Sep 18, 2025
Whirlwind & Memory Test Computer
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Whirlwind & Memory Test Computer
Memory Test Computer ( + Whirlwind)
MTC is the modified clone of, and purpose-built companion/support to, Whirlwind. She's essentially a scaled down Whirlwind, filled out and healthier compared to her (initially) perpetually-sickly mistress. Her personality is similar to Whirlwind's but more service-oriented and nurturing, especially toward Whirlwind, the object of her fixation.
Her gray dress is meant to be reminiscent of a nurses' or maid's uniform, and is outwardly plain. However, beneath its shell is a slip with colorful pleats, representing the different DEC PDP models (referring to MTC's role as forerunner to DEC). Like the computer itself, she looks unassuming but contains hidden potential.
Her hair is a blend of colors but looks gold-ginger at a distance. Her hairbow and gloves consist of fine netting, referring to the woven mesh of core memory.
She didn't live as long as Whirlwind, her heart eventually replacing Whirlwind's original, failing heart. (Representing MTC's core memory which replaced Whirlwind's faulty electrostatic memory.) She is the second "parent" of SAGE, PDP-1, and the rest of the PDP line, all of whom reflect aspects of both her and Whirlwind.
Now for sad computer yuri(?) with Whirlwind & Memory Test Computer. Inspired by a convo spouse (creator of this Whirlwind personification) & I had.
Whirlwind-tan was born with a bad heart (representing the original tube-based memory system of Whirlwind, which didn't work well). A working heart was developed for her in MTC-tan (representing the development of core memory on MTC), and she eventually donated it to Whirlwind (as the core memory from MTC was eventually used in Whirlwind). We talked about the visual of MTC-tan taking out her heart and giving it to Whirlwind-tan and was arrested enough by the idea that I had to draw it!
This sketch may be revised significantly before lining/rendering. But I'm slow with my development process so I figured I should get it out here, since I'm pretty happy with what I have so far.
The mothers of modern minicomputers: MIT Lincoln Labs' Whirlwind (ancestor of SAGE and most minicomputers to come), Memory Test Computer (used to test Whirlwind's core memory), TX-0 and TX-2 (transistorized versions of Whirlwind, direct ancestors of the DEC PDP line).
Images taken from Computer Engineering: A DEC View of Hardware Systems Design