These two buttons were on the consoles of the Cambridge Titan was co-developed by the Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory and Ferranti, based on Ferranti's Atlas computer. Titan is seen as the prototype for the Atlas 2 computer.

The Green button is the Request one, and was pressed on the operator's console to bring up the cursor, it is worn from continuous use.

The Yellow Button is for the multi plexer, probably located on the engineers console that was used to diagnose problems and restart the machine.

By 1961 the University of Cambridge were in need of a new, more powerful computer than EDSAC II. However the funds did not stretch to a computer of the specifications required. As a result, Cambridge University purchased the main processing units from Atlas, and then the University and Ferranti jointly designed and implemented a simpler memory system and arrangements for peripheral equipment. Work began on the project in 1963 and came into operation in 1964. The following year staff decided to add a time-sharing facility, and Titan came into full service in 1966. It ran until October 1973.

Titan was the first transistor-based computer at the University of Cambridge compared to the vacuum tubes of its predecessors, EDSAC and EDSAC II. It consisted of six racks, with approximately 300 boards per rack.

Manufacturer: Ferranti, Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory
Date: 1964

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH77378. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.

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