Design objectives for the IBM stretch computer

Abstract

It is apparent to every user of an electronic computer that there are areas in which major improvements are desired. Present computer speeds, remarkable as they are, still fall short of the requirements of many of today's business and technical applications. The labor of programming often delays or prevents the application of new problems to the machines. Maintenance continues to consume a significant fraction of the working day, and requires highly skilled engineers to locate and repair machine faults.