from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
supercomputer
<computer> A broad term for one of the fastest computers
currently available. Such computers are typically used for
{number crunching} including scientific {simulations},
(animated) {graphics}, analysis of geological data (e.g. in
petrochemical prospecting), structural analysis, computational
fluid dynamics, physics, chemistry, electronic design, nuclear
energy research and meteorology. Perhaps the best known
supercomputer manufacturer is {Cray Research}.
A less serious definition, reported from about 1990 at The
{University Of New South Wales} states that a supercomputer is
any computer that can outperform {IBM}'s current fastest, thus
making it impossible for IBM to ever produce a supercomputer.
(1996-12-13)