thumb|280px|IBM 702 system: From left to right, [[williams tube|CRT memory, 702 CPU, 717 printer, operator's console, 757 printer control unit, 752 tape control unit, five 727 tape drives, 732 drum storage, five 727 tape drives, card reader, card punch, and reader/punch control units.]]

The IBM 702 was an early generation tube-based digital computer produced by IBM in the early to mid-1950s. It was the company's response to Remington Rand's UNIVAC, which was the first mainframe computer to use magnetic tapes. As these machines were aimed at the business market, they lacked the leading-edge computational power of the IBM 701 and ERA 1103, which were favored for scientific computing, weather forecasting, the aircraft industry, and the military and intelligence communities.

Within IBM, the 702 was notable for adapting the new technology of magnetic-core memory for random-access applications.

The 702 was announced September 25, 1953, and withdrawn October 1, 1954, but the first production model was not installed until July 1955. It was superseded by the IBM 705.

History

Fourteen 702s were built. The first one was used at IBM. Due to problems with the Williams tubes, the decision was made to switch to magnetic-core memory instead. The fourteenth 702 was built using magnetic-core memory, and the others were retrofitted with magnetic-core memory.

See also

  • List of vacuum-tube computers

References

  • IBM Archives: 702 Data Processing System
  • IBM Electronic Data-Processing Machines Type 702 (PDF)
  • The Williams Tube
  • IBM 702 photos