List of Programmed Data Processors - Revision history

Larsbrinkhoff: Linkify; expand DEC-20 for clarity; add some more comments.

2024-12-03T07:12:35Z

Linkify; expand DEC-20 for clarity; add some more comments.

Jnc: typo

2023-08-11T13:00:15Z

typo

Larsbrinkhoff: Clearly separate the first table with PDPs that really existed, from the second which did not.

2023-08-11T09:03:14Z

Clearly separate the first table with PDPs that really existed, from the second which did not.

Larsbrinkhoff: Links to PDP-2 and CASINO.

2023-07-29T05:02:21Z

Links to PDP-2 and CASINO.

Jnc: Add table for un-produced machines

2022-05-03T11:22:29Z

Add table for un-produced machines

Larsbrinkhoff: PDP-20.

2022-03-23T06:18:02Z

PDP-20.

Larsbrinkhoff: PDP-24 ???

2022-03-23T06:15:27Z

PDP-24 ???

Jnc: Sigh, maybe we've finally got it this time

2021-05-11T18:10:59Z

Sigh, maybe we've finally got it this time

Jnc: Jnc moved page List of Programmed Digital Processors to List of Programmed Data Processors without leaving a redirect

2021-05-11T18:09:59Z

Jnc moved page List of Programmed Digital Processors to List of Programmed Data Processors without leaving a redirect

Jnc: Misspelled

2021-05-11T15:21:55Z

Misspelled

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 ! Family/Machine !! [[Word]] Size !! Comment
 |-
-| [[PDP-1]] || 18
+| [[PDP-1]] || 18 || The first PDP
 |-
 | [[PDP-3]] || 36 || Only one built, not by DEC
 |-
-| [[PDP-4]] || 18
+| [[PDP-4]] || 18 || Simplified and cost-reduced 18-bit machine.
 |-
-| [[PDP-5]] || 12 || First [[minicomputer]]
+| [[PDP-5]] || 12 || The first [[minicomputer]]
 |-
-| [[PDP-6]] || 36
+| [[PDP-6]] || 36 || DEC's first "large" machine; immediate predecessor to the PDP-10 family
 |-
 | [[PDP-7]] || 18 || Original [[UNIX]] machine
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 | [[PDP-9]] || 18
 |-
-| [[PDP-10]] || 36 || DEC's [[mainframe]].  Renamed DECsystem-10, and later added DECSYSTEM-20.
+| [[PDP-10]] || 36 || DEC's [[mainframe]].  Renamed [[DECsystem-10]], and later added [[DECSYSTEM-20]].
 |-
 | [[PDP-11]] || 16
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 | [[PDP-14]] || 12 || Industrial controller
 |-
-| [[PDP-15]] || 18
+| [[PDP-15]] || 18 || The last 18-bit PDP
 |-
 | [[PDP-16]] || &nbsp; || Not an actual computer; custom industrial controllers built out of [[Register Transfer Module]]s
@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 | PDP-13 || &mdash; || The unlucky number 13 was skipped.
 |-
-| PDP-20 || 36 || ''Not a real name!''  Sometimes used for DEC-20 computers.
+| PDP-20 || 36 || ''Not a real name!''  Sometimes used for DECSYSTEM-20 computers.
 |-
 | PDP-24 || 24? || Unconfirmed, mentioned in [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp-x/03.pdf PDP-X memo 3].

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 | [[PDP-9]] || 18
 |-
-| [[PDP-10]] || 36 || DEC's mainframe.  Renamed DECsystem-10, and later added DECSYSTEM-20.
+| [[PDP-10]] || 36 || DEC's [[mainframe]].  Renamed DECsystem-10, and later added DECSYSTEM-20.
 |-
 | [[PDP-11]] || 16
@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 | [[PDP-15]] || 18
 |-
-| [[PDP-16]] || &nbsp; || Not an actual computer; custom industrial controllers built out of [[Register Transfer Modules]]
+| [[PDP-16]] || &nbsp; || Not an actual computer; custom industrial controllers built out of [[Register Transfer Module]]s
 |}
-A number of other PDPs never existed as real machines, are minomers, or jokes:
+A number of other PDPs never existed as real machines, are misnomers, or jokes:
 {| class="wikitable"

