Setun
 A photo of a Setun computer in 1959. | |
| Developer | Sergei SobolevandNikolay BrusentsovatMoscow State University |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | KazanMathematical plant |
| Release date | 1959 |
| Lifespan | 1959–1965 |
| Units sold | 50 |
| Successor | Setun-70 |
Setun(Russian:Сетунь) was a computer developed in 1958 atMoscow State University.It was built under the leadership ofSergei SobolevandNikolay Brusentsov.It was the most modernternary computer,using thebalanced ternarynumeral system and three-valuedternary logicinstead of the two-valuedbinarylogic prevalent in other computers.[1][2][3]
Overview
[edit]The computer was built to fulfill the needs of Moscow State University. It was manufactured at theKazanMathematical plant. Fifty computers were built from 1959 until 1965, when production was halted. The characteristic operating memory consisted of 81 words of memory, each word composed of 18trits(ternary digits) with additional 1944 words onmagnetic drum(total of about 7 KB).[4]Between 1965 and 1970, a regular binary computer was used at Moscow State University to replace it. Although this replacement binary computer performed equally well, it was 2.5 times the cost of the Setun.[5]
In 1970, a new ternary computer architecture, theSetun-70,was developed.Edsger W. Dijkstra's ideas ofstructured programmingwere implemented in the hardware of this computer. The short instructions set was developed and implemented byNikolay Brusentsovindependently fromRISC architectureprinciples.[5]
The Setun-70 hardware architecture was transformed into the Dialogue System of Structured Programming (DSSP). DSSP emulates the "Setun 70" architecture on binary computers, thus it fulfills the advantages of structured programming. DSSP programming language has similar syntax to theForthprogramming language but has a different sequence of base instructions, especially conditional jump instructions. DSSP was developed by Nikolay Brusentsov and doctoral students in the 1980s atMoscow State University.A 32-bit version was implemented in 1989.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Weatherby, Leif."Hegel 2.0 | Leif Weatherby".cabinetmagazine.org.
- ^"Глава 2. Киберразнообразие".DataArt IT Museum.
- ^"The Setun Computer".December 29, 2014.
- ^"ЭВМСетунь"[Setuncomputer].Russian Virtual Computer Museum(in Russian).RetrievedSeptember 20,2016.
- ^abBrousentsov, N. P.; Maslov, S. P.; Ramil Alvarez, J.; Zhogolev, E. A."Development of ternary computers at Moscow State University".Russian Virtual Computer Museum.RetrievedJanuary 19,2015.