A History of the Computer Unit

Text and pictures © Jeremy Perkins, 1999

The Computer Unit was established in 1966 by University College of Wales, Aberystwyth to provide computing services for all areas of the University. Funding was provided through the Computer Board whose remit was to enable all universities to purchase suitable mainframe computers.

In 1995 the Computer Unit was merged with the Library and with Audio Visual Aids to form the new department of Information Services.

1966

  • October 1st Computer Unit established. Equipment already in operation include an IBM 1620. Paper tape and punch card input. Use of the Chiltern Atlas near Oxford by personal visit available.

1967

  • August Elliot 4130 with 16K store, card and paper-tape readers, four 1/2" magnetic tape drives, paper-tape punch, line printer and single-pen plotter installed.

  • October 4130 accepted. Service based on 'batches' of punch cards into single-stream operating system; ALGOL the only programming language. Large Data Preparation Room available to punch programs and data onto punch cards.

The main Computer Room in the Llandinam Building in its early days, showing the magnetic tape drives. The room became Graphics Room E54a

The main Computer Room in the Llandinam Building in its early days, showing the magnetic tape drives. The room became Graphics Room E54a

The Data Preparation Room in 1971. All output was to 80 column punch cards. This area became part of Computer Room E53

The Data Preparation Room in 1971. All output was to 80 column punch cards. This area became part of Computer Room E53

1968

  • May FORTRAN operating system available.

1969

  • October Three magnetic discs delivered. Accepted in December. Disc-based operating system introduced in February 1970.

Disc drives attached to the 4130 systems in the early 1970s with the main line printer on the right.

Disc drives attached to the 4130 systems in the early 1970s with the main line printer on the right.

Disc drives, a tape drive and a teletype in the Computer Room

Disc drives, a tape drive and a teletype in the Computer Room

1970

  • January Daily dedicated slot for the use of eight 110 baud Teletypes introduced under the POP/2 language.

1971

  • July System upgraded to 96K words store; online system working concurrently with Batch introduced.

  • October BASIC available online.

1972

  • November COBOL available as part of Batch service.

1974

  • April A second complete Elliot/ICL 4130 system, originally installed at Heriot Watt university, assimilated into service.

  • April Card service via landline to Manchester CDC system introduced for heavy processor work.

1976

  • January Single MOP terminal to Manchester ICL 1900 front-end system available.

  • February 'Cafeteria' service, with users handling their own card reading and line printing, introduced.

1977

  • February DEC PDP11/40 in use to offer 80 Mb filestore common to the two 4130 systems.

1979

  • November 2nd 4130 service ended. Major Computer Room and air conditioning alterations started.

1980

  • February Honeywell 6080 service commenced with system offering 256K words and 8 x 200Mb discs. Up to twenty-four terminals could be concurrently active.

  • September A second terminal room brought into use.

The Honeywell 6080 central processor in the second Computer Room E53, still in use as the main Computer Room

The Honeywell 6080 central processor in the second Computer Room E53, still in use as the main Computer Room

The Honeywell 6080 disc drives (left) and printers in the original Computer Room

The Honeywell 6080 disc drives (left) and printers in the original Computer Room

1982

  • November Initial purchase of Sirius microcomputers for public use. In service by March 1983.

1983

  • August Initial purchases of BBC microcomputers.

1984

  • February JANET connection fully available.

A crane being used to deliver and remove the larger items of equipment. The windows in the stairwell had to be removed to allow a scaffolded platform to be built out at top-floor level in Llandinam

A crane being used to deliver and remove the larger items of equipment. The windows in the stairwell had to be removed to allow a scaffolded platform to be built out at top-floor level in Llandinam

The Level-66 dual processor system in what is the present Computer Room

The Level-66 dual processor system in what is the present Computer Room

  • June Expected upgrade of Honeywell system to dual-processor postponed for six months following fire at their Hounslow depot just before equipment was to be shipped.

  • December Honeywell upgraded during two-week shutdown to dual Level-66 processors.

  • December A8 becomes first 24-hour public workstation room.

1985

  • April DEC VAX running VMS offering service particularly for electronic mail work.

1986

  • January Initial project for Ethercabling between and within buildings completed.

  • September Apricot F2 machines brought into public use. Newword the standard supported word-processing package.

1987

  • March Opus recommended as first IBM compatible PC.

1988

  • February Public room of CAS IBM-compatible machines opened.

  • March Central laser printer service introduced.

1989

  • April Delivery of first part of replacement Gould NP1 UNIX system. Full procurement frozen as it becomes apparent the newly taken-over company will be dropping this range.

  • September 13th Honeywell service ends.

  • October 18th Initial service based on temporary DEC systems running the ULTRIX UNIX-based operating system.

1990

  • January Start of full DEC 5820 ULTRIX service., Upgraded to 5830s in April.

  • July Computer Unit now building their own CUBIT IBM-compatibles.

1991

  • February Newly purchased DEC 5000/200 takes over last of Gould (now Encore) roles and this machine is retired.

  • May VMS service ends

  • June Help Desk opens

  • September PC servers under LANManager installed to support public PC provision in each main building.

  • September JANET line upgraded to 2Mbits.

1992

  • March USENET News available.

  • June Local Information service, INFO, available.

  • July User-operated laser printer installed in Llandinam user area.

  • August Apricot F2 and Sirius microcomputers withdrawn from public service.

1993

  • September A total of 246 public PCs available, all with colour screens and 3.1/2" discs running Windows.

  • September Mail service moved to dedicated SUN Sparc 10.

  • September Initial fibre runs laid on campus.

  • September Gopher information service starts to replace INFO.

1994

  • April World Wide Web available (Gopher service ends May 1995)

  • July Ability to read 1/2" magnetic tapes ends

  • July DEC 5830 UNIX systems replaced with DEC Alphas

  • December 14.4K dial-in modem service advertised

1995

  • September JANET link upgraded to 8Mbit

  • September 30th Computer Unit merged with Library and Audio Visual Aids to form Information Services.