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The developers and builders of the 701 had created a computer that consisted of
two tape units (each with two tape drives), a magnetic drum memory unit, a
cathode-ray tube storage unit, an L-shaped arithmetic and control unit with an
operator's panel, a card reader, a printer, a card punch and three power units.
The 701 could perform more than 16,000 addition or subtraction operations a
second, read 12,500 digits a second from tape, print 180 letters or numbers a
second, and output 400 digits a second from punched-cards.
The history of "the machine that carried us into the electronics
business" -- in the words of Tom Watson -- is a story of effective teamwork,
creativity, commitment and enterprise. Now, in the pages that follow, you can
revisit those exciting times a half century ago, view the machine and its
components; meet the key IBM players who designed, built and launched it;
learn about the 701's customers and its many suppliers; and gauge its
performance and capabilities. Although the 701 had a relatively short life in
the IBM product catalogue, it carved out a long legacy in the company's history
and in the chronicles of the modern computer. Here then, in our
701 Reference room, are several fascinating
looks at this momentous product...
* No, the plural "Machines" is not a typo; the 701 was comprised of 11
compact and connected units, hence its initial official nomenclature. Later
usage adopted the singular form, and later still, the computer was referred to
as the 701 Data Processing System.
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