At VCF West (Mountain View) in 2021, there was a demonstration of using a 4004 in a weighing machine and cash register. I'm not sure if there was modern make or referenced prior equipment.
On Tue, May 13, 2025 at 8:58 AM Christian Liendo via cctalk < [email protected]> wrote: > Back in Nov of 2023 Ed Sharpe asked the following: “Was there ever a > COMPUTER using a 4004 that you could really do something or did that > finally arrive with the 8008” > > https://classiccmp.org/mailman3/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/message/LYKGFANNPN6S75X3IUEZVFDRVPD5MQKF/ > > I hope to answer that question, or at least spark a discussion. > > For a number of years now I have been researching this computer called > a Comstar System 4 which is based on the Intel 4004. The Comstar > Corporation of Minneapolis was a developer of microcomputer control > and automation systems and in 1972 released the System 4 > microcomputer. Comstar built a general purpose capable computer that > could be programmed to do a multitude of tasks but their market focus > was industrial automation. Comstar was eventually bought by Warner & > Swasey in 1974 to integrate their computers into the Warner & Swasey > product line. Warner & Swasey was a huge manufacturer of industrial > machines. So they bought Comstar to be their Computer division. In > fact it was called " Warner & Swasey Comstar Microcomputer Electronic > Products" Warner and Swasey also licensed the Micral N to do the same > and we call the Micral N a computer. The Micral N was designed for > process control, but we know of it as a computer. > > Now before anyone argues about if this is a computer or not, I will > state the following. > > It was called a Microcomputer in the ACM titled "Development of a > portable compiler for industrial microcomputer systems " > It was called a Microcomputer in Electronics Magazine July 11th 1974 > It was listed as a Microcomputer in "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" > April 1976 & Winter 1976 - 1977 > It was listed as a Microcomputer in Datamation Magazine Dec 1974 > It was called a Microcomputer in "A MICROCOMPUTER BASED SUBSTATION > CONTROL SYSTEM" The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1975 Engineering, > electronics and electrical Page 90 > It was listed as a Microcomputer in the Intel MCS 4 User Manual Feb > 1973 page 171 > It was listed as a Microcomputer in Electronics Magazine Jan 1973, > they promote the 4004 and 8008 and use the System 4 as an example. > The reality is this existed, was 4004 based and there were discussions > about it in the media at the time. > > Anyway I wanted to see if there was more interest in researching this > computer. > > I listed a number of articles and references below that either discuss > Comstar, The Warner Swasey Computer Division, the “System 4” or “Star > 4” Computer. > > All the Manuals and schematics I was able to upload to archive.org > https://archive.org/search?query=subject%3A%22Comstar+Computer+Systems%22 > > Computer History Museum's Archive of the Manual > https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102686568 > > Pictures of the items I have collected so far > https://imgur.com/a/Oyts3A9 > > The website "Internet Scripophily Museum of Computing" has a page on > the history of The Warner & Swasey Company. It's a decent timeline of > the company > http://ismoc.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-warner-swasey-company.html > > "Development of a portable compiler for industrial microcomputer > systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner & Swasey Company, it > discusses the system and has images on the unit. > > https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12OmNzRqdD4/pdf > > In the ACM's archives "Development of a portable compiler for > industrial microcomputer systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner & > Swasey Company, it discusses the system and has images on the unit. > > https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12OmNzRqdD4/pdf > > Electronics Magazine July 11th 1974 Article: Industrial Automatic > control proliferates, they are mentioned on page 84 & 85 > > https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/70s/74/Electronics-1974-07-11.pdf > > There is a mention about the compiler in the IEEE on Page 25 under > Compiler Programmer > https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6368812 > > Computer Design Magazine Nov 1975 Page 129 they talk about the compiler. > https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_ComputerDe_90611286/page/128/mode/2up > > The Intel MCS 4 User Manual Feb 1973 page 171 and in Electronics > Magazine Jan 1973, they promote the 4004 and 8008 and use the System 4 > as an example. > > http://www.bitsavers.org/components/intel/MCS4/MCS-4_UsersManual_Feb73.pdf > > https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/70s/73/Electronics-1973-01-04.pdf > > There are a number of sources that list the computer as a > "microcomputer" and provide specs showing it being 4004 based. > > Datamation Magazine Page 97 & 101 > http://www.bitsavers.org/magazines/Datamation/197412.pdf > > In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" April 1976, the computer is > mentioned on page 54 and page 70. > > http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_Apr76.pdf > > In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" Winter 1976 - 1977, the computer > is mentioned on page 32 > > http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_1976-1977_Winter.pdf >
