REPORT ON TRIP TO NEW YORK TO VIEW ELECTRONIC DIGITAL COMPUTERS ON DISPLAY AT THE NATIONAL BUSINESS SHOW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89B00709R000300540007-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 23, 2013
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: November 1, 1956
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/01/23 : CIA-RDP89B00709R000300540007-0
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CDIFIDEPITIAL '
1 November 1956
Assistant Director, Research and Reports
Chief, Geographic Research
Chief, Photo Intelligence Division
Chief, Technical Intelligence Branch
Report on Trip to New York to View Electronic Digital
Computers on Display at the National Business Show
1. This trip had as its purpose examination of small-to-moderate
capacity electronic digital computers suitale for use by this branch in
caerying out analytical reduction of photogrammetric data, and was under-
taken pursuant to the advice given and suggestions made by
Chief, Business Machines Service, MGT/S, at a meeting between
and memb-rs of the Technical Intelligence Branch arranged by the Executive
Officer, Administrative Staff, D/GP.
2. I went to New York on 17 October and there met who
was already in attendance at the National Business Show, which was being
held at the New York Coliseum, and viewed the equipment mentioned below
with him.
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3. Some fourteen companies were listed under the "Electronic Computer"
heading in the directory of the exhibition, but only seven of those listed
are actually in the computer business. The rest apparently interpret
"comnute/41to mean "electric adding machine". Five electronic digital
machines were actually on display and in operation. Two of these, the
Burroughs Datatron and the Univac File Computer, were viewed merely for
information being large capacity high-cost machines intended for business
use. A third machine, the Underwood Elecom "5011, while of low-cost, was
eleiminased from consideration as being primarily a business machine, since
programs other than a standard group are not easily coded for the machine,
and the machine does not provide for carrying out division directly. Instead,
divisions must be programed by an iterative approximation method using
only multipication and subtraction. The remaining two machines, the Burroughs
E101 and the Royal Precision Corp. LGP-30 were both developed as general
Purpose engineering and scientific computers. Consequently, either of these
machines is, generally speaking, suitale for photogrammetric use. There
are, however, i-portant differences in such characteristics as program
coding case, word length, and memory capacity.
CONVIDEtillA
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/01/23 CIA-RDP89B00709R000300540007-0
COVIINTIR,
SUBJECT: Report on Trip to New York to View Electronic Digital Computers
on Display at the National Business Show
L. Discussions were held with Burrough's representatives present
at the show regarding capabilities of the E101 for solving systems of
simultaneous linear equations, and for series evaluation of transcendental
functions, since these two problems are of constant recurrence in the course
of almost all photogrammetric comnutations. Differences between the two
available models of the E101 were discussed. One has a 100 word memory
capacity, the other a 220 word capacity. A tape input may be coupled to
either model or data input or for p:ograms requiring more than 128 steps.
A special Flexowriter is required for tape preparation. A full selection
of li erature and brochures on this machine was already held by this branch;
however, Burroughs will send a programmer's manual and sub-routine
catalog for our inspection an study. The LGP-30 has a shorter word length
than the E101 (8 decimal digits for IP-30, 12 for E101). The significance
of the limitation would have to be determined by numerical analysis of sets
of fictitious data evolved for the limiting cases of the specific para-
meters with which we are presently concerned. On the other hand, the LGP-30
has a memory capacity of 40 6 words, altho part of the memory must be used
for internal storage of the program. Discussion with the Royal represent-
ative revealed that Librascope Corp., on Air Force contract, was modifying
an LGP-30 for photogrammetric use by pe-smnel having no training in photo-
granme:7,ry. The modificaAon would incorporate some 30 standard pro rams
and the operator would be required only to recognize the category into which
his problem fell and Jaen enter the required initial data.
S. Royal will send more detailed information on the
L3P-30 and ',heir technic representative will call on hir, here to provide
further information. Additionally, made preliminary arrange-
ments for representatives of NaAonal Cash Register and Monrobot Laboratory
to call on in Washington to discuss electronic computers manufactured
by their respective organization.
6. Jarranged a meting, on 16 October, with ISM represent-
ative L a ear main office. A member of their Applied Science Staff and
a 650 programmer were or,,sent. The IBM 650 scientific computing system
was observed in operaAon and its characteristics outlined. I presented,
as extreme case of the problems in which we were interested, the completely
general relationships, and least squares adjustment methods, for any hoto
s stem and arly number of observations, that have been developed by
of the Ballistics Research Laboratories at Aberdeen. As an icipated,
the IBM people stated that there would be no particular difficulty in pro-
gramming this method for solution on the 650. A sub-routine catalog for the
650 was obtained and is available for reference in this branch.
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im,,ninecifiori in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/01/23 CIA-RDP89B00709R000300540007-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/01/23: CIA-RDP89B00709R000300540007-0
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SUBJTCT: Report on Trip to New York to View Electronic Digital Computers
on Display at the National Business Show
7. I feel that this trip was highly successful in terms of establishing
the existence of low-cost electronic computing equipment well suited to the
needs of this branch. The appearance of equipment of this compactness,
power, and low cost is a very recent development (E101 having made its
appearance early in this year, and LG-30 just out) that may be expected to
have considerable effect on the field of photogrammetry. grasp 25X1
of our problem and familiarity with equipment of this nature were instru-
mental in the success of the trip.
Technical Intelligence Branch
Enclosures:
1. Data sheets for E101
2. Data sheet for LGP-30
Distribution:
Orig. if 1 - Addressee
1 - Ch/G
1 - Ch/D/GP
1 - St/A
1 - Ch TI
1 -
1 - Chrono
OL,IR/D/GP:JIN:pah (1Nov 56)
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/01/23: CIA-RDP89B00709R000300540007-0
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