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[ih] AT&T, carterfone, the 103, and why didnt BBSs start earlier?

> And before the 1620 there was the 650.   It was a relatively small 
> computer, too, no? [they retired it the year before I arrived].


I came after the 650 also, but heard about it from the old timers (gulp 
:-).  It was a drum machine -- programmers placed instructions on the 
drum in order to minimize latency.

I believe the 305 RAMAC (first disk drive -- had a drum for stored 
programs and also plug boards), 704, 709, 1401 and also came between the 
650 and the 1620.  I think the 701 preceded the 650.  (There was also 
the 604 -- card I/O -- an electronic calculator programmed using plug 
boards and with registers, but no stored program).

Lar