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noun mini·com·put·er \?mi-nē-k?m-'pyü-t?r\ :
a small computer that is intermediate between a microcomputer and a mainframe in size, speed, and capacity, that can support time-sharing, and that is often dedicated to a single application
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First Known Use of MINICOMPUTER1967Other Computer-Related Terms, , , , ,
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Other Merriam-Webster DictionariesWhat is minicomputer? - Definition
minicomputer definition
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A minicomputer, a term no longer much used, is a
of a size intermediate between a
and a . Typically, minicomputers have been stand-alone computers (computer systems with attached terminals and other devices) sold to small and mid-size businesses for general business applications and to large enterprises for department-level operations. In recent years, the minicomputer has evolved into the &mid-range server& and is part of a network. IBM's
is a good example.
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In an ascending hierarchy of general computer sizes, we find:
computer, which is embedded in something and doesn't support direct human interaction but nevertheless meets all the other criteria of a microcomputer
The , as used to mean a more powerful personal computer for special applications
The minicomputer
The , which is often several microcomputers or larger computers that share a workload and back each other up
or mainframe computer, which is now usually referred to by its manufacturers as a &large server&
The , formerly almost a synonym for &Cray supercomputer& but now meaning a very large server and sometimes including a system of computers using parallel processing
system, which is a system of interconnected computers that work on the same application together, sharing tasks that can be performed concurrently
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