Uses for AS400 9040?

[Barry L. Kline]

Bill Richman wrote:
> I was just given an IBM AS400/9040 at the computer refurb/recycling shop I operate.  Is there anything legitimate that it could be used for, or should I scrap it?  I know nothing about it other than that it's big and heavy, and it seems to IPL according to the front-panel display.  I'm going to try to hook a terminal to it, but I'm not sure how quite yet.
> 

I'm not 100% sure but I think that if this box has a twinax port (or an 
octopus with connections for 8) then you'll likely find that it's 
configred for a twinax console.  You'll need one to boot the machine and 
do anything useful with it.

later versions of OS/400 and AS/400s have the capability to use a PC as 
a terminal, with special software.

The connectivity to an AS/400 via serial connections isn't all that 
great.  The nature of the 5250 protocol is half-duplex.  That is, it 
sends a screen, the processor within the terminal renders it on the 
screen, you fill in fields and press the Return key send the record back 
to the machine.  It's not like an ASCII terminal.

Barry