On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 22:04:31 CST, Larry Sheldon said:
I remember a day when 18 was the largest number of computers that would ever be needed.
First off, it was 5, not 18. :) Second, there's not much evidence that TJ Watson actually said it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Watson#Famous_misquote Third, given that IBM had already been shipping accounting units with limited plugboard programmability (the model 405) for almost a decade at that point, it's reasonable to conclude that TJ was intentionally and specifically talking about high-end "if you have to ask you can't afford it" systems. And if you look at the Top500 list now, 65 years years later, it's still true - there's always 2-5 boxes that are *way* out in front, then a cluster in spots 5-20 or so, and then a *really* long tail on the way down to #500. http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV4006.html