‹ BackHN Continuity

Thread

Web-based IBM 1620 emulator and IPL-V from 1963

53 points · 17 comments · abrax3141

  1. fernly · · focus · HN ↗
    I have heard that among older IBMers the 1620 (model 1) was known as CADET, for "Can't Add Doesn't Even Try".
    1. vincent-manis · · focus · HN ↗
      The reason for that is that it did arithmetic via table lookup. As I heard from someone who was there, the University of British Columbia wanted to show off its brand new 1620, so they wrote a demo program, and with a host of onlookers, they pressed Memory Clear, then loaded the program, and it failed. Memory clear had erased the addition and multiplication tables.
Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.