IBM Type-III Library
Encyclopedia
The IBM Type-III Library (also: Type-III software, Type-III product) was software provided by IBM
to its customers, available without charge, liability, or support, and typically (perhaps always) in source-code format. Well-known examples are for mainframe
software; IBM may have also used this same classification on smaller systems.
IBM also distributed other systems in source code form. Most early operating systems were shipped in this way. Source distribution of the VM
family of operating systems continued for several decades after it supplanted CP/CMS
from the Type-III Library, and TPF
was always distributed in source form, apparently continued today with z/TPF. Unlike Type-III software, such systems were supported by IBM.
The second category of available programs were termed Type III and Type IV programs. Type III (IBM Contributed Programs) and Type IV (Customer Contributed programs) were programs of general interest contributed to the Program Information Department for distribution. These programs and their documents were distributed in the author's original form and were not subjected to any formal testing.
These libraries were maintained by the IBM Program Information Department in Hawthorne, NY, which published separate catalogs for each compatible family of IBM Processors.
Originally, these programs were not individually priced, but were provided at no cost as part of IBM’s service. In 1969, IBM “unbundled,” separately pricing hardware, software, and services. The Type-III library was eventually replaced by several different product designations. Programs contributed by customers were known as "Installed User Programs" (IUPs) and those developed by IBM employees as "Field Developed Programs" (FDPs). The "field developed" moniker was something of a misnomer, as quite a few FDPs were written by employees in the IBM programming groups rather than by field personnel.
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
to its customers, available without charge, liability, or support, and typically (perhaps always) in source-code format. Well-known examples are for mainframe
Mainframe computer
Mainframes are powerful computers used primarily by corporate and governmental organizations for critical applications, bulk data processing such as census, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, and financial transaction processing.The term originally referred to the...
software; IBM may have also used this same classification on smaller systems.
IBM also distributed other systems in source code form. Most early operating systems were shipped in this way. Source distribution of the VM
VM (operating system)
VM refers to a family of IBM virtual machine operating systems used on IBM mainframes System/370, System/390, zSeries, System z and compatible systems, including the Hercules emulator for personal computers. The first version, released in 1972, was VM/370, or officially Virtual Machine Facility/370...
family of operating systems continued for several decades after it supplanted CP/CMS
CP/CMS
CP/CMS was a time-sharing operating system of the late 60s and early 70s, known for its excellent performance and advanced features...
from the Type-III Library, and TPF
Transaction Processing Facility
TPF is an IBM real-time operating system for mainframes descended from the IBM System/360 family, including zSeries and System z9. The name is an initialism for Transaction Processing Facility....
was always distributed in source form, apparently continued today with z/TPF. Unlike Type-III software, such systems were supported by IBM.
Scope of the IBM Program Libraries
During the mainframe era, IBM made a wide variety of programs available to its customers. Programs were offered in two broad categories. The first category of programs were IBM developed and supported. These were termed Type I (Programming systems) and Type II (Application Programs. These programs were subjected to formal testing and were maintained by IBM.The second category of available programs were termed Type III and Type IV programs. Type III (IBM Contributed Programs) and Type IV (Customer Contributed programs) were programs of general interest contributed to the Program Information Department for distribution. These programs and their documents were distributed in the author's original form and were not subjected to any formal testing.
These libraries were maintained by the IBM Program Information Department in Hawthorne, NY, which published separate catalogs for each compatible family of IBM Processors.
- An IBM publication on CP/CMSCP/CMSCP/CMS was a time-sharing operating system of the late 60s and early 70s, known for its excellent performance and advanced features...
characterized IBM's Type-III products as "IBM employee contributed" and further characterized them as follows:
-
[The software] has not been submitted to any formal test. Type III Programs are provided by the IBM Corporation as part of its service to customers, but recipients are expected to make the final evaluation as to the usefulness of the programs in their own environment. There is no committed maintenance for Type III Programs, nor does IBM make any warranty, expressed or implied, as to the documentation, function or performance of such programs.
Originally, these programs were not individually priced, but were provided at no cost as part of IBM’s service. In 1969, IBM “unbundled,” separately pricing hardware, software, and services. The Type-III library was eventually replaced by several different product designations. Programs contributed by customers were known as "Installed User Programs" (IUPs) and those developed by IBM employees as "Field Developed Programs" (FDPs). The "field developed" moniker was something of a misnomer, as quite a few FDPs were written by employees in the IBM programming groups rather than by field personnel.
Products
Some of the many Type-III programs offered by IBM include:- 1961: General Purpose Simulation SystemGPSSGeneral Purpose Simulation System is a discrete time simulation language, where a simulation clock advances in discrete steps...
(GPSS) - 1968: APL programming languageAPL programming languageAPL is an interactive array-oriented language and integrated development environment, which is available from a number of commercial and noncommercial vendors and for most computer platforms. It is based on a mathematical notation developed by Kenneth E...
for the IBM 1130IBM 1130The IBM 1130 Computing System was introduced in 1965. It was IBM's least-expensive computer to date, and was aimed at price-sensitive, computing-intensive technical markets like education and engineering. It succeeded the IBM 1620 in that market segment. The IBM 1800 was a process control variant...
and System/360 computers - May 1968: CP/CMSCP/CMSCP/CMS was a time-sharing operating system of the late 60s and early 70s, known for its excellent performance and advanced features...
- Houston Automatic Spooling Priority (HASP)
- JOVIALJOVIALJOVIAL is a high-order computer programming language similar to ALGOL, but specialized for the development of embedded systems .JOVIAL is an acronym for "Jules Own Version of the International...
compiler - August 1969: Conversational Programming SystemConversational Programming SystemConversational Programming System or CPS was an early Time-sharing system offered by IBM which ran on System/360 mainframes circa 1967 through 1972. CPS was implemented as an interpreter, and users could select either a rudimentary form of BASIC or a reasonably complete version of PL/I...
(CPS)