Netbook

Does anyone think netbook deserves to be in this template?--Kozuch (talk) 19:01, 5 June 2008 (UTC)

Misleading representation of workstations and servers

There has been a discussion at Talk:List of computer size categories about whether servers and workstations are desktops. I think that this template should be updated to reflect the result of the discussion. Rilak (talk) 07:20, 11 July 2008 (UTC)

I don't think it is particularly misleading (they are someplace in middle ground between minicomputers and microcomputers). But I rearranged the items - put servers up with minicomputers (since they are usually shared/beefier systems), retitled the second section (Desktops are generally microcomputers, but not all microcomputers are desktops). Does that help? Zodon (talk) 09:48, 20 July 2008 (UTC)

Should embedded system be removed?

I was looking at this list and noticed that embedded system seems a little bit out of place. The article on embedded systems says that they can vary in size from a microcontroller to complex controll systems with multiple modules, peripherals, etc. So it's location in a size hierarchy seems quite ambiguous. I added microcontroller to the template (it pretty clearly fits in at the small end), was wondering whether there is merit to keeping embedded system here, or whether it is better to dispense with it. Zodon (talk) 06:39, 21 July 2008 (UTC)

"Embedded system" is not a precise term - it has hundreds of meaning depending on the context. What should happen is that "embedded system" be replaced with form factors that are primarily used by embedded systems, and one form factor is "single board computer", which is rougly the size of a small PC motherboard. I'm not too familiar with embedded systems, but I believe must are rack mounted so they fit in with the rest of the machinery in an industrial environment. Rilak (talk) 06:51, 21 July 2008 (UTC)

Probably most are microcontrollers that are integrated into other devices, like microwaves, MP3 players, thermostats, ... (If one counts by number of individual devices.) But I agree that adding SBC makes sense. Zodon (talk) 07:41, 21 July 2008 (UTC)

As I've said, "embedded systems" can mean many of things :)

I just happen to have access to a few catalogs from companies that sell embedded systems for industrial control and remote data aquisition applications. I'll look through them to see if they use any other form factors that are not on the list. Rilak (talk) 07:55, 21 July 2008 (UTC)