[Info-vax] Whither VMS?

[George Cook]

In article <hat4ft$8fu$1 at naig.caltech.edu>, glen herrmannsfeldt <gah at ugcs.caltech.edu> writes:
> JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot at vaxination.ca> wrote:
> < Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
>  
> <> That technology has been obsolete for years!  
>  
> < Change the word "years" with "decades" and I would agree. 1403s were
> < late 1970s (still in use in universities in early 1980s).
> 
> The 1403 came originally with the 1401 processor, before S/360,
> so before 1963.  The actual date should be on ibm.com somewhere.

http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/mainframe/mainframe_PP1401.html

says it was 1959.

The first 1403 (I think a model 7) I used was on an IBM 1130.  The
printer control unit (an IBM 1133 Multiplex Control Enclosure) was
bigger then either the printer or the 1130.  As I've mentioned here
before, one of the CS professors who was blind figured out how to 
print braille on it; the printer operator had to place a rubber band
between the paper and hammers and then manually fold the paper (with
the hood raised) before it reached the stacking rollers.  I only got
to see it done once.  

I got to fool with the paper carriage control tape punch once or twice.
The 1403 could move paper extremely fast while searching for a
non-existent control on the tape. :-)


George Cook
WVNET