The construction and operation of the manchester university computer

Details are given of the design and construction of the new universal high-speed digital computing machine now working at the Computing Machine Laboratory, Manchester University. The constructional techniques adopted for the electronic equipment, the cathode-ray-tube storage units and the magnetic storage drum are described, and an outline is given of the design procedures adopted for the electronic circuits. The techniques used to obtain reliability and ease of maintenance are particularly stressed. The development of suitable maintenance procedures for the operation of the computer continuously over periods of five days in each week is discussed, and details are given of the performance of the computer over a period of some 61 weeks.