Minis and mainframes
Article Abstract:
Established vendors of supercomputers and mid-range machines including Digital Equipment Corp, Data General Corp and Hewlett-Packard Co introduced multiprocessors, speeding up the migration of multiprocessors from research installations and universities to the corporate world and government offices. IBM brought its mutually incompatible System 36 and 38 mid-range machines together under the new Application System-400 architecture, announcing 1,000 software packages for the new computer line, and disclosing Enterprise Systems Architecture-370, which improves virtual memory. Control Data reabsorbed ETA Systems for the purpose of marketing the subsidiary's new supercomputers, and Cray Research brought out its most powerful supercomputer yet, the Y-MP-832. Minisupercomputer manufacturers suffered tremendous setbacks.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1989
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Minis and mainframes
Article Abstract:
New minisupercomputers challenge the broad selection of superminicomputers in the market. Some half-dozen companies have introduced systems capable of 3-MIPS. For about $25,000 they offer the performance of a $100,000 VAX 8350. The minisupers are challenging the other end of the mid-range scale, such as the 12-MIPS VAX 8800. There are now seven companies in the minisuper business. Multi Flow's Trace 7-200 is an example of the new systems, relying on exceptionally sophisticated software running on unexceptional hardware. The Trace uses 256-bit instruction words executed every clock cycle. More Trace models are coming. Cray has been shocked by developer Steve Chen's sudden departure. Several vendors are introducing superminis based on RISC architecture, including Ridge, H-P, Edge, and Icon International.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1988
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Minis and mainframes
Article Abstract:
A revival of the traditional minicomputer occurred in 1986: DEC expanded its 8000 series into the performance range of mainframe computers; Hewlett-Packard announced a line of reduced-instruction-set computers; and IBM introduced the 9370 line, while expanding its other mini lines. Competitors such as Honeywell, Sperry, and Burroughs merged in order to survive in the mid-range computer market. Minisupercomputers were introduced by Convex Computer Corp and Scientific Computer Systems, and both Thinking Machine Corp and Floating Point Systems introduced potentially enormous hypercube computers during 1986.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1987
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Microbes eat rocket propellant waste. Pectin process
- Abstracts: The virtual surgeon. Understanding the human genome. Making chips to probe genes
- Abstracts: Automation comes to analog. Packages go vertical
- Abstracts: Casting goes green and economical. Integrated control pushes up accuracy. Why bearing failure needn't be bad
- Abstracts: Medical practices. Home work