Merging Trends of Platforms: Super-Computer and Micro-Computer.

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Merging Trends of platforms, Super-Computer and Micro-Computer

Content of this page

Introduction
Uniqueness of IBM-PC Clones and Windows
Uniqueness of Macintosh
Uniqueness of Linux
Merging trends: Super-computer (main-frame) and Micro-computer (personal computer)

General index to other pages

Introduction

There is a significant movement of merge between Super Computer (Main-Frame Computer, UNIX ) and Micro Computer (Personal Computer, PC/MAC/LINUX ) in the last decade. The background is explained here, as well as uniqueness of each platform.

Uniqueness of IBM-PC Clones and Windows

[Regarding Windows Operating System] One file is the one continuous (sequential) digital clump. That means one file includes both file content and filename. This one clump system gives tremendous convenience in business world file transfer. Especially important is the ending extension of filename (after the last dot), which associates to a pertinent software. The filename extension and software registry is so neatly organized that double-clicks always start the right software. Hardware is led by IBM, while software by Microsoft (Chairman Bill Gates); since 1980.

Uniqueness of Macintosh

One company makes both Operating System and Hardware; that enables seamless hardware and software interaction and functions. Stylish and chic. Ultra easy reloading of Operating System is so famous and anyone can do it; just inserting CD(s) then click, and it is done. Significant strength in Graphics and Music. CEO Steve Jobs steers Apple Computer since 1983 (well, there were some ousted years though).

Uniqueness of Linux

Open Source Code Operating System since 1991 by Linus Torvalds (Helsinki, Finland). The motive was to make Minix-like (Main-frame flavor) operating system, freely distributable, running on a personal computer which has an intel CPU (click a PDF here © permission, for more details), because most versions of UNIX were expensive. LINUX comes into a life by the GNU project. GNU is famous by its Open Source, and the initiation of GNU was Emacs Unix editor by Richard Stallman (Cambridge, Massachusetts), and it goes on and on, and it fosters LINUX. During the last decade, many brands of LINUX versions appear naturally due to Open Source System. Try and find it out.

[Linux Sales Point] As it inherited Unix architecture, and it works wonderfully as multi-users access Web server. Many things are messy and crude, but you can make it very productive by turning on the programming (C, Perl, SQL). Try a fun.

[Linux Weak Point] File and software registry aren't well organized than PC or MAC, and as the result, simple double clicks may not work. This is also true to device drivers organization. Commercial software and commercial add-on devices tend to care only PC and MAC.

Merging trends: Super-computer (main-frame) and Micro-computer (personal computer)

The merging trends are primarily due to the rapid growth of Micro-computer (personal computer)'s horse power, that is reaching to the same level of Super-computer (click a PDF here for more details). Once the power becomes the same, then the distinction between Super-computer and Micro-computer becomes blur. And the mixing goes on. One example is OSX Macintosh which is built on Unix. Another example is, of course, Linux which can be loadable (swappably replacing original OS) onto personal PC/MAC hardware, and has double features: personal Desktop as well as Web server (main-frame).