page_title: Drum memory
hierarchical_section_title: Drum memory
context_page_description: Drum memory was a magnetic data storage device invented by Gustav Tauschek in 1932 in Austria. Drums were widely used in the 1950s and into the 1960s as computer memory.
  For many early computers, drum memory formed the main working memory of the computer. It was so common that these computers were often referred to as drum machines. Some drum memories were also used as secondary storage.
  Drums were displaced as primary computer memory by magnetic core memory, which offered a better balance of size, speed, cost, reliability and potential for further improvements. Drums in turn were replaced by hard disk drives for secondary storage, which were both less expensive and offered denser storage. The manufacture of drums ceased in the 1970s.
context_section_description: Drum memory was a magnetic data storage device invented by Gustav Tauschek in 1932 in Austria.  Drums were widely used in the 1950s and into the 1960s as computer memory.
  For many early computers, drum memory formed the main working memory of the computer. It was so common that these computers were often referred to as drum machines.  Some drum memories were also used as secondary storage.
  Drums were displaced as primary computer memory by magnetic core memory, which offered a better balance of size, speed, cost, reliability and potential for further improvements.  Drums in turn were replaced by hard disk drives for secondary storage, which were both less expensive and offered denser storage. The manufacture of drums ceased in the 1970s.
caption: Drum memory of a Polish ZAM-41 [pl] computer
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