Computer History: Origin of the UNIVAC 1103A Scientific Computer (1953, 1956) ERA, Sperry Rand

211220 Like and subscribe. This is an archive, check the link in the end if you are owner. 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)Show more

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
https://www.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
http://vipclubmn.org
and
-Lowell Benson
-Don Weidenbach
-Keith Myhre
-Ron Q. Smith
-Harvey Taipale

Tony Buglione, Senior Manager, Industry Marketing and Communications
UNISYS Corporation
http://unisys.com

Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA
Dag Spicer, Senior Curator
http://computerhistory.org

Other UNIVAC photos courtesy of
Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE
http://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.
http://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)
http://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
http://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
http://vipclubmn.org/Computers.html

History and Evolution of 1100/2200 Mainframe Technology (UNISYS)
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univac/1100/History_and_Evolution_of_1100_2200_Mainframe_Technology_Nov90.pdf

History of NSA Electronic Digital Computers (1964) declassified
https://www.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
https://sites.google.com/site/computerhistoryvideos/home/univac-1103a
https://rumblevideoarchive.wordpress.com/