> On Mar 10, 2023, at 10:05 AM, Kevin Monceaux via cctalk
> <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
> On Thu, Mar 09, 2023 at 03:51:44PM -0600, Steve Lewis via cctalk wrote:
>
>> I always considered a mainframe to basically be a "fully decked out"
>> minicomputer.
>
> I've always considered a fully decked out minicomputer to be a fully decked
> out minicomputer. :-)
>
>> What do you guys think? Or is a mainframe one of those giants so large,
>> you walk inside its CPU?
>
> Mainframes used to be that large. But these days it's hard to tell by size.
Similarly, supercomputers tend to be physically small, because it can't be
really fast if it's big -- speed of light considerations. That's why
supercomputer design has a major packaging and cooling element to it. Both the
CDC 6600 (1964) and the Cray 1 show this very clearly: a great deal of effort
went into making them unusually small for the amount of stuff inside.
You can't really get inside a 6600. You can get inside a Cray 1, just barely.
paul
