face@arizona.edu (Chris 'Face' Janton) (03/30/90)
In article <1545@amethyst.math.arizona.edu> face@arizona.edu (Chris 'Face' Janton) writes: > Toll the bell - our Cyber 175 (1977-1990) will be turned off at 11:39 pm > MST on 31 March 1990. It was a proud successor to 6400 s/n 32, in Make that 11:59, we have funny time here in Arizona. 8) ------------------------------- Chris 'Face' Janton CCIT University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 Phone: +1 602 621-6848
eugene@eos.UUCP (Eugene Miya) (03/30/90)
In article <27151@ut-emx.UUCP> kjm@ut-emx.UUCP writes: >In article <3792@tahoe.unr.edu>, lsmith@unssun.nevada.edu (LARRY SMITH) writes: >> is being replaced with an IBM 3090. > >I can't imagine how that could possibly be an improvement... No matter >what the IBM is running. Hum, for quite a while (pre-U*), I was very impressed with developments I saw throughout IBM: third party software like Wylbur, in house software like the SPF, numerous languages and packages, user group help, what did I uses CDCs for? Speed, pure raw speed (Thorton's book) [languages? ha! (yes yes yes, I know your line, I sat on the Pascal Standards Committee)]. Yes, IBM has got some fine software/products: like EPISLE. Manuals which one could devel through and fix a machine! Yes, fine, company, IBM. Maker of business machines, and they mean business. 8) Another gross generalization from --eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@aurora.arc.nasa.gov resident cynic at the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers: -- "You trust the `reply' command with all those different mailers out there?" "If my mail does not reach you, please accept my apology." {ncar,decwrl,hplabs,uunet}!ames!eugene Do you expect anything BUT generalizations on the net? [If it ain't source, it ain't software -- D. Tweten]
rpeglar@csinc.UUCP (Rob Peglar) (03/30/90)
In article <3792@tahoe.unr.edu>, lsmith@unssun.nevada.edu (LARRY SMITH) writes: > I guess we join the club, after 20+ years as a CDC site, our Cyber 855-180 > is being replaced with an IBM 3090. > Seems like Cybers are dropping like flies. But, I just wanted to ask - why, and why now? Why not 5 years ago? Why not 5 years from now? Why? What really made the decision to pull the plug? Curiously, Rob > +Where men are MEN.... reply to: lsmith@unssun.nevada.edu > +And sheep are nervous. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Great .signature, eh?
face@arizona.edu (Chris 'Face' Janton) (03/30/90)
In article <186@csinc.UUCP> rpeglar@csinc.UUCP (Rob Peglar) writes: > But, I just wanted to ask - why, and why now? Why not 5 years ago? Now because maintenance has gotten to be too expensive. Now because we have an "new wave" of users who won't put up with the Cyber when there are "faster" alternatives for attractive prices. Now because we decided to remove the system while the user community is here - instead of during the summer when they might be gone. Pity the poor faculty member who leaves for vacation at the end of semester (May) and comes back in August to find out that all of their computing facility has been removed from existence. ------------------------------- Chris 'Face' Janton CCIT University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 Phone: +1 602 621-6848
shj@ultra.com (Steve Jay) (03/30/90)
rpeglar@csinc.UUCP (Rob Peglar) writes: >Seems like Cybers are dropping like flies. >But, I just wanted to ask - why, and why now? Why not 5 years ago? Where I used to be, Univerisity of Arizona, it became obvious about 5 years ago that the Cyber was not really economically viable. The main factors were increasing maintenance cost, and an ever growing group of users who would/could not put up with the restricted memory and obsolete software. At government funded installations, a major procurement to replace a machine takes a long time...years. Also, there was 17 years of accumulated applications running on it. It takes a long time to get everyone moved off. Curiously, at the University of Arizona, the major administrative applications (payroll, general ledger, registration) were done primarily on the CDC system. A Cyber 175 was actually a hell of a batch Cobol machine. It took many years of work to move to more interactive/ transaction oriented applications on other systems. Payroll was one of the last big ones to move. If it wasn't for payroll, the Cyber at University of Arizona would probably have died much sooner. Also, a lot installations figure that a big machine will last about 10 years. 10 years ago is when a lot of the old time CDC sites stopped buying new CDC machines. Now is when the last batch is dying of old age. Steve Jay shj@ultra.com ...ames!ultra!shj Ultra Network Technologies / 101 Dagget Drive / San Jose, CA 95134 / USA (408) 922-0100 x130 "Home of the 1 Gigabit/Second network"
tdonahue@prost.bbn.com (Tim Donahue) (04/14/90)
In article <29719@amdcad.AMD.COM>, davec@proton (Dave Christie) writes: > > <lots of good stuff deleted> > >Now, if one were to take a few of today's killer micros and combine them >with CDC's high-performance memory and I/O expertise, one might be able >to do something quite impressive...... > Like a BBN Advanced Computers TC2000? >-------------------- >Dave Christie Cheers, Tim