128KB of ram for $6400 ($21,800 in 2007 dollars). That’d get you somewhere around 1.2TB of ram today.

Small wonder: a breadbox-size computer with up to 1 million bytes of fault-control, semiconductor memory at 5c a byte.

For technically and/or environmentally demanding applications where processing reliability, or high speed, or both, are essential, HP 21 MX and HP 1000 computers can now contain up to 1 megabyte of memory in modules of 128k bytes.

With up to 1 million bytes of fault-control semiconductor memory, HP’s small computers can go to work in demanding applications where large or disc-based systems were previously needed:

Reading this ad sure takes me back. I know that the first thing I think about when I remember the seventies is the Fairchild F-8 microprocessor. Doesn’t everybody?

Looking Back On Tomorrow

“Science Fiction, my electronic eye.” great-grandfather said.
“Half the time it’s not fiction at all, just premature fact.”

by Boni Peluso

“Well, Bobby, how about a story before bedtime?” great-grandfather asked as he tucked me snugly into my weightless bubble.

“Oh, yes tell me some more about the old days and what they were like.”

He smiled and squeezed my arm. “OK son, I know just the thing. Long ago, back in 1999, I was being transferred from a unit control center in the New City to Space Station Zenith 1. While packing I found an old, old copy of Scientific American. It was yellow and rumpled and dated — imagine this—September 1977! At that time periodicals were printed on sheets of wood pulp!’ “Wow! No playback cards?”

BUSINESS AUTOMATION and MILITARY ELECTRONICS

The problem confronting many company managements today in deciding what course to follow in applying the new techniques of automation and data processing is similar to the problem faced in recent years by the leaders of our military organizations in arranging for efficient application of the same powerful tools of electronics to the art of war.

At Ramo-Wooldridge the difficult demands of major military systems responsibility have been met successfully by the placing of heavy dependence upon teams of unusually well-qualified, mature and experienced scientists, operational procedures experts, and engineers. These teams deal with the technical and non-technical portions of a project as inseparable and interrelated aspects of a single problem.

PLATO was a pretty amazing computer system for it’s day. Here is a blurb from the wikipedia entry:

…the last production PLATO system was turned off in 2006, PLATO nevertheless pioneered key concepts such as online forums and message boards, online testing, email, chat rooms, picture languages, instant messaging, remote screen sharing, and multiplayer online games…

“Control Data PLATO increased our training efficency 167%”

“PLATO computer-based education will save Merrell-National over 12,000 classroom hours on just one drug product training program alone.”
Gary J. Wilson, Sales Training Manager
Merrell-National Laboratories Division of Richardson-Merrell Inc.

“Today’s modern ethical drugs demand sales people who are better informed, more technically oriented and better able to relate vital product information to help doctors do a better job. To meet the challenge, Merrell-National Laboratories has initiated a program to improve the quality of pharmaceutical representative training.