Computers matured in the late 1950s. Vacuum tubes were becoming a thing of the past, and more input and output devices were being developed, freeing researchers from days of watching lights and flipping switches. Modems allowed researchers to access computers from their offices. Increasingly, some computers were designed and dedicated to specific applications.

In 1957 GEORGE, in operation concurrent with CHLOE, was the last "homemade" digital computer at Argonne. A 40-binary-digit, parallel, asynchronous, modified two-address, fixed-point machine, GEORGE had 4096 word memory, paper tape input and output, 4 magnetic tape units for internal memory storage, a 72-character/line printer, 1024 character output unit, and 1024-character input unit.

photo Overall view of GEORGE. In foreground is the computer console containing from left the console output typewriter, input keyboard, the operating console and the perforated tape input readers. In background are (from left) the core memory unit, the arithmetic and control unit and the wide magnetic tape auxiliary storage unit. Herbert Gray (left) and Lawrence Melson are shown.