dinosaur

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

any of numerous extinct terrestrial reptiles of the Mesozoic era

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Dinosaur \Di"no*saur\, Dinosaurian \Di`no*sau"ri*an\, n. [Gr. ? terrible + ? lizard.] (Paleon.) One of the Dinosauria. [Written also deinosaur, and deinosaurian.] [1913 Webster]

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

dinosaur

1.Any hardware requiring raised flooring and special power. Used especially of old minicomputers and mainframes, in contrast with newer microprocessor-based machines.

In a famous quote from the 1988 Unix EXPO, Bill Joy compared the liquid-cooled mainframe in the massive IBM display with a grazing dinosaur "with a truck outside pumping its bodily fluids through it". IBM was not amused.

Compare big iron; see also dinosaurs mating.

2.[IBM] A very conservative user; a zipperhead. [Jargon File]

The Jargon File

dinosaur n.

1.Any hardware requiring raised flooring and special power. Used especially of old minis and mainframes, in contrast with newer microprocessor-based machines. In a famous quote from the 1998 Unix EXPO, Bill Joy compared the liquid-cooled mainframe in the massive IBM display with a grazing dinosaur “with a truck outside pumping its bodily fluids through it”. IBM was not amused. Compare big iron; see also mainframe.

2.[IBM] A very conservative user; a zipperhead.