"Eric J. Korpela" wrote:
>
> > > As for mainframes, well, since you can buy a more powerful computer for what
> > > it would cost to operate a mainframe of yesteryear for just one day, I guess
> > > nobody will miss 'em.
> >
> > For instance, I purchased a MicroVax 3400 which I'm going to put in
> > working order. I also have a VS3100, I purchased that because it was
> > inexpensive and I could experiment on it first. I just want to be more
> > knowledgable with the MV3400 before I start really playing with it.
>
> Am I the only one that considers MicroVaxen and Micro-11s to be microcomputers?
> Lets get our distinctions straight. If it's smaller than a desk, or doesn't
> take at least 15 vertical inches in an 19" rack it's a micro, right?
The MicroVaxen is one of those that stradles the fence between mini and
micro (IMHO, of course). The same boards could be dropped into a 19"
cabinet and cover the floor (I take it that it can handle a lot more).
At least I hope that's true as I hope to soon come into possesion of
such a model which stands ~6' tall.
Also there is a Buroughs' MainFrame based on the first year Moto 68K chip.
Moto corrected a bug in the second year and it turnes out the Buroughs
had depended on that bug. Now I know it was a mainframe as it ran a
VM and CMS OS on it. But it is based on a micro chip. Also aren't the
current IBM Main Frames based on a Power chip? I suspect that there is
a lot of support chips (and probably multi processor).
As others have pointed out, the lines have blured and agreement may not
be possible. Heck I seem to recall a desktop super computer that would
run on a single 20A 120V circuit with no special enviroment for ~$100K
US. I don't know what happen to the box but that ain't no micro. :-)
--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry_at_home.net
http://members.home.net/ncherry (Text only)
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http://linuxha.sourceforge.net/ (SourceForge)
Received on Fri Dec 15 2000 - 23:28:39 GMT