CDA-EX cdc

The Control Data Corporation was incorporated on July 8, 1957 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. CDC grew rapidly, eventually becoming the largest computer company in Minnesota by number of employees and annual revenues.

The company produced some of the fastest computers of the time, including the CDC 6600, designed by Seymour Cray and generally considered the first supercomputer.

Youtube presentation by Seymour Cray
This is a 'must see' !
Seymour's gentle logical nature is very evident in this facinating presentation.
He reveals how he first became interested in mathematics and electronics, and then in the developement of digital circuits and processing.
From 1604 logic to the CRAY3. A truely amazing story. How trajic that this great man's life ended suddenly at the age of 71 as the result of a car accident.

Seymour R. Cray Dies in car accident.
1996 - Seymour Cray, father of the supercomputer, died yesterday at a hospital near his home in Colorado Springs. He was 71 and had been in the hospital since an automobile wreck two weeks ago By John Markoff
Slide show about Seymour Cray
Courtesy of MICROSOFT RESEARCH

William C. Norris was president and CEO of the company from its start in 1957 until he retired in 1986.

In 1992, Control Data Corporation ceased operations and was split into two companies: Ceridian Corporation and Control Data Systems, Inc.

What can you remember about the 160A?   (pdf file)
What can you remember about the 3200?   (pdf file)
What can you remember about the 6600?   (pdf file)
Other systems? (pdf file)

The Eye for Innovation
Recognizing Possibilities and Managing the Creative Enterprise by Robert M. Price
Seven principles for an innovative enterprise, from the journey of Control Data. Details >>

Bob Price's Blog

Have a look at this remarkable summary of CDC innovations in technology and service.

An evening with Bob Price - Video on the history of CDC (requires broadband)

Read this interesting story by John Sutcliffe (Ex CDA) about the lives of Bill Norris and Seymour Cray who both started out building Crystal Sets.
John Sutcliffe links the origins of the first stored program digital computers to the Second World War and the vital role of the code breakers of Bletchley Park and the B-O-M-B-E systems, leading to the eventual collaboration of Norris and Cray to develop world leading super computers

Ernest Kaye, who has died aged 89, was the last surviving member of the design team that built LEO, the world's first business computer. Kaye stayed with the LEO project through several mergers, but then joined a large American company, Control Data Corporation, first as marketing manager and then as service manager in Britain.
Ernest Kaye story.
Also: Amazing video of early LEO hardware.