S1E16 - IBM 360

Episode Notes n this episode of Computer History with Chris Garcia, we look at the IBM System/360, announced on April 7, 1964, and why it became one of the most important computer families in history. The System/360 was not just a new machine. It was IBM’s attempt to unify business, scientific, government, and institutional computing under one compatible architecture. The episode covers Thomas J. Watson Jr.’s massive corporate gamble, Bob Evans’s role in pushing the project through IBM, Gene Amdahl and Gerrit Blaauw’s architectural work, Fred Brooks and the software nightmare of OS/360, Erich Bloch and Solid Logic Technology, and the way System/360 helped define the modern idea of a computer platform. We also discuss the importance of compatibility, the transition from IBM’s older incompatible product lines, the 1964 launch, early models, the Model 67 and time-sharing, the move toward System/370, and the long-term legacy of System/360 in IBM mainframes and software engineering. Sources and links: IBM Archives: System/360 https://www.ibm.com/history/system-360 Computer History Museum: IBM System/360 announcement https://www.computerhistory.org/tdih/april/7/ Computer History Museum: IBM System/360 mainframe history https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/mainframe-computers/7/164 IEEE Spectrum: Building the System/360 Mainframe Nearly Destroyed IBM https://spectrum.ieee.org/building-the-system360-mainframe-nearly-destroyed-ibm IBM: The 360 Revolution PDF https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/zvm/history/360rev.pdf Britannica: IBM https://www.britannica.com/money/IBM Wikipedia: IBM System/360 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System/360 Wikipedia: Gene Amdahl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Amdahl Wikipedia: Fred Brooks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Brooks Wikipedia: The Mythical Man-Month https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mythical_Man-Month