At 11:13 21-09-98 -0400, William Donzelli wrote:
>> Less S/370s out there? I would think, since they are more recent vintage,
>> there would be more. Any reason why? I'll keep my eyes peeled for you
though.
>
>I think is simply the prestige of the S/360s. After all, they are probably
>the single most influential computer family of the 1960s. The S/370s just
>do not have the same magic in their name.
I can agree with that about their influence. IBM had the marketing
horsepower and exposure to put them in many banks, insurance companies,
factories, etc. more so than say, Buroughs, CDC and any of the other big
names of the day. Computers back then were a BIG and Important Investment
to a company. IBM made sure everyone got that feeling through their marketing.
Ever hear much of an IBM 1130? Any info on the web, etc. on that machine?
>
>> Yeah, even my beige box 9370 is boring as heck to look at :-( (It's a CMOS
>> version of the S/370 from 1987/88.) No interesting front panels, can't
>> tinker with hardware much at all, etc. Pah!
>
>Even the last of the machines tagged "System/370" started to lose their
>panels. By the time the 3033 and 4331 came out (mid to late 1970s), the
>panels were gone. IBM used the same cabinets until recently switching over
>to the black and red (very sharp looking) S/390s.
>
>S/370 panels are amazing. Unlike the S/360 panels, they are black with all
>sorts of color coding, and liberal use of the hexadecimal knobs for
>setting the registers.
>
>I would like to find a picture of any old S/370 on the Web, but I have not
>come accross one yet.
Interesting that there is no pics to be found so far. I recall seeing the
S/370 console at the Deutsches Museum in Munich several years ago. It was
amazing indeed at least for that model, to see such a neat operating panel.
Wish I had taken some detailed photos of it then I could have someone scan
and post them for everyone to see.
Anyone have any sales/marketing brochures out there who could scan some
good example photos of S/370's?
>
>> Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian
>
>Lets give Chris a big hand for being an Auction helper at the Antique
>Wireless Association meet in Rochester, NY just a few weeks ago. He did
>not drop too many things.
Thanks! I do worry about handling those $750-$1k DeForest Audions that come
through. We've done the auction for many, many years as you may know (how
long have you been an AWA member?). I've helped for at least 18 years I
think. Usually it's myself, Lauren Peckham and his son, David, who are up
there every year and several other old stand-bys in the "sold" area to the
right. Thank God we usually have light weight equipment compared to classic
computers!! However, a few Radiola 60's and the like come through
occasionally and they can get real heavy _real_fast_! The three '30's and
early 40's console radios and the early TV were auctioned while just
setting in place as you saw.
I was kinda sick for most of the day from total exhaustion or more likely
burn-out while working at the conference. I wasn't my usual wise-cracking
self with Lauren and Dave. I had to sit behind the platform for about 15
minutes around 2 PM as I was about to literally drop. That recharged my
batteries, so to speak, and was able to perk me up enough to continue
helping. We had, IIRC, 620 individual lots with a huge number of vacuum
tube lots this year. Quite a few paper lots too. IIRC, $62,400 or so was
sold during the 8 hour duration. New record amounts both in lot quantity
and money. I got a few rather nice items for my collection including a
Crosley 50A Two-step Amplifier with brass-base tipped '01A's for only $150
and a real early version of the Crosley ACE Type V (wooden book condensor,
ceramic tube socket, cylindrical tickler coil) for $130. Somebody was
sleeping on those rather rare items :-) I like Crosleys since they're quite
interesting and SMALL doggone it! It was great to just relax on Saturday AM
and listen to the technical talks.
If any of us get involved with a computer collecting club or association
like the AWA is to Electronic Communications and that club or assoc. begins
to have an equipment auction, and I get involved with helping run the
auction, please haul me away to get my head examined! I'm staying HOME!!!
:-) Imagine lugging around Cromemco, CompuPro or other loaded S100
systems, or DEC RL02 drives, or IBM DASD units during an auction. Those are
truly comparative boatanchors like an RAL-7 or R-390 (old military radios
for the unwashed out there) but we sure love 'em, don't we! ;)
I did not see you. Should have come up to me and introduced yourself.
>
>William Donzelli
>william_at_ans.net
>
Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian
Jamestown, NY USA
Member of Antique Wireless Association
URL:
http://www.ggw.org/freenet/a/awa/
Received on Mon Sep 21 1998 - 20:35:12 BST