This is a series of e-mails started when David Bridge asked a question.
Table of Contents, most recent e-mail near top

• October 4, 2022 6:06 PM - Robert Garner to David Bridge and others
• October 3, 2022 9:29 AM - Dag Spicer to David Bridge and others
• October 3, 2022 8:47 AM - David Bridge to ??
  A serious question concerning the IBM 1440.

October 4, 2022 6:06 PM - Robert Garner to David Bridge and others

David, As Dag noted, I’m happy to addresses (via email or phone conversation) your questions about the IBM 1440 and the 1401 family in general. I’ll start with excerpts from Dag and your emails below: > I am working on a project to document the early history of use of computer technology at the Smithsonian Institution (SI). > Including applications in: fiscal, payroll, administrative, scientific, research, and collections management > The first computer the Smithsonian acquired has always been described as an IBM 1440. Nice (safe) choice! :) By the mid 1960s, half of all computers in the world were 1400s. > From John F. Jameson’s March 1965 memo (below): > "The 1440 is a general purpose machine oriented towards administrative uses, but it could be used for some scientific purposes. “ The key adjective there is “could.” I doubt that many engineering or scientific applications actually ran on 1440s. (There was a Fortran compiler for the 1401, but it is was slow and likely mainly used in programming/instructional settings.) The 1401 and 1440 swept the business world by storm, offering an “affordable” computer for mid-level firms, supplanting their decades-old unit-record punched-card accounting machines. They were typically operated 24/7 to cover the rental/lease cost ($1500 and up, or $15,000 and up in inflation-adjusted dollars). > Is "IBM 1440" the correct designation for this configuration of an IBM 1401 computer? The 1440 was not a particular configuration of the 1401, but a lower-cost follow-on version with the 1401’s instruction set. Its formal name: “IBM 1440 Data Processing System.” (TJ Watson preferred not to call IBM equipment “computers.”) https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/mainframe/mainframe_PP1440.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_1440 The 1440 was first to feature IBM’s new "1311 Disk Storage Drive” with removable and interchangeable 2-MB disk packs: https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/storage/storage_1311.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_IBM_magnetic_disk_drives#IBM_1311 The 1401 family comprised several distinct versions that rolled out over time at varying performance/price points. In order: 1401 (Oct, 1959), 1410 (Sept, 1960), 1440 (Oct, 1962), 7010 (Nov, 1962), and 1460 (Feb, 1963). > What combinations of features makes it a 1440 vs 1401 or some other configurations? The 1440 supported slower and lower-cost peripherals than the 1401: 150-lpm “flying type-bar” printer (vs. IBM’s famous 1403 600-lpm chain printer on the 1401 and S/360), punched card unit (1442), and new removable disk drives (1311). However, the 1440 did not support IBM's workhorse tape drive, the 729. In spite of its slower and lower-quality printer and the lack of tape drives, according to industry census tracking, by the late 1960s IBM 1440s numbered about 2/5’ths of the 1401s (3,600 1440s vs. 8,250 1401s in March, 1968. The 1401 also supported the 1311 disk drive.) > Can you recommend a source/book or web page that documents the standard configurations that were marketed? The IBM Archives 1440 page: https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/mainframe/mainframe_PP1440.html And the 1964 BRL report: http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL64-i.html#IBM-1440 http://s3data.computerhistory.org/brochures/ibm.1440.1962.102646250.pdf 1440 photo: https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102646595 IBM produced a lengthy 1440 announcement video hosted by the news icon of the era, Chet Huntley(!). It includes a panel session tutorial on business and accounting concepts and flows. On Youtube in 3 parts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP_WYt6zLmY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCIioKzGOqM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ibcWBHT-W0 You can actually visit and experience a restored/operational 1440 at The TechWorks in Binghamton, upstate New York: https://www.ctandi.org/ibm-1440 I’ve cc’d their director, Susan Sherwood, who can provide you with more insights and stories about the 1440. (They also have a 1401 system they’re working to restore.) I’ve cc’d the head of IBM Archives, Jamie Martin, and its archivist, Max Campbell. They could provide you with many photos and additional material on the 1440 if you’d like. I’ve also cc’d a few members of our 1401 restoration team. Best Regards, — Robert p.s. Photo supplied by Susan Sherwood of visiting 6th graders watching a demo of the TechWorks’ IBM 082 card sorter with the console of their 1440 console in front (w/volunteer Dick Shipway): click to enlarge

October 3, 2022 9:29 AM - Dag Spicer to David Bridge and others

Hi David, You're in luck! We have at CHM the world authorities on the IBM 1401 Electronic Data Processing System... and, of course, a live demo experience of the system every week -- the only such running 1960 punched card installation in the world. I'm copying CHM IBM 1401 Demo Lab team lead and historian of the machine Robert Garner to this email -- he is a fount of info and will be able to answer pretty much any question you can throw at him or the team. I know the Demo Team will be pleased and impressed to hear that the SI's first computer was as 1401-series machine! Good luck with your research, David.... and if you ever do come out to the West Coast / Silicon Valley, do drop by on a Saturday -- we'll show you the 1401 running! Dag ----- Dag Spicer Senior Curator Computer History Museum Editorial Board, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd. Mountain View CA 94043 E-m: spicer@computerhistory.org

October 3, 2022 8:47 AM - David Bridge to ??
A serious question concerning the IBM 1440.

From: David Bridge < BridgeDavid@earthlink.net > Subject: IBM 1440, the first computer at the Smithsonian Institution in Wash, DC Message Body: A serious question concerning the IBM 1440. Hi folks: I am working on a project to document the early history of use of computer technology at the Smithsonian Institution (SI). Including applications in: fiscal, payroll, administrative, scientific, research, and collections management I worked on the first museum computer project (1967-1970) to develop a system to support museum collections management, what we would call a database today, but it was on mag tape back then. We acquired a Honeywell 1200 to support this project, and to combine applications running on different machines. The first computer the Smithsonian acquired has always been described as an IBM 1440. This is obviously one of the many configurations of the IBM 1401 family. This was ordered in Dec. 1964, I think. I never saw this machine installed at the SI. Last week I found a memo (in the Archives) with greater details than I had seen before, here is the important section about the IBM 1440: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Memo from John F. Jameson to Frank A. Taylor March 15, 1965 Current status of ADP activity within the Smithsonian Institution "The Fiscal Division has an IBM 1440 in Room 323 of the S.I. Building. Federal and private fund payroll are being processed by the machine now; Federal and private fund accounting will be handled by July 1. It is estimated that all Fiscal's needs can be handled in 3 days each week. The other 2 days (plus possible night shifts) would be available for other uses. The 1440 is a general purpose machine oriented towards administrative uses. but it could be used for some scientific purposes. As now configured, The machine has 4000 characters of magnetic core memory and two disc, direct access, external storage units. Input to the machine is by punch card or by the console." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - So a few questions: Is "IBM 1440" the correct designation for this configuration of an IBM 1401 computer? What combinations of features makes it a 1440 vs 1401 or some other configurations? Can you recommend a source/book or web page that documents the standard configurations that were marketed? Thank you, And I would be happy to try and answer and questions you have about our research. yours, David Bridge SI Archives, Washington, DC Tel:202-821-3667