The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source

The soul of an old machine (Interview)

Feb 4, 2020

Discover the fascinating story of minicomputers and their pivotal role in shaping personal computing. Explore the intense rivalry between tech giants like Digital Equipment Corporation and Data General. Hear firsthand accounts of innovations like the advanced 32-bit design and the challenges of developing the Eagle computer. Delve into the balance of work and life in the tech industry, along with the sacrifices of the unsung heroes behind these groundbreaking advancements.

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INSIGHT

Bridging the 16-bit and 32-bit Worlds

The Eagle project faced the challenge of transitioning from 16-bit to 32-bit architecture while maintaining backward compatibility for existing software.
This was crucial to retain customers invested in older technology.

INSIGHT

Firmware Focus

The Eagle team focused on a simple design using firmware to control functionality, which was a novel approach at the time.
This minimized hardware, maximizing flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

ANECDOTE

Intense Collaboration

The Eagle team worked intensely, with two shifts operating 24/7 on two prototypes.
Jim Geyer recounts having to learn everyone's part and the collaborative problem-solving.

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We partnered with Red Hat to promote Season 4 of Command Line Heroes — a podcast about the people who transform technology from the command line up. Season 4 is all about hardware that changed the game. We’re featuring episode 1 from season 4 — called “Minicomputers: The soul of an old machine.” This is the story of Minicomputers and how they paved the way for the personal computers that could fit in a bag and, eventually, the phones in our pockets.

Learn more and subscribe at redhat.com/commandlineheroes.

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Command Line Heroes – A podcast from Red Hat about the people who transform technology from the command line up. Head to redhat.com/commandlineheroes to learn more and subscribe.

Featuring:

Saron Yitbarek – Website, GitHub, X
Adam Stacoviak – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X

Show Notes:

They don’t fit in your pocket. But in their day, minicomputers were an order of magnitude smaller than the room-sized mainframes that preceded them. And they paved the way for the personal computers that could fit in a bag and, eventually, the phones in your pocket.

16-bit minicomputers changed the world of IT in the 1970s. They gave companies the opportunity for each engineer to have their own machines. But it wasn’t quite enough, not until the arrival of 32-bit versions.

Carl Alsing and Jim Guyer recount their work at Data General to create a revolutionary new 32-bit machine. But their now legendary work was done in secret. Codenamed “Eagle,” their machine was designed to compete with one being built by another team in their own company. These engineers recall the corporate politics and intrigue required to keep the project going—and how they turned restrictions into advantages. Neal Firth discusses life on an exciting-but-demanding project. One where the heroes worked together because they wanted to, without expectations of awards or fame. And all three discuss how this story was immortalized in the non-fiction engineering classic, The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder.

The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder
The New Golden Age of Building with Soul by Jessie Frazelle
The Minicomputers of the 70s by Georg Wittenburg
Rise and Fall of Minicomputers by Gordon Bell

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