Carlos E. R. wrote: > > The Wednesday 2007-06-13 at 23:49 -0800, John Andersen wrote: > > > Another roaring success story. Gad what a hopelessly > > complex and expensive network. The sad part is they > > "invented" it while the unix world was happily running > > TCP/IP. > > Token ring was invented in 1960, tcp/ip in the 70's. > Actually, TCP, not including IP predates token ring by almost a decade. The oldest computer network technology that I've worked on is the TDM loops used with the Collins line of computers. These computers were MIL spec versions of IBM gear and were networked back in the mid '60. The networks used time slots, instead of packets to share the cable. The original "TDM" system ran at 2 Mb/s and the later "TDX" loop was 8 Mb/s. The network was connected in a ring or loop. The network used relays to connect devices, such as CPU, tape and disk drives, card readers etc. to the loop. In TDX systems, high speed devices, such as the CPU, tape and disk drives were connected directly to the TDX loop. Lower speed devices were connected to the TDM loop, which in turn, connected to the TDX loop via an interface box. There was also a "loop sync" box, which maintained loop syncronization.
Here's a picture of what is in fact the 8401 model of the Collins system, even though it says 8500C. The "CN" referred to in the picture is for Canadian National Railways. I started my career working for their telecommunications division about 35 years ago and work on the 8500C, though occasionally did minor work on the 8500B, along with many other mini-computer types. That picture would have been taken in the office I worked in, but I don't recognize the person in the picture. -- Use OpenOffice.org <http://www.openoffice.org> -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
