Tech District · VIDEO ESSAY

The Rise and Fall of Control Data, the Minnesota Computer Giant That Beat IBM With the CDC 6600

Control Data Corporation was once one of America’s most powerful computer companies, and the CDC 6600 helped put it on the map. Designed by Seymour Cray, the machine became one of the fastest computers of its era and challenged IBM’s dominance in high-performance computing. This video explores the rise of Control Data, the breakthrough engineering behind the CDC 6600, its battle with IBM, and how a Minnesota technology giant eventually lost its position in the computer industry.