In our on-going series looking at classic computing devices birthed at HP, we see not only what they did, but also get a better sense of what was happening at the time each product came to market. (For a full explanation of why we’re calling this “Tales from the Next Bench,” read here).
     在 “惠普档案馆”系列文章中，我们介绍了各种惠普公司创造的神奇产品。我们不仅会介绍惠普曾经发明过什么，也将介绍这些产品上市时都发生了什么。

    This installment: The 2116A digital computer (1966)
    2116A数字计算机（1966）

    Up to now, we’ve looked at hosts of early personal electronics that were developed by HP: Some of the first personal computers ever created. Some of the most advanced portable technology around. Today, I wanted to talk about something that you couldn’t find on a store shelf -- the first computer HP created.
    到目前为止，我们已经介绍了许多惠普早期开发的个人电子产品，其中有的是最早的个人电脑，有的是代表着早期最先进技术的便携产品。今天，我要介绍的则是您在商店里绝对找不到的一款产品——惠普的第一台计算机。

    In late 1966, the research vessel "Chain" departed with a little extra weight on board. Along with its customary cadre of scientists, marine experts, technical staff and sea crew, the vessel carried some unusual cargo—HP's first computer, the 2116A. 
     1966年底，科考船“Chain”的甲板上运载着一个不寻常的货物离开了港口。除了随船科学家，航海专家，技术人员以及船员外，这艘科考船还带着惠普的第一台电脑：2116A。

    The collaboration of several HP divisions, including former Data Systems engineers in addition to HP Labs and Dymec employees, resulted in the HP 2116A's public unveiling at the 1966 Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco.
    HP2116A是由多个惠普部门合作研发的产物，包括早先的数字系统工程师，惠普实验室研究员以及Dymec的成员。他们共同合作，促成了1966年HP2116A在旧金山计算联合大会上的公开亮相。
 

    The 2116A was the largest single mechanical package HP had ever built. It marked HP's first use of the integrated circuit and the development of a FORTRAN compiler and associated software. In addition, a number of standard laboratory instruments could interface with the HP 2116A such as electronic counters, nuclear scalers, electronic thermometers, digital voltmeters and input scanners. A fun bit of information I learned: The 2116 was 31 ½ inches high, in standard electronic rack-mounting form. So in other words, the computer itself was not that big, but it was usually in a rack or a bay with tape drives, test instruments and peripherals. And that's what took up so much room (as you can see in the above picture).
    2116A是惠普有史以来建造过的最大的成套产品，它代表着惠普第一次使用集成电路、FORTRAN编译器的发展以及配套软件。此外，它支持连接一系列标准化的实验设备，例如电子计数器、核定标器、电子温度计、数字电压表和扫描仪。我还发现了一则有趣的消息：2116本身在标准电子机架安装模式中只有31.5英寸高。就是说，计算机本身并不大，但是它通常与磁带设备、测试设备以及其他附件一起安装。这让它看起来体积庞大（正如您在上面的照片中所看到的）。

    "What is really different about the HP computer," said Noel Eldred in 1966, then HP marketing vice president, "is that it will save thousands of dollars and months of time for the user who wants to computerize his instrument system."
     1966年的时候，当时的惠普市场副总裁Noel Eldred表示：“HP2116A最能体现惠普计算机与众不同的地方是，对于那些希望设备系统计算机化的用户而言，它能节省数千美元，并且将以月为单位减少所需的计算时间。”

    The 2116A was ahead of its time in two other aspects. First, the hardware was developed much more rapidly than the industry average for similarly complex systems. Second, the software was made available simultaneously with the hardware—sounds like a no-brainer these days, but at the time, that was a rare accomplishment.
    2116A还在另外两个方面超越了它所处的时代。首先，其硬件设备的开发时间，大大少于当时业界开发类似复杂系统所需的时间。其次，软件系统与硬件系统的同步发布，在今天看来这是理所当然的事情，然而在当时的情况下还很少有人能做到。

    Through the tireless efforts of HP employees Kay Magleby, Ed Holland, Arne Bergh, Willie Austin and many others, ruggedness and reliability became hallmarks of the 2116A. HP's "go-anywhere, do-anything" computer was eventually discontinued as new technologies rendered the 2116A obsolete. However, for nearly a decade, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution successfully used that HP workhorse to record data under harsh sea conditions.
    通过Kay Magleby、Ed Holland、Arne Bergh、Willie Austin以及许多其他惠普员工的不懈的努力，稳固性以及可靠性成为了2116A显著的标志。当不断出现的新技术让2116A开始过时的时候，惠普的“去任何地方，做任何事情”计算机最终停止了开发。但是在将近十年的时间里，Woods Hole海洋学研究中心一直在使用惠普的这款产品，其一直成功的在恶劣的海洋条件中记录数据。

    What else happened in 1966? It goes without saying that great social change was coming and 1966 was a year of civil marches as the Vietnam War accelerated. But I bet you didn’t know that this is also the year that cigarette packs started getting affixed with a warning that smoking could be hazardous (The cast of Mad Men are still reeling from that). Meanwhile, this also signals the year that Ronald Reagan entered politics and the Soviet Union got Luna 9 to touch down on the moon. Among some of the technological advances of the year, color TV sets started becoming popular (I wonder when people will look back and say that about 3D television) and fiber optic cable was invented.
    1966年还发生了什么？不用说，美国当时正经历巨大的社会变革。随着越战的深入，1966年成为美国民众示威的一年。但是我打赌你不知道，从这一年开始，香烟盒上开始印刷吸烟有害健康的信息（美剧《广告狂人》并没有反映出这一点）。1966年同时也是罗纳德.里根跨入政坛以及苏联的月球9号探测器在月球着陆的一年。在当年的技术进步中，彩色电视开始流行（我想知道人们什么时候可以用同样的话来描述3D电视），光纤也在这一年被发明。

    You might not have put this computer in your home, office, or home office – but what is the biggest computer set-up you’ve ever seen? Or if you’re one of the few that had a chance to see the 2116A in action, do you have a story you want to share? Tell all in the comment box below!
    您也许从未将这台电脑带入您的家或办公室。那时，您所见过的最大的计算机是什么？或者您可能是少数有幸见过2116A工作的人之一，您想分享您的经历吗？请给我们留言。