WEIZAC

WEIZAC ( " Weizmann Automatic Calculator " ) is the name of the first computer in Israel and also one of the first mainframe world. It was built from 1954 to 1955 at the Weizmann Institute and was based on the developed by John von Neumann Institute for Advanced Study (IAS ) architecture. Instead of 1 kB memory as the IAS computer however, he had 4 kB. The end of 1955 he carried out his first bills. WEIZAC was until December 29, 1963 in operation and was replaced by GOLEM.

WEIZAC was developed with a budget of $ 50,000, one-fifth of the total budget of the Weizmann Institute. To the Committee on IAS, which spoke out for the project belonged including Albert Einstein and John von Neumann himself Developing WEIZAC was led by Gerald Estrin, involved Estrins wife Thelma were ( an electrical engineer ), Chaim L. Pekeris and Aviezri Fraenkel and others ( a total of about a dozen people). The Applied mathematicians Pekeris, originated the initiative, the result was also one of the primary users. The Weizac was also used by the Israeli military, they had, however, only a weekly hour ( later expanded to two ) user time.

The Weizac still exists today in the Weizmann Institute.