When I first got involved with computer systems decades ago, it was all about deploying enterprise-wide solutions. And to be able to bring that about, it required huge computer hardware from Big Blue (IBM) that needed special rooms built to accommodate the “Big Iron” machines necessary to run these enterprise solutions.
But then a revolution occurred and now most business systems are “distributed” systems using multiple servers and PCs instead of “Big Iron.”
(Exactly 73 words)
Written for Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt, where the prompt is “enterprise” in exactly 73 words. Photo credit: IBM, featuring the 360 computer from 1964.
This, That, and the Other 
I remember computer rooms like this…………. and the noise in some was horrendous!
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Enterprise solutions, enterprise storage, enterprise…
I was on a train, some days ago, Amtrak. When you eat while traveling this way, the staff have you sit side-by-side with your traveling companion (not sure what they would do if two couples or the like were there together). They seat someone or two someones unknown to you across the table (good food btw). In our first encounter, a young lady from Minnesota (born in Egypt) sat before us. She (studying medicine) talked about her brother, who has (as an amateur yet deeply involved) built pcs and even sold one that he designed. The subject of computer architecture came up (not only about her brother). This had to be explained: as to what is meant? Hardware, software, something else? It used to mean the machinery (or “iron” as you put it), and still does in some circles. That made sense to her.
However, I was yesterday evening talking with one of my sons; used to work in the office of collected “architects” or “engineers” at a huge company, in the management of these people — these people don’t create machinery, install wiring, or even handle or maintain such things. They are in software applications. As I said, huge corporation. This son of mine (unlike three other sons of mine) has had no interest in learning about computers except as a consumer with x-box and so forth. Still, he could see that these programmer types were sloppy and somewhat inept. He could do better. It annoys me that these tinkerers with seniority are called engineers or architects. This is Orwellian language, in my book. He quit that job, by the way. The social or group environment was quite unhealthy.
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By “seniority” above, I’m not referring to older people who have been in the field for decades. These were people in like their twenties and thirties who had been hired by the specific incorporated entity longest ago. The education isn’t anything like the same (or as comprehensive) now as it was in the nineteen-eighties. Usually, anyway. My son had been brought in to manage them generally, and to prod them to focus. Then he was asked to code, which he knew he would put together better. But he wanted out. What these people were most focused on was working long hours because they didn’t want to be around their families. This is a company where coding is central, but the quality of coding majors used to value isn’t present.
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It’s crazy to think that it was relatively only a few years ago when a computer took up such vast a space 🙂
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And now a computer, almost as powerful as those room sized monsters, fits in the palm of my hand.
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I know it’s mad!
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I remember doing runs with multiple large boxes of punch cards. Once I saw someone stumble and all their cards went flying.
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Oof!
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💞
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Yep…back in the day.
I used to take my punch cards to the Data Processing Center (DPC) and return later to pick up the carb0n paper laced huge green sheets (aka, runs).
When was the last time I heard the term “main frame?” 🙂 Good one.
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I would’ve liked to have seen those big huge computers!
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