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The Elea 9003 is one of a series of mainframe computers Olivetti developed starting in the late 1950s. The system, made entirely with transistors for high performance, was conceived, designed and developed by a small group of researchers led by Mario Tchou (1924–1961). It was announced only a few months after the release of Siemens 2002 (transistorized, but not entirely transistorized) and several months before the first IBM transistorized computer. The acronym ELEA stood for ''Elaboratore Elettronico Aritmetico'' (Arithmetical Electronic Computer, then changed in ''Elaboratore Elettronico Automatico'' for marketing reasons) and was chosen with reference to the ancient Greek colony of Elea, home of the Eleatic school of philosophy. About forty units were placed with customers, although Olivetti left the mainframe business only a few years after releasing the 9003.〔Giuditta Parolini ''Olivetti Elea 9003: Between Scientific Research and Computer Business'', in John Impagliazzo (ed) History of computing and education 3 (HCE3): Springer, 2008 ISBN 0-387-09656-6, page 37 and ff〕 ==Generations== The Elea 9000 had three generations: Elea 9001 (Machine Zero) prototype was made with vacuum tubes, but used germanium transistors for the tape drive system. The system was completed in spring 1957 and was later sent to Ivrea where for six years it controlled the Olivetti production warehouses. The machine was a prototype. Elea 9002 (Machine 1V) was a prototype with printed circuits and optimized design, much faster than its predecessor and utilizing silicon transistors for the management of tape drives. The machine was used as a test for the transistors, to establish if they were more reliable and economic than vacuum tubes. Elea 9003 (1T machine), designed entirely in discrete (Diode-transistor logic), was the first fully transistorized commercial computer. With industrial design by Ettore Sottsass, it was leased to about 40 individual customers, of which the first (Elea 9003/01) was installed at the textile company Marzotto and second (Elea 9003/02) to Monte dei Paschi di Siena. Later this unit was donated for educational purposes. Other mainframes were leased to insurance companies and energy companies. The Olivetti computers competed directly with foreign manufacturers such as IBM and Ferranti, but received no special consideration from the Italian government. Typical applications were payroll, inventory and accounting. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Olivetti Elea」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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