Unit II

Characteristics of Computers
Now-a-days computer is playing a main role in everyday life it has become
the need of people just like television, telephone or other electronic devices
at home. It solves the human problems very quickly as well as accuratly.

The important characteristics of a computer are described below:

Speed
The computer is a very high speed electronic device. The operations on the
data inside the computer are performed through electronic circuits
according to the given instructions. The data and instructions flow along
these circuits with high speed that is close to the speed of light. Computer
can perform million of billion of operations on the data in one second. The
computer generates signals during the operation process therefore the speed
of computer is usually measure in mega hertz (MHz) or gega hertz (GHz). It
means million cycles units of frequency is hertz per second. Different
computers have different speed.

Arithmetical and Logical Operations

A computer can perform arithmetical and logical operations. In arithmetic

operations, it performs the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
on the numeric data. In logical operation it compares the numerical data as
well as alphabetical data.

Accuracy
In addition to being very fast, computer is also very accurate device. it gives
accurate output result provided that the correct input data and set of
instructions are given to the computer. It means that output is totally
depended on the given instructions and input data. If input data is in-
correct then the resulting output will be in-correct. In computer terminology
it is known as garbage-in garbage-out.

Reliability
The electronic components in modern computer have very low failure rate.
The modern computer can perform very complicated calculations without
creating any problem and produces consistent (reliable) results. In general,
computers are very reliable. Many personal computers have never needed a
service call. Communications are also very reliable and generally available
whenever needed.

Storage
A computer has internal storage (memory) as well as external or secondary
storage. In secondary storage, a large amount of data and programs (set of
instructions) can be stored for future use. The stored data and programs are
available any time for processing. Similarly information downloaded from
the internet can be saved on the storage media.

Retrieving data and programs

The data and program stored on the storage media can be retrieved very
quickly for further processing. It is also very important feature of a
computer.

Automation
A computer can automatically perform operations without interfering the
user during the operations. It controls automatically different devices
attached with the computer. It executes automatically the program
instructions one by one.

Versatility
Versatile means flexible. Modern computer can perform different kind of
tasks one by one of simultaneously. It is the most important feature of
computer. At one moment your are playing game on computer, the next
moment you are composing and sending emails etc. In colleges and
universities computers are use to deliver lectures to the students. The talent
of computer is dependent on the software.

Communications
Today computer is mostly used to exchange messages or data through
computer networks all over the world. For example the information can be
received or send throug the internet with the help of computer. It is most
important feature of the modern information technology.

Diligence
A computer can continually work for hours without creating any error. It
does not get tired while working after hours of work it performs the
operations with the same accuracy as well as speed as the first one.

No Feelings
Computer is an electronic machine. It has no feelings. It detects objects on
the basis of instructions given to it. Based on our feelings, taste, knowledge
and experience: we can make certain decisions and judgments in our daily
life. On the other hand, computer can not make such judgments on their
own. Their judgments are totally based on instructions given to them.

Consistency
People often have difficulty to repeat their instructions again and again. For
example, a lecturer feels difficulty to repeat a same lecture in a class room
again and again. Computer can repeat actions consistently (again and again)
without loosing its concentration:

 To run a spell checker (built into a word processor) for checking

spellings in a document.
  To play multimedia animations for training purposes.
 To deliver a lecture through computer in a class room etc.

A computer will carry out the activity with the same way every time. You can
listen a lecture or perform any action again and again.

Precision
Computers are not only fast and consistent but they also perform operations
very accurately and precisely. For example, in manual calculations and
rounding fractional values (That is value with decimal point can change the
actual result). In computer however, you can keep the accuracy and
precision upto the level, you desire. The length calculations remain always
accurate.

1.7 Types of Computers:

Computers can also be divided into three categories depending upon their
instruction and form of input data that they accept and process. These are:

1. Analog Computers
2. Digital Computers
3. Hybrid Computers

Analog Computers

The word “Analog” means continuously varying in quantity. The analog

computers accept input data in continuous form and output is obtained in
the form of graphs. It means that these computers accept input and give
output in the form of analog signals. The output is measured on a scale. The
voltage, current, sound, speed, temperature, pressure etc. values are
examples of analog data. These values continuously increase and decrease.
The analog computers are used to measure the continuous values. The
thermometer is an example of analog device because it measures
continuously the length of a mercury column. Another example of analog
computer is the analog clock because it measures the time by means of the
distance continuously covered by the needle around a dial. Similarlym
speedometer, tire-pressure gauge are also examples of analog devices.

The analog computers have low memory size and have fewer functions.
These are very fast in processing but output return is not very accurate.
These are used in industrial units to control various processes and also
used in different fields of engineering.

Digital Computers

The word “Digital” means discrete. It refers to binary system, which consists
of only two digits, i.e. 0 and 1. Digital data consists of binary data
represented by OFF (low) and ON (high) electrical pulses. These pulses are
increased and decreased in discontinuous form rather than in continuous
form.

