Size matters

[dbminter]

Take a look at this image to see the difference between a 1950's computer and today's.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Univac-model.jpg

 

 

To note the scale, notice the two office desks and chairs on ball casters on the left. To orient you about the location of hardware, these are my best guesses.

 

Far left, bottom: "modem" output, modem processor, tape I/O for "modem.

The large block unit next to that: CPU.

Next to that, L shaped bank of magetic tape I/O reels.

In front of that: keyboard.

To the side of the keyboard: "monitor," a small printer that returned the input the user put in, as they entered it, and the results from the processor.

Large bank in the upper left: RAM.

Next to that: memory controller.

Center of room: impact printer for printing out program results, dumps, forms outputs like checks, etc. Behind that: printer controller. Why there's a reel to reel next to that, no idea. Maybe just because that's the only space for it? Or why there's another reel to reel on the right or what that is next to it (My guess is it's the reel to reel's controller.) are also beyond me.