IBM 360

The IBM System/360 (S/360) is a mainframe computer system family announced by IBM on April 7, 1964. It was the first family of computers making a clear distinction between architecture and implementation, allowing IBM to release a suite of compatible designs at different price points. It was extremely successful in the market, allowing customers to purchase a smaller system with the knowledge they would always be able to migrate upward if their needs grew. The design is considered by many to be one of the most successful computers in history, influencing computer design for years to come. The chief architect of the S/360 was Gene Amdahl.
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<computer> The generic name for the CPUs and architecture released by IBM in 1964. The 360 was marketed as a general purpose computer with 'all round' functionality - hence 360 (degrees).
Models ranged from the 360/20 to the 360/65 and later the 360/95, with typical memory configurations from 16K to 1024K.
Elements of the architecture, such as the basic instruction set are still in use on IBM mainframes today. Associated operating systems included DOS, OS/MFT and OS/MVT.
The 360 architecture was based on an 8-bit byte, 16 general purpose registers, 24-bit addressing, and a PSW (Program Status Word) including a location counter.
Gene Amdahl, then an IBM employee, is generally acknowledged as the 360's chief architect. He later went on to found Amdahl Corporaton, a manufacture of PCM mainframe equipment.
The 360's predecessors were the smaller IBM 1401 and the large IBM 7090 series.
See also ABEND, ALC, BAL, Big Red Switch, HCF, mode bit, PL360, PL/S.
(1999-01-24)