computer science

IBM 6400

IBM 6400 is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand IBM 6400 rather than just read about it. In short: The IBM 6400 family of line matrix printers were modern highspeed business computer printers introduced by IBM in 1995. These printers were designed for use on a variety IBM systems including mainframes, servers, and PCs.

Key takeaways

IBM 6400 belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect IBM 6400 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of IBM 6400 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The IBM 6400 family of line matrix printers were modern highspeed business computer printers introduced by IBM in 1995. These printers were designed for use on a variety IBM systems including mainframes, servers, and PCs.

Configuration The 6400 was available in a choice of three configurations:

Open pedestal (to minimize floor size requirements) Enclosed cabinet (for quiet operation). Enclosed cabinet with power paper stacker It offered a variety of interfaces including:

RS-232 Serial RS-422 Serial PC Parallel Dataproducts Parallel Ethernet (10Base-T or 10Base-2) IEEE 1284 It also offered two Coax/Twinax features:

IBM Coax/Twinax Coax/Twinax Multi-Platform Interface When configured with the appropriate graphics option, it could print mailing bar codes "certified by the U.S. Postal Service. A wide variety of configurations were sold by IBM.

Models A variety of models were offered:

On 22 October 2002 IBM announced models i5P, i05, i1P, i10, i15 and i20 which offered amongst other things, wireless ethernet attachment.

Rebadged These printers were manufactured by Printronix Corp and rebranded for IBM. Many internal parts had the Printronix Logo and/or artwork. The IBM Printing Systems Division was sold to Ricoh in 2007.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with IBM 6400

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what IBM 6400 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to IBM 6400 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about IBM 6400 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of IBM 6400

In research: IBM 6400 appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses IBM 6400 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: IBM 6400 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer-related introductions in 1995, Computer hardware stubs, IBM printers, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for IBM 6400 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study IBM 6400 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what IBM 6400 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain IBM 6400 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is IBM 6400 in simple terms?

Why does IBM 6400 matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study IBM 6400?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on IBM 6400.