Fifty Years Ago .... from the pages of Computer Weekly

6th March 1975 computing, compiled by TNMOC volunteer archivist, Brian Aldous.

A selection of stories from Computer Weekly from 6th March 1975. The full archive of Computer Weekly can be seen at TNMOC, where there are special rolling displays of front pages from 25 and 40 years ago.

Fairchild high density memory: Claimed to represent a “significant advance in the density of solid-state memory”, a charge-coupled memory is to be put into large-scale production by Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corp in the US by autumn this year. Known as the CCD 450, the new unit is a IK byte serial storage element aimed at such memory applications as intelligent terminals, terminal buffers, VDU refresh mechanisms and electronic switching in data communications networks. According to Dr Thomas Longo, vice-president and general manager of Fairchild’s integrated circuits group, the CCD 450 is fabricated using a mix of the company’s NMOS and CCD technologies, and is as easy to use as any MOS memory. (CW 435 6/3/1975 p9)

Lamson replaces phone with Instagram: Many large companies faced with telephone and postal bills inflating at a terrifying rate could follow the lead of Lamson Paragon Industries which has now effectively scrapped telephone communications throughout its many divisions and replaced them with an ITT ADX 600-based teleprinter switching network called Instagram. The ITT ADX 600 is sited at Lamson’s Southwark, London, head office and is connected via 31 leased telephone lines to Telex machines located at Lamson offices and factories all over the country. The system incorporates an 8K Digital Equipment PDP-8 minicomputer and, as it stands, could handle up to 36 leased lines and 12 dial-up Telex lines, of which several of the latter could be linked to Lamson’s overseas offices. Lamson believes that in most instances the Instagram will be an adequate and often more efficient replacement for a telephone call. Last year Lamson spent nearly £150,000 on telephone calls and, without the Instagram system, this would almost certainly have exceeded the £200,000 mark this year. Instead, telephone costs this year should be no more than £50,000, plus the £57,000 annual cost of Instagram. (CW 435 6/3/1975 p40)