Tech History Made on April 7, 1964

On this day in 1964 IBM released its behemoth System/360. The mainframe computer involved these components: CPU, control unit, display terminal, printer, data-cell storage, drum storage, disk storage and DASD control unit, tape storage, a tape control unit, card reader-card punch combination, console station and console typewriter. The idea was that a small affordable system could be purchased and upgraded as needed. This worked because all 6 computers and 40 components of the System / 360 worked with all past and future IBM products. IBM invested $5 billing dollars into development. The investment paid off, by 1966 at least 1000 were sold a month a $2.5 million or more a pop. It is funny to think that a $600 dollar laptop of today is runs faster than the million dollar machines of the sixties.