Computing Atlas

How Computing Was Built
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Cray-1

Supercomputer

The Cray-1 was a supercomputer designed, manufactured and marketed by Cray Research. Announced in 1975, the first system was installed at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1976; eighty were eventually sold, making it one of the most successful supercomputers in history. It is perhaps best known for its shape, a small C shaped cabinet ringed by benches covering the power supplies and cooling, the rare computer whose silhouette became famous. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Year
1975 1
Announced in 1975; first installed at Los Alamos in 1976.
Significance
One of the most successful supercomputers in history, with eighty sold, and the machine that made supercomputing a recognizable idea. 1
Status
Status
Discontinued 1
FAQs

Why did the Cray-1 have such an unusual round shape?

The round tower kept wires short and the bench hid the power supplies.

The Computer History Museum explains that the round tower of the Cray-1 minimized wire lengths, while the distinctive bench concealed the power supplies. The design reflected the machine's densely packed integrated circuits and a novel cooling system, and the museum credits the layout to Seymour Cray's innovative engineering.
Connections

Associated With

Parallel Computing, Fields
Source Wikipedia: Cray-1

In Field

Computer Architecture, Fields

Invented By

Seymour Cray, Pioneers
Source Wikipedia: Cray-1

Long-Form Articles

How the Cray-1 kept vector data in registers, Articles

Preceded By

CDC 6600, Systems
Source Wikipedia: CDC 6600
In the Other Atlases

Developed By

Cray

Also in Business Atlas: the developer of this subject.

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Cray-1
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Introduction
    Announced in 1975, the first Cray-1 system was installed at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1976.
  • Lead sentence
    Cray-1 was a supercomputer designed, manufactured and marketed by Cray Research.
  • Associated With: Parallel Computing, Introduction section
    The Cray-1 was the first supercomputer to successfully implement the vector processor design.
  • In Group: Cray Research and Control Data Vector Supercomputers, announced 1975 by Cray Research successor to CDC lineage
  • Invented By: Seymour Cray, Infobox, designer field
    Seymour Cray
View the Source
Wikidata: Cray-1
Wikidata Q1093705, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Wikipedia: CDC 6600
WikipediaPreceded By: CDC 6600, Lead section
Quote, Preceded By: CDC 6600, Lead section
the machine that established Seymour Cray's reputation
View the Source
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