Minicomputer

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [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]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  minicomputer
       n : a digital computer of medium size

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [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 {bit}s, 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?]