- Design
- References
- Bibliography
Perseus was a vacuum tube (valve) computer built by Ferranti, Ltd of Great Britain. It was a development of the Ferranti Pegasus computer for large-scale data processing.{{sfn|Hunt|1959}} It had a processing unit which used many of the same parts as Pegasus and an off-line unit for printing on a line printer from half-inch magnetic tape. Two were sold, both to overseas insurance companies in 1959.{{sfn|Computer Conservation Society|2010|loc=Delivery List}} DesignThe design aim of Perseus was to enable large-scale data-processing, rather than scientific computing. It used the same electronic technology as the Ferranti Pegasus, similarly engineered. The envisaged applications would involve vast amounts of file data for which 1/2" magnetic tape was provided. The word length was 72 bits with 160 words of random-access memory provided by single-word nickel acoustic delay lines. Unlike Pegasus with its magnetic drum, further internal store was provided by 864, 16-word delay lines.{{sfn|Hunt|1959|p=68}} Large-scale data input was provided by punched card readers available for both round- and rectangular-hole cards. Data output was via magnetic tape to an off-line unit equipped with 300 lines per minute Samastronic line printers.{{sfn|De Kerf|1959|p=34}} ReferencesBibliography- {{Citation |last= De Kerf |first = Joseph L. F. |title= A Survey of British Digital Computers (Part 2) |publisher= Computers and Automation |volume= 8 |issue= 4 |date= April 1959 |pages= 34–36 |url= http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/computersAndAutomation/195904.pdf }}
- {{Citation |last= Hunt |first= P. M. |title= The Ferranti Perseus Data-Processing System |journal= The Computer Journal |volume= 2 |issue= 2 |pages= 68–75 |date= 1 January 1959 |url= https://watermark.silverchair.com/020068.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAAaAwggGcBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggGNMIIBiQIBADCCAYIGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMA5YCFL2voUv8cuBBAgEQgIIBUyDiTSJXXK5mL8swSHN8vUP1kb7ri18NI_kAX3A0ANZ5J_A7c7zGQ7mJn5-rKW0BQQ2p5IOsDhQ5xbNvc-7K91DTNCPhWCCH2pP8rUDGJe5LuobHUmPpeFzIc3JdkIk4MbEGx5K45ScYKZSsTZdi6wxoHJdQVuckTrAwuQiPW4t88xdqIYnh5IIUvXpxspW7xQU8HuJj-33UF5kuG6zLZ6Blqmy1fFzkrjX5W0DvUms7jA-U35f4ZecSZ7qmNkqtgTXK-e8cstlkt13SisYqNcdyZOvVbdjB1Q2lpYtwVsvE_BICCoeC-LbJers5BfbBBCS8eIoqGVL3dyI_Lpco4Wp6CJFr3ClCFuklfjqd0xQMZ-9ixe8Rqo5aTyAHIxcNsCidOsfMg8_WnNdZyyPWauhH5LNsbHvUKwtAJBSJmoOuJDLg23tMNmMsCgx-DY5QYQ7n-A }}
- {{Citation |last= Lavington |first= Simon Hugh |title= Early British Computers: The Story of Vintage Computers and the People who Built Them |year=1980 |publisher=Manchester University Press |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=AU28AAAAIAAJ&lpg=PA78&dq=Ferranti%20Perseus%201959&hl=en&pg=PA78#v=onepage&q=Ferranti%20Perseus%201959&f=false |isbn=9780719008108 |language=en}}
- {{Citation |last= Computer Conservation Society |author-link= Computer Conservation Society |title= Our Computer Heritage Project: Ferranti Pegasus, Perseus and Sirius |publisher = Computer Conservation Society |year= 2010 |url= http://www.ourcomputerheritage.org/ferra_15.htm }}
- {{Citation |last= Anon |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=dGk-B_pvnN8C&lpg=PA517&dq=Ferranti%20%22Perseus%22%20first&hl=en&pg=PA517#v=onepage&q=Ferranti%20%22Perseus%22%20first&f=false |title= New Scientist |date= 5 March 1959 |publisher= Reed Business Information |language=en |chapter= To compute Swedish premiums}}
{{Compu-stub}} 4 : Vacuum tube computers|1950s computers|Ferranti|Early British computers |