5 ms·

I like how minicomputer used to mean "computer that's only as big as a chest freezer." Every now and then I hear laypeople use the term "mini-computer" to mean

I like how minicomputer used to mean "computer that's only as big as a chest freezer." Every now and then I hear laypeople use the term "mini-computer" to mean a computer that's really small by their standards, like a raspberry Pi.

dTal 10y ago
And then we had "microcomputers" (desktop PC sized). Rather disappointed we didn't call laptops "nanocomputers" and phones "picocomputers" :)
- bradknowles 10y ago
  So, would a smartwatch be an "attocomputer"?
- lokedhs 10y ago
  In Swedish, the term "stordator", literally "big computer" refers to a mainframe. I really like your idea of nano and picocomputers. It's consistent, and really reflects on the miniaturisation that we have seen since since the invention of the computer.
  - chr 10y ago
    In Norwegian, it's "stormaskin" for mainframe.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - ethbro 10y ago
    Since "computer" pre-dates digital, it might be a good time to come up with a more apt base term too. It's not as if most people's usage of them (at least as far as they know!) is performing arithmetic.