"special register groups" invaded computer dictionaries for decades (2019)
15 days ago
- #Honeywell 800
- #computer history
- #terminology evolution
- The term 'special register groups' originated from the Honeywell 800 mainframe in 1959, allowing multiple programs to run simultaneously by switching between them after every instruction.
- This obscure feature was included in the definition of 'CPU' in the 1960 US Department of Agriculture's Glossary of ADP Terminology and spread through government and commercial glossaries over decades.
- Despite being irrelevant to modern computers, the term 'special register groups' persisted in definitions across various industries, including microcomputers, and even appeared in the Washington Post in 1981.
- The definition's longevity highlights how outdated terms can persist in authoritative sources, demonstrating the shifting meanings of computer terminology over time.
- The Honeywell 800's architecture, including its unique multiprogramming approach and physical design, influenced early computer terminology, though its features became obsolete.