18 Aug
2010
18 Aug
'10
5:49 p.m.
It?s my understanding, and I stand to be corrected, that mini,
hyphenated or otherwise, simply meant a small computer system that
preceded the microcomputer era. Granted this, the term means
different-things-to-different-people, the consensus seems to be that
the term mini means smaller than a mainframe and matches comparable
words from the 60?s, i.e., mini-skirt, et al. As a(n) historian I
treat it as a cultural phenomena rather than just a purely technical
or technological definition. Whether purists agree is indeed
debatable!
Murray--
19 Aug
19 Aug
9:43 a.m.
Here's another one, "midicomputer".
A web search yields a lot of repetitions of the unhelpful definition
(between a mainframe and a mini) and references in a couple of papers
to various systems as such (e.g. VAX 11/780 and PDP-11/40).
Did any manufacturer ever use the term to describe its own products?
...and I found this quote in an online buyers' guide:
"Instead of saying "maxicomputer", most computerists says
"mainframe", which is an old-fashioned term; but I?ll say
"maxicomputer", which is more modern and easier to understand."
Computers and hemlines...
--Chuck
1:47 p.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-
bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Chuck Guzis
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010 9:44 AM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: Origin of the term minicomputer (was Re: PDP-1 as ...
Here's another one, "midicomputer".
A web search yields a lot of repetitions of the unhelpful definition
(between a mainframe and a mini) and references in a couple of papers
to various systems as such (e.g. VAX 11/780 and PDP-11/40).
Did any manufacturer ever use the term to describe its own products?
...and I found this quote in an online buyers' guide:
"Instead of saying "maxicomputer", most computerists says
"mainframe", which is an old-fashioned term; but I?ll say
"maxicomputer", which is more modern and easier to understand."
Computers and hemlines...
ISTR a discussion in a trade magazine back in the '80s of the distinction
between a superminicomputer and a minisupercomputer. Ah, marketeers, aren't they
cute? -- Ian
2:39 p.m.
On 19 Aug 2010 at 13:47, Ian King wrote:
ISTR a discussion in a trade magazine back in the
'80s of the
distinction between a superminicomputer and a minisupercomputer. Ah,
marketeers, aren't they cute? -- Ian
Yes, they are, Ian! Just don't give in to the temptation to bring
one home; they have voracious appetites and you will soon find
yourself destitute...
--Chuck
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