PDP

Series of computers made by Digital Equipment Corporation. PDP is an abbreviation for [Programmable Data Processor]? -- they were given that name because at the time of their introduction computers had a reputation of being large and expensive machines, and the PDP was aimed at a market who couldn't afford them.

Some of the PDP machines are related to each other; but most have little more in common than having been made by the same company.

Members of the PDP series include:

• PDP-1: the original PDP
• PDP-6?: small mainframe, 36 bits.
• PDP-8: 12-bit machine. The first "personal computer"; also used in the DECmate word processor.
• PDP-9?: ???
• PDP-10: 36-bit timesharing machine. Descendant of PDP-6.
• PDP-11: 16-bit machine. Also LSI-11, primarily for embedded systems. The VAX series was descended from it.

The PDP-8 and PDP-11 were the most popular of the PDP series of machines.