[ih] BBN C-series computers

[Dave Walden]

On 10/21/2017 9:58 AM, Miles Fidelman wrote:
> Obviously the C-series machines found their niche as network devices.
> But I remember being told that they were originally designed
> specifically with optimizations to run c language code. Perhaps somebody
> older than I can verify that (or not).

Here is my memory.

1. Mike Kraley, Randy Rettberg, etc., developed the MBB (micro-coded 
building block).

2. BBN started the BBN Computer Corporation to be a computer company 
with the MBB as the base of its systems.  One market was as a 
replacement computer to run the 316 IMP code in BBN's (separate) network 
business.  Another use was to try to be a commercial Unix computer 
manufacturer which would run Unix particularly well because it was 
micro-coded (as Bernie described in his message) to execute C directly.

3. Being in the Unix computer business didn't go particularly well, but 
there was increasing demand for C/30-IMP-based networks.

4. BBN networking business was folded into the computer business and the 
combination was renamed BBN Communications Corporation. The C/70 has a 
natural market there as a non-IMP component in network applications.

5. The C/70 also had other applications within BBN's various R&D 
applications; search for "C/70" at walden-family.com/bbn/bbn-print2.pdf