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From: sampson@smu.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Mainframes vs micros
Message-ID: <53900006@smu>
Date: Mon, 29-Dec-86 02:13:00 EST
Article-I.D.: smu.53900006
Posted: Mon Dec 29 02:13:00 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 31-Dec-86 01:37:19 EST
References: <653@imsvax.UUCP>
Lines: 24
Nf-ID: #R:imsvax.UUCP:653:smu:53900006:000:854
Nf-From: smu!sampson    Dec 29 01:13:00 1986




	It appears that the new 32-bit microcomputers will have the
CPU power of many smaller mainframes.  The weakest link will be 
I/O.  The disk access is much too slow for any moderate number of
users.  

	There is no doubt about the impact of PC's on the mainframe
and especially minicomputer market.  But, as long as there are mundane
jobs that must be done in quanity, such as gas bills and payroll, there 
will always be mainframe shops around.  In terms of micro users sharing
data, the best method of networking pc's is too hook them all to a
mainframe with a large secondary storage capacity.  

	I wouldn't trade my micro even for a 3090, if I had to do
ALL my work on the 3090, but there is a place for both.  Not only
will there always be mainframes, there will always be COBOL!

joel sampson
southern methodist university
convex!smu!sampson