Minicomputer - Revision history

Jnc: typo

2024-05-07T00:00:13Z

typo

Jnc: +Category

2023-12-22T12:43:22Z

+Category

Larsbrinkhoff: Typo.

2019-07-09T07:52:47Z

Typo.

Jnc: +CAT

2018-12-15T23:39:00Z

+CAT

Jnc: More accurate

2018-10-28T00:46:06Z

More accurate

Jnc: typo

2017-08-06T11:33:32Z

typo

Jnc: A decent start

2016-12-19T15:08:55Z

A decent start

New page

A '''minicomputer''' was a type of computer which was an intermediate stage in the development of computers from the original [[mainframe]]s to the later, and current, [[personal computer]]s and [[embedded system]]s.

Minicomputers marked not just a technical development, but also an economic and organizational one. Mainframes were extremely large and expensive machines, and typically only the largest organizations had more than one. This had repercussions in both the kinds of tasks such computers were used for, and the organizational frameworks set up for their use.

With the appearance of minicomputers, which although less capable, were much less expensive, computers could be used for other applications (such as process control), and computers couild be acquired by small groups, moving their control down in organizational hierarchies, towards more local control.

The firat 'proto-minicomputers' were the [[LINC]] and the [[PDP-5]] (the predecessor of the later [[PDP-8]], which is widely considered to be the firat true minicomputer). [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] gained its foothold as a produced of minicomputers; its later [[PDP-11]] minicomputer was at one point the best-selling computer (in terms of units) in the world.

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 With the appearance of minicomputers, which although less capable, were much less expensive, computers could be used for other applications (such as [[process control]]), and computers could be acquired by small groups, moving their control down in organizational hierarchies, towards more local control.
-The first 'proto-minicomputers' were the [[LINC]] and the [[PDP-5]] (the predecessor of the later [[PDP-8]], which is widely considered to be the firat true minicomputer). [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] gained its foothold as a producer of minicomputers; its later [[PDP-11]] minicomputer was at one point the best-selling computer (in terms of units) in the world.
+The first 'proto-minicomputers' were the [[LINC]] and the [[PDP-5]] (the predecessor of the later [[PDP-8]], which is widely considered to be the first true minicomputer). [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] gained its foothold as a producer of minicomputers; its later [[PDP-11]] minicomputer was at one point the best-selling computer (in terms of units) in the world.
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← Older revision		Revision as of 12:43, 22 December 2023
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	[[Category: Computer Basics]]		[[Category: Computer Basics]]
		+	[[Category: Minicomputers]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 With the appearance of minicomputers, which although less capable, were much less expensive, computers could be used for other applications (such as [[process control]]), and computers could be acquired by small groups, moving their control down in organizational hierarchies, towards more local control.
-The firat 'proto-minicomputers' were the [[LINC]] and the [[PDP-5]] (the predecessor of the later [[PDP-8]], which is widely considered to be the firat true minicomputer). [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] gained its foothold as a producer of minicomputers; its later [[PDP-11]] minicomputer was at one point the best-selling computer (in terms of units) in the world.
+The first 'proto-minicomputers' were the [[LINC]] and the [[PDP-5]] (the predecessor of the later [[PDP-8]], which is widely considered to be the firat true minicomputer). [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] gained its foothold as a producer of minicomputers; its later [[PDP-11]] minicomputer was at one point the best-selling computer (in terms of units) in the world.
 {{semi-stub}}
 [[Category: Computer Basics]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:39, 15 December 2018
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	{{semi-stub}}		{{semi-stub}}
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		+	[[Category: Computer Basics]]

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-A '''minicomputer''' was a type of computer which was an intermediate stage in the development of computers from the original [[mainframe]]s to the later, and current, [[personal computer]]s and [[embedded system]]s.
+A '''minicomputer''' was a type of computer which was an intermediate stage in the development of computers from the original [[mainframe]]s to the later, and current, [[microcomputer]]s used in [[personal computer]]s and [[embedded system]]s.
 Minicomputers marked not just a technical development, but also an economic and organizational one. Mainframes were extremely large and expensive machines, and typically only the largest organizations had more than one. This had repercussions in both the kinds of tasks such computers were used for, and the organizational frameworks set up for their use.
-With the appearance of minicomputers, which although less capable, were much less expensive, computers could be used for other applications (such as process control), and computers couild be acquired by small groups, moving their control down in organizational hierarchies, towards more local control.
+With the appearance of minicomputers, which although less capable, were much less expensive, computers could be used for other applications (such as [[process control]]), and computers could be acquired by small groups, moving their control down in organizational hierarchies, towards more local control.
 The firat 'proto-minicomputers' were the [[LINC]] and the [[PDP-5]] (the predecessor of the later [[PDP-8]], which is widely considered to be the firat true minicomputer). [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] gained its foothold as a producer of minicomputers; its later [[PDP-11]] minicomputer was at one point the best-selling computer (in terms of units) in the world.

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:33, 6 August 2017
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	With the appearance of minicomputers, which although less capable, were much less expensive, computers could be used for other applications (such as process control), and computers couild be acquired by small groups, moving their control down in organizational hierarchies, towards more local control.		With the appearance of minicomputers, which although less capable, were much less expensive, computers could be used for other applications (such as process control), and computers couild be acquired by small groups, moving their control down in organizational hierarchies, towards more local control.

−	The firat 'proto-minicomputers' were the [[LINC]] and the [[PDP-5]] (the predecessor of the later [[PDP-8]], which is widely considered to be the firat true minicomputer). [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] gained its foothold as a ~~produced~~ of minicomputers; its later [[PDP-11]] minicomputer was at one point the best-selling computer (in terms of units) in the world.	+	The firat 'proto-minicomputers' were the [[LINC]] and the [[PDP-5]] (the predecessor of the later [[PDP-8]], which is widely considered to be the firat true minicomputer). [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] gained its foothold as a producer of minicomputers; its later [[PDP-11]] minicomputer was at one point the best-selling computer (in terms of units) in the world.