SPUD, a stored-program universal demonstrator for computer training

Considerable difficulty is usually encountered by the novice in understanding how stored-program information-processing systems operate, and how they can be programed. While conventional teaching tools are definitely inadequate in this case, the use of a commercial computer for demonstrations does not provide an ideal solution either, because the machine tends to overwhelm the novice with its speed and complexity. A satisfactory solution has been found in SPUD (Stored-Program Universal Demonstrator), a stored-program relay machine designed specifically as a teaching aid, complicated enough to stimulate the novice but still easy to grasp in its entirety.