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mercury-delay-line-memory
A type of main memory used in the UNIVAC I that utilized sound waves traveling through mercury tubes to store data.
1 chapter across 1 book
Core Memory: A Visual Survey of Vintage Computers (2007)John Alderman, Mark Richards
NAMEUNIVAC I
The chapter details the development and significance of the UNIVAC I, the first commercial computer in the United States, highlighting its innovative use of mercury delay line memory and tape storage. It also covers the Wisconsin Integrally Synchronized Computer (WISC), designed by Gene Amdahl as a Ph.D. project, noting its magnetic drum memory and Amdahl's later influential contributions to computing. Both machines illustrate early computing technology's evolution and the cultural and technical challenges faced during their adoption.