SHARE (computing)
| Company type | Nonprofit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Information technology |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Educational conferences, newsletter, software library |
SHARE Inc. operates as a volunteer-driven user organization dedicated to IBM mainframe systems. Established in 1955 by users of the IBM 704 located in the Los Angeles region, it has grown into a platform for sharing technical expertise regarding programming languages, operating systems, database management, and user insights across various IBM enterprise environments including IBM S/360, S/370, zSeries, pSeries, and xSeries. Although its name is presented in uppercase letters, SHARE is not an acronym; rather, it signifies the group’s emphasis on collaborative exchange.
Overview
From its beginning, one of SHARE’s most valuable contributions was its software library. During that period, IBM provided software primarily as source code, allowing system programmers to adapt and improve programs locally and share those modifications. This approach to distributed software development through the SHARE library laid important groundwork influencing the principles behind open source software.
In 1959, SHARE introduced the SHARE Operating System (SOS) tailored for the IBM 709 and subsequently the IBM 7090 models. SOS stands as an early example of commons-based peer production—a methodology that has become a hallmark of modern free and open-source projects like Linux and GNU. Additionally, in 1963, SHARE partnered with IBM to develop the PL/I programming language through involvement with the "3x3" committee.
European participants organized a European Chapter in 1969 that had been initially established earlier as the Share European Association (SEAS). Later in 1994, SHARE Europe combined forces with G.U.I.D.E., resulting in Guide Share Europe (GSE), thereby uniting IBM user communities across Europe.
SHARE is legally incorporated as a nonprofit headquartered in Chicago, Illinois; as of 2013, its main offices are located at 330 N. Wabash Avenue. The organization issues a regular newsletter and arranges two significant educational conferences each year.
Following GUIDE International’s dissolution in 1999—another prominent IBM mainframe users group—a number of GUIDE’s functions were absorbed by SHARE. Members were encouraged to transition to SHARE membership, which also took ownership of the guide.org domain in 2000.
By 2005, SHARE boasted a membership base nearing 20,000 professionals representing approximately 2,300 corporate IBM clients.
See also
- History of free software
- History of SHARE Europe
- IBM Type-III Library
- DECUS
- Seven tiers of disaster recovery
- COMMON
Further reading
External links
- SHARE Library
- Index of SHARE, Inc. Records, 1955-1994 at Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota
- Index of GUIDE International Records, 1970-1992 at Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota