Minicomputers, while less powerful than modern mainframes and supercomputers, were designed to handle a range of tasks and were quite powerful for their time, especially during the 1960s to 1980s. They offered multi-user capabilities and could support multiple applications simultaneously, making them suitable for small to medium-sized businesses. However, in today's context, they are generally considered less powerful compared to contemporary servers and personal computers. Their legacy remains in the foundational concepts of computing and multi-user environments.
Minicomputers are able to process large amounts of data.
Minicomputers came on to the scene in the early 1980s in small businesses, manufacturing plants, and factories.
Mini computers are large.They are expensive.They are powerful but not as much as main frame computers.They are used for scientific purposes.Number of users are less than of the main frames.
Minicomputers are used for tasks such as scientific computing, process control, and handling network communication functions.
The first minicomputers were second generation computers, but the most well known minicomputers were third generation computers.
M. E. Sloan has written: 'Introduction to minicomputers and microcomputers' -- subject(s): Microcomputers, Minicomputers
Robert Allen Bonelli has written: 'Increasing profitability with minicomputers' -- subject(s): Business, Data processing, Minicomputers
mid sized computer
Minicomputers have multiple terminals, and can store large amounts of information. They are capable of retrieving larger amounts of data than normal computer devices which are generally used by individuals and small firms. It uses enhanced instruction set to facilitate scientific processing and commercial applications.
actually they aren't, the microcomputer effectively made the minicomputer obsolete by the late 1980s. microcomputers can now do anything minicomputers could faster for less cost in a smaller package.
A suitable operating system for minicomputers is Linux or Android. Both have small footprints which allow them to work well on minimal resources.
Mainframes are generally more expensive than minicomputers due to their larger scale, advanced capabilities, and higher processing power. They are designed for handling large volumes of data and supporting multiple users simultaneously, which contributes to their higher cost. In contrast, minicomputers, while still capable machines, are typically smaller, less powerful, and intended for less demanding tasks, making them more affordable.