TECHNOLOGY - April 4, 1994

IBM to Introduce Low-Cost Mainframes: International Business Machines Corp. will launch the first of its low-cost, microprocessor-based mainframe computers Tuesday in an aggressive bid to restore falling revenues in its core business. Analysts said IBM will announce two machines with parallel processing architecture, one designed for transactions and another for large database queries. The computer giant will also add five new models to its current line of AS/9000 mainframes and make some aggressive moves in software pricing. Ironically, the rollout comes two days before the 30th anniversary of the IBM 360 mainframe, the first system to computerize the Fortune 500 and turn the computer industry on its head. The 360 was the first important product in what would eventually become IBM’s mainframe empire.