Historical question, what went wrong with bubble memory?
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From: TC on 13 Nov 2006 20:33 <kenney(a)cix.compulink.co.uk> wrote in message news:NeudndKF1PcyZajYnZ2dnUVZ8qWdnZ2d(a)pipex.net... > > I can remember several years when magnetic bubble memory was > going to be the next big thing, replacing most other forms of > storage. It then seemed to disappear without trace. Has > development stopped? > > Ken Young If you are talking about early 1980's bubble memory technology then the problem I recall is that it didn't work (at least not reliably). From what I remember, this was how Intel first learned about the effects of Alpha particles on memory. All of the other responses about being slow, alternate technologies, etc. are also true. TC
From: krw on 13 Nov 2006 22:20 In article <4558B57A.1BFB981E(a)comcast.net>, richchas(a)comcast.net says... > krw wrote: > > > > In article <ej5ss5$fdu$1(a)panix5.panix.com>, jeffj(a)panix.com says... > > > I think FLASH, EEPROM and other non-volatile memories > > > were the death of bubble memory, > > > particulary when they became 5v only. > > > > The price crash on the floppy disk was the death knell for bubbles. > > Without that mass market they couldn't slide down the technology > > curve. > > > The Texas Instruments Silent 700 terminal was the only device > that I was aware of...that contained a bubble memory module. > It also had an acoustic coupler 300 baud modem built in, and > used a thermal printing mechanism. A triple kiss-o-death! -- Keith
From: Del Cecchi on 13 Nov 2006 23:05 "TC" <noone(a)nowhere.com> wrote in message news:D196h.5978$l25.792(a)newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net... > > <kenney(a)cix.compulink.co.uk> wrote in message > news:NeudndKF1PcyZajYnZ2dnUVZ8qWdnZ2d(a)pipex.net... >> >> I can remember several years when magnetic bubble memory was >> going to be the next big thing, replacing most other forms of >> storage. It then seemed to disappear without trace. Has >> development stopped? >> >> Ken Young > > If you are talking about early 1980's bubble memory technology then the > problem I recall is that it didn't work (at least not reliably). From > what I remember, this was how Intel first learned about the effects of > Alpha particles on memory. All of the other responses about being slow, > alternate technologies, etc. are also true. > > TC You recall wrong. Alpha Particles have no effect on magnetic materials. del cecchi PS are you the TC that posts to sci.med.nutrition?
From: Bill Marcum on 14 Nov 2006 15:59 ["Followup-To:" header set to alt.folklore.computers.] On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 22:20:00 -0500, krw <krw(a)att.bizzzz> wrote: > In article <4558B57A.1BFB981E(a)comcast.net>, richchas(a)comcast.net > says... >> krw wrote: >> > >> > In article <ej5ss5$fdu$1(a)panix5.panix.com>, jeffj(a)panix.com says... >> > > I think FLASH, EEPROM and other non-volatile memories >> > > were the death of bubble memory, >> > > particulary when they became 5v only. >> > >> > The price crash on the floppy disk was the death knell for bubbles. >> > Without that mass market they couldn't slide down the technology >> > curve. >> > >> The Texas Instruments Silent 700 terminal was the only device >> that I was aware of...that contained a bubble memory module. >> It also had an acoustic coupler 300 baud modem built in, and >> used a thermal printing mechanism. > > A triple kiss-o-death! > Some Silent 700s had dual cassette drives. -- Sorry. I just realized this sentance makes no sense :) -- Ian Main
From: David Wade on 14 Nov 2006 16:11
"krw" <krw(a)att.bizzzz> wrote in message news:MPG.1fc2fff0bbe48c98989b17(a)news.individual.net... > In article <4558B57A.1BFB981E(a)comcast.net>, richchas(a)comcast.net > says... > > krw wrote: > > > > > > In article <ej5ss5$fdu$1(a)panix5.panix.com>, jeffj(a)panix.com says... > > > > I think FLASH, EEPROM and other non-volatile memories > > > > were the death of bubble memory, > > > > particulary when they became 5v only. > > > > > > The price crash on the floppy disk was the death knell for bubbles. > > > Without that mass market they couldn't slide down the technology > > > curve. > > > > > The Texas Instruments Silent 700 terminal was the only device > > that I was aware of...that contained a bubble memory module. > > It also had an acoustic coupler 300 baud modem built in, and > > used a thermal printing mechanism. > > A triple kiss-o-death! > Oddly they were very popular. I am sure we had several for home working, access to bulletin board type systems and as a portable TTY for servic use... > -- > Keith |