ON THE MULTITERMINAL COMPUTER (O MNOGOPULTOVOI VYCHISLITELNOI MASHINE0,
Abstract
A computer time-sharing/Minsk-2 computer system based on multiple input-output terminals is described. The author proposes the replacement of electro-mechanical or manual desktop calculators by remote user terminals, which would permit routine processing of numerical data, e.g., during the preparation of computer programs. Two methods are proposed which in essence amount to 'on-line' and 'of-line' data-processing. The first method consists of preparing a punched tape on the remote terminal and then using this tape as an input to the computer; the second method, described in more detail involves the use of teletypewriters linked through suitable buffers to the input terminal of the computer. As an example a multi-terminal system, the Minsk-2 computer equipped with several remote I/O terminals is described and its efficiency in calculating a number of simple mathematical functions is compared to the electro-mechanical calculators. For example, the calculation of any trigonometric function (including data entry and answer print-out) requires only 5-6 seconds, whereas simple multiplication requires 4-5 seconds on a desktop calculator. The economic advantages of multiterminal computer operation will no doubt make its use widespread in the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 08, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0674687
Entities
People
- M. V. Mishurnaya
Organizations
- National Air and Space Intelligence Center