How strong coffee does he like? vs How strong does he like coffee?

[GoesStation]

- How powerful do you need the specific computers that I just mentioned to be?

- How powerful a computer do you need?

There are many computers. You want one of them. "A" means one.

 

[Alexey86]

- How powerful do you need the specific computers that I just mentioned to be?

A: I need very powerful computers for my job.
B: Look at these models. X can run at 5 TFLOPS and Y can reach up to 6 TFLOPS.
A: That's not enough for me.
B: How powerful do you need the computers to be?

In this dialog the computers is referring to very powerful computers, not to X or Y mentioned by B. The question can be rephrased as How powerful do you need computers for your job to be?

Should I use the in this case too?

There are many computers. You want one of them. "A" means one.

A computer means one of them. Computers means several of them. I see no difference in terms of (in)definiteness between them.

 

[GoesStation]

A: I need very powerful computers for my job.
B: Look at these models. X can run at 5 TFLOPS and Y can reach up to 6 TFLOPS.
A: That's not enough for me.
B: How powerful do you need the computers to be?


In this dialog the computers is referring to very powerful computers, not to X or Y mentioned by B. The question can be rephrased as How powerful do you need computers for your job to be?

Should I use the in this case too?

Yes.

A computer means one of them. Computers means several of them. I see no difference in terms of (in)definiteness between them.

I don't understand the point. Can you illustrate it with a sentence or two?

 

[Alexey86]

I don't understand the point. Can you illustrate it with a sentence or two?

It seems I've got off the original subject. I'd better start a new thread.

 

[Rover_KE]

Good idea.

Thread closed.