| Pete Dashwood 2007-03-15, 7:55 am |
|
"Richard" <riplin@Azonic.co.nz> wrote in message
news:1173928679.637099.25930@d57g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> On Mar 15, 2:48 pm, "Pete Dashwood"
> <dashw...@removethis.enternet.co.nz> wrote:
>
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmed_Data_Processor
>
> Jump to: navigation, search
>
> Programmed Data Processor (abbreviated PDP) was the name of a series
> of computers, several of them ground-breaking and very influential,
> made by Digital Equipment Corporation. The name 'PDP' intentionally
> avoided the use of the term 'computer' because at the time of the
> first PDPs, computers had a reputation of being large, complicated,
> and expensive machines, and the venture capitalists behind Digital
> (esp. Georges Doriot) wouldn't support Digital attempting to build a
> "computer". So instead, Digital used their existing line of logic
> modules to build a Programmed Data Processor and aimed it at a market
> which couldn't afford the larger computers.
>
> [...]
OK. It seems pretty close to what I was told, but the motives were
different. Maybe my informant was influenced by processing paperwork on
these boxes, and the political climate of the time; maybe the Wikipedia
entry is not the whole story...
Either way, it is interesting.
Pete.
|