Difference between revisions of "Talk:Minicomputer"
(PDP-1 a mini?) |
(Medium sized computers.) |
||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
While it's often hard to define exactly what is the very first of some particular technology, I believe many people claim the PDP-1 was a minicomputer and thus would trump the LINC and PDP-5. Though probably the actual term "minicomputer" was not yet invented when the PDP-1 was introduced. It was of course physically larger than the 8 or 11 due to the available technology, but architecturally of a similar size. It was also quite inexpensive compared to other computers in the late 50s. | While it's often hard to define exactly what is the very first of some particular technology, I believe many people claim the PDP-1 was a minicomputer and thus would trump the LINC and PDP-5. Though probably the actual term "minicomputer" was not yet invented when the PDP-1 was introduced. It was of course physically larger than the 8 or 11 due to the available technology, but architecturally of a similar size. It was also quite inexpensive compared to other computers in the late 50s. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Medium size == | ||
| + | |||
| + | I have seen 60s literature refer to "medium size computers". This seems mostly forgotten today, with only mainframe and mini categories being in use. But it seems a useful distinction between a mini which is just a cabinet or a few boards, and a hulking room-sized mainframe with a plethora of subordinate I/O processors. | ||
Revision as of 09:05, 9 July 2019
First
While it's often hard to define exactly what is the very first of some particular technology, I believe many people claim the PDP-1 was a minicomputer and thus would trump the LINC and PDP-5. Though probably the actual term "minicomputer" was not yet invented when the PDP-1 was introduced. It was of course physically larger than the 8 or 11 due to the available technology, but architecturally of a similar size. It was also quite inexpensive compared to other computers in the late 50s.
Medium size
I have seen 60s literature refer to "medium size computers". This seems mostly forgotten today, with only mainframe and mini categories being in use. But it seems a useful distinction between a mini which is just a cabinet or a few boards, and a hulking room-sized mainframe with a plethora of subordinate I/O processors.
