Computer History Archives Project (CHAP) | Computer History: Origin of the UNIVAC 1103A Scientific Computer (1953, 1956) ERA, Sperry Rand @ComputerHistoryArchivesProject | Uploaded December 2020 | Updated October 2024, 1 week ago.
UNIVAC: This presentation explores the history of the UNIVAC 1103A SCIENTIFIC COMPUTER, the most powerful scientific computer of its time. Used by the U.S. Navy, Air Force, National Security Agency, NASA and many others. Rare films and high quality photos show the development of the machine from its early predecessors in 1950, to its first release in 1953. Designed to meet government cryptologic specifications, the 1103A was modified for commercial use as well as continued military use. The 1103 was a product of Engineering Research Associates (ERA), Division of Remington Rand UNIVAC. Run time about 15 mins. Presented by the Computer History Archives Project (CHAP)
Presentation
0:01
Image Gallery
11:26
Acknowledgements
14:48
With Special thanks to the Dakota County Historical Society (DCHS) for rare, high-resolution photos of early UNIVAC and ERA machines.
Dakota County Historical Society
South St. Paul, Minnesota
Matt Carter, Executive Director
dakotahistory.org
Also, special thanks to The VIP Club: Information Technology (IT) Pioneers;
Retirees and former employees of Unisys, Lockheed Martin, and their heritage companies;
VIP Club
P.O. Box 21903, Eagan, MN 55121
vipclubmn.org
and
-Lowell Benson
-Don Weidenbach
-Keith Myhre
-Ron Q. Smith
-Harvey Taipale
Tony Buglione, Senior Manager, Industry Marketing and Communications
UNISYS Corporation
unisys.com
Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA
Dag Spicer, Senior Curator
computerhistory.org
Other UNIVAC photos courtesy of
Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE
hagley.org
Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota
(oral history interviews re: ERA 1103)
http://www.cbi.umn.edu
Ed Thelen’s Computer History Web Site
and BRL Report, Survey of Domestic Electronic Digital Computing Systems, BRL,
1957, 1961, etc. Weik, Martin H.
ed-thelen.org/comp-hist
Unisys History Newsletter by George Gray
Volume 6, Number 1, January, 2002
Sperry Rand's First Generation Computers, 1955-1960: Hardware and Software
October-December 2004, pp. 20-34, vol. 26
IEEE Annals of the History of Computing;
Authors :George T. Gray, Ronald Q. Smith
Original ERA and UNIVAC 1103 manuals and documentation, from:
Bitsavers Archive online (Al Kossow)
bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de
U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, D.C.
Additional film clip credits:
Film Clip: UNIVAC Scientific (male console operator), stock footage
by Periscope Film
periscopefilm.com
Film Clip: UNIVAC Scientific (female operators),
courtesy of U.S. Government
and Unisys Corporation
Film Clip: U.S. Air Force (BOMARC missile launch)
Additional References:--
VIP Club (Unisys legacy computers) references
vipclubmn.org/Computers.html
History and Evolution of 1100/2200 Mainframe Technology (UNISYS)
bitsavers.org/pdf/univac/1100/History_and_Evolution_of_1100_2200_Mainframe_Technology_Nov90.pdf
History of NSA Electronic Digital Computers (1964) declassified
nsa.gov/Portals/70/documents/news-features/declassified-documents/nsa-early-computer-history/6586784-history-of-nsa-general-purpose-electronic-digital-computers.pdf
A Brief History of Navy Cryptanalysis (Naval History and Heritage Command)
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/b/a-brief-history-of-naval-cryptanalysis.html
UNIVAC 1103A Customers List
sites.google.com/site/computerhistoryvideos/home/univac-1103a
UNIVAC: This presentation explores the history of the UNIVAC 1103A SCIENTIFIC COMPUTER, the most powerful scientific computer of its time. Used by the U.S. Navy, Air Force, National Security Agency, NASA and many others. Rare films and high quality photos show the development of the machine from its early predecessors in 1950, to its first release in 1953. Designed to meet government cryptologic specifications, the 1103A was modified for commercial use as well as continued military use. The 1103 was a product of Engineering Research Associates (ERA), Division of Remington Rand UNIVAC. Run time about 15 mins. Presented by the Computer History Archives Project (CHAP)
Presentation
0:01
Image Gallery
11:26
Acknowledgements
14:48
With Special thanks to the Dakota County Historical Society (DCHS) for rare, high-resolution photos of early UNIVAC and ERA machines.
Dakota County Historical Society
South St. Paul, Minnesota
Matt Carter, Executive Director
dakotahistory.org
Also, special thanks to The VIP Club: Information Technology (IT) Pioneers;
Retirees and former employees of Unisys, Lockheed Martin, and their heritage companies;
VIP Club
P.O. Box 21903, Eagan, MN 55121
vipclubmn.org
and
-Lowell Benson
-Don Weidenbach
-Keith Myhre
-Ron Q. Smith
-Harvey Taipale
Tony Buglione, Senior Manager, Industry Marketing and Communications
UNISYS Corporation
unisys.com
Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA
Dag Spicer, Senior Curator
computerhistory.org
Other UNIVAC photos courtesy of
Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE
hagley.org
Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota
(oral history interviews re: ERA 1103)
http://www.cbi.umn.edu
Ed Thelen’s Computer History Web Site
and BRL Report, Survey of Domestic Electronic Digital Computing Systems, BRL,
1957, 1961, etc. Weik, Martin H.
ed-thelen.org/comp-hist
Unisys History Newsletter by George Gray
Volume 6, Number 1, January, 2002
Sperry Rand's First Generation Computers, 1955-1960: Hardware and Software
October-December 2004, pp. 20-34, vol. 26
IEEE Annals of the History of Computing;
Authors :George T. Gray, Ronald Q. Smith
Original ERA and UNIVAC 1103 manuals and documentation, from:
Bitsavers Archive online (Al Kossow)
bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de
U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, D.C.
Additional film clip credits:
Film Clip: UNIVAC Scientific (male console operator), stock footage
by Periscope Film
periscopefilm.com
Film Clip: UNIVAC Scientific (female operators),
courtesy of U.S. Government
and Unisys Corporation
Film Clip: U.S. Air Force (BOMARC missile launch)
Additional References:--
VIP Club (Unisys legacy computers) references
vipclubmn.org/Computers.html
History and Evolution of 1100/2200 Mainframe Technology (UNISYS)
bitsavers.org/pdf/univac/1100/History_and_Evolution_of_1100_2200_Mainframe_Technology_Nov90.pdf
History of NSA Electronic Digital Computers (1964) declassified
nsa.gov/Portals/70/documents/news-features/declassified-documents/nsa-early-computer-history/6586784-history-of-nsa-general-purpose-electronic-digital-computers.pdf
A Brief History of Navy Cryptanalysis (Naval History and Heritage Command)
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/b/a-brief-history-of-naval-cryptanalysis.html
UNIVAC 1103A Customers List
sites.google.com/site/computerhistoryvideos/home/univac-1103a
