Fortran compiles and runs source on a 1401 from 1959 in 2018

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FrankenGraphics
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Fortran compiles and runs source on a 1401 from 1959 in 2018

Post by FrankenGraphics »

Maybe this should even go into "other retro dev" :lol:

But here's a video dating 2nd february 2018 recorded by the computer history museum where they've written fortran II to a tape and is using it to compile and run a program on an IBM 1401 from 1959. Might interest some of you.

Also lots of other movie clips leading up to the moment, like making new replacements brushes for the tape drives and so on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFQ3sajIdaM

Favorite moment
"Lots of red lights!"
"Oh.. we would've crashed on the moon that day."

Bonus material: The Demoscene was strong in 1959 (on the PDP). Discretetunes and snowflake graphics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EWQYAfuMYw
zzo38
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Re: Fortran compiles and runs source on a 1401 from 1959 in

Post by zzo38 »

I have never used IBM 1401, nor PDP, but I have read HAKMEM which describes some of the graphics and music they have done with PDP.

I have written programs for MIX though (another computer that uses magnetic tape and punch cards). Both binary and decimal versions of MIX are possible. Memory is 4000 words, where each word is a sign (positive or negative) and 5 bytes, and a byte is either 6 bits or 2 digits (depending on the implementation of MIX). It also has its own character encoding. The method of initial program loading is similar to that of IBM 1401 (although there is no "word mark"; each instruction (including its operands) is a single five-byte word and sign (when reading any text input (such as a card), all signs are set to positive)).

Here is the text for a "bootstrap" card for MIX (the original design used two cards for bootstrap; I reduced it to a single card) (note the first character position is blank):

Code: Select all

 N O6 A O4    H N ENX   E K BU    I OALH   A. PAEN D LB    E  AEU  ABG G  9     
I don't know what the text is for IBM 1401 bootstrap cards.
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