aglew@ccvaxa.UUCP (03/13/88)
>I think a definition of mainframes which excludes "supercomputers" is overly >narrow these days. All mainframe really means is maximum computing power with >maximum memory. The reason supercomputers are not general purpose is because >general purpose uses have no need of a modern supercomputer's power. It's >cheaper and cleaner to use a minicomputer as a front end. > >John L. McKernan. Student, Computer Science, Cal Poly S.L.O. How I distinguish "supercomputer" and "mainframe": - A mainframe is throughput oriented, a supercomputer more oriented to high speed on one particular job. - A mainframe usually has a greater variety of I/O channels, larger disks, disk farm. - A mainframe is more oriented towards transaction processing, database querying. Thus, a mainframe is intermediate between a (highly computationally oriented) supercomputer, and a (I/O oriented) database machine. Andy "Krazy" Glew. Gould CSD-Urbana. 1101 E. University, Urbana, IL 61801 aglew@gould.com - preferred, if you have MX records aglew@xenurus.gould.com - if you don't ...!ihnp4!uiucuxc!ccvaxa!aglew - paths may still be the only way My opinions are my own, and are not the opinions of my employer, or any other organisation. I indicate my company only so that the reader may account for any possible bias I may have towards our products.