| slovo | definícia |
minicomputer
(encz) | minicomputer,minipočítač n: Zdeněk Brož |
minicomputer
(gcide) | minicomputer \minicomputer\ n. (Computers)
a mid-sized digital computer; at any given point in the
development of computer technology, a minicomputer will be
faster and have greater capacity than a microcomputer, but
will be slower and have less capacity than a {mainframe
computer}.
[WordNet 1.5] |
minicomputer
(wn) | minicomputer
n 1: a digital computer of medium size |
minicomputer
(foldoc) | minicomputer
A computer built between about 1963 and 1987,
smaller and less powerful than a mainframe, typically about
the size and shape of a wardrobe, mounted in a single tall
rack.
Minicomputers were characterised by short word lengths of 8
to 32 bits, limited hardware and software facilities and
small physical size. Their low cost made them suitable for a
wide variety of applications such as industrial control, where
a small, dedicated computer which is permanently assigned to
one application, is needed. In recent years, improvements in
device technology have resulted in minicomputers which are
comparable in performance to large {second generation
computers} and greatly exceed the performance of {first
generation} computers.
The processor was typically built using low integration logic
integrated circuits - TTL or maybe ECL, thus
distinguishing it from a microcomputer which is built around
a microprocessor - a processor on a single (or maybe a few)
ICs.
DEC's PDP-1 was the first minicomputer and their PDP-11
was the most successful, closely followed (in both time and
success) by the VAX (which DEC called a "{super
minicomputer}").
Another early minicomputer was the LINC developed at MIT in
1963.
Other minicomputers were the AS/400, the PRIME series, the
AP-3, Olivetti's Audit 7 and the Interdata 8/32.
[Others?]
(2004-05-12)
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