Title:
Oral History Panel on IBM RAMAC Follow-on

Date:
2004-10-29

Pages:
p. 30

Interviewer:
Porter, Jim; interviewer
Hoagland, Albert; interviewee
Stevens, Lou; interviewee
Haughton, Kenneth; interviewee
Harker, John; interviewee

Abstract:
Panel members were all key participants in the development of the IBM RAMAC 350, the world’s first disk drive, and then were involved in the activities to determine what type of disk drives should follow. Many potential development projects depended upon which technology programs were most appropriate – longitudinal or perpendicular recording, the type of magnetic disk surface and diameter of the disks, the kind of recording head method to use, the type of file organization, etc. The pros and cons of conclusions by IBM are reviewed.

Keywords:
Haughton, Kenneth
Stevens, Lou
Hoagland, Albert
Harker, John
Tab cards
IBM 1301
IBM 1311
Johnson, Rey
Stretch
Longitudinal recording
Perpendicular recording

Rights:
Computer History Museum

102657937