Fwd: Re: Room for Collections

From: Merle K. Peirce <at258_at_osfn.org>
Date: Tue Aug 21 22:23:57 2001

"The main frame of a computer system is the cabinet that houses the the
central processor and main memory."
                    - C. L. Meek, 1976


 On Tue, 21 Aug 2001, Kent Borg wrote:

> If I read the quoting correctly (sound familiar?), Matthew Sell
> <msell_at_ontimesupport.com> asked:
> >As a discussion - what technically makes the difference between a
> >mainframe and a mini? Are there physical comparisons to be made or
> >performance?
>
> It is an ecosystem thing. It's an IBM thing.
>
> A "mainframe" is a computer that, when new, was classed with the
> biggest, nastiest, business IBMs available.
>
> It doesn't matter if it weighs a lot or is faster than the mainframes
> of an earlier generation, it depends upon its own generation. Also,
> the fastest supercomputers of an era are kinda beyond mainframe, and
> they lose their "super" qualification as new computers exceed them and
> become "former supercomputers". Mainframes tend to stay
> mainframes--obsolete maybe, but still mainframes. And frequently are
> still in use long after they become obsolete.
>
> Mainframes tend to put a lot of effort into highspeed IO, are
> expensive, and can do lots of transactions well. (Because expensive
> means you want to keep them busy.)
>
>
> -kb
>

M. K. Peirce

Rhode Island Computer Museum, Inc.
Shady Lea, Rhode Island

"Casta est quam nemo rogavit."
              
              - Ovid
Received on Tue Aug 21 2001 - 22:23:57 BST