IBM Remote Access Computing
IBM Remote Access Computing (RAX) is a discontinued early time-sharing system for IBM System/360 introduced in 1966.[1] RAX was based on an earlier system, RACS. developed jointly by IBM and Lockheed Aircraft in Marietta, Georgia in 1965. The system influenced a number of other timesharing systems including MCGILL-RAX from McGill University,[2] McGill's MUSIC,[3] and Reactive Terminal Service (RTS) from ITT Data Services.[2][4]
Hardware
RAX was available from IBM as program number 360A-CX-17X, and runs on System/360 Model 30 and above.[1]As announced, it runs on systems with as little as 64 KB of main storage, and supports a mix of up to 63 IBM 1050 typewriter terminals and IBM 2260 display terminals. The languages supported as BASIC, FORTRAN IV, and IBM Basic assembly language.[note 1] In a minimal system with 64 KB memory, user programs can be up to 32 KB, with larger programs allowed on larger systems.[5]
Users
In 1968 RAX was used by the United States Department of Agriculture for their Washington Data Processing Center.[6] It was used in a number of colleges, universities, and corporations, including McGill, Boston University, St. Andrew's in Scotland,[7] The University of Rhode Island, and Bell Aerosystems.[2]
Notes
- ↑ RTS also supported COBOL.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 IBM Corporation. "DPD chronology". https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/dpd50/dpd50_chronology3.html.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Miller, Roy Watt. "MULTIPLE REGIONS FOR THE MCGILL-RAX TlME-SHARING SYSTEM". https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item?id=TC-QMM-50353&op=pdf&app=Library&oclc_number=895199506.
- ↑ "Boston University’s RAX Library". https://cryptosmith.com/2012/01/12/bu-rax/.
- ↑ "(advertisement)". The Pittsburgh Press. June 15, 1969. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/148087863/.
- ↑ IBM Corporation (August 1967). Catalog of Programs for IBM System/360 August 1967. p. 5. http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pM%20System/360%20August%201967df/ibm/360/programCatalog/C20-1619-3_360pgmCat_Aug67.pdf. Retrieved Apr 29, 2021.
- ↑ Department of Agriculture Appropriations for 1971. 1970. p. 17. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hearings_Reports_and_Prints_of_the_House/U144AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=ibm+rax+timesharing&pg=PA17. Retrieved Apr 29, 2021.
- ↑ "Thirty years ago . . .". https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/itsnew/newsletter/2008/06/thirtyyears.html.
 |  |
