[COFF] [TUHS] In Memoriam: Per Brinch Hansen

[COFF] [TUHS] In Memoriam: Per Brinch Hansen

[peter]

[Moved from TUHS to COFF]

On 2018-Aug-02 08:44:56 -0400, Doug McIlroy <doug at cs.dartmouth.edu> wrote:
>My collection of early computer manuals includes Brinch Hansen's manual
>for the RC 4000, which stands out for its precise description of the
>CPU logic--in Algol 60! It's the only manual I have seen that offers a
>good-to-the-last-bit formal description of the hardware.

The book "A Programming Language" by Kenneth Iverson included a formal
description of the IBM 7090 in Iverson Notation (now APL).  I believe that
is the first formal description of any computer.  The success of that led
IBM to include a formal description of the System/360 architecture in the
IBM Systems Journal issue introducing the S/360.

I've been told that IBM has since regretted that decision since it opened
the way for other manufacturers to clone the S/360.

-- 
Peter Jeremy
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[COFF] [TUHS] In Memoriam: Per Brinch Hansen

[cym224]

On 05/08/2018, Peter Jeremy <peter at rulingia.com> wrote:
> The book "A Programming Language" by Kenneth Iverson included a formal
> description of the IBM 7090 in Iverson Notation (now APL).  I believe that
> is the first formal description of any computer.  The success of that led
> IBM to include a formal description of the System/360 architecture in the
> IBM Systems Journal issue introducing the S/360.

Blaauw & Brooks wrote a massive tome describing all manners of
machines in APL ("Computer Architecture: Concepts and Evolution",
A-W).  I am not familiar with it.  Is anyone on the list familiar with
it?

> I've been told that IBM has since regretted that decision since it opened
> the way for other manufacturers to clone the S/360.

Interesting!

N.

[COFF] [TUHS] In Memoriam: Per Brinch Hansen

[dave]

On Mon, 6 Aug 2018, Nemo wrote:

[ APL description of the S/360 ]

>> I've been told that IBM has since regretted that decision since it 
>> opened the way for other manufacturers to clone the S/360.
>
> Interesting!

I think Fujitsu were the biggest clones, followed by Hitachi?  And I seem 
to recall at least one Russian clone...

-- Dave

[COFF] [TUHS] In Memoriam: Per Brinch Hansen

[bakul]

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> On Aug 6, 2018, at 6:01 PM, Dave Horsfall <dave at horsfall.org> wrote:
> 
> On Mon, 6 Aug 2018, Nemo wrote:
> 
> [ APL description of the S/360 ]
> 
>>> I've been told that IBM has since regretted that decision since it opened the way for other manufacturers to clone the S/360.
>> 
>> Interesting!
> 
> I think Fujitsu were the biggest clones, followed by Hitachi?  And I seem to recall at least one Russian clone...

The ES EVM (ЕС ЭВМ)series. At IIT Bombay we had a model EC-1030.