GE 235 User guide

@En235
SYSTEM
MANUAL
COMPUTER DEPARTMENT

Copyright @ 1963
by
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
In the construction of the equipment described,General
Electric reserves the right to modify the design for
reasons of improved performance and operational
flexibility.

TITLE SECTION
INTRODUCTION
......................................... 1-1
PROGRAMMING AIDS ...................................... 11-1
SYSTEM CONTROL OF INPUT-OUTPUT PERIPHERAL DEVICES .............. 111-1
CENTRAL PROCESSDR ..................................... IV-1
GE-235 PUNCHED CARD EQUIPMENT .............................
V-1
GE-235 HIGH-SPEED PRINTER ................................ VI- 1
GE-2 35 MAGNETIC TAPE SUBSYSTEM ............................ VLI- 1
GE-235 MASS RANDOM ACCESS DATA STORAGE ....................... VLII-1
GE-235 PERFORATED TAPE EQUIPMENT
.......................... IX-1
GE-235 12-POCKET DOCUMENT HANDLER
.......................... X-1
GE-2 35 DATANET- 15 DATA TRANSMISSION SUBSYSTEM .................. XI- 1
GE-2 35 CUSTOM DIGITAL INPUT/OUTPUT EQUIPMENT .................. XII- 1
PAGE
G-235 SYSTEM INSTALLATION DATA
............................ 1
ALPHABETIC LIST OF GE-235 GAP INSTRUCTIONS .................... 2-14
REPRESENTATION OF GE-235 CHARACTERS
........................ 15
INDEX
............................................. 17-20

The GE-235 is the fastest, most versatile memberof the GE-200 Series of information processing
systems (GE-215, 225, and 235). Like the other members of this family, the GE-235
is comple-
mented by a full range of powerful programmingtools. Together, the equipment and programming
tools provide an integrated system adaptable to a wide variety of business, scientific, and engi-
neering applications.
The basic design philosophy oftheGE-235 systemis the same as that of the GE-215 and 225, which
have proved themselves fast, accurate, reliable, and economical in widely divergent fields. This
design similarity makes the
GE-235upwardcompatiblewith the GE-215 and 225 in respect to logic,
programming, and coding. As a result,mostprograms and applications originally designed for the
other members of the family can immediately be processed on a GE-235 having the same system
configuration. Only in the relatively few programscontaining timing loops, minor changes may
be
necessary.
GE-235 INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM

The basic system comprises a central processor with a six-microsecond core memory, card or
pe~foratedtape inputandoutput, electric typewriter input and output, and an operator's control con-
sole. The system configuration can readily be expanded to fit increasing information processing
needs. Equipment available includes:
Magnetic core memory
-- 4096-, 8192-, or 16,384-word capacity
Card readers
-- 400 or 1000 cards per minute
Card punch
-- 100 or 300 cards per minute
Perforated tape reader
-- 250 or 1000 characters per second
Perforated tape punch
-- 110 characters per second
Magnetic tape handlers
-- read and write 15,000 characters per second (at 200 bits per inch)
or
15,000/41,600 characters per second (at 200/555.5 bits per inch)
Mass random access data storage (MRADS)
-- 18.8 million alphanumeric characters or up to
34.4 million numeric digits per unit
High-speed printers
-- 900 alphanumeric lines per minute, on line, or 900 alphanumeric lines
per minute, on/off line
Document handler
-- reads and sorts 1200 documents per minute, on oroff line
Data communication controllers
Floating point arithmetic capability (through the Auxiliary Arithmetic Unit)
An outstanding feature
is thatup to ten input-output devices may be operated concurrently within the
system, allowing great flexibility in system configuration. Some typical system configurations for
various applications are shown on the following pages.
Programming aids available for the GE-235 include:
GECOM
-- the general compiler, anallpurpose, problem-oriented language program that may
be used with:
COBOL-type statements (specific, simplified English language statements)
ALGOL-type statements (algebraic expressions)
TABSOL (structureddecision tables)
GECOM Report Writer (for programming business reports)
FORTRAN
-- a scientific compiler
ZOOM
-- a macroassembly system
WIZ
-- a highly competent, one-pass algebraic compiler
GAP
-- a fast, compact, machine-oriented assembler
I-2

Standard report generators, sort/merge routines, BRIDGE (an operatingsystem), GE-235/~~~(a
major network analysis technique), andother specializedprogramsand routines are also available.
Thus, the GE-235 provides
all the tools for effective management decision-making, for fastand
economical solution of data processing and scientificproblems, and for potential growth in desired
areas. The characteristics and capabilities of this new member of the GE-200 Series are fully
described in thismanual. However, detailedinformationfor operating and programming the system
is in separate manuals on these subjects.
I- 3

CENTRALPROCESSOR
1
\I
CARD READER
HIGH-SPEED PRINTER
CARD PUNCH
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION FOR ENGINEERING CALCULATIONS OR REPORT GENERATION
MAGNETIC TAPE
HIGH- SPEED PRINTER
'
---my . , .. C.. .
. .
*
-
CARD PUNCH
fl"=-,
UNIT
CARDREADER
(1000 CPM)
CENTRAL PROCESSOR
AND AUXILIARY
ARITHMETIC UNIT
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION FOR SCIENTIFIC CALCULATIONS OR DATA RETRIEVAL AND REDUCTION

MAGNETIC TAPE UNIT
- P. . +*q!Fi
,~ T+.
.. .
,? -
CARD PUNCH
. . I a@
11
rt .
I
- ---
.. ..
I
. --
_C--
-. - -
1
rC
PERFORATEDTAPE W
HIGH-SPEED * PRINTER /
CENTRAL PROCESSOR
--2 4
.P
CARD READER
DATANET- 15
-.
-!u7*-
z7-; - I
. -
-. - d
.. .
* .. .
-~-' -T I - 'v:-??? (.
-1
DATA COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION FOR BUSINESS OR MANUFACTURING
!

MAGNETIC TAPE UNIT
HIGH-SPEED
PRINTER
CARD PUNCH
fW
CENTRAL PROCESSOR
DOCUMENTHANDLER
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION FOR BANKING
CARD READER