if that's truly from 1957, the whole setup would have several pieces that size. the 803 a few years later was three (one about this size, two a little smaller), plus user console, printer, tape reader. nearly 2000 lbs worth of equipment.

[–] xav@programming.dev 19 points 1 day ago

To be fair the Pi has no peripheral (keyboard, screen...) either.

[–] fizzle@quokk.au 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I don't know but my supposition is that the ras pi pictured is several powers of magnitude more powerful than the 803.

[–] marcos@lemmy.world 30 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

It certainly is.

From the wiki:

"It uses ferrite magnetic-core memory in 4096 or 8192 words of 40 bits, comprising 39 bits of data with parity."

So a whooping 39kB of memory on the largest option!

"Tape is read at 500 characters per second and punched at 100 cps."

Compare that with a micro-SD...

"The bit time is 6 microseconds, jumps execute in 288 microseconds and simple arithmetic instructions in 576 microseconds."

And it run and an incredible speed of 1 to 3kHz!

(And this is overselling the computer, it was slower than what the numbers appear.)

[–] lime@feddit.nu 16 points 1 day ago (2 children)

imagine a tape punch going at 100cps though... even if it's just stamping baudot code that's still 500 actuations per second. that's fuckin terrifying.

[–] okwhateverdude@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

probably loud af too

[–] lime@feddit.nu 7 points 1 day ago

oh absolutely, dot matrix printer times 10

[–] Carighan@piefed.world 2 points 1 day ago

Not a thing you want your service without a good LOTO scheme.

[–] creamfresh@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

Actually insane that it is so powerful at that time, without transistors.