Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

AS400
     
        {AS/400}

AS/400
     
         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}.
     
        {Home (http://www.as400.ibm.com/)}.
     
        (1999-07-26)