SEAC

This article gives a comprehensive view of an electronic digital computer located at the National Bureau of Standards in Washington, D.C. The machine, called SEAC, has been in almost continuous operation since it was dedicated in the spring of 1950. It features a novel type of "transformer-coupled dynamic circuitry" and makes extensive use of germanium diodes. SEAC is a synchronous machine, operating at a one megacycle repetition rate. It is essentially serial in operation, employs both acoustic and electrostatic memories, and operates in either the three- or four-address mode at the programmer\´s discretion. This description covers the specifications of the machine, its logical, electrical, and physical structure, and finally, its performance over the last three years.