Homeless Hilton; Third Generation; Financial Terms

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 4/12/01 3:18:43 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Bapopik at AOL.COM
writes:

<<    From the NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE, 8 April 1964, pg. 31, col. 5:

 _IBM Unveils Its "New Generation" Computers_
 _"MOST IMPORTANT PRODUCT"_
 (...)
    "The new machines," he said, "do not fit the true definition of 'third
generation'--that is, they do not contain integrated circuitry." >>

 Could you please identify the speaker in the quote above?

My recollection is that IBM used the term "third generation" widely in its
advertising for the System/360 computers (the "new machines" of the above
quote), and that most of the computers in the System/360 series used
integrated circuits.

The definition of "third generation" is flaky.  Most people say a third
generation computer is one built with integrated circuits instead of discrete
transistors (second generation) or vacuum tubes (first generation.)  However,
the CDC 6600 is generally considered to be a third generation machine (it was
certainly the most innovative US-designed computer of its era; only the
UK-designed Ferranti Atlas, from which the 6600 copied many features, was
more innovative.)  Yet I am told that the CDC 6600 used discrete transistors,
thereby making it second generation.

           - Jim Landau