What is a Minicomputer?
Minicomputers are computers that are somewhere in between a microcomputer and a mainframe computer. In times past, the minicomputer was typically a stand alone device that was ideal for use by small and mid-sized businesses who needed more power and memory than could be obtained with microcomputers, but did not have a need for the resources provided by mainframes. More recently, a minicomputer is thought of in terms of being a server that is part of a larger network. In the early years of computer technology, a hierarchy of computer sizes and types was used to define the level of operation needed for different types of applications. The levels ranged from the embedded systems that functioned more or less automatically to parallel processing systems that was capable of supporting a huge network of interconnected computers and performing a wide array of tasks simultaneously. The minicomputer tended to be somewhat low on the hierarchical listing, in that the device was considered to be li
