[net.arch] IBM comm processors versus the Model 50

gnu@sun.uucp (John Gilmore) (05/25/84)

You're thinking of the COMTEN front-end processor.  That WAS a stripped
down Model 50.  It did everything a 3705 could do and a lot more, since
it was being sold by a competitive company that knew how to write software
(as opposed to IBM).  I can't help it, my bias is showing -- I only worked
with IBM software for 6 years...

jee@ihuxn.UUCP (John Emrich) (05/29/84)

The 3705 is a 16 bit machine, while the 360/50 internally was a
32 bit machine.  The ALU in the 360/50 was a 32 bitter.  The ALU
in the smaller 360 machines was an 8 bitter.  For the 360/50 
the memory bandwidth was 32 bits also. In fact almost all the functional
units in the 360/50 cpu worked on a 32 bit wide path.
Actually, the 3705 architectually was very much like the System/7.