Re: How small can a minicomputer get?

Anders In my opinion the answer depends what you mean by a minicomputer. For any computer to be usuable it has to have a method of inputing data (a keyboard say) and outputting data (a screen). Given current technology the limit on size is how small a screen and keyboard have to be to be usuable. In this respect the palmtops are about as small as they can get.

It is not wild speculation to see voice input as a norm soon and possibly some output device as small as a laser LED. So minicomputers could become as small as the processors themselves. The only deciding factor then would be the cooling and power requirements for the chips, and the disk drives. If some one can make a 240V smoothing power supply as small as a chip and a 10Gbyte disk the same size then mini's can be made as small as the chip itself.

In short, how long is a piece of string? depends on the string!

Hope this helps.