Title :
Dirty Gertie: the DRTE computer
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Comput. Sci., Calgary Univ., Alta., Canada
Abstract :
The article gives an account of the design, construction, and programming of the Canadian DRTE (Defence Research Telecommunications Establishment) computer, which possessed several unique features. It also describes some of the uses to which it was put. This computer is of interest because it incorporated several novel concepts, including a new form of transistorized flip-flop, a hardware decimal-to-binary and binary-to-decimal (DBBD) converter and a unique core memory.<>
Keywords :
computer architecture; computer evaluation; digital arithmetic; digital computers; flip-flops; history; DRTE computer; Defence Research Telecommunications Establishment; Dirty Gertie; binary-to-decimal converter; hardware decimal-to-binary; transistorized flip-flop; unique core memory; Circuit testing; Digital arithmetic; Diodes; Electron tubes; Electronic circuits; Flip-flops; Laboratories; Switches; Switching circuits; Telecommunication computing;
Journal_Title :
Annals of the History of Computing, IEEE
