On 07/11/2016 07:35 PM, Curious Marc wrote:
Thanks for the detailed answer. I see the front panels look remarkably similar
though. Short of redoing a 360/50 on an FPGA (I'd need to retire to have enough
time for this one!), could I use the /50 panel with the /65 emulator?
Not really! The 360/50 had 4 "rollers" for 4 rows of
lights, and one row of data switches, and 2 rows of
dedicated lights.
The 360/65 had 6 rollers with 6 rows of lights, plus TWO
rows of data switches, and pretty much no dedicated lights
other than associated with the rollers.
Both had a row of address switches under the data switches.
So, yes, in GENERAL, they had a similar look and layout, but
in detail, there was a lot different, some of it
specifically related to the memory word width.
The only machine that looked really different was the
360/30, that had a panel more reminiscent of the 1401.
And, of course, the 360/85, which was really a prototype of
the 370/165. As far as software was concerned, it was just
a really fast 360, but the hardware was MUCH more advanced.
Jon
