TYPES OF COMPUTERS

Prepared by-:Tanishq Varshney Class-:IX-A School-:V.B.P.S

WHAT IS A COMPUTER?

DEFINITION OF COMPUTER
General purpose machine, commonly consisting of digital circuitry, that accepts(inputs), stores, manipulates, and generates(outputs) data as numbers, text, graphic, voice, video files, or electrical signals, in accordance with instruction called a program.

FLOW CHART FOR TYPES OF COMPUTERS

HYBRID COMPUTERS
A hybrid computer combines the desirable features of analog and digital computers. It is mostly used for automatic operations of complicated physical processes and machines. Now-a-days analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters are used for transforming the data into suitable form for either type of computation.

ANALOG COMPUTERS
They treat data as continuous, with varying levels, rather than breaking them up into whole values. Used for a few engineering and scientific applications but not for business purposes. Comes in many forms. One example of common analog computer is the speedometer of a car. It works by analyzing the speed thru the number of revolutions of the tire per second.

DIGITAL COMPUTERS
A digital computer operates on digital data such as numbers. It uses binary number system in which there are only two digits 0 and 1. Each one is called a bit. The digital computer is designed using digital circuits in which there are two levels for an input or output signal. These two levels are known as logic 0 and logic 1. Digital Computers can give more accurate and faster results.

Types of Digital Computers

SUPERCOMPUTERS
Can handle gigantic amounts of scientific computations. 50,000 times faster than microcomputers. Used primarily for engineering and scientific problem analysis as well as for computerized graphics and special effects seen in films.

 Use for defense and weaponry, weather forecasting, scientific research, in NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Often involve different types of computer hardware design, like the use of many large processors, instead of just one, working together on complicated problems. Very expensive

MAINFRAME COMPUTERS
These are large and fast computers usually housed in a controlled environment. Multi-user environment, have the ability to service more than 100 terminals at a time. TERMINALS are the points from which users can have access to the services of a multi-user computer.

Banks, large corporations and government offices use them. They are used in applications that require huge storage capacity and massive processing ability. Of all types of computers, Mainframe have been around the longest. ENIAC and UNIVAC were mainframe computers

MINI COMPUTERS
Is the smallest computer designed specifically for the multi-user environment. This type of computer can allow several persons to use the machine at the same time. Can process up to millions of characters. Before the late 60s, most computers produced were mainframe computers and they were very expensive.

Their storage capacities are smaller and they service fewer terminals as compared to mainframes. The prohibited price of mainframes limited its buyers to only the largest companies. A smaller and more affordable version of mainframe and thus what the minicomputer was born.

MICRO COMPUTERS
Is the smallest of the digital computers. The major difference between microcomputers and the larger minicomputers and mainframes is that micros are generally single-user but a multitasking machine. They are further classified into Desktop Computers Laptop Computers Handheld Computers(PDAs)

EMBEDDED COMPUTERS
An embedded system is a computer system designed to do one or a few dedicated and/or specific functions often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. Embedded systems control many devices in common use today

PROGRAMMABLE COMPUTERS
Programmable computers can be used as notepads, scheduling systems etc.With cellular phones, these can connect to world wide computer networks to exchange information regardless of location.

WORKSTATIONS
A workstation is a high end microcomputer designed for technical or scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by one person at a time, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating systems. Workstations had offered higher performance than desktop computers,

PERSONAL COMPUTERS
Today the Desktop computers are the most popular computer systems. These desktop computers are also known as personal computers or simply PCs. They are usually easier to use and more affordable. They are normally intended for individual users for their word processing and other small application requirements.

LAPTOP COMPUTERS
Laptop computers are portable computers. They are lightweight computers with a thin screen. They are also called as notebook computers because of their small size. They can operate on batteries and hence are very popular with travellers. The screen folds down onto the keyboard when not in use.

HANDHELD COMPUTERS
Handheld computers or Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are pen-based and also battery-powered. They are small and can be carried anywhere. They use a pen like stylus and accept handwritten input directly on the screen. They are not as powerful as desktops or laptops but they are used for scheduling appointments, storing addresses and playing games.

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