Historic Computer Documentation
The Manchester Mark I
- Programmers' handbook for Manchester electronic computer mark II;
Alan Turing, 1951, typescript.
This describes Turing's proposed `high level' language (which
apparently no one else could understand!) for the Mark I. He refers
to it as the Mark II and its predecessor the `Baby' as the mark I.
Kindly provided by Dr Tony Gibbons.
Ferranti Mercury Computer
- Programmers' Handbook; CS225A, 1960.
Basic instruction set and machine documentation.
- Programmers' Manual; CS158, 1957
Earlier version of 1.
- Introduction to the Mercury Autocode; CS241, 1959
16 page summary with examples.
- Mercury Autocode Manual, Brooker et al; CS242A, 1961
The full manual.
- Annotated Input Routine; CS240, 1959
What we would now call the operating system. Complete listing.
- Mercury Library Listings; A Gibbons and other, c. 1961
Listings of the run-time libraries.
These were most kindly provided by Dr Tony Gibbons.
I have an additional second copy of (4).
Ferranti Sirius Computer
Sirius was in a sense a developemnt of Pegasus but apparently intended as a `commercial' rather
than a scientific computer. I believe it used BCD rather than binary
representation. However, it used the same autocode as
Pegasus, itself essentially the same as Brooker developed
for the Mark I in the early 1950s after Turing had left the
group.
- Ferranti Sirius Computer, Description of the Autocode;
CS302, 1961. With inserted typescript sheet: `The Monitor
Routine'
- Ferranti Sirius Computer, Extension of the Autocode; CS334A,
1963
Given to me by the late Dr David Falconer.
Manchester/Ferranti Atlas
- The Atlas provisional programming manual; CS348, 1963
Description of the basic instuction set. From The late D Falconer.
- The Atlas Autocode Reference manual; Brooker et al, 1965.
From A Gibbons.
- Atlas Autocode Programming manual; Brooker et al, 1963.
Also contains a description of list processing and half word operations used
in writing the compiler and compiler-compiler.
English Electric KDF 9
- KDF 9 programming manual; EE-LC publication 1003mm 1001263.
Original manual, A5 format. I also have a
scanned copy of this.
From A Gibbons.
- KDF 9 programming manual; EE-LC publication 1002mm(R) 1000168.
Enlarged (A4) photocopy. Updated and extended version of above.
Original from Dr David Rees. A later
These describe the basic machine structure
and User Code.
- K Autocode Reference manual; ICI publication MCD/66/99.
Written by A Gibbons.
K autocode was an extended
Mercury autocode written for the KDF 9. It was developed by Gibbons
at ICI but used elsewhere.
- K Autocode compiler listing; by A Gibbons.
Printout of source code (KDF 9 usercode) of the compiler.
- K Autocode on System 360; A Gibbons.
A5 format. K autocode was moved to a number of other platforms
including the IBM 360 and Atlas/Titan.
Most of the above kindly provided by A Gibbons, who after leaving ICI
worked for ERCC (subsequentlu EUCS).
PDP 8
The following were all published by Digital Equipment Corporation.
- Small computer handbook, 1971
- OS/8 handbook, 1974
- Introduction to programming 3rd ed 1972
- Programming languages 2nd ed 1972
- Digital logic handbook, 1971
- Introduction to data communications, 1968
Also of interest are a 1972 PDP 8 pricelist and a 1970
quotation for a PDP 8 system.