--- product_id: 5795472 title: "IBM's 360 and Early 370 Systems (History of Computing)" price: "£4.53" currency: GBP in_stock: false reviews_count: 10 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/5795472-ibms-360-and-early-370-systems-history-of-computing store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # IBM's 360 and Early 370 Systems (History of Computing) **Price:** £4.53 **Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** IBM's 360 and Early 370 Systems (History of Computing) - **How much does it cost?** £4.53 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Currently out of stock - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/5795472-ibms-360-and-early-370-systems-history-of-computing) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description IBM's 360 and Early 370 Systems describes the creation of this remarkable system and the developments it spawned, including its successor, System/370. No new product offering has had greater impact on the computer industry than the IBM System/360. IBM's 360 and Early 370 Systems describes the creation of this remarkable system and the developments it spawned, including its successor, System/370. The authors tell how System/360's widely-copied architecture came into being and how IBM failed in an effort to replace it ten years later with a bold development effort called FS, the Future System. Along the way they detail the development of many computer innovations still in use, among them semiconductor memories, the cache, floppy disks, and Winchester disk files. They conclude by looking at issues involved in managing research and development and striving for product leadership. While numerous anecdotal and fragmentary accounts of System/360 and System/370 development exist, this is the first comprehensive account, a result of research into IBM records, published reports, and interviews with over a hundred participants. Covering the period from about 1960 to 1975, it highlights such important topics as the gamble on hybrid circuits, conception and achievement of a unified product line, memory and storage developments, software support, unique problems at the high end of the line, monolithic integrated circuit developments, and the trend toward terminal-oriented systems. System/360 was developed during the transition from discrete transistors to integrated circuits at the crucial time when the major source of IBM's revenue was changed from punched-card equipment to electronic computer systems. As the authors point out, the key to the system's success was compatibility among its many models. So important was this to customers that System/370 and its successors have remained compatible with System/360. Many companies in fact chose to develop and market their own 360-370 compatible systems. System/360 also spawned an entire industry dedicated to making plug-compatible products for attachment to it. The authors, all affiliated with IBM Research, are coauthors of IBM's Early Computers, a critically acclaimed technical history covering the period before 1960. Review: A terrific read. - What a terrific book. I was surprised to find this book so readable given the technical nature of some of the material covered. The book is a great mix of technical detail and information about the IBM'ers involved in the creation of these systems. A must for those interested in the history of computing. Review: Of interest to the specialist - This book presents a detailed look at the origins and development of one of the most widely-known processor families. It details (among many other things) progression of magnetic core memory, including a series of technological developments that kept it moving forward with the market's ever-increasing demand for speed and capacity. I got this book for a few specific facts regarding these early mainframes, which I'm happy to say it provided. But, having spent a fair few decades in computing the historical details drew me in as well. I've read only a few chapters so far, but I'm enjoying its engaging and thoroughly-researched style. I'm interested, too, by the comparisons between technical decisions of half-a-century back vs the ones being made today. It's surprising (but probably shouldn't be) how many of those issues still matter today. I'm generally not one to love history for its own sake, and I can't say this perspective will really change my life. The few facts I wanted will help a personal project and I find some of the progressions interesting. Still, I can't think of any decisions I make these days that I'll make differently after reading this. And, if you're not already well-versed in computing, you might not find enough familiar context to offer an entry point. -- wiredweird ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #2,621,810 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #44 in Mainframes & Minicomputers (Books) #5,704 in Computer Science (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.2 out of 5 stars 24 Reviews | ## Images ![IBM's 360 and Early 370 Systems (History of Computing) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71jSQkNehUL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A terrific read. *by P***M on August 10, 2014* What a terrific book. I was surprised to find this book so readable given the technical nature of some of the material covered. The book is a great mix of technical detail and information about the IBM'ers involved in the creation of these systems. A must for those interested in the history of computing. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Of interest to the specialist *by W***D on February 26, 2019* This book presents a detailed look at the origins and development of one of the most widely-known processor families. It details (among many other things) progression of magnetic core memory, including a series of technological developments that kept it moving forward with the market's ever-increasing demand for speed and capacity. I got this book for a few specific facts regarding these early mainframes, which I'm happy to say it provided. But, having spent a fair few decades in computing the historical details drew me in as well. I've read only a few chapters so far, but I'm enjoying its engaging and thoroughly-researched style. I'm interested, too, by the comparisons between technical decisions of half-a-century back vs the ones being made today. It's surprising (but probably shouldn't be) how many of those issues still matter today. I'm generally not one to love history for its own sake, and I can't say this perspective will really change my life. The few facts I wanted will help a personal project and I find some of the progressions interesting. Still, I can't think of any decisions I make these days that I'll make differently after reading this. And, if you're not already well-versed in computing, you might not find enough familiar context to offer an entry point. -- wiredweird ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Insight into modern computing *by R***D on June 18, 2012* The authors do a great job at explaining how modern computing was born (through IBM mostly) and how System 360 was really the first complete computer line. It's fairly easy to read for the most part (i.e. it's not boring!). I found the coverage of the software side of things to be a bit light, when you consider how much of a problem it was (the hardware was on time/budget, the software wasn't!). Still a great book, very interesting, extremely well documented and well written. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/5795472-ibms-360-and-early-370-systems-history-of-computing](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/5795472-ibms-360-and-early-370-systems-history-of-computing) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-25*