Item ST 43746 Computer System - IBM, Model 1130, circa 1968

Summary

IBM Model 1130 computer entry for typesetting system, used at Herald and Weekly Times from 1968 onwards, complete with magnetic disc memory system, keyboard/printer/control panel on desk and spare 'hard discs' (each 512 kilobytes (= 1/2 megabyte), plus extensive documentation.

The IBM 1130 Computer System entered production in the United States in 1965. The machine was aimed at the engineering and educational markets and gave many users their first experience of 'personal computing'. The 1130 incorporated removable disk storage, permitting users to store their own programs and data, independent of other users. The 1130 system was based on an IBM 1131 Central Processing Unit (CPU) which was combined with a console containing a keyboard, a printer and control switches and displays. Other units available included additional disk storage units, card punches and readers, and line printers.

The IBM 1130 uses SLT hybrid devices. Solid Logic Technology (SLT) was IBM's method for packaging electronic circuitry introduced in 1964 with the IBM System/360 series and related machines. IBM chose to design custom hybrid circuits using discrete, flip chip-mounted, glass-encapsulated transistors and diodes, with silk screened resistors on a ceramic substrate. The circuits were either encapsulated in plastic or covered with a metal lid. Several of these were then mounted on a small multi-layer printed circuit board to make an SLT module.

Physical Description

The system includes a CPU desk unit with keyboard, single data station, paper tape punch, twelve magnetic disk cartridges and 106 paper tape rolls containing programs and/or data, 16 blank paper tape rolls, equipment drawings, diagrams, print-outs, program listing and various documents and components. (1) CPU Desk Unit with Keyboard: Metal cabinet, finished variously in blue and grey, houses IBM 1131 Central Processing Unit. Console resting on top of cabinet extends to left to provide kneehole for operator. Console contains QWERTY keyboard between two sets of eight control push buttons. Printer located behind keyboard. Fifteen toggle switches on front panel of printer. Behind and above printer is rectangular box containing twelve digital displays and two control knobs. * Single Data Station: Beige and blue desk unit with keyboard, two diskette units, and display unit. The display unit is viewed through a periscope, which was refitted in July 2012; it is registered as a separate part: ST 043746.2. The rear panel can be removed; it has a holder containing a plastic pouch and a field engineering manual with blue plastic covers and ring binders. The manual includes an envelope containing three 8 inch floppydisks. The pouch contains a machine incident log and four miscellaneous items. * Paper Tape Punch: Grey metal box with crackle finish with controls on top, coiled cable at rear terminating with two plug-ins. On top rear, circular plastic container for reel of paper tape. Removable box contains chards from paper tape. * One of the magnetic disk cartridges: Circular beige plastic case encasing metal disk. Case exterior is shaped for use in computer disk drive. Metal disk is exposed on one side. On the other side, the central component of case is red.

Significance

A large desktop console, this machine is an example of the transition from floor mounted computers with work stations (minicomputers, for example, the IBM System 3) to microcomputers with the standard configuration - box, screen, keyboard and, later, mouse.

This machine exemplifies how computers were first introduced into the Australian newspaper industry, in particular the cumbersome efforts made to "automate" existing practices. The words were typed in from journalists' copy, a magnetic memory generated, and a paper type ribbon developed which was sent to the hot metal type setter. If any mistakes were made, then the whole paper tape had to be redone.