Preliminary Specifications: Programmed Data Processor Model Three (PDP-3) October, 1960

About this book

"Preliminary Specifications: Programmed Data Processor Model Three (PDP-3)" by Digital Equipment Corporation is a scientific publication produced in the early 1960s. The book serves as a technical specification for the PDP-3, elucidating its architecture, operating principles, and input-output systems. It provides comprehensive details about its design for high-performance computing, including features such as electrical and mechanical descriptions, standard and optional equipment interfaces, and various operating speeds. The content explores the core components of the PDP-3, illustrating its central processor, memory system, and instruction formats. Key sections delving into the central processor discuss its operational speeds, data handling capabilities, and specific instruction sets, while the storage section reveals the memory configuration and expansion possibilities. The book covers the input-output capabilities extensively, detailing standard devices like paper tape readers and optional equipment such as magnetic tape, CRT displays, and line printers. It also includes utility programs designed for efficient software development on the PDP-3, highlighting tools like the assembler and compiler, along with maintenance and floating-point arithmetic routines. Overall, this publication serves as a foundational reference for understanding the architecture and functionality of one of the early digital computers.