as/400

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
AS/400
AS400

   <computer> An {IBM} {minicomputer} for small business and
   departmental users, released in 1988 and still in production
   in October 1998.

   Features include a menu-driven interface, {multi-user}
   support, terminals that are (in the grand {IBM} tradition)
   incompatible with anything else including the {IBM 3270}
   series, and an extensive library-based {operating system}.

   The machine survives because its {API} layer allows the
   {operating system} and {application programs} to take
   advantage of advances in hardware without recompilation and
   which means that a complete system that costs $9000 runs the
   exact same operating system and software as a $2 million
   system.  There is a 64-bit {RISC} processor operating system
   implementation.

   Programming languages include {RPG}, {assembly language}, {C},
   {COBOL}, {SQL}, {BASIC}, and {REXX}.  Several {CASE} tools are
   available: {Synon}, {AS/SET}, {Lansa}.

   (http://as400.ibm.com/).

   (1999-07-26)