Information Technology Pioneers

Retirees and former employees of UNISYS, Lockheed Martin, and Twin Cities heritage companies.
Home Pg 1     IT Legacy, Pg10     People, Pg30     Engineering, Pg40     Computers, Pg50     Systems, Pg60     Locations, Pg70     IT Research Links     Contact Us      
24-bits, Pg51     30-bits, Pg52     18-bits, Pg53     16-bits, Pg54     32-bits, Pg55     36-bits, Pg56     Air Force, Pg57     Others, Pg58     Comm'l Processors, Pg59      
Commercial Processors
1. Introduction
UNISYS is proud to claim that we possess the world's longest unbroken series of computers which started when ERA received government permission to market a commercial version of the 'classified' Atlas computer.  ERA had delivered the Atlas to the National Security Agency predecessor's cryptography department in October of 1950. 
 
The UNIVAC/UNISYS 1100 series of computers began with the 1101, a number coined by the Atlas installation engineer, Jack Hill, because it was developed under Task 13 - 13 in binary is 1101.  This product line series has evolved to today's 2000 series of UNISYS business computers.  The history is described by Ron Q. Smith in the attached series of slides.

On this page, scroll to section:

  1. Introduction [left]
  2. Computer Tree, 1950-1963
  3. Early Computer Customer Lists
  4. Computer Tree, 1962-1980

 

VIP Page 59 updated 26 December, 2011

 Introduction continued: The two computer tree figures below show the four decade relationship of this computer line.  Information about all of these computers is listed in a spread sheet file, click here to read it.

 

The time relationships of the other UNIVAC computers developed in Philadelphia are shown on these trees as are the RCA and Varian computers which were bought out by UNIVAC.  The early time relationships of the early defense industry computers which began with ERA are also shown.    

2. Computer Tree, 1950 - 1963

3.0 Early Computer Customer Lists

 

Our initial customers for these computer lines have been captured in a document by Ron Q. Smith, some of his information came from George Gray.   

 

The ending point of the first tree (above) and the starting point of the second tree (below) is the 1107 computer shown in this photo at the right.  A discussion about the 1108, the multi-processor son of the 1107 is in another attached document. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Computer Tree, 1962 - 1980