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Today's Topics:
1. How much did one second of computer time cost in 1975?
(Brian Lowe)
2. Re: How much did one second of computer time cost in 1975?
(Adam Thompson)
3. Re: How much did one second of computer time cost in 1975?
(Adam Thompson)
4. Re: How much did one second of computer time cost in 1975?
(Scott Toderash)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2021 20:56:07 -0500
From: Brian Lowe <brian2@groupbcl.ca>
To: roundtable@muug.ca
Subject: [RndTbl] How much did one second of computer time cost in
1975?
Message-ID: <7988573.jIZ38J7S2z@haremya.renyamon.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hello all,
Today with multi-core CPUs running at gigahertz speeds attached to gigabytes
of RAM and terabytes of disc space, we're well used to running programs that
require what would be enormous resources back when mainframes ruled the data
centre.
My question is "how much did one second of computer time cost in 1975?" This
assumes the program in question is being run on a mainframe from IBM or any of
the other manufacturers of the day. Of course, there are a lot of factors to
consider: leasing costs, staffing, power and cooling, if the system could run
more than one program simultaneously, and how computer time was charged back
to the users.
I'm interested to know if anyone on this list has had experience with this
sort of system accounting, and if they can recall some numbers.
Regards,
Brian
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2021 00:17:13 -0500
From: Adam Thompson <athompso@athompso.net>
To: Continuation of Round Table discussion <roundtable@muug.ca>, Brian
Lowe <brian2@groupbcl.ca>, roundtable@muug.ca
Subject: Re: [RndTbl] How much did one second of computer time cost in
1975?
Message-ID: <960940F4-55CD-4317-AD32-A7323D611243@athompso.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
There are many people here who used the UofM mainframe back when it was updated on a chargeback system (including me, sadly, although my Dept paid the bill, not me).
Of course I didn't keep a copy of the rate sheet, so I don't remember what 1sec cost.
It wouldn't quite be the fully-loaded cost you describe, but it would be close - I don't think Computer Services was expected to turn a profit back in 1991.
-Adam
On October 25, 2021 8:56:07 p.m. CDT, Brian Lowe <brian2@groupbcl.ca> wrote:
Hello all,
Today with multi-core CPUs running at gigahertz speeds attached to gigabytes
of RAM and terabytes of disc space, we're well used to running programs that
require what would be enormous resources back when mainframes ruled the data
centre.
My question is "how much did one second of computer time cost in 1975?" This
assumes the program in question is being run on a mainframe from IBM or any of
the other manufacturers of the day. Of course, there are a lot of factors to
consider: leasing costs, staffing, power and cooling, if the system could run
more than one program simultaneously, and how computer time was charged back
to the users.
I'm interested to know if anyone on this list has had experience with this
sort of system accounting, and if they can recall some numbers.
Regards,
Brian
_______________________________________________
Roundtable mailing list
Roundtable@muug.ca
https://muug.ca/mailman/listinfo/roundtable
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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2021 00:27:59 -0500
From: Adam Thompson <athompso@athompso.net>
To: Continuation of Round Table discussion <roundtable@muug.ca>, Brian
Lowe <brian2@groupbcl.ca>, roundtable@muug.ca
Subject: Re: [RndTbl] How much did one second of computer time cost in
1975?
Message-ID: <F2A7C63D-FC41-4D76-B91A-556C4F84F177@athompso.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Whoops. Definitely not 1975. I know most systems *were* operated on a chargeback basis then, but I didn't even know computers existed in '75. Maybe email the docents at the Computer History Museum?
-Adam
On October 26, 2021 12:17:13 a.m. CDT, Adam Thompson <athompso@athompso.net> wrote:
There are many people here who used the UofM mainframe back when it was updated on a chargeback system (including me, sadly, although my Dept paid the bill, not me).
Of course I didn't keep a copy of the rate sheet, so I don't remember what 1sec cost.
It wouldn't quite be the fully-loaded cost you describe, but it would be close - I don't think Computer Services was expected to turn a profit back in 1991.
-Adam
On October 25, 2021 8:56:07 p.m. CDT, Brian Lowe <brian2@groupbcl.ca> wrote:
Hello all,
Today with multi-core CPUs running at gigahertz speeds attached to gigabytes
of RAM and terabytes of disc space, we're well used to running programs that
require what would be enormous resources back when mainframes ruled the data
centre.
My question is "how much did one second of computer time cost in 1975?" This
assumes the program in question is being run on a mainframe from IBM or any of
the other manufacturers of the day. Of course, there are a lot of factors to
consider: leasing costs, staffing, power and cooling, if the system could run
more than one program simultaneously, and how computer time was charged back
to the users.
I'm interested to know if anyone on this list has had experience with this
sort of system accounting, and if they can recall some numbers.
Regards,
Brian
_______________________________________________
Roundtable mailing list
Roundtable@muug.ca
https://muug.ca/mailman/listinfo/roundtable
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------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2021 06:20:40 -0500
From: Scott Toderash <scott@100percenthelpdesk.com>
To: Continuation of Round Table discussion <roundtable@muug.ca>
Cc: Brian Lowe <brian2@groupbcl.ca>
Subject: Re: [RndTbl] How much did one second of computer time cost in
1975?
Message-ID: <47bc090bd0b43936e78fb557ca059046@100percenthelpdesk.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
I remember in 1987 being told it was nanosecond billing, not per second
for TSO services with IBM here. But I don't know the rate.
On 2021-10-25 20:56, Brian Lowe wrote:
Hello all,
Today with multi-core CPUs running at gigahertz speeds attached to
gigabytes
of RAM and terabytes of disc space, we're well used to running programs
that
require what would be enormous resources back when mainframes ruled the
data
centre.
My question is "how much did one second of computer time cost in 1975?"
This
assumes the program in question is being run on a mainframe from IBM or
any of
the other manufacturers of the day. Of course, there are a lot of
factors to
consider: leasing costs, staffing, power and cooling, if the system
could run
more than one program simultaneously, and how computer time was charged
back
to the users.
I'm interested to know if anyone on this list has had experience with
this
sort of system accounting, and if they can recall some numbers.
Regards,
Brian
_______________________________________________
Roundtable mailing list
Roundtable@muug.ca
https://muug.ca/mailman/listinfo/roundtable
------------------------------
Subject: Digest Footer
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------------------------------
End of Roundtable Digest, Vol 202, Issue 11
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