parametrons, was Re: TTL 7400's Available

[Brent Hilpert]

William Donzelli wrote:
> 
> > There was at least one production parametron-based computer:
> 
> I have a Japanese parametron logic trainer. I think there are 12
> parametrons in it, so it is not too useful.

..enough for a 1-bit serial adder with carry flip-flop, perhaps?

> I think parametrons died out fast because all other logic forms were
> much easier to implement as speeds increased. Once the things get up
> into the MHz region, tuning and phase shifting became real issues.
> Nobody wants to tune logic - leave that to the radio guys.

I was speculating along those lines as well, that as a system got more
complex trying to track phase shift through all possible paths in the
system would become a nightmare. I know the CDC6600 had individual wires
cut to specific lengths, but this seems like a problem of another
magnitude. 

On the same note I was going to say that it would give another meaning to
'tuning the system'.