> > On Fri, 10 Mar 2023, Kevin Anderson via cctalk wrote: >> I always thought of the distinctions this way (from my basis of exposure >> from late 1970s through the 1980s) and from a higher educational setting >> primarily: >> Mainframe = repairs required multiple technicians, some possibly there >> full-time; regular operator(s) present, and a locked door located between >> you and the machine; entire specialized room with raised flooring, >> extra-high amperage specialized power sources and wiring, and significant >> air conditioning >> Minicomputer = Vendor still provides a technician (just one) for repairs, >> who drives in out in a station wagon; only a part-time operator only; an >> user can be located in the same room; 240-volt wiring, but not particularly >> outlandish >> Microcomputer = Computer can sit on a desk or in a "normal" room; broken >> computer taken by user to someplace to be repaired or self-repaired; >> typically one user, and only 120-volt household or office power needed. >> Supercomputer = a really fast and specialized version (primarily focusing on >> high-speed mathematical computations) of a mainframe. > > extension cord / dedicated circuit / dedicated pole transformer > > Which machines needed 3-phase?
None that I am aware of - even the very power hungry 9021 'mainframes' I mentioned earlier could be powered from a single phase, if you wanted to. The power company might have expressed a view, but that's a different subject. 3 phase is relevant to circular motion, not to the amount of power you need - although lots of electrical equipment tends to come in 3 phase versions, especially if the amount of power goes up. And yes, my memory has been refreshed - it was 9021, not 9020 I meant in the other post.
