Minisupercomputers^[1] constituted a class of computers that emerged in the mid-1980s. As scientific computing using vector processors became more popular, the need for lower-cost systems that might be used at the departmental level instead of the corporate level created an opportunity for new computer vendors to enter the market. As a generalization, the price targets for these smaller computers were one-tenth of the larger supercomputers. These computer systems were characterized by the combination of vector processing and small-scale multiprocessing. A computer is a machine designed for manipulating data according to a list of instructions known as a program. ... MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... Scientific computing (or Computational science) is the field of study concerned with constructing mathematical models and numerical solution techniques and using computers to analyze and solve scientific and engineering problems. ... A vector processor, or array processor, is a CPU design that is able to run mathematical operations on multiple data elements simultaneously. ... A supercomputer is a computer that leads the world in terms of processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation, at the time of its introduction. ... A vector processor, or array processor, is a CPU design that is able to run mathematical operations on a large number of data elements very quickly. ... Multiprocessing is traditionally known as the use of multiple concurrent processes in a system as opposed to a single process at any one instant. ...

The appearance of even lower-priced scientific workstations based on microprocessors with high performance floating point units (FPUs) during the 1990s (such as MIPS' R8000 and IBM's POWER2) eroded the demand for this class of computer. SGI O2 Workstation A computer workstation, often colloquially referred to as workstation, is a high-end general-purpose microcomputer designed to be used by one person at a time and which offers higher performance than normally found in a personal computer, especially with respect to graphics, processing power and the... Microprocessors, including an Intel 80486DX2 and an Intel 80386. ... A floating point unit (FPU) is a part of a CPU specially designed to carry out operations on floating point numbers. ... Seinfeld was a pop cultural phenomenon during the 90s and became one of the most popular TV programs ever. ... MIPS Technologies, formerly MIPS Computer Systems, is most widely known for developing the MIPS architecture, a series of pioneering RISC CPUs. ... A MIPS R4400 microprocessor made by Toshiba MIPS, for Microprocessor without interlocked pipeline stages, is a RISC microprocessor architecture developed by MIPS Computer Systems Inc. ... For other uses, see IBM (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Notable minisupercomputer companies

• Alliant Computer Systems (founded 1982 as Dataflow Systems; went bankrupt in 1992)
• Convex Computer (founded 1982 as Parsec; acquired by Hewlett-Packard in 1995)
• Floating Point Systems (founded 1970; acquired by Cray Research in 1991)
• Multiflow Computer (founded 1984; ceased operation in 1990)
• Scientific Computer Systems (founded 1983; switched to high-speed network development in 1989; now defunct)
• SuperTek (founded 19XX; acquired by Cray Research 1989)

Alliant Computer Systems was a computer company that designed and manufactured parallel computing systems. ... Convex Computer was a company that produced a number of vector minisupercomputers, supercomputers for small-to-medium-sized businesses. ... The Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ), commonly known as HP, is a very large, global company headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States. ... Floating Point Systems Inc. ... Cray-2 supercomputer Cray Inc. ... Multiflow Computer, Inc. ... TBA (To Be Announced, To Be Ascertained or To Be Advised), TBC (To Be Confirmed), TBD (To Be Determined/Decided) and TBR (To Be Released) -- almost always used in their abbreviated forms -- denote that a datum for which the abbreviation is a stand-in is yet to be announced/confirmed...

Notes

1. ↑  Note that minisupercomputers are not to be confused with superminicomputers.