IBM 7090

IBM 7090

This computer was built by IBM in 1959. It was designed for large scale scientific and technological applications. The 7090 used a 36 bit word length, with an address space of 32K (32,768) words. It operated with a basic memory cycle of 2.8µs. This was built using transistor circuits. It had a processing speed of around 100K flops the 7090 was six times faster than the 709 (early version of IBM which used vacuum tubes and was  costly to rent) and can be rented for half the price. It was widely known to be transistorized version of the vacuum-tube-logic 709 computer. It was redesigned to be compatible by Sylvania who was the data processing subcontractor  BMEWS missile warning radar network, which was under a mandate to use transistor computers.Couple of this unit were used for American Airlines SABRE real-time airline reservation system.

It was intended mainly for scientific computing, but it was also suitable for business and administrative use. Its IBSYS operating system was tape-based, it required 8 magnetic tape drives to run and had to be booted from the card reader.

Transistors and circuitry:

The 7090 used more than 50,000 germanium alloy-junction transistors and (faster) germanium diffused junction drift transistors.

The 7090 used the Standard Modular System (SMS) cards using current-mode logic some using diffused junction drift transistors.

It was the first computer to sing, singing "Daisy Bell".

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The IBM 7090 was a groundbreaking mainframe computer introduced by IBM in 1959. It was a significant advancement over its predecessor, the IBM 709, as it utilized transistors instead of vacuum tubes. This transition to transistorized architecture resulted in increased speed, reliability, and efficiency, making the 7090 a popular choice for large-scale scientific and technological applications during the early 1960s.

Key features and specifications of the IBM 7090:

• Architecture: Second-generation, transistorized mainframe.
• Word Length: 36-bit.
• Memory: Core memory with a capacity of up to 32,768 words (32K).
• Memory Cycle Time: 2.18 microseconds.
• Instruction Speed: Capable of executing approximately 229,000 instructions per second. Basic addition took around 4.4 microseconds.
• Input/Output: Featured a data channel architecture, allowing for concurrent I/O operations. Up to eight data channels could be connected, each supporting up to ten IBM 729 magnetic tape drives.
• Transistors: Used over 50,000 germanium alloy-junction and diffused junction drift transistors.
• Software: A wide range of software was available, including the Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS), the first general-purpose time-sharing operating system. Operating systems like SOS, IBSYS, and IBJOB were also used. Programming languages included FORTRAN.
• Applications: Primarily designed for scientific and engineering computations. It was used in various fields, including:
  • Aerospace: NASA utilized 7090s (and later 7094s) for the Mercury and Gemini space flights. It was also used for flight planning in the early Apollo program.
  • Scientific Research: Employed in nuclear research, weather forecasting, and by organizations like Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.
  • Mathematics: Used to discover Mersenne primes and to compute a large number of digits of π.
  • Astronomy: Michael Minovitch used it for research related to NASA's Planetary Grand Tour project.
  • Lens Design: Assisting in calculations for designing specialized lenses for NASA.
  • Airline Reservations: The original SABRE system used by American Airlines was based on a pair of 7090s.
  • Music Composition: Composer Iannis Xenakis utilized it for his work.
  • Artificial Intelligence: Early chess-playing programs were developed for the 7090.
• Cost: The IBM 7090 was expensive for its time, with prices starting at around $2.9 million.

Historical Significance:

The IBM 7090 marked a crucial step in the evolution of computing. Its transition to transistors led to significant improvements in performance and reliability compared to earlier vacuum tube-based computers. It played a vital role in many important scientific and technological advancements of the 1960s, including the US space program. The 7090 also fostered the development of early operating systems and programming languages, laying the groundwork for modern computing. Its impact solidified IBM's position as a leader in the mainframe computer market.