On February 11, 1965, IBM introduced the 1130 computing system as a powerful small computer offering a capability greater than systems costing several times as much.
The IBM 1130 computing system.
The 1130 was the first IBM computer to rent for less than $1,000 a month (it could be purchased for $32,280), and it gave small business firms a versatile, economical data processing facility for a wide variety of applications. The desk-sized 1130 combined ease of operation with big computer performance and features, including high-speed arithmetic capability, stored program flexibility and a wide variety of input and output devices. Interchangeable magnetic disks provided virtually unlimited direct access storage capability. Users could access stored data directly via the 1130 console's typewriter.
Designed for use by engineers, scientists and mathematicians, the 1130's range of peripheral units enabled it also to be used in such diverse fields as publishing, construction, finance, manufacturing and distribution.
An engineer inserts an IBM 2315
disk cartridge into the 1130's
disk drive.
Use of the 1130 was greatly facilitated by a number of powerful programs, especially the Disk Monitor System, which automatically supervised and controlled system operation and information flow. It minimized operator intervention and job set-up to increase system throughput and reduce turn-around time. The Monitor also handled stacked jobs consisting of programs (written in either FORTRAN or Assembler Language), data, requests for execution of previously stored tasks, as well as a variety of utility functions. Another useful program set was the Commercial Subroutine Package. Modular in design, the 1130 Commercial Subroutines could be adapted as needed to match the user's commercial format and information flow requirements.
Just two years after announcement, IBM had made more than 250 application programs in 13 program packages available to the system's users. These applications included civil engineering, petroleum engineering and exploration, statistics, matrix manipulation, simulation, optical systems design, graphic data presentation, structural analysis, type composition, dairy and bakery route accounting and project planning, control and supervision.
Also within two years of the 1130's introduction, IBM had expanded the system's capabilities to provide users with five times more disk storage, four times the original magnetic core memory size, an additional 40 percent faster processing speed, and more and faster peripheral equipment. Those enhancements meant that users whose data processing needs had grown but who did not require the computing power of the IBM System/360 mainframe, could use the 1130 to meet those needs in technical and commercial areas.
Further details and information about the 1130:
