Whirlwind I

Boots a from-scratch MIT Whirlwind I (1951) — the first real-time computer, the first with magnetic-core memory and a CRT point display. The default configuration runs the famous BOUNCING BALL: the ball is plotted point-by-point on the electrostatic scope, falling under gravity and bouncing off the floor while its phosphor trail fades behind it. Press KICK ↑ / KICK ↓ (or the ↑ / ↓ arrow keys) to nudge the ball; R restarts, S single-steps, Esc stops. The second configuration plots a PARABOLA y = x² − ½ across the tube, driving the ones-complement fractional multiplier (mr). Open the debugger to single-step the 16-bit CPU one instruction at a time, watch AC / AR / BR / PC and the SAM special-add register change, set breakpoints on the program counter, and read core memory as octal disassembly.

Boots a from-scratch MIT Whirlwind I (1951) — the first real-time computer, the first with magnetic-core memory and a CRT point display. The default configuration runs the famous BOUNCING BALL: the ball is plotted point-by-point on the electrostatic scope, falling under gravity and bouncing off the floor while its phosphor trail fades behind it. Press KICK ↑ / KICK ↓ (or the ↑ / ↓ arrow keys) to nudge the ball; R restarts, S single-steps, Esc stops. The second configuration plots a PARABOLA y = x² − ½ across the tube, driving the ones-complement fractional multiplier (mr). Open the debugger to single-step the 16-bit CPU one instruction at a time, watch AC / AR / BR / PC and the SAM special-add register change, set breakpoints on the program counter, and read core memory as octal disassembly.