Definition of Killer micro

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killer micro
[Popularised by Eugene Brooks] A microprocessor-based machine that infringes on mini, mainframe, or supercomputer performance turf. Often heard in "No one will survive the attack of the killer micros!", the battle cry of the downsizers. Used especially of RISC architectures.
The popularity of the phrase "attack of the killer micros" is doubtless reinforced by the movie title "Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes" (one of the canonical examples of so-bad-it's-wonderful among hackers). This has even more flavour now that killer micros have gone on the offensive not just individually (in workstations) but in hordes (within massively parallel computers).
[Jargon File]

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Killer micro definition was found in categories: Computer & Internet(1)  Language, Idioms & Slang(1)  Encyclopedia(1)  

Killer micro Definition from Computer & Internet Dictionaries & Glossaries

Jargon File
killer micro
n. [popularized by Eugene Brooks] A microprocessor-based machine that infringes on mini, mainframe, or supercomputer performance turf. Often heard in "No one will survive the attack of the killer micros!", the battle cry of the downsizers. Used esp. of RISC architectures.

The popularity of the phrase `attack of the killer micros' is doubtless reinforced by the title of the movie "Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes" (one of the canonical examples of so-bad-it's-wonderful among hackers). This has even more flavor now that killer micros have gone on the offensive not just individually (in workstations) but in hordes (within massively parallel computers).

[1996 update: Eugene Brooks was right. Since this term first entered the Jargon File in 1990, the minicomputer has effectively vanished, the mainframe sector is in deep and apparently terminal decline (with IBM but a shadow of its former self), and even the supercomputer business has contracted into a smaller niche. It's networked killer micros as far as the eye can see. --ESR]


Killer micro Definition from Language, Idioms & Slang Dictionaries & Glossaries

hEnglish - advanced version
killer micro
killer micro
[popularised by eugene brooks] a microprocessor-based machine that infringes on mini, mainframe, or supercomputer performance turf. often heard in "no one will survive the attack of the killer micros!", the battle cry of the downsizers. used especially of risc architectures.


Killer micro Definition from Encyclopedia Dictionaries & Glossaries

Wikipedia English - The Free Encyclopedia
Killer micro
A killer micro is a microprocessor-based machine that infringes on mini, mainframe, or supercomputer performance turf. Often heard in "No one will survive the attack of the killer micros!", the battle cry of the downsizers. Used especially of RISC architectures.

Taken from the title of Eugene Brooks' (of Lawrence Livermore Labs) 1989 paper "Attack of the Killer Micros".

The popularity of the phrase "attack of the killer micros" is doubtless reinforced by the movie title Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (one of the canonical examples of so-bad-it's-wonderful among hackers). This has even more flavour now that killer micros have gone on the offensive not just individually (in workstations) but in hordes (within massively parallel computers).


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