Central processing unit

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OBJECT TYPE: SUPERMINI/INTEGRATED CIRCUIT/DISK
DATE: 1984
ARTIFACT NUMBER: 1997.0266.001

MANUFACTURER: Prime Computer Inc.
MODEL: 2250 M
LOCATION: Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America

More Information

General Information

Serial #: FN010749
Part Number: 1
Total Parts: 3
AKA: N/A
Patents: N/A
General Description: METAL CASING & PARTS/ SYNTHETIC CONTROL PANELS, CONTROL BUTTONS, PARTS

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length: 82.0 cm
Width: 52.2 cm
Height: 74.5 cm
Thickness: N/A
Weight: N/A
Diameter: N/A
Volume: N/A

Lexicon

Group: Computing Technology
Category: Digital computing devices
Sub-Category: N/A

Manufacturer

AKA: Prime
Country: United States of America
State/Province: Massachusetts
City: Bedford

Context

Country: Canada
State/Province: Ontario
Period: 1984-1989
Canada: DONOR, CANADIAN ENGINEERING FIRM ADJELEIAN ALLEN RUBELI LTD. OF OTTAWA & TORONTO,USED THIS EQUIPMENT IN DESIGN OF MANY OFFICE BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN OTTAWA. PURCHASED IN 1984 FOR $150,000, IT WAS ALSO USED TO DESIGN STRUCTURAL & MECHANICAL COMPONENTS OF TORONTO SKYDOME.
Function: PROGRAMMABLE MACHINE THAT ACCEPTS & PROCESSES COMPUTER DATA. THIS EXAMPLE WAS USED BY ENGINEERING FIRM TO DO STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS IN BUILDING PROJECTS IT WAS CONTRACTED TO DESIGN.
Technical: PRIME WAS ONE OF MOST SOPHISTICATED MINICOMPUTERS OF PERIOD. WHERE DEC VAX DISPLACED LARGE MAINFRAME COMPUTERS LIKE IBM 370, PRIME TOOK FURTHER STEP BY ADOPTING EVEN HIGHER LEVEL OF LSI & FASTER CHIPS IN ABOUT 1/4 VOLUME. 2250 WAS CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT ADVANCE IN TECHNOLOGY BUT COST ABOUT 50% MORE THAN VAX. ULTIMATELY PRIME COULD NOT COMPETE WITH LARGER FIRMS & PCS.
Area Notes: Unknown

Details

Markings: METALLIC LABEL ON BACK READS "PRIME COMPUTER INC./ MODEL NO. 2250 M/ SERIAL NO. FN010749/ VAC. 120 Hz 60 A/S/ MADE. IN U.S.A./ LABELS ON FRONT & BACK RESPECTIVELY READ "Prime/ System I.D. Number 4382-0349/ Product Type 2250" (WITH SERVICE INFO.) & "PRIME COMPUTER/ SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION NO./ IN010749"/ TYPED ON DATA CARTRIDGE READS "PRIME COMPUTER INC./ FRAMINGTON, MA. 01701/ TAPE: 1 OF 1 REV: 192.4/ DESCRIPTION: M***BT,M***U1/ (X) CARTRIDGE TAPE (SINGLE DENSITY) WITH METALLIC LABEL READING "Scotch DC 300XL data cartridge extra length certified"
Missing: APPEARS COMPLETE
Finish: TEXTURED BUFF PAINTED CASING WITH TEXTURED BROWN TOP & FRONT PANELS/ SYNTHETIC PANEL FOR CONTROLS WITH WHITE LETTERING FOR CONTROL FUNCTIONS/ ORANGE SYNTHETIC CONTROL BUTTONS/ RED LAMP/ PLATED LOCK
Decoration: INCISED BLACK LETTERING ON BEIGE PLATES ON FRONT READS "PRIME"

CITE THIS OBJECT

If you choose to share our information about this collection object, please cite:

Prime Computer Inc., Central processing unit, 1984, Artifact no. 1997.0266, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, http://collection.ingeniumcanada.org/en/item/1997.0266.001/

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