Windows HDDs (Page 3): Although I used mainframes, the majority of my work was with four test systems running proprietary OS software. I was weened on an IBM OS-360, but the bulk was...

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

TheShoe wrote:

I first programmed an IBM 650, the first commercially available stored program computer, as a college freshman in 1959. My career was spent working mainly with mainframes, mostly operating systems.For mre aout the 2nd generation adders see https://www.righto.com/2015/10/qui-binary-arithmetic-how-1960s-ibm.html

Although I used mainframes, the majority of my work was with four test systems running proprietary OS software. I was weened on an IBM OS-360, but the bulk was the IC and semiconductor test systems with smaller boxes. I did work in coding processors like the 8080, 8085, 6502, 6800, 6809, etc. I got into the computers at the component and bit level.
Any more I'm just basically an "end user", except for the web work.
You appear to have about 13 years on me, with different levels of involvement

TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA

Longshadow wrote:

Although I used mainframes, the majority of my wor... (show quote)

Did you check that link? The 1401 was all decimal, while the 7080 and some other processors used a hybrid called Qi-binary.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I disassembled a Seagate drive from 2011, and I saved all those little screws and the two powerful magnets. They sure are strong. I also saved the two platters because I'm thinking about decorating a ukulele as a Computer Uke. I'm hesitating because I'm afraid that it will keep failing to play properly. 😳

BebuLamar

I have about 10 drives that I won't be using any more. I guess I can take them apart. I think if I only open the cover the disk would still spin when connected to power.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

TheShoe wrote:

Did you check that link? The 1401 was all decimal, while the 7080 and some other processors used a hybrid called Qi-binary.

No, I didn't.
Everything I was associated with and/or exposed to was binary.

I never did fuzzy logic either.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jerryc41 wrote:

I disassembled a Seagate drive from 2011, and I saved all those little screws and the two powerful magnets. They sure are strong. I also saved the two platters because I'm thinking about decorating a ukulele as a Computer Uke. I'm hesitating because I'm afraid that it will keep failing to play properly. 😳

And have to be backed up regularly....

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

jerryc41 wrote:

I disassembled a Seagate drive from 2011, and I saved all those little screws and the two powerful magnets. They sure are strong. I also saved the two platters because I'm thinking about decorating a ukulele as a Computer Uke. I'm hesitating because I'm afraid that it will keep failing to play properly. 😳

Better back it up

(I see Longshadow beat me to it)

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

TheShoe wrote:

Did you check that link? The 1401 was all decimal, while the 7080 and some other processors used a hybrid called Qi-binary.

I remember the 1401. Internally at IBM, we referred to it as a “business machine”, not a “computer” like the 360 I was trained on.

Mr. SONY Loc: LI, NY

BebuLamar wrote:

I have about 10 drives that I won't be using any more. I guess I can take them apart. I think if I only open the cover the disk would still spin when connected to power.

I sure would.
Back in the days of, IIRC MFM and RLL drives I would open the drive to free up a non-spinning platter.
The lubricant would sometimes hold the plater to the head.
Then the customer could backup their data and then I would replace the drive.

TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA

TriX wrote:

I remember the 1401. Internally at IBM, we referred to it as a “business machine”, not a “computer” like the 360 I was trained on.

It was a stored program computer. It was considered mid-range at the time. In the large shops that I saw, it was used mainly to copy decks of cards to tape to be used as input for the larger machines and to take tapes containing reports produce by the bigger boys and print them. Many small shops used them for other things. RPG was a popular program on them. As noted above, it was a true decimal machine. It did not convert to binary.

We always said that RPG was an acronym for Repulsive Program Generator.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Are you sure the old machines worked (computed) in decimal?
Or was the maintenance panel interface in decimal instead of binary (HEX/Octal).....

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

BebuLamar wrote:

I have about 10 drives that I won't be using any more. I guess I can take them apart. I think if I only open the cover the disk would still spin when connected to power.

Yes, it will spin, but you might not be able to tell. Those platters are so perfect, smooth, and shiny.

The enclosure for the magnets is not screwed together. The magnets themselves hold the top and bottom together. I couldn't see a way to take that structure apart, so I tried prying. That worked - after I overcame the pull of the magnets.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

TheShoe wrote:

It was a stored program computer. It was considere... (show quote)

Never worked on a 1401, the 360 was hex.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Longshadow wrote:

Are you sure the old machines worked (computed) in decimal?
Or was the maintenance panel interface in decimal instead of binary (HEX/Octal).....

Yes. At the machine level (flip flops, gates, memory cores and disk reads/writes) there are only binary states, but the data can be BCD (of which there are a number of formats).

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

TriX wrote:

Yes. At the machine level (flip flops, gates, memory cores and disk reads/writes) there are only binary states, but the data can be BCD (of which there are a number of formats).

That was my point. The machine level, the level at which they operate, is binary.
The human interface (ie. Maintenance Panel) may be HEX, Octal, or Decimal.