Computer Control Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware, Minicomputers |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Founder | Dr. Louis Fein |
| Defunct | 1966 |
| Fate | Acquired by Honeywell, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Framingham, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Digital Data Processor (DDP) series (DDP-24, DDP-224, DDP-116, DDP-124, DDP-19) |
Computer Control Company, Inc. (operational from 1953 to 1966), often referred to as 3C, was an innovative enterprise in the minicomputer industry, best known for its series of Digital Data Processor (DDP) machines, which comprised:
- DDP-24 24-bit model (introduced in 1963)
- DDP-224 24-bit version (released in 1965)
- DDP-116 16-bit system (launched in 1965)
- DDP-124 24-bit computer (debuted in 1966), notable for incorporating monolithic integrated circuits
The firm was established in 1953 by Dr. Louis Fein, who had previously contributed to the design of the Raytheon RAYDAC computer. In 1959, the company moved its operations to Framingham, Massachusetts. Prior to developing the DDP line, Computer Control Company produced digital logic modules that were originally based on vacuum tube technology.
In 1966, Honeywell, Inc. acquired the company and transformed it into Honeywell’s Computer Controls division. Under this new structure, the DDP product range was broadened and the division expanded into a $100 million enterprise by 1970. However, following Honeywell’s acquisition of General Electric’s computer division that year, the DDP series was discontinued.
The DDP-124 gained particular recognition from Murray Bookchin in 1970 as a notable technological breakthrough due to its compact design, dependable operation, and processing speed exceeding 285,000 calculations per second with scalable stored-program memory.
Among the distinctive models was the DDP-19, a specialized machine produced in limited numbers for the U.S. Weather Service. It featured a unique 19-bit word length enabling uncommon arithmetic operations such as "negative zero." One unit was donated to Milwaukee Area Technical College in 1972 for educational purposes before being retired; the whereabouts of other units remain uncertain.
External links
- Oral history interview with Louis Fein at Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota. Fein describes his role in founding computer science at Stanford Research Institute and his collaborations with prominent academic and research institutions.
- The 3C Legacy Project
- Archived Computer Control Company Reunion Website (as of November 23, 2021)
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- 1953 establishments in Massachusetts
- 1966 disestablishments in Massachusetts
- 1966 mergers and acquisitions
- American companies established in 1953
- American companies disestablished in 1966
- Companies based in Framingham, Massachusetts
- Computer companies established in 1953
- Computer companies disestablished in 1966
- Defunct computer companies based in Massachusetts
- Defunct computer companies of the United States
- Defunct computer hardware companies
- Defunct computer systems companies
- Electronics companies established in 1953
- Minicomputers