In digital computers, quantities are counted rather than measured. A digital

computer operates by counting numbers or digits and gives output in digital
form. A digital computer represents the data in digital signals 0 and 1 and
then processes it using arithmetic and logical operations. Examples of
digital devices are calculators, personal computers, digital watches, digital
thermometers etc. Today most of the computers used in offices and homes
are digital computers.

The main features of the computers are:

 Give accurate result.

 Having high speed of data processing.
 Can store large amount of data.
 Easy of program and are general purpose in use.
 Consume low energy.

Hybrid Computers

The hybrid computers have best features of both analog and digital
computers. These computers contain both the digital and analog
components. In hybrid computers, the users can process both the
continuous (analog) and discrete (digital) data. These are special purpose
computers. These are very fast and accurate. These are used in scientific
fields. In hospitals, these are used to wathc patient’s health condition in ICU
(Intensive Care Unit). These are also used in telemetry, spaceships, missiles
etc.

Differentiate between Analog and Digital Computers

ANALOG DIGITAL
1. Accept input data in 1. Accept input data in digital
continuous form and output is form and output is received in
measured on a scale. digital form.
2. It may have some errors in 2. Output is accurate.
output. 3. Have large internal memory.
3. Have low internal memory. 4. Have large number of
4. Have fewer functions. functions.
5. It is used only in scientific, 5. It is general purpose in use.
industrial and medical fields. 6. It is low in cost.
6. It is costly. 7. It is easily programmed.
 7. It is not easily programmed.

Computers are classified according to their data processing speed, amount

of data that they can hold and price. Generally, a computer with high
processing speed and large internal storage is called a big computer. Due to
rapidly improving technology, we are always confused among the categories
of computers.

Depending upon their speed and memory size, computers are classified
into following four main groups.

1. Supercomputer.
2. Mainframe computer.
3. Mini computer.
4. Microcomputer.

Supercomputer

Supercomputer is the most powerful and fastest, and also very expensive. It
was developed in 1980s. It is used to process large amount of data and to
solve the complicated scientific problems. It can perform more than one
trillions calculations per second. It has large number of processors
connected parallel. So parallel processing is done in this computer. In a
single supercomputer thousands of users can be connected at the same
time and the supercomputer handles the work of each user separately.
Supercomputer are mainly used for:

 Weather forecasting.
 Nuclear energy research.
 Aircraft design.
 Automotive design.
 Online banking.
 To control industrial units.

The supercomputers are used in large organizations, research laboratories,

aerospace centers, large industrial units etc. Nuclear scientists use
supercomputers to create and analyze models of nuclear fission and fusions,
predicting the actions and reactions of millions of atoms as they interact.
The examples of supercomputers are CRAY-1, CRAY-2, Control Data CYBER
205 and ETA A-10 etc.

Mainframe Computers

Mainframe computers are also large-scale computers but supercomputers

are larger than mainframe. These are also very expensive. The mainframe
computer specially requires a very large clean room with air-conditioner.
This makes it very expensive to buy and operate. It can support a large
number of various equipments. It also has multiple processors. Large
mainframe systems can handle the input and output requirements of
several thousand of users. For example, IBM, S/390 mainframe can support
50,000 users simultaneously. The users often access then mainframe with
terminals or personal computers. Tere are basically two types of terminals
used with mainframe systems. These are:

i) Dumb Terminal
Dumb terminal does not have its own CPU and storage devices. This type of
terminal uses the CPU and storage devices of mainframe system. Typically,
a dumb terminal consists of monitor and a keyboard (or mouse).

ii) Intelligent Terminal

Intelligent terminal has its own processor and can perform some processing
operations. Usually, this type of terminal does not have its own storage.
Typically, personal computrers are used as intelligent terminals. A personal
computer as an intelligent terminal gives facility to access data and other
services from mainframe system. It also enables to store and process data
locally.

he mainframe computers are specially used as servers on the World Wide

Web. The mainframe computers are used in large organizations such as
Banks, Airlines and Universities etc. where many people (users) need
frequent access to the same data, which is usually organized into one or
more huge databases. IBM is the major manufacturer of mainframe
computers. The examples of mainframes are IBM S/390, Control Data
CYBER 176 and Amdahl 580 etc.

Minicomputers
These are smaller in size, have lower processing speed and also have lower
cost than mainframe. These computers are known as minicomputers
because of their small size as compared to other computers at that time. The
capabilities of a minicomputer are between mainframe and personal
computer. These computers are also known as midrange computers.

The minicomputers are used in business, education and many other

government departments. Although some minicomputers are designed for a
single user but most are designed to handle multiple terminals.
Minicomputers are commonly used as servers in network environment and
hundreds of personal computers can be connected to the network with a
minicomputer acting as server like mainframes, minicomputers are used as
web servers. Single user minicomputers are used for sophisticated design
tasks.

