Setun
Encyclopedia
Setun was a balanced ternary
computer developed in 1958 at Moscow State University
. The device was built under the lead of Sergei Sobolev and Nikolay Brusentsov
. It was the only modern ternary computer
, using three-valued ternary logic
instead of two-valued binary
logic prevalent in computers before and after Setun's conception. The computer was built to fulfill the needs of the Moscow State University and was manufactured at the Kazan
Mathematical plant. Fifty computers were built and production was then halted in 1965. In the period between 1965 and 1970, a regular binary computer was then used at Moscow State University to replace it. Although this replacement binary computer performed equally well, it was 2.5 times the cost of the Setun. In 1970, a new ternary computer, the Setun-70, was designed. The computer was named after the Setun River
, which ends near Moscow University.
designed for Setun. It was created by students in the laboratory of Nikolay Brusentsov
at the Computer Science department of the Moscow State University in 1980. The 32-bit version was created in 1989.
DSSP is similar to the Forth programming language; both are examples of stack-based languages
.
It may be seen as an early fork
from Forth, yet with roots extending to the ternary
logic computers like Setun.
Relying on the principle of "one word of text - one word of machine code", DSSP stays very close to the actual machine in structure. It uses Reverse Polish Notation
, which is a stack-oriented form of calculating.
The first document in English regarding this obscure language distinguishes DSSP from Forth in the following manner: "DSSP was not invented. It was found. That is why DSSP has not versions, but only extensions. Forth is created by practice. DSSP is created by theory."
Balanced ternary
Balanced ternary is a non-standard positional numeral system , useful for comparison logic. It is a ternary system, but unlike the standard ternary system, the digits have the values −1, 0, and 1...
computer developed in 1958 at Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
. The device was built under the lead of Sergei Sobolev and Nikolay Brusentsov
Nikolay Brusentsov
Nikolay Brusentsov, born February 7, 1925 in Kamenskoe is a Russian computer scientist, most famous for having built a ternary computer, Setun, together with Sergei Sobolev in 1958.-References:...
. It was the only modern ternary computer
Ternary computer
A ternary computer is a computer that uses ternary logic instead of the more common binary logic in its calculations.-History:...
, using three-valued ternary logic
Ternary logic
In logic, a three-valued logic is any of several many-valued logic systems in which there are three truth values indicating true, false and some indeterminate third value...
instead of two-valued binary
Binary numeral system
The binary numeral system, or base-2 number system, represents numeric values using two symbols, 0 and 1. More specifically, the usual base-2 system is a positional notation with a radix of 2...
logic prevalent in computers before and after Setun's conception. The computer was built to fulfill the needs of the Moscow State University and was manufactured at the Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
Mathematical plant. Fifty computers were built and production was then halted in 1965. In the period between 1965 and 1970, a regular binary computer was then used at Moscow State University to replace it. Although this replacement binary computer performed equally well, it was 2.5 times the cost of the Setun. In 1970, a new ternary computer, the Setun-70, was designed. The computer was named after the Setun River
Setun River
The Setun is a river in the west of Moscow and the largest tributary of the Moskva River in Moscow. The length of the river is , of which is in Moscow itself. Its basin has an area of . The Setun River originates in the village of Salariyevo in Moscow Oblast and flows into the Moskva River near...
, which ends near Moscow University.
DSSP
DSSP (Dialog System for Structured Programming) is a programming languageProgramming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
designed for Setun. It was created by students in the laboratory of Nikolay Brusentsov
Nikolay Brusentsov
Nikolay Brusentsov, born February 7, 1925 in Kamenskoe is a Russian computer scientist, most famous for having built a ternary computer, Setun, together with Sergei Sobolev in 1958.-References:...
at the Computer Science department of the Moscow State University in 1980. The 32-bit version was created in 1989.
DSSP is similar to the Forth programming language; both are examples of stack-based languages
Stack-oriented programming language
A stack-oriented programming language is one that relies on a stack machine model for passing parameters. Several programming languages fit this description, notably Forth, RPL, PostScript, and also many Assembly languages ....
.
It may be seen as an early fork
Fork (software development)
In software engineering, a project fork happens when developers take a legal copy of source code from one software package and start independent development on it, creating a distinct piece of software...
from Forth, yet with roots extending to the ternary
Ternary
Ternary is an adjective meaning "composed of three items". It can refer to:* Ternary complex, a complex formed by the interaction of three molecules* Ternary compound, a type of chemical compound...
logic computers like Setun.
Relying on the principle of "one word of text - one word of machine code", DSSP stays very close to the actual machine in structure. It uses Reverse Polish Notation
Reverse Polish notation
Reverse Polish notation is a mathematical notation wherein every operator follows all of its operands, in contrast to Polish notation, which puts the operator in the prefix position. It is also known as Postfix notation and is parenthesis-free as long as operator arities are fixed...
, which is a stack-oriented form of calculating.
The first document in English regarding this obscure language distinguishes DSSP from Forth in the following manner: "DSSP was not invented. It was found. That is why DSSP has not versions, but only extensions. Forth is created by practice. DSSP is created by theory."
See also
- BINEG and UMCUMC (Computer)UMC is a family of computers produced by Elwro from 1962....
- Polish negabinary computers - Ternary computerTernary computerA ternary computer is a computer that uses ternary logic instead of the more common binary logic in its calculations.-History:...