friedl@vsi.COM (Stephen J. Friedl) (01/23/89)
This is probably a silly question, but where did the name `3B2'
come from? I've never figured it out, and I find it hard to believe
that it was chosen at random. Anybody know?
Steve
--
Stephen J. Friedl 3B2-kind-of-guy friedl@vsi.com
V-Systems, Inc. I speak for you only attmail!vsi!friedl
Santa Ana, CA USA +1 714 545 6442 {backbones}!vsi!friedl
Nancy Reagan on these *stupid* .signatures: "Enough already, OK?"hjespers@attcan.UUCP (Hans Jespersen) (01/23/89)
Apparently 3B2 follows from the nomenclature of the central office switches. Something like 1A ESS -> 2A -> 3B. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hans Jespersen UUCP: uunet!attcan!hjespers AT&T Canada Inc. or ..!attcan!nebulus!arakis!hans Toronto, Ontario #include <std.disclaimer>
dwc@homxc.ATT.COM (Malaclypse the Elder) (01/24/89)
i believe the 3B20 came from some starting control address (hex) some startup program jumped to or the value of some status register on boot up. i would guess that 3B2 was chosen as 'a lower end' 3B20. danny chen att!homxc!dwc
res@ihlpb.ATT.COM (Rich Strebendt) (01/25/89)
In article <1023@vsi.COM>, friedl@vsi.COM (Stephen J. Friedl) writes: > This is probably a silly question, but where did the name `3B2' > come from? I've never figured it out, and I find it hard to believe > that it was chosen at random. Anybody know? The name is derived from a line of processors that were the intelligence for a series of electronic telephone switching systems developed by Bell Labs. The sequence of ESS machines and their processors is roughly as follows: Switching System Processor No. 1 ESS (urban) No. 1 No. 2 ESS (suburban) No. 2 No. 3 ESS (small) No. 3 Then upgrades as well as new development started to happen: No. 3 ESS 3A No. 1A ESS 1A No. 1 ESS upgrade 1A No. 4 ESS 1A No. 3 ESS 3B No. 2 ESS 3B This last processor, the 3B, could be used either as a processor in a switching machine or as a minicomputer. As a minicomputer it was renamed the 3B20 Computer, then renamed again as the 3B20D (for Duplex) when a simplex version of the machine was born, the 3B20S. This line of computers still is sold as part of the #5ESS. When AT&T entered the computer business in 1984, this was the only computer that had been developed, since the Consent Decree of 1956 did not allow AT&T to market general purpose digital computers. (I guess the powers that be wanted to give IBM a head start :-) A new machine based on the Western Electrice 32000 microprocessor was developed which was supposed to provide about 1/4 to 1/2 the CPU power of the 3B20. This machine was named the 3B5. It taught lots of us in the computer development area that we had lots to learn about designing and marketing a computer. A group of people associated with the 3B5 thought that the WE32000 would make an interesting desk-top UNIX machine. It was not expected to be as powerful as a 3B5, so it was called a 3B2. Subsequently, the 3B2 evolved through the 3B2/300, 3B2/310, 3B2/400, 3B2/500, 3B2/600, 3B2/700, and a number of other models incorporating newer versions of the microprocessor. The 3B5 evolved into the 3B15 then the 3B4000 multiprocessor as the CPU board evolved through several generations of the WE32000, WE32100, and WE32200, The two product lines converge in the 3B4000, since the 3B2/600 and other 3B2 models can be used as Adjunct Processors in the 3B4000. This later machine is a current AT&T product, though the inability of AT&T Corporate Marketing to understand how to market a computer instead of WATTS service makes the 3B4000 one of AT&T's best kept secrets. Rich Strebendt ihlpb!res
jcs@tarkus.UUCP (John C. Sucilla) (01/26/89)
In article <1023@vsi.COM> friedl@vsi.COM (Stephen J. Friedl) writes: >This is probably a silly question, but where did the name `3B2' >come from? I've never figured it out, and I find it hard to believe >that it was chosen at random. Anybody know? It all started way back when the 3B20D (Duplex) was first introduced as the administration module for the 5ESS (tradmark, blah blah blah) Switch. Western Electric switching system processors had names previously like the 1A 1B 3A etc. The 3B20D had every piece of hardware duplicated and matching (stop n switch stuff) for reliability. Then one day they started splitting these machines in half and called them 3B20S (Simplex) and verily they were general purpose computers. When the 3B2 line was born I guess they just continued the tradition and lopped of the 0 because it was like a little brother to the 3B20's. -- jcs@tarkus.chi.il.us (John "C". Sucilla) You have a better idea? Now's the time...