IBM1130 (was RE: Front panel switches - what did they do?)

[Toby Thain]

On 2016-05-25 7:06 AM, Dave Wade wrote:
> paths.
>>
>> Do you mean the 360/20?  On the topic, were the 20 and 40 the only members
>> of System 360 to use TROS?
>>
>> I remember picking up the programming manual for a Model 20 and realizing
>> that I'd essentially have to re-learn programming.  16 bit registers, stripped-
>> down instruction set, no I/O channels, "substitute"
>> instructions for regular 360 fare.
>>
>> A really strange thing was that the 1130 came out *after* the 360/20.
>>
>
> I am not sure why IBM produced an in-compatible machine so soon after 360 was announced, but it was sold in a completely different way to a new and emerging market.

The book cited earlier by Paul Berger, "IBM's 360 and Early 370 
Systems"[1], might give some of the reasoning here. It does have a lot 
of discussion about how the competing lines were resolved. I just 
finished reading it but I don't recall whether it addresses this 
specific point.

--Toby

[1] https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/ibms-360-and-early-370-systems

> It was billed as the cheapest computer IBM had ever offered. The announcement letter here:-
>
> https://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/1130/1130_initial.html
>
> is dated almost exactly one month before DEC announced the PDP-8 and I am sure targets the same markets DEC did. You just wonder if IBM had spies in DEC, or more likely they both spotted a marketing opportunity. It is also interesting to note a "typical" configuration was priced at almost twice that of the PDP-8.. (assuming Wikipedia is right)
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDP-8
>
> I don't have any links but I know in the UK IBM1130's were used on ships by the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences but I can't find any reference to that on-line. I was told that they had great trouble getting the IBM engineers who worked on it that a suite was not suitable dress for a small research vessel.
>
> Dave
> G4UGM
>
>
>> --Chuck
>>
>>
> Dave
> G4UGM
>
>