Abstract
This chapter considers a selection of computers developed during the 1950s–1970s. The initial driver for the design and development of more powerful computers was the perceived threat of the Soviet Union. This led to an arms race between the two superpowers, and it was clear that computing technology would play an important role in developing sophisticated weapon and defence systems. The SAGE air defence system developed for the United States and Canada was an early example of the use of computer technology for the military.
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Notes
- 1.
Digital Corporation was taken over by Compaq in the late 1990s. Compaq was subsequently taken over by HP.
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© 2012 Springer-Verlag London Limited
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O’Regan, G. (2012). Developments in the 1950s–1970s. In: A Brief History of Computing. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2359-0_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2359-0_4
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Publisher Name: Springer, London
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Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-2359-0
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