Remembering the IBM System/360 Mainframe Origin and Technology (IRS, NASA)

Computer History: IBM Mainframe 360: The following presentation we have assembled focuses on the origin of the IBM System/360 mainframe computer family, IBM’s most successful computer product line and one of the most influential computer system architectures of the twentieth century. IBM invested $5 billion in resources to develop the new architecture and multiple system models. Announced on April 7, 1964, it revolutionized mainframe processing and secured IBM’s position as the large systems leader for decades to come. Vintage films and photos describing various models of the 360 in different environments are courtesy of IBM Archives, NASA Archives and other sources. Compiled by the Computer History Archives Project (CHAP), editing, Mark Greenia. Run time: 15 minutes.

Background information: The System/360 is considered a Third Generation Computer. The System/360 architecture included sixteen 32–bit registers. The 360 family was designed to meet the needs of business, scientific and government computing customers. The 360 became highly influential and a vital part of computing technology used by NASA's various Apollo missions, educational institutions, research centers, airline reservation systems, and much more.

The system cost varied greatly depending on model and configuration. A complete lower end system was about $2 million (equivalent to $18.2 million in 2022). The largest model (195) was priced at $7 to $12 million. ($64 million to $109.5 million in 2022). Monthly system rentals started at about $20,000 ($182,000 in 2022). The most popular model sold was the Model 65.

It was replaced by the IBM System/370 family, but many remained in service for years.

SOURCES and REFERENCES:

IBM Archives https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/

Ken Shirriff’s Blog (Ken’s excellent web site on consoles of the System/360) https://www.righto.com/2019/04/iconic-consoles-of-ibm-system360.html

IBM System/360 Icons of Progress https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/system360/

IBM: 360 - biographical information on the 360 Development Team: https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/system360/team/

IEEE Article: Building the System/360 Mainframe Nearly Destroyed IBM (Good article about the People behind the 360 Project) https://spectrum.ieee.org/building-the-system360-mainframe-nearly-destroyed-ibm

Columbia University Computing History http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/

Books: IBM's 360 and Early 370 Systems; by Emerson W. Pugh, Lyle R. Johnson, John H. Palmer, William Aspray (Editor), The MIT Press (January 1, 2003)

IBM : The Rise and Fall and Reinvention of a Global Icon, James W. Cortada, The MIT Press; 1st edition (March 5, 2019)

Additional Related VIDEOS:

• • • IBM System/360 1964 Original Announcement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4kyTg9Cw8g

Curious Marc’s “IBM System/360 Front Panel” detailed video, model 50 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS-WtjwAAO0

IBM System/360 Model 91 Operators Console, Living Computers Museum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bekPqOj4-b8

Additional Computer History Resources:

Computers in Spaceflight: The NASA Experience (by chapter) https://history.nasa.gov/computers/Part1.html

Ed Thelen’s BRL Report upload site, "A Third Survey of Domestic Electronic Digital Computing Systems," 1961, M.H. Weik, Ballistic Research Labs http://www.ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL61.html

NSA Detailed Computer History prior to January 1964 (Pre-Sys/360) https://www.governmentattic.org/3docs/NSA-HGPEDC_1964.pdf

Al Kossow’s Bitsavers Archive http://www.bitsavers.org/

The Computer History Museum, Mountain View http://computerhistory.org

Living Computers Museum https://www.livingcomputers.org/

(References Re: IRS Computer Planning):

1960 IRS “Commissioner of Internal Revenue Annual Report 1960.” Martinsburg, West Virginia selected for the National Computer Center. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/60dbfullar.pdf

Computer Technology at the IRS: Present & Planned, US GAO, 1983 https://www.gao.gov/assets/ggd-83-103.pdf

IRS Integrated Modernization Business Plan, April 2019 https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5336.pdf

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (GAO Report 2021) Cost and Schedule Performance of Selected IRS Investments https://www.gao.gov/assets/720/717144.pdf