Computing technology

CERN Courier grew up with the computing revolution. CERN’s first computer, the Ferranti Mercury, which had less computational ability than an average pocket calculator has today, was installed in 1958 and early issues of the Courier carried helpful articles explaining how computers work and why they are important. It did not take long for computing to become a pillar of high-energy physics. The field has inspired many advances, most famously the web and the Grid, and must now pursue the most advanced technology developed elsewhere to meet the demands of future experiments. Enjoy a dip into the reel-to-reel past with this selection of articles from the Couriers past, and get up to speed with preparations for the deluge of data ahead in our special foreword: Adapting to exascale computing.

All of the articles from the print edition of the retrospective are available online or alternatively you can download a PDF version.