The IBM System/360 Revolution

[Recorded April 7, 2004]
Computer pioneers and National Medal of Technology awardees Erich Bloch, Fred Brooks, Jr. and Bob Evans with current IBM technology chief Nick Donofrio discuss the extraordinary IBM System/360 project.

IBM launched the System/360 on April 7, 1964. Many consider it the biggest business gamble of all time. At the height of IBM's success, Thomas J. Watson, Jr. bet the company's future on a new compatible family of computer systems that would help revolutionize modern organizations. This lecture presents a behind-the-scenes view of the tough decisions made by some of the people who made them, and discusses how the System/360 helped transform the government, science and commercial landscape.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[simonodell]

Do you have any information on the Atari2600 ^^

[ComputerHistory]

Information on the Atari 2600 is available on the Computer History Museum website.

[linuxluver]

I was a systems programmer on the System 370 mainframes. I just missed the system 360 models. In 1983, we still had some punch card equipment around supporting legacy applications.

[mukmuklabuguen]

I must be a terrible geek for liking this stuff too.

[Denis Josimar]

Youre very old misCooper

[666Tomato666]

One thing that's "hot stuff" today that IBM was doing for /decades/ is virtualisation.

[mrbing70]

The First Modern Computer was made in Poughkeepsie LOL 9:10

[Anita Cooper]

Born same day as I was!

[dimbulb23]

It was fun and challenging work and I'm proud to have been part of it.

But boring to listen to.

IBM '68-'98

[VOYTASNY]

USA Spend to much time IBM long time go have computer 64 bits and 128 bits Microsoft 32 bits Os for long time They should have ( 94 95 96-32bits) (97 98 99-32/64bits) (2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 -64bits) ( 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010-128bits) CPU

[Membrane556]

These machines pioneered 90% of the features we take for granted in 32/64 bit microprocessors today.

[Jay Tel]

Thanks for making this video available.