Re: Real core

[pfa]

I believe the 370/155 and 370/165 had core memory, and later in their
lives DAT was available as an RPQ or a field upgrade on those processors.  
I think the 370/168 and certainly the 370/158 came with DAT and solid state
memory on the base model.
 
I recall the memory unit for the 370/165 having a model label that read
"3360", that probably eliminated IBM having a 3360 model DASD!!
 

> The number I remember, but, if pressed, I wouldn't know all the
> specifics on what it ment was...
>
> IBM 370/168....  $1,000,000 per MB.
> We had a 4 MB 168 which cost us a cool $6 million dollars.  But I think
> that $6 Million was without a DAT box as the box was field upgraded
> later to support virtual memory.
>
> I say I don't remember all the specifics.....because I wasn't in those
> meetings.
> But I was a "viewer" of the specifications of the replacement box (I
> think it was an IBM 3083...didn't that come before the IBM 3030 line?).
> It was, initially, a week long process with IBM detailing how you wanted
> your mainframe built.  Do you want floating point registers?  How many?
> Here is what they cost...  So memory wasn't as simple as, "I want 4 MB".
> It had to include "cabinets" and "wiring" and lights on the console for
> addressing.  Not to forget, water cooling considerations and power
> units.  The IBM would come back in a week or two, to say if you wanted
> "xxx" then we need to add in "yyy" and "zzz" and the cost is $$$.  Or
> you can't have both "aaa" and "bbb".  It seemed to take over a month to
> finally spec out what you wanted to order.  
>
> So I assume that the $1 million per MB also included all the extra
> hardware that may or may not be necessary, depending on which megabyte
> increment it was.  
>
> Tom Duerbusch
> THD Consulting
>
> >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/7/2006 11:07 PM >>>
> Ok, this is obscure to the max, but: ISTR real core costing $1/byte.
> Someone else says:
> "$1 a byte was extrordinarily cheap for 1971. Ferrite core was going
> for up to $2 per BIT."
>
> Of course, he then goes on to talk about PDPs, so maybe he's talking
> about core made in Maynard instead of Mexico...
>
> Anyway: do any of the other old-timers remember anything about this?
>
> --
> ...phsiii
>
> Phil Smith III
> (703) 476-4511 (home office)
> (703) 568-6662 (cell)  
>