from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
PDP-7
<computer> A minicomputer sold by DEC in 1964. It had a
memory cycle time of 1.75 microseconds and add time of 4
microseconds. I/O included a keyboard, printer, {paper-tape}
and dual transport DECtape drives (type 555).
DEC provided an "advanced" {Fortran II} {compiler}, a Symbolic
{Assembler}, Editor, {DDT} Debugging System, Maintenance
routines and a library of arithmetic, utility and programming
aids developed on the program-compatible {PDP-4}.
[DEC sales brochure].
The PDP-7 was considered reliable enough (when properly
programmed) to be used for control of nuclear reactors and
such.
Around 1970 {Ken Thompson} built the {operating system} that
became {Unix} on a scavenged {PDP-7} so he could play a
descendant of the {SPACEWAR} game.
(1995-03-10)