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IBM's Mainframe Dinosaur Turns 40

Posted by simoniker on from the not-so-purple dept.

theodp writes "According to an SFGate.com article, PCs were supposed to kill off the mainframe, but Big Blue's big boxes are still crunching numbers, posting sales of $4.2 billion in 2003. First unveiled on April 7, 1964, the IBM mainframe computer celebrates its 40th birthday this week with a sold-out party at the Computer History Museum." The SFGate article also reveals: "Doug Balog, an IBM vice president, noted that 70 percent of the world's data are still housed in mainframe computers."

12 of 384 comments (clear)

  1. fp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    fp! biatch

  2. Re:Never in a million years... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    SCECNOD PSOT~!

  3. More important news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Dear AgonyTroll,

    I'm the Chief Executive of a popular, cutting edge Utah based IT company. However recently, despite all my successes, I've begun to have doubts. I've got my company embroiled in a few legal disputes on the advice of someone else and I'm starting to worry about whether I'm doing the right thing. I can't go into too much detail but we had some problems with a bunch of pirates stealing our property. We couldn't go directly after the filthy hippies themselves because they're our customers, but Bill said we'd be alright going after the middleman who helped them out.

    The thing is, he told me a lot of things that I'm beginning to think just weren't true. I don't believe anymore that, if we lose the court case, we just have to give a bunch of vouchers for our products to the other side, no matter what Bill insists. We're running out of money again and the lights keep on cutting out during our power lunches. My useless brother keeps whining about our share price and I'm considering just cutting out and going elsewhere. Any advice?

    Concerned, Utah

    The Agonytroll writes...

    Dear Concerned

    I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. From your letter it's clear to me that you have the intelligence and education to succeed almost anywhere outside prison. Also, the business model you have outlined to me is no worse than many more I've seen in the particular sector you are in. I mean, it's not as if you've given up entirely and give your stuff away for free! Like you can be profitable selling "support" Hahahahahaa!

    Anyway, you should see your company more like a pyramid scheme. These succeed by continually growing. Make sure every lawsuit you start spawns at least 6 others, and by the time the wreckage has cleared, you'll have been years in your cold, dead grave, like *BSD. Good Luck!

  4. I have a question: by Neil+Blender · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Which of the 5 richest kings of Europe owns it?

  5. %OFDEATH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Jesus! Jesus! My blessed Jesus!

    o o o o o o
    o o o o o o
    o pillage o
    o o o o o o
    o o o o o o

    Blimey! Everytime Me cross the pond Me have to get fingerprinted?
    I'd better stop wearing women's clothing. Bloody 'ell, those damn Yanks.
    Well, Me best be catching me a lorry so Me can have tea with me mum.
    Hope Me don't break me arm cause Me'd hate to have to wait 18 hours
    in searing pain in the emergency loo. 4 pounds sterling for a gallon of gas?
    Well, at least it isnt 4 pounds 50 like last year.
    God hail the Queen for providing for us. Bob's your uncle and all that. Cheerio.

    You die British!

    1. Re:%OFDEATH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      whiskey tango foxtrot

    2. Re:%OFDEATH by jpBabelFish · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Blimey! Everytime my cruciform I taking the fingerprint, you must can, the pond? I should stop the fact that the clothing of the woman is learned. ' Elbow of blood, Yanks of those denunciations. It is good, I to be best am my contagion characteristic autotruck and therefore as for me it can eat the brown where mummy I have been attached. I me must wait for 18 hours of the pain which loo of the hatred emergency of Me'd of cause of the arm burns, in order, desire the fact that you break. Gallon English pound four for gas? It is good, at least that like isnt 4 last year breaks 50. Hail us of God queen for offering. Your uncle of the hob and entirely that. Cheerio.

      Dies depending on England!

  6. Re:%OFFTOPIC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Mod parent down down down

  7. haappy Biirthday Tooo you! by OtakuHawk · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Yay! *Pops corks*

  8. CDs are gonna kill of books by empaler · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    And my pants are on fire

  9. Dood! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    You hacked the Gibson!

  10. bananas haven't gotten any in 10,000 years! by alw53 · · Score: 0, Offtopic


    From an article on the same page, apparently
    bananas haven't had sex in 10,000 years and
    are dangerously monocultured as a result.