MIR (
Russian:МИР) is a series of early Soviet transistorized
minicomputer
A minicomputer, or colloquially mini, is a class of smaller general purpose computers that developed in the mid-1960s and sold at a much lower price than mainframe and mid-size computers from IBM and its direct competitors. In a 1970 survey, ' ...
s. It was developed from 1965 (MIR), 1968 (
MIR-1) to 1969 (
MIR-2). The development team was led by
Victor Glushkov
Victor Mikhailovich Glushkov ( rus, Виктор Миха́йлович Глушко́в; August 24, 1923 – January 30, 1982) was a Soviet mathematician, the founding father of information technology in the Soviet Union and one of the foun ...
.
Overview
MIR (МИР) stands for «Машина для Инженерных Расчётов» (Machine for Engineering Calculations) and means both "world" and "peace" in Russian. It was designed as a relatively small-scale computer for use in engineering and scientific applications. Among other innovations, it contained a hardware implementation of a high-level programming language capable of
symbolic manipulations with
fraction
A fraction (from la, fractus, "broken") represents a part of a whole or, more generally, any number of equal parts. When spoken in everyday English, a fraction describes how many parts of a certain size there are, for example, one-half, eight ...
s,
polynomial
In mathematics, a polynomial is an expression consisting of indeterminates (also called variables) and coefficients, that involves only the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and positive-integer powers of variables. An exampl ...
s,
derivative
In mathematics, the derivative of a function of a real variable measures the sensitivity to change of the function value (output value) with respect to a change in its argument (input value). Derivatives are a fundamental tool of calculus. ...
s and
integral
In mathematics, an integral assigns numbers to functions in a way that describes displacement, area, volume, and other concepts that arise by combining infinitesimal data. The process of finding integrals is called integration. Along with ...
s. Another innovative feature for that time was the
user interface
In the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine f ...
combining a keyboard with a monitor and
light pen
A light pen is a computer input device in the form of a light-sensitive wand used in conjunction with a computer's cathode-ray tube (CRT) display.
It allows the user to point to displayed objects or draw on the screen in a similar way to a tou ...
used for correcting texts and drawing on screen.
Technical specifications
Technical specifications for MIR-1:
* memory unit: 4096 12-bit words of
core memory
Core or cores may refer to:
Science and technology
* Core (anatomy), everything except the appendages
* Core (manufacturing), used in casting and molding
* Core (optical fiber), the signal-carrying portion of an optical fiber
* Core, the centra ...
(access time 2.5 microseconds, memory cycle time 16 microseconds)
* external storage: 8-track
punched tape
Five- and eight-hole punched paper tape
Paper tape reader on the Harwell computer with a small piece of five-hole tape connected in a circle – creating a physical program loop
Punched tape or perforated paper tape is a form of data storage ...
. Input device: paper tape reader FS-1501 (up to 1500 symbols/second). Output device: tape punch PL-80 (up to 80 characters per second)
* performance: 200-300 arithmetic operations per second on five-digit numbers
* power consumption: 1.5 kW (using 380V
three-phase electric power
Three-phase electric power (abbreviated 3φ) is a common type of alternating current used in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. It is a type of polyphase system employing three wires (or four including an optional neutral ...
)
* weight: about 400 kg
See also
*
List of Russian inventions
References
External links
Description of Mir series of computers
{{List of Soviet computer systems
Soviet inventions
Soviet computer systems
Minicomputers