shannon@nosun.UUCP (Shannon Nelson) (01/16/90)
History repeats itself.
Many of you have been extolling the virtues of core memory never
forgetting its data. Well, I recently saw an article about a new
laptop computer from Psion pls of London. It uses Intel's Flash
memory for main memory and to replace the mechanical hard disk for
file storage. ROM Mess-DOS is used for the OS, and Microsoft wrote
the filesystem code for the Flash memory. Turn it on, and there
you are. Almost zero startup time, and everything is as you left
it. Since there is no mechanical harddrive, the batteries last
up to 75 hours. Also, its 4 pounds, and about the size of a
standard notebook. Take that, you luggables!
For those of you who don't know, flash memory is basically EPROM
that can be reprogrammed in place. You don't need to take the
device out of the machine to reprogram it.
The dynabook is almost here... (yeah, I've heard of the Dynabook(tm))
--
Shannon Nelson "Live, from Intel Scientific Computers..."
shannon@isc.intel.com ...!tektronix!{ogccse,nosun}!intelisc!shannon
(503) 629-7607 Intel disclaims all knowledge of my existence.cdaf@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Charles Daffinger) (01/17/90)
In article <514@intelisc.nosun.UUCP> shannon@isc.intel.com (Shannon Nelson) writes:
o
o forgetting its data. Well, I recently saw an article about a new
o laptop computer from Psion pls of London. It uses Intel's Flash
o memory for main memory and to replace the mechanical hard disk for
o file storage. ROM Mess-DOS is used for the OS, and Microsoft wrote
o ...
Hmmm... Let me put my foot in my mouth for a moment: From what I
understand, flash memories still have some of the same problems
EPROM's and EEPROM's have: They are still only good for between
10^5 to 10^6 write/erase cycles due to electron tunneling problems.
That seems to make them almost usable for disk, but certainly not
usable for main memory.
-charles
--
Charles Daffinger >Take me to the river, Drop me in the water< (812) 339-7354
cdaf@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu
Home of the Whitewater mailing list: whitewater-request@iuvax.cs.indiana.eduhyc@math.lsa.umich.edu (Howard Chu) (01/17/90)
In article <10257@microsoft.UUCP> markro@microsoft.UUCP (Mark ROBERTS) writes: >compiling and linking on the current system; loading the result into core; >pulling out the memory board; walking accross the lab and inserting the >board into the new machine; using the debugger jump to know address. > >Needless to say, got more testing done after they brought O/S up on new >system. Different scale, of course. HP calculators are all CMOS devices these days, eh? The HP-41 was cute, 'cause you could take their little memory modules out, swap them with someone else's calculator, and presto, instant file/data transfers. Of course, with the original 41Cs, that was only 64 registers == 448 bytes per module, and when I started messing with 'em, folks were using CVs, with the equivalent of all 4 modules already installed. (*Only* 4 ports in back. I wish some well-known computer companies would offer as much!!) But hey, then HP came out with Extended memory modules for the 41, and the trick returned. Dunno why they called it X-memory, it mapped in at the other end of the address space but you could still use it directly. Execute code out of it, etc. (Using synthetics tricks, that is. You had to alter the memory map, effectively turning the address space upside down. If you weren't careful about it, the PACK routine that packs unused memory would start at the top of RAM, wrap around thru zero, and wham - all gone. The dreaded MEMORY LOST...) But anyway, these modules were a lot more fun, holding, what, 2K each? Cool stuff. Wonder what kind of chips they used, always tossing in memory in multiples of 448 bytes. This carried on thru the HP-10 series as well (10, 11, 12, 15, 16, etc.) -- -=- PrayerMail: Send 100Mbits to holyghost@father.son[127.0.0.1] and You Too can have a Personal Electronic Relationship with God!
jstewart@ncs.dnd.ca (John Stewart) (01/17/90)
(This is a repost, not a followup, as our News software would'nt allow it. I guess I should install cnews real soon now :-) ) Henry Spencer wrote: > > People who just tell stories about core memory are all wimps. :-) Real > programmers still have a machine running with it. We do. Actually, it's > sort of a museum case in several ways: it runs the last functioning card > reader on campus! The company that I work for does defence work. There are some computers kicking around here called UYK's. They are used for ship-board defence work. I was talking with one of the designers a few months ago (during a power failure), and he proudly stated that one program was running on a UYK for a couple of years. Of course, I pointed out his error, and he replied that the UYK would continue where it left off, as it had core memory. I guess on board ships, during battle, one does not want to have to wait for a 1/2 hour reload if the power flickers! John Stewart.
SLSW2@cc.usu.edu (Roger Ivie) (01/19/90)
In article <731@ncs.dnd.ca>, jstewart@ncs.dnd.ca (John Stewart) writes: > > I guess on board ships, during battle, one does not want to have to wait > for a 1/2 hour reload if the power flickers! > And here I thought it was because the military doesn't TRUST semiconductor memory. -- =============================================================================== Roger Ivie 35 S 300 W Logan, Ut. 84321 (801) 752-8633 ===============================================================================