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Z23 (computer)

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Z23
The Zuse Z23
DeveloperKonrad Zuse
ManufacturerZuse KG
Release date1961; 63 years ago (1961)
Lifespan6 years
Introductory priceDM 200,000 (equivalent to DM 480,582 in 2021)
Units sold98
CPU2700 transistors and 7700 diodes @ 150 kHz
Memory8192 word drum memory as main storage, with 256 words of rapid-access ferrite memory
Power4000 watts
Mass1,000 kilograms (1.0 t; 1.1 short tons)
PredecessorZ22
RelatedZ25, Z26

The Zuse Z23 was a transistorized computer first delivered in 1961, designed by the Zuse KG company. A total of 98 units were sold to commercial and academic customers up until 1967. It had a 40-bit word length and used an 8192 word drum memory as main storage, with 256 words of rapid-access ferrite memory. It operated on fixed and floating-point binary numbers. Fixed-point addition took 0.3 milliseconds, a fixed point multiplication took 10.3 milliseconds. It was similar in internal design to the earlier vacuum tube Z22. Related variants were the Z25 and Z26 models.[1]

The Z23 used about 2700 transistors and 7700 diodes. Memory was magnetic-core memory.[2] The Z23 had an Algol 60 compiler. It had a basic clock speed of 150 kHz and consumed about 4000 watts of electric power. An improved version Z23V was released in 1965, with expanded memory and a higher processing speed.

The Z23 weighed about 1,000 kilograms (1.0 t; 1.1 short tons).[3]

References

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  1. ^ Stephen H. Kaisler, Birthing the Computer: From Relays to Vacuum Tubes, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2016 ISBN 1443896314, page 21
  2. ^ Hans Dieter Hellige, ed. (2004). Geschichten der Informatik. Visionen, Paradigmen, Leitmotive (in German). Berlin: Springer. p. 128. ISBN 3-540-00217-0.
  3. ^ "Z23". www.horst-zuse.homepage.t-online.de.
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