Core Memory
Core Memory
Core memory is a type of computer memory technology that stores data on magnetic cores woven into a grid. This memory is non-volatile, meaning it retains data even when the computer is turned off.
What does Core Memory mean?
Core memory, also known as magnetic-core memory, is a type of computer memory that was developed in the 1940s and 1950s. It is made up of a grid of tiny ferrite rings, each of which can BE magnetized in either a Clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The direction of magnetization represents a Binary digit (bit), with clockwise representing a 1 and counterclockwise representing a 0.
Core memory was the primary form of computer memory from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. It was used in a wide variety of computers, from mainframes to minicomputers to personal computers. Core memory was eventually replaced by semiconductor memory, which is faster, more compact, and more reliable. However, core memory is still used in some specialized applications, such as in military and aerospace systems.
Applications
Core memory was used in a wide variety of applications, including:
- Mainframe computers
- Minicomputers
- Personal computers
- Military and aerospace systems
Core memory was particularly well-suited for applications that required high reliability and durability. For example, core memory was used in the Apollo Guidance Computer, which was responsible for guiding the Apollo missions to the moon.
History
Core memory was invented in the late 1940s by Jay Forrester at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Forrester was working on a project to develop a new type of computer memory that would be faster and more reliable than the existing technologies. He eventually came up with the idea of using ferrite rings as the storage medium for the memory.
Core memory was first used in a computer in 1953. The computer was the Whirlwind I, which was developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Core memory quickly became the standard form of computer memory, and it was used in a wide variety of computers for the next two decades.
In the early 1970s, core memory was replaced by semiconductor memory. Semiconductor memory is faster, more compact, and more reliable than core memory. Semiconductor memory quickly became the standard form of computer memory, and core memory is now only used in specialized applications.