IBM 1410 Data Processing System (cropped)

The IBM 1410, a member of the IBM 1400 series, was a decimal computer with variable

word length In computing, a word is the natural unit of data used by a particular processor design. A word is a fixed-sized datum handled as a unit by the instruction set or the hardware of the processor. The number of bits or digits in a word (the ''word ...

that was announced by IBM on September 12, 1960 and marketed as a midrange business computer. It was withdrawn on March 30, 1970.

Overview

The 1410 was similar in design to the very popular

IBM 1401 The IBM 1401 is a variable-wordlength decimal computer that was announced by IBM on October 5, 1959. The first member of the highly successful IBM 1400 series, it was aimed at replacing unit record equipment for processing data stored on pu ...

, but it had one major difference. Addresses were five characters long and allowed a maximum memory of 80,000 characters, much larger than the 16,000 characters permitted by the 1401's three-character addresses. However, the 1410 could also be run in what was termed 1401 compatibility mode. On the 1410, this was accomplished in wired hardware - the machine literally turned into a 1401 with the flip of a switch. In addition, with care, it was possible to write source code in the Autocoder assembler language that could be used on either system, as nearly all 1401 instructions had exact 1410 equivalents, and had the same mnemonics. The later IBM 7010 used the same architecture as the 1410, but was implemented in 7000 series technology (see

IBM 700/7000 series The IBM 700/7000 series is a series of large-scale (mainframe) computer systems that were made by IBM through the 1950s and early 1960s. The series includes several different, incompatible processor architectures. The 700s use vacuum-tube log ...

), and supported up to 100,000 characters of storage.

External links

IBM Archives - 1410Al Kossow's IBM 1410 Documents
{{IBM midrange computers

1410 Year 1410 ( MCDX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * March 25 – The first of the Yongle Emperor's campaigns against the Mongols is ...

Variable word length computers Decimal computers