The first minicomputer was introduced in the mid-1960s by Digital

Equipment Corporation (DEC). After this IBM Corporation (AS/400
computers) Data General Corporation and Prime Computer also designed
the mini computers.
Microcomputer
The microcomputers are also known as personal computers or simply PCs.
Microprocessor is used in this type of computer. These are very small in size
and cost. The IBM’s first microcomputer was designed in 1981 and was
named as IBM-PC. After this many computer hardware companies copied
the design of IBM-PC. The term “PC-compatible” refers any personal
computer based on the original IBM personal computer design.

The most popular types of personal computers are the PC and the Apple. PC
and PC-compatible computers have processors with different architectures
than processors in Apple computers. These two types of computers also use
different operating systems. PC and PC-compatible computers use the
Windows operating system while Apple computers use the Macintosh
operating system (MacOS). The majority of microcomputers sold today are
part of IBM-compatible. However the Apple computer is neither an IBM nor
a compatible. It is another family of computers made by Apple computer.

Personal computers are available in two models. These are:

1. Desktop PCs
2. Tower PCs

A desktop personal computer is most popular model of personal computer.

The system unit of the desktop personal computer can lie flat on the desk or
table. In desktop personal computer, the monitor is usually placed on the
system unit.

Another model of the personal computer is known as tower personal

computer. The system unit of the tower PC is vertically placed on the desk of
table. Usually the system unit of the tower model is placed on the floor to
make desk space free and user can place other devices such as printer,
scanner etc. on the desktop. Today computer tables are available which are
specially designed for this purpose. The tower models are mostly used at
homes and offices.

Microcomputer are further divided into following categories.

1. Laptop computer
2. Workstation
3. Network computer
4. Handheld computer

1. Laptop computer

Laptop computer is also known as notebook computer. It is small size (85-

by-11 inch notebook computer and can fit inside a briefcase. The laptop
computer is operated on a special battery and it does not have to be plugged
in like desktop computer. The laptop computer is portable and fully
functional microcomputer. It is mostly used during journey. It can be used
on your lap in an airplane. It is because it is referred to as laptop computer.

The memory and storage capacity of laptop computer is almost equivalent to

the PC or desktop computer. It also has the hard dist, floppy disk drive, Zip
disk drive, CD-ROM drive, CD-writer etc. it has built-in keyboard and built-
in trackball as pointing device. Laptop computer is also available with the
same processing speed as the most powerful personal computer. It means
that laptop computer has same features as personal computer. Laptop
computers are more expensive than desktop computers. Normally these
computers are frequently used in business travelers.

2. Workstations

Workstations are special single user computers having the same features as
personal computer but have the processing speed equivalent to
minicomputer or mainframe computer. A workstation computer can be fitted
on a desktop. Scientists, engineers, architects and graphic designers mostly
use these computers.

Workstation computers are expensive and powerful computers. These have

advanced processors, more RAM and storage capacity than personal
computers. These are usually used as single-user applications but these are
used as servers on computer network and web servers as well.

3. Network computers

Network computers are also version of personal computers having less

processing power, memory and storage. These are specially designed as
terminals for network environment. Some types of network computers have
no storage. The network computers are designed for network, Internet or
Intranet for data entry or to access data on the network. The network
computers depend upon the network’s server for data storage and to use
software. These computers also use the network’s server to perform some
processing tasks.

In the mid-1990s the concept of network computers became popular among

some PC manufacturers. As a result several variations of the network
computers quickly became available. In business, variations of the network
computer are Windows terminals, NetPCs and diskless workstations. Some
network computers are designed to access only the Internet or to an
Intranet. These devices are sometimes called Internet PCs, Internet boxes
etc. In home some network computers do not include monitor. These are
connected to home television, which serves as the output devices. A popular
example of a home-based network computer is Web TV, which enables the
user to connect a television to the Internet. The Web TV has a special set-top
box used to connect to the Internet and also provides a set of simple
controls which enable the user to navigate the Internet, send and receive e-
mails and to perform other tasks on the network while watching television.

Network computers are cheaper to purchase and to maintain than personal

computers.

4. handheld computer

In the mid 1990s, many new types of small personal computing devices have
been introduced and these are referred to as handheld computers. These
computers are also referred to as Palmtop Computers. The handheld
computers sometimes called Mini-Notebook Computers. The type of
computer is named as handheld computer because it can fit in one hand
while you can operate it with the other hand. Because of its reduced size,
the screen of handheld computer is quite small. Similarly it also has small
keyboard. The handheld computers are preferred by business traveler. Some
handheld computers have a specialized keyboard. These computers are used
by mobile employees, such as meter readers and parcel delivery people,
whose jobs require them to move from place to place.