PDP-6

The PDP-6 is a medium-scale, general-purpose computer from Digital Equipment Corporation, scheduled for production deliveries in early 1964. It is designed for high-speed use in research (controlling experiments, data collection, and analysis) and scientific computation centers, featuring a unique logical organization and growth capability.

Key hardware features include 8 accumulators and 15 index registers to enhance computing speeds and address modification. Its memory system consists of a 16-word, 0.5-microsecond Fast Memory (used for various high-speed functions) and a 16,384-word, 4-microsecond Main Memory, asynchronously connected to the Central Processor. The system is expandable to a maximum of 262,144 directly addressable words, supporting mixed memory speeds and overlapping for improved performance. The Central Processor operates asynchronously, handling I/O transfers for both slow and high-speed devices, and can work with multiple processors or a dedicated In-Out Processor for real-time applications.

The PDP-6 offers a comprehensive set of 520 instructions, providing powerful manipulation capabilities for character handling, list processing, and floating-point arithmetic. Standard input-output equipment includes a dual Micro Tape Transport, a Teletype Printer-Keyboard, and a Precision CRT Display with Light Pen, with a wide range of optional peripherals available. A complete software package accompanies the system, featuring an algebraic compiler, a symbolic assembler, an executive system, and various utility routines to facilitate programming and system management.