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 | [[PDP-9]] || 18
 |-
-| [[PDP-10]] || 36 || DEC's mainframe
+| [[PDP-10]] || 36 || DEC's mainframe.  Renamed DECsystem-10, and later added DECSYSTEM-20.
 |-
 | [[PDP-11]] || 16
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 |-
 | [[PDP-16]] || &nbsp; || Not an actual computer; custom industrial controllers built out of [[Register Transfer Modules]]
 |}
-A number of other designs never existed as real machines, only on paper:
+A number of other PDPs never existed as real machines, are minomers, or jokes:
 {| class="wikitable"
 ! Family/Machine !! Word Size !! Comment
 |-
-| [[PDP-2]] || 24 || Never designed
+| [[PDP-2]] || 24 || Never designed.
 |-
-| PDP-2 ½ || || Jocular moniker for "[[CASINO]]" by Ed Rawson of the American Science Institute.
+| PDP-2½ || ? || Jocular moniker for "[[CASINO]]" by Ed Rawson of the American Science Institute.
 |-
 | PDP-24 || 24? || Unconfirmed, mentioned in [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp-x/03.pdf PDP-X memo 3].
 |-
-| [[PDP-K]] || 18 || Intended as a bridge between the PDP-15 and the PDP-10 family
+| [[PDP-K]] || 18 || Intended as a bridge between the PDP-15 and the PDP-10 family, with a PDP-11-like instruction set.
 |-
-| [[PDP-X]] || 16 || An alternative to the PDP-11
+| [[PDP-X]] || 16 || An alternative to the PDP-11.
 |}

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 ! Family/Machine !! Word Size !! Comment
 |-
-| PDP-2 || 24 || Never designed
+| [[PDP-2]] || 24 || Never designed
 |-
-| PDP-2 ½ || || "Casino" by Ed Rawson of the American Science Institute.
+| PDP-2 ½ || || Jocular moniker for "[[CASINO]]" by Ed Rawson of the American Science Institute.
 |-
 | PDP-24 || 24? || Unconfirmed, mentioned in [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp-x/03.pdf PDP-X memo 3].

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 '''Programmed Data Processor''' was the name adopted by [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] for all its early computers. (Reportedly, it was adopted to avoid worrying its early venture capital backers; at the time, almost all computers were large [[mainframe]]s, and DEC's founders were concerned that if it appeared that they intended to compete in that market, they wouldn't be able to get funding.)
-The name was dropped starting with the [[VAX]]. The other PDP families (most included more than one model) were:
+The name was dropped starting with the [[VAX]]. The other PDP families which became actual products for DEC (most included more than one model) were:
 {| class="wikitable"
@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 |-
 | [[PDP-1]] || 18
 |-
 | [[PDP-3]] || 36 || Only one built, not by DEC
@@ Line 25: / Line 21: @@
 |-
 | [[PDP-9]] || 18
 |-
 | [[PDP-10]] || 36 || DEC's mainframe
@@ Line 40: / Line 34: @@
 | [[PDP-16]] || &nbsp; || Not an actual computer; custom industrial controllers built out of [[Register Transfer Modules]]
 |-
-| PDP-20 || || ''Not a real name!''  Sometimes used for DEC-20 computers.
+| PDP-20 || 36 || ''Not a real name!''  Sometimes used for DEC-20 computers.
 |}

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:10, 11 May 2021
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	'''Programmed ~~Digital~~ Processor''' was the name adopted by [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] for all its early computers. (Reportedly, it was adopted to avoid worrying its early venture capital backers; at the time, almost all computers were large [[mainframe]]s, and DEC's founders were concerned that if it appeared that they intended to compete in that market, they wouldn't be able to get funding.)	+	'''Programmed Data Processor''' was the name adopted by [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] for all its early computers. (Reportedly, it was adopted to avoid worrying its early venture capital backers; at the time, almost all computers were large [[mainframe]]s, and DEC's founders were concerned that if it appeared that they intended to compete in that market, they wouldn't be able to get funding.)

	The name was dropped starting with the [[VAX]]. The other PDP families (most included more than one model) were:		The name was dropped starting with the [[VAX]]. The other PDP families (most included more than one model) were:

← Older revision	Revision as of 18:09, 11 May 2021
(No difference)

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:21, 11 May 2021
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	'''~~Programmable~~ Digital Processor''' was the name adopted by [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] for all its early computers. (Reportedly, it was adopted to avoid worrying its early venture capital backers; at the time, almost all computers were large [[mainframe]]s, and DEC's founders were concerned that if it appeared that they intended to compete in that market, they wouldn't be able to get funding.)	+	'''Programmed Digital Processor''' was the name adopted by [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] for all its early computers. (Reportedly, it was adopted to avoid worrying its early venture capital backers; at the time, almost all computers were large [[mainframe]]s, and DEC's founders were concerned that if it appeared that they intended to compete in that market, they wouldn't be able to get funding.)

	The name was dropped starting with the [[VAX]]. The other PDP families (most included more than one model) were:		The name was dropped starting with the [[VAX]]. The other PDP families (most included more than one model) were: