The big machines themselves account for a modest slice of I.B.M.'s sales these days, about $2.9 billion of total revenues of $81.2 billion last year.

These machines have higher selling prices and profit margins than other computers in the Macintosh line and accounted for about 38 percent of Apple's revenue.

These generic machines, in the past typically built by dealers, have long accounted for a large share of the computer business.

Metal-cutting machines typically account for about two-thirds of the industry.

Metal-cutting machines account for about 75 percent of the industry.

But in the fourth quarter, machines in that popular price range accounted for less than 40 percent of Gateway's shipments.

Textfinder machines, used by the government agency and a few other customers to search text databases, accounted for $8 million.

But combined with service and support, he said, the big machines account for almost a third of the company's gross profit.

According to Personal Computing magazine, it is expected that 80386 machines will account for fewer than 25 percent of the computers bought in the retail market this year.

The machines now account for about three-quarters of casino gambling revenue, having largely displaced table games.