IBM 1440
Encyclopedia
The IBM 1440, a member of the IBM 1400 series
, was an IBM
computer designed as a low-cost system for smaller business
es. It was announced on October 11, 1962 and withdrawn on February 8, 1971.
With a variety of models and special features available for the IBM 1440, a system could be tailored to meet immediate data processing
requirements of the business and expanded to absorb increased demands as needed. Programs for the 1440 could be easily adapted to run on the IBM 1401
.
The basic system consisted of:
The following peripherals were available:
The cost and rental rate were:
Notable installations included a high end 1440 at the Chicago police department installed by reformist superintendent Orlando Wilson in the early 1960s.
IBM 1400 series
The IBM 1400 series were second generation mid-range business decimal computers that IBM sold in the early 1960s. They could be operated as an independent system, in conjunction with IBM punched card equipment, or as auxiliary equipment to other computer systems.1400-series machines stored...
, was an IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
computer designed as a low-cost system for smaller business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
es. It was announced on October 11, 1962 and withdrawn on February 8, 1971.
With a variety of models and special features available for the IBM 1440, a system could be tailored to meet immediate data processing
Data processing
Computer data processing is any process that a computer program does to enter data and summarise, analyse or otherwise convert data into usable information. The process may be automated and run on a computer. It involves recording, analysing, sorting, summarising, calculating, disseminating and...
requirements of the business and expanded to absorb increased demands as needed. Programs for the 1440 could be easily adapted to run on the IBM 1401
IBM 1401
The IBM 1401 was a variable wordlength decimal computer that was announced by IBM on October 5, 1959. The first member of the highly successful IBM 1400 series, it was aimed at replacing electromechanical unit record equipment for processing data stored on punched cards...
.
The basic system consisted of:
- IBM 1441 Processing Unit contained core memory, arithmeticArithmeticArithmetic or arithmetics is the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used by almost everyone, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations. It involves the study of quantity, especially as the result of combining numbers...
and logicLogicIn philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
circuits- Up to 16,000 alphanumeric storage positions were available
- IBM 1447 Operator's Console
- Model 1 provided basic processing control for the system
- Model 2 added an electric typewriterTypewriterA typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
The following peripherals were available:
- IBM 1442IBM 1442IBM 1442 was a combination IBM card reader and card punch. It read and punched 80-column IBM-format punched cards and was used on the IBM 1440, the IBM 1130, the IBM 1800 and System/360 and was an option on the IBM System/3. The 1442 could read up to 400 cards per minute. Cards were read and...
Card Reader/Punch- Model 1 read up to 300 cards a minute and punched up to 80 columns a second
- Model 2 read up to 400 cards a minute and punched up to 160 columns a second
- IBM 1443 Flying Typebar Printer
- Basic rate of 150 lines a minute and up to 430 lines a minute, depending on typebar
- Interchangeable typebars having character sets of 13, 39, 52, and 63 characters
- IBM 1311 Disk drive
- Capacity for 2 million characters in each removable pack
- With optional "Move Track Record" feature, capacity is increased to 2,980,000 characters in each pack
- Each pack weighed less than 10 lb (5 kg).
- Up to five 1311 drives
- Capacity for 2 million characters in each removable pack
The cost and rental rate were:
- Purchase price: $90,000 and up, depending on system configuration.
- Rental rate: $1,500 and up, monthly rental, depending on system configuration.
Notable installations included a high end 1440 at the Chicago police department installed by reformist superintendent Orlando Wilson in the early 1960s.