers were produced by DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) from the late 50s to the early 90s. PDP-1The PDP-1 was the first computer in Digital Equipment's PDP series and was first produced in 1960. It is famous for being the computer most important in the creation of hacker culture, at MIT, BBN and elsewhere. The PDP-1 was also the original hardware for playing history's first computerized video game, Steve Russell's Spacewar. PDP-3The PDP-3 was the first 36-bit machine DEC designed, although it was not offered as a product. Only one PDP-3 was built, and that was by a customer in 1960. Architecturally, the PDP-3 was essentially a PDP-1 stretched to 36-bit word width. PDP-4The PDP-4, which was a slower, cheaper alternative to the PDP-1, was not a commercial success. All subsequent 18-bit PDPs were based on the instruction set of the PDP-4. PDP-5The PDP-5 was DEC's first 12-bit machine. It introduced the instruction set that was later used in the PDP-8. Instead of having a dedicated hardware register, the memory location at address zero was used as the program counter. PDP-6The PDP-6 was a 36-bit timesharing machine, with very elegant architecture. It was considered to be a large minicomputer or a mainframe. PDP-7The PDP-7 replaced the PDP-4. It was DEC's first wire-wrapped machine, and the first version of Unix was written for this machine. PDP-8The PDP-8 was the world's first minicomputer. It was priced at the amazingly low price of $20,000.00. It was a 12-bit machine with a tiny instruction set. The PDP-8 was DEC's first widely successful computer; the first successful "personal computer". Many PDP-8s were purchased by schools, university departments, and research laboratories. Later models were also used in the DECmate word processor and the VT-78 workstation. PDP-9The PDP-9 was DEC's successor to the PDP-7. It was DEC's first micro-programmed machine. PDP-10The PDP-10 was a 36-bit timesharing machine, which was fairly successful over several different models. The instruction set was a slightly elaborated form of that of the PDP-6. PDP-11The PDP-11, sold by DEC in the 1970s and 1980s, was one the most successful computers of all time, beginning life as a minicomputer and ending up as a micro or supermicro/supermini. The PDP-11, which was a 16-bit minicomputer, was the successor to DEC's PDP-8. It had several uniquely innovative features, and was easier to program than its predecessors. While well-liked by programmers, it was eventually superseded by personal computers, including the IBM PC and Apple II. PDP-12The PDP-12 was a descendant of the LINC-8. PDP-14The PDP-14 was a 12-bit machine intended as an industrial controller. PDP-15The PDP-15 was DEC's final 18-bit machine, and their only 18-bit machine constructed from TTL integrated circuits rather than discrete transistors. Later versions of the system were referred to as the "XVM" family. PDP-16The PDP-16 was mainly intended for industrial control systems, with more capability than the PDP-14. The PDP-16/M was introduced as a standard version of the PDP-16. PDP Timeline
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