Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!usc!ucsd!pacbell.com!ames!eos!shelby!unix!garth!fouts@bozeman.ingr.com (Martin Fouts)
From: fouts@bozeman.ingr.com (Martin Fouts)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.super
Subject: Le Roi est Mort  (was Re: Terminology one more time: Are mainframes and minis "dead?")
Message-ID: <543@garth.UUCP>
Date: 8 Jul 90 21:17:17 GMT
References: <6946@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>
Sender: fouts@garth.UUCP
Followup-To: comp.sys.super
Organization: INTERGRAPH (APD) -- Palo Alto, CA
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In-reply-to: eugene@wilbur.nas.nasa.gov's message of 25 Jun 90 22:57:09 GMT


What do you mean by "dead"  Eugene?  I've heard that 16 bit systems
were dead, and then discovered that DEC sold many hundreds of millions
of dollars worth of PDP11s last year.  I've heard that mainframes were
dead, but IBM is still the biggest company in the computer business.
If you mean it is time for a nomenclature change, I agree, so here
goes my entry in the obfsucate the nomenclature contest.  There are
two dimensions, size and price.  The chart is accurate now, but will
be obsolete before everyone on the list sees it.  Not all positions
have an entry, because not all niches are filled yet.  (VCs take note
;-)
               < 5k      < 10K          < 100K        < 1 M        > 1 M

     Portable  Portable  Portable
               PC        Supercomputer

     Desk Top            Loss          Personal     Serious      Milspec
               PC        Leader        Workstation  Workstation  Workstation

   Cabinet in  Milspec   PC                         Workstation
Computer room  PC        Supercomputer Workstation  Supercomputer

     Multiple                                       Departmental
     Cabinets                                       Supercomputer Supercomputer


As you can see, we only have three classes of computers:

           PC:  Mine and mine only.

  Workstation:  Mine, but you can use it once in a while.

Supercomputer:  Marketing needed better advertising copy

Adjectives are used to distinguish prices.
--
Martin Fouts

 UUCP:  ...!pyramid!garth!fouts  ARPA:  apd!fouts@ingr.com
PHONE:  (415) 852-2310            FAX:  (415) 856-9224
 MAIL:  2400 Geng Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94303

If you can find an opinion in my posting, please let me know.
I don't have opinions, only misconceptions.