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The Cray-1 Computer System (1977) [pdf]

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Re: The Cray-1 Computer System (1977) [pdf]

#41

Post by esseph »

wmoxam wrote: post #18
firecall wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how many times faster my iPhone 17 Pro Max is? Sometimes I like to remind myself we are living in the future. A future that seemed like SciFi when I was a kid in the 70s! Sadly I don’t think we will ever see Warp Drives, Time Travel or World Peace. But we might get Jet Packs!

Recently I've found myself wanting a tricorder type device.

With the visual analysis of LLMs, throw in some extra ingredients with a camera, microphone, speaker, and display, and were getting close. Add Bluetooth for biosensors and... Iterate a couple of generations...

We're getting there!

Re: The Cray-1 Computer System (1977) [pdf]

#42

Post by Animats »

kev009 wrote: post #15
ggm wrote: post #3

to deploy a 2nd hand Cray-1 at UQ, we had to raise the ex-IBM 3033 floor, it turned out the bend radius for flourinert was NOT the same as a water cooled machine. We also installed a voltage re-generator which is basically a huge spinning mass, you convert Australian volts to DC, spin the machine, and take off re-generated high frequency volts for the cray, as well as 110v on the right hz for boring stuff alongside.…

There a lot of discussion here https://retrocomputing.stackexchange.com/questions/7412/why-... but nothing seems conclusive.. I would wager the last answer, "IBM was using 400Hz", to be most directly causal reason. The motor-generator configuration might provide galvanic isolation and some immunity to spikes and transients as well?

Smaller transformers and capacitors in all the linear power supplies. 400Hz is still common in aircraft. Distribution losses are higher, but you're going across the room, not across the country.

Re: The Cray-1 Computer System (1977) [pdf]

#43

Post by [deleted] »

estimator7292 wrote: post #29
FridayoLeary wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At the risk of sounding cliche i'll point out that ios probably uses several times the capacity of a cray 1 just to get the keyboard to work.

Yes, but the impressive part is that the iPhone does it on a few mW instead of a few MW

[deleted]

Re: The Cray-1 Computer System (1977) [pdf]

#45

Post by technofiend »

DonHopkins wrote: post #23

I knew a guy who worked at one of the national labs that had its own Cray supercomputer, in a computer room with a big observation window that visitors could admire it through, of course (all Crays required observations windows to show them off). Just before a tour group came by, he hid inside the Cray, and waited for them to arrive. Then he casually strolled out from the back of the Cray, pulling up the zipper of hi…

The Cray 1-ish machines I had access to at Shell and Chevron were most definitely tucked away in rooms with no visibility into them. In fact the Chevron machine room had pretty stern "no photography" placards, which I took seriously and is sadly why I don't have a photo of sitting on the loveseat of their machine.

Getting access took just short an act of God and I was a sysadmin in the central support group! They didn't want us puttering on the machines, so as far as I could tell it mostly sat idle.

Re: The Cray-1 Computer System (1977) [pdf]

#47

Post by fredoralive »

tvguide61 wrote: post #19

Why the thin black curtain on the window? Thoughts: 1. To block some sunlight from getting in. 2. It’s a secure facility and wanted to prevent people from looking in. 3. To not have to look at something outside. 4. It’s a secure facility and wanted to prevent the chance of taking a picture of someone or something outside that could compromise the location of the computer or someone’s identity; sometimes the first pla…

I suspect the curtains are closed to avoid causing exposure issues etc. in the photos being taken.

As for windows in a computer room, seems a bit unusual, but a nicer working environment than the usual windowless box I'd guess...

Re: The Cray-1 Computer System (1977) [pdf]

#48

Post by hulitu »

awacs wrote: post #28

I remember doing a report on this in high school in the late 80s. I'd love to do an order of magnitude comparison to a modern M4 Mac... Amazing how far we've come.

> I'd love to do an order of magnitude comparison to a modern M4 Mac... Amazing how far we've come.

Yes, would be nice to compare the capabilities (multiuser, multitasking, security, RCE). Did we get _so_ far ? How many users can a Mac sustain ?

Re: The Cray-1 Computer System (1977) [pdf]

#50

Post by [deleted] »

Animats wrote: post #42
kev009 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There a lot of discussion here https://retrocomputing.stackexchange.com/questions/7412/why-... but nothing seems conclusive.. I would wager the last answer, "IBM was using 400Hz", to be most directly causal reason. The motor-generator configuration might provide galvanic isolation and some immunity to spikes and transients as well?

Smaller transformers and capacitors in all the linear power supplies. 400Hz is still common in aircraft. Distribution losses are higher, but you're going across the room, not across the country.

[deleted]
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