> That's an interesting possibility to think about [skip] > I know Symbolics had coprocessor boards that used their existing architectures, but stuck it on a Nu

> That's an interesting possibility to think about [skip] > I know Symbolics had coprocessor boards that used their existing architectures, but stuck it on a NuBus That is answer. Mini-computers first appear as cheap alternatives to mainframes, where was impossible to just connect client by leased line. Micro-computers created, when semiconductors grow to stage, when could put whole CPU on one die, so they just substituted mini's. At first, semiconductors don't allow to put numeric coprocessor on same die with CPU, so short time existed wonders like Weitek, but when first RISC appeared, already existed i486 with integrated coprocessor, so discrete coprocessor was already not viable economically. Yes, much later appear ccNUMA (cache bus with cross-bar switch interconnect), but it's complexity IMHO close to coprocessor, so it became viable on very large scale, I think 16 cores or more.