In memory of bubble memory (What are your thoughts?)

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 May 2015 15:37:48 -0400

Bubble memory is non-volatile computer memory utilizing magnetic material to establish magnetized domains that store one bit of data each. The domains are arranged in series via parallel tracks that produce bubbles transferring via an external magnetic field. The bubbled domains are then interpreted, as they transfer along parallel tracks in series, via a conventional magnetic transport and are then rewritten along the farthest instance of a parallel track in series as each memory instance cycles along parallel tracks in series. Bubble memory, offering memory density similar to conventional hard drives and core memory performance, can be considered a high performance universal computer memory product of the past. Although a high performance universal memory of the 1970s and 1980s, flash RAM and similar more advanced memory technologies superseded it. In requiem.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 29 at 2015 3:39 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 May 2015 15:39:40 -0400

Interesting tidbit of history. Glad we have faster memory now. Can't wait to see what the future brings.

Response by CPT Ahmed Faried made May 29 at 2015 3:44 PM

CPT Ahmed Faried — Fri, 29 May 2015 15:44:58 -0400

Sir this is over my head. I'm just going to nod like I understand.

Response by LTC John Shaw made May 29 at 2015 3:51 PM

LTC John Shaw — Fri, 29 May 2015 15:51:36 -0400

What event transpired to cause your bubble memory post?

Or

Are you wistfully thinking of long I/O wait time while your CPU sits idle...

Response by SFC Joseph James made May 29 at 2015 3:55 PM

SFC Joseph James — Fri, 29 May 2015 15:55:18 -0400

I speak English pretty well and you Sir, did NOT speak it in your question! lol

Response by MSgt Aaron Brite made May 29 at 2015 9:39 PM

MSgt Aaron Brite — Fri, 29 May 2015 21:39:25 -0400

Bubble memory and wrapped core memory takes me back to avionics tech school. Amazing what we did with with that tech and how long we kept using it. Replaced the nav system (and its couple hundred pounds of gear) that used it with a handheld gps unit.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2015 9:25 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 09:25:56 -0400

Thanks for reminding me of the old days. I never saw a bubble memory unit, although I heard about them.

But you reminded me that my first computer had 8k of memory. All my friends said, "What are you going to do with all that memory? No one can write a program that big."

Anybody seen a punch card machine lately? Paper tape reader? When's the last time you used an 8 in floppy disk? Or even a 5.25 in minifloppy, or 3.5 in microfloppy?

In the late 70's, I was a computer operator, hanging 8 in reels of tape ... I wonder if any of those are still in use? Our hard drive back then required a hydraulic jack to remove the spindle ... and they stored a whopping 400 kilobytes.

Times sure have changed.