Air traffic control: the IBM 9020

60 pointsposted 20 days ago
by pinewurst

6 Comments

jalgos_eminator

19 days ago

Fascinating read, I had no idea they had digitized radar systems in the 1960's. Even though we look back on older systems as "outdated", "obsolete", "primitive", etc. the engineering behind them remains fresh and feels as clever as anything.

cap11235

14 days ago

I assume you are comparing to SAM development (Surface to AirMissile). I had a longer response, but it was rude, particularly to someone interestedin historical systems.

pjmlp

14 days ago

Note the systems language, JOVIAL, there was a another world before UNIX was even a thought.

adrian_b

14 days ago

During the mid seventies, JOVIAL had an important influence on the series of specification documents for programming languages that the Department of Defense issued for the competition that has resulted in the Ada language (STRAWMAN => WOODENMAN => TINMAN => IRONMAN => STEELMAN).

So there is some legacy of JOVIAL surviving to the present day.

pjmlp

14 days ago

Interesting, thanks for sharing.