minicomputers
Seventies business machines
Minicomputers were mid-sized computers that emerged in the 1960s, smaller and cheaper than mainframes but more powerful than personal computers.
They typically served departments or small organizations rather than entire enterprises.
The category became obsolete as personal computers grew more powerful and servers took over their functions.
The lab ran its experiments on a minicomputer.
Technical computing system
- CPUMain computing chip
- microprocessorCompact computing circuit
- hardwareMetal goods and fittings
- softwarePrograms directing computer operations
timesharing · multi-user · terminals · peripherals · COBOL · BASIC · UNIX · database
Middle of spectrum
- intermediateBetween two levels
- departmentalOf a unit within organization
- rack-mountedFixed in standardized enclosure
- multi-userSupports concurrent participants
networked · scalable · enterprise · distributed · server · affordable · dedicated · stand-alone
Name signifying newness
- 1970sFourth decade, twentieth century
- 1980sFourth-to-last twentieth-century decade
- timesharingShared computational resource allocation
Replaced by something newer
- vintageQuality from past eras
- discontinuedNo longer available
- deprecatedFormally advised against using
- obsoleteNo longer in use
retro · collector · museum · emulator · hobbyist · retrocomputing · historical · pioneering
workstation
Technical computing system
- CPUMain computing chip
- microprocessorCompact computing circuit
- hardwareMetal goods and fittings
software · timesharing · multi-user · terminals · peripherals · COBOL · BASIC · UNIX · database · networking
mid-range
Middle of spectrum
- intermediateBetween two levels
- departmentalOf a unit within organization
- rack-mountedFixed in standardized enclosure
multi-user · networked · scalable · enterprise · distributed · server · affordable · dedicated · stand-alone
Nova
Name signifying newness
- 1970sFourth decade, twentieth century
- 1980sFourth-to-last twentieth-century decade
- timesharingShared computational resource allocation
superseded
Replaced by something newer
- vintageQuality from past eras
- discontinuedNo longer available
- deprecatedFormally advised against using
obsolete · retro · collector · museum · emulator · hobbyist · retrocomputing · historical · pioneering · influential
minicomputersmainframes
Large central computers
supercomputers · personal computers · microcomputers · desktop computers · workstations
minicomputerscloud computing
Internet-delivered digital infrastructure
smartphones · quantum computers · server farms · tablets · data centers