Differences between mainframes and mini computers?

time to read 1 min | 186 words

I work with several clients that has a Mainframe computer which is (of course) the center of their business. Looking at the desk of the mainframe guys, I see books such as "Useful User Subroutines for the Administrator" and such. The terminology that is used when discussing mainframes is quite different than the one that is used to discuss mini computers. Things like global flags to modify system state and beaming files (sorry, I only know the Hebrew term for this).

I am afraid that my understanding on mainframes is just that they are much better in reliability and I/O than mini computers. I'm interested to learn enough so I can understand the concepts that they are talking about. I Googled about it, of course, but I can't find the information that I want. What I would like to understand is the core concepts that are used. For instance, if I would have been ask to describe Unix, I would explain how everything is a file (except folders :-) ), etc.

Any good resources about it?