Simon (Computer)

Simon was the name of the historically first " home computer ", a project by Edmund Berkeley, which he presented in a thirteen-part series of articles in the magazine Radio - Electronics from October 1950. Although there were significantly more advanced machines at this time, Simon was but the first experiment to the self's a simple automatic digital computer for educational purposes. In 1950, he could be built for around 500 U.S. dollars.

History

The "Simon" project was developed in conjunction with Berkeley's book " Giant Brains, or Machines That Think " ( "giant brains or thinking machines " ), which was released in November 1949. Herein, the author writes:

"We will now consider how we can design a very simple thinking machine. Let's call her because her predecessor Simon Simple Simon. [ Translator's note: " Simple Simon " is an English nursery rhyme. ] Simon is so simple and in fact so small that it would fit in a fruit crate, about four cubic feet. [ Translator's note: 0.11 cubic meters ] [... ]

It may at first seem that such a simple model of a mechanical brain like Simon does not have much practical use. On the contrary, Simon has the same value for the training as an assortment of simple chemical experiments: to provoke thinking and understanding and to provide training and the formation of skills. A training course on mechanical brains could very well include the construction of a simple model of a mechanical brain as an exercise. "

In November 1950, Berkeley wrote for Scientific American published an article titled "Simple Simon ". In this he described a popular science the concept of the digital computer. Although in its functionality Simon was very limited - he could only represent the numbers 0, 1, 2 and 3 - Berkeley wrote on page 40 of the magazine that this machine " has the two unique properties that determine a true mechanical brain: it can. automatically by one of its registers convey information to another, and they can perform logical inferences unlimited length " Berkeley decided the article with a look into the future:

"One day we may have small computers in our homes, from the power line draw their energy as refrigerators or radios. [ ... ] You may remember us facts which we might otherwise be forgotten. You could calculate account balances and income taxes. School children could be consulted, to do their homework. Perhaps they could also look through and list that we need to make important decisions combinations with possibilities. We may find in the future a world full of mechanical brains that work for us. "

Specifications

Simons architecture based on relays. Programs were run directly from a 5-channel paper tape. The registers and the ALU could store only 2- bit numbers. The entry has been made on the tape or five buttons on the front panel of the machine, the output through five lights.

The tape was not only used as an input medium, but also as a program memory of the machine. The instructions were executed sequentially, as it was read from the tape. There were only four operations: addition, changing the sign, comparison operator (>) and branching.