[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).
