On exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution is a solid-state computer of 1957 vintage, the first practical large-scale model ever built. This cybernetic antique served as the guidance system for U.S. ICBMs until 1961 and ticked off more than 300 countdowns. The unit was built by the Burroughs Corp. of Detroit, which, though short on share of marketless than 4% com pared with IBM's 75%is long on invention, reliability, and lately, profits.
Behind the profits are more efficient operations, specialized production, and a shift from space and defense to commercial work. Moreover,...
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