PC-based IBM mainframe-compatible systems: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 07:36, 16 July 2024

Revision as of 17:08, 16 July 2024

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{{short description|Type of computer system}}

{{Essay-like|date=July 2020}}

Since the rise of the [[personal computer]] in the 1980s, [[IBM]] and other vendors have created '''PC-based IBM mainframe-compatible mainframessystems''' which are compatible with the larger IBM [[mainframe computer]]s. For a period of time PC-based mainframe-compatible systems had a lower price and did not require as much electricity or floor space. However, they sacrificed performance and were not as dependable as mainframe-class hardware. These products have been popular with mainframe developers, in education and training settings, for very small companies with non-critical processing, and in certain disaster relief roles (such as field insurance adjustment systems for hurricane relief).

==Background==

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IBM had demonstrated use of a mainframe instruction set in their first desktop computer—the [[IBM 5100]], released in 1975. This product used microcode to execute many of the [[System/370]]'s processor instructions, so that it could run a slightly modified version of IBM's [[APL (programming language)|APL]] mainframe program interpreter.

In 1980 rumors spread of a new IBM personal computer, perhaps a miniaturized version of the 370.<ref name="byte198101">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1981-01/1981_01_BYTE_06-01_Hand-held_Computers#page/n313/mode/2up | title=Interest Group for Possible IBM Computer | work=BYTE | date=January 1981 | accessdate=18 October 2013 | pages=313}}</ref> In 1981 the [[IBM Personal Computer]] appeared, but it was not based on the System 370 architecture. However, IBM did use their new PC platform to create some exotic combinations with additional hardware that could execute S/370 instructions locally.

===Personal Computer XT/370===