A minicomputer, or colloquially mini, is a What Was it Used For?

class of smaller computers that was

Engineers used the inexpensive PDP-8 in
developed in the mid-1960s[1][2] and sold
many varied applications, such as the
for much less than mainframe[3] and mid-
control of the news display in New York’s
size computers from IBM and its direct
Times Square, inexpensive time sharing at
competitors. In a 1970 survey, The New
Carnegie Mellon University, signal analysis
York Times suggested a consensus
in physics labs, and lighting control in New
definition of a minicomputer as a machine
York’s Shubert Theater for the musical “A
costing less than US$25,000 (equivalent to
Chorus Line”.
$165,000 in 2019), with an input-output
device such as a teleprinter and at least four PDP-8/E on surgery floor
thousand words of memory, that is capable
A DEC PDP-8/E monitors and controls
of running programs in a higher level
equipment used in a surgical operating
language, such as Fortran or BASIC.[4]
room suite.
The term "minicomputer" developed in the
2. The PDP-11 is a series of 16-
1960s[6][7][8] to describe the smaller
bit minicomputers sold by Digital
computers that became possible with the
Equipment Corporation (DEC) from 1970
use of transistors and core
into the 1990s, one of a succession of
memory technologies, minimal instructions
products in the PDP series. In total, around
sets and less expensive peripherals such as
600,000 PDP-11s of all models were sold,
the ubiquitous Teletype Model 33 ASR.[5]
making it one of DEC's most successful
[9] They usually took up one or a few 19-
product lines. The PDP-11 is considered by
inch rack cabinets, compared with the
some experts[1][2][3] to be the most
large mainframes that could fill a room.[10]
popular minicomputer ever.
3. The Data General Nova is a series of 16-
EXAMLES bit minicomputers released by the
American company Data General. The Nova
1. The PDP-8 is a 12-bit minicomputer that
family was very popular in the 1970s and
was produced by Digital Equipment
ultimately sold tens of thousands of
Corporation (DEC). It was the first
examples.
commercially successful minicomputer,
with over 50,000 units being sold over the The first model was just called the "Nova"
model's lifetime. Its basic design follows the and was released in 1969.[1] The Nova was
pioneering LINC but has a packaged into a single rack-mount case and
smaller instruction set, which is an had enough power to do most simple
expanded version of the PDP-5 instruction computing tasks. The Nova became popular
set.[1] Similar machines from DEC are in science laboratories around the world. It
the PDP-12 which is a modernized version was followed the next year by
of the PDP-8 and LINC concepts, and the SuperNOVA, which ran much faster, on
the PDP-14 industrial controller system. the order of four times.
 Although laptops and desktop
computers have same capabilities. A laptop
Definition: Micro Computer is a
also has a thin display screen with attached
small computer. Your personal
keyboard and a touchpad used for
computers are equivalent to
navigation.
the microcomputer. Mainframe and Mini
Computer is ancestor Desktop
of microcomputer. Integrated Circuit
Desktops are personal computers and
fabrication technology reduces the size of
bigger than notebooks and laptops. These
Mainframe and Minicomputer.
microcomputers consist ofthe system unit,
Technically, a microcomputer is a computer
keyboard and monitor. Desktop
in which the CPU (central processing unit,
microcomputers are cheaper than laptops
the brains of the computer) is contained on
or notebooks. Unlike a notebook,which
one single chip, a microprocessor,
isultra-mobile, a desktopmicrocomputeris
input/output devices and storage (memory)
stay at one location. The desktop
unit. All these components are important
microcomputers are more reliable than
for a proper working of microcomputer.
notebooks and laptops and easy to repair.
Types of Micro Computer
Most workstations are also types of micro
computer, for the same reason, although
some personal computer is as fast as the
fastest workstation. And a computer used
by more than one person (a multi-user
computer) is still a microcomputer as long
as it has a microprocessor for its CPU.
Notebook
Notebook is the smallest microcomputer,
which can be ultra-mobile3 inches thick
with less than 3 pounds lightweight and
smaller than a briefcase, allow for easy
setup in a room. A notebook can be
effectively connected to the Internet ISP via
a cable or Wi-Fi.
Laptop
Laptop microcomputer is bigger than the
notebook computer powered by a battery
and designed for low power consumption,
which can be smaller than a briefcase.