Minicomputer

Minicomputers is a now largely obsolete term for a class of computing devices. The term evolved in the 1960's to describe "small" server-class computers, usually taking up one or a few cabinets, compared with mainframes that would usually fill a room. They were far less expensive than mainframes.

A number of pioneering computer companies first built minicomputers.

Where mainframes had 32 or 64-bit words, minicomputers often had 12 or 16-bit words. Where mainframes might have originally had 500K of RAM, minicomputers might have 4K. Where a mainframe might have 750 instructions, a minincomputer might have had 8.

Minicomputers are distinguished from microcomputers? in that they are multi-user machines and were originally far more powerful. Most modern minicomputers are now referred to as servers?.

Architecturally, today's personal computer servers, CPUs, and operating systems are descendants as much of the minicomputers of the 1970's as they are of microcomputers.

The class of minicomputers includes:

• DEC PDP
• DEC VAX
• Data General Nova
• IBM AS400?
• HP 3000? Series

See also History of computing

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