Types of Computers

On the basis of principle of construction

Computers are divided into three

types:

• Analog Computers
• Digital Computers
• Hybrid Computers
Analog Computers
• An analog computers is a form of computer
that uses the continuously changeable aspects
of physical phenomena such electrical,
mechanical, or hydraulic quantities to model
the problem being solved.
• As mechanical computers used in World War Second II for
controlling gun fire.
• Analog computers are also used in science and industry.
• Analog computers deal with measure data.
Examples: 1. Thermometer because it measures the length of a
mercury column, which varies continuously.
2. Analog Clock
3. Car Speedometer
Digital Computers
• A digital computer is an electronic computing
machine that uses the binary digits(bits) 0 and
1 to represent all forms of information
internally in digital form.
• Every computer has a set of instructions that define the basic
functions it can perform.
• Sequences of these instructions constitute machine-language
(Low level language in the form of 0’s and 1’s )programs that can
be stored in the computers.
Examples:
1. Calculator (a small computer)
2.Digital clock, Digital watches
3. Weighing machines
4. Consumer electronic equipment (such as microwave oven )
5. Automobiles
6. Mini, Micro, Mainframe and super computers.
 Diff b/w : Analog and Digital Computers
Analog Digital
Analog computer works with continuous values. Digital computers works with discrete value (0,1). It
can work only with digits

It has very limited memory. It can store large amount of data.

It has no state. It has two states on and off
It can perform certain types of calculations. Its speed of calculation is very high.
It is difficult to use It is easy to use.
Analog computers is used in engineering and Digital computer is widely used in almost all fields of
scientific applications. life.

Analog computer is used for calculations and Digital computer is used to calculate mathematical
measurement of physical quantities such as weight, and logical operations.
height, temperature and speed.

Its accuracy is high. Its accuracy is comparatively low.

Its readability is low. Its readability is high.
Examples: Thermometer, analog clock, older Examples: digital watches, digital weighing
weighing machines. Car speedometer, voice , radio/tv machines, mini computers, microcomputers,
signal etc. mainframe computers and super computers.
Hybrid Computers
• Hybrid computes are computers that exhibit
features of analog computers and digital
computers.
• The digital component normally serves as the
controller and provides logical operations.
• The analog component normally serves as a
solver of differential equations.
Examples:
1. An example of a hybrid computer system is a
cement plant where all calculations are made by
digital systems(digital computers) and accordingly
actions such ass increase of certain material in the
furnace and increase / decrease of fuel for
temperature is performed by the help of analog
system.
2. ICU (Intensive care unit) of hospital.
3. Gas Pump Station (where measurement of gas by
analog system, and displaying such calculation by
digital system(computer).
 Classification of Digital
Computers
• Computers are classified according to sizes, speed and memory capacity.
Computers are different types:

• Super Computers
• Mainframe Computers
• Mini Computers
• Micro/Personal Computers
• Desktop Computes
• Laptop Computers
• Tablet Computers
• Palmtop (handheld pc) Computers
 Super Computers
• Supercomputer are very fast computers that can perform hundreds of
millions of instructions per second. These are the fastest calculating devices.
• Uses:
• Super computer are used by government agencies .
• Used for scientific and engineering applications that
must handle very large databases or do a great
amount of computation.
• Astronomers and space scientists use super
computers to study the Sun and space weather.
• Supercomputers are used in nuclear technology.
• Supercomputers are used to research in the field of
medicine. For example Cancer.
• Supercomputers are used for the heavy stuff like weather maps,
construction of atom bombs, finding oil, earthquake prediction, and
sciences where a lot of calculations must be done.
World's Fastest Super
Computers Ref: www.top500.org
RANK SUPER COMPUTER NAME SPEED

Jaguar (US ) 1.75 petaflop/s

1 which is located at the Department of
Energy’s
2 Anebulae (China) 1.271 petaflop/s

1.04 petaflop/s.
3 Roadrunner (US)
owned by the US Department of Energy.

A petaflop/s is equivalent to 1,000 trillion calculations per second.

China was rapidly becoming a "player" in high performance computing. China aims to
become supercomputer superpower
The fastest machine in the UK It has a top speed of 0.27 petaflops.
Jaguar Super Computer
 Mainframe Computers
• Mainframe computers are smaller than Super Computers. Usually, a
main frame would occupy an entire room and could cost
over million dollars.
• The name comes from the way the machine is build up:
all units (processing, communication etc.) were hung
into a frame. Thus main computer is build into a frame,
therefore it is called mainframe.
• Mainframes are typically manufactured by large
companies such as IBM, Hitachi etc.
• Uses:
• Mainframe computers are the big, powerful, expensive computers used in
the background by most large organizations.
• Mainframe computers are used to run commercial
applications and other large-scale computing
purposes.
• It is also used in banking and insurance businesses
where enormous amounts of data are processed.
• For example millions of records , each day.
Mainframe Compuer
 Mini Computers
• Minicomputers are relatively low cost and small .
• This setup (mini Computers) allowed more people to have access to
computers.
• minicomputer is a class of multi-user Computer that lies in
the middle range of the computing spectrum, in between the
largest Multi-user systems (mainframe computer) and the
smallest single-user systems (Microcomputers or personal
computers.
• Uses:
• Mainframe computers are used to run commercial
applications and other large-scale computing
purposes.
• It is also used in banking and insurance businesses
where enormous amounts of data are processed.
• For example millions of records , each day.
Mini Computer Name: PDP 7
 Personal (Micro)
Computers
• The term “ microcomputer” came into popular use after the introduction of
the minicomputer.
• A personal computer (PC) is any general-purpose Computer whose size,
capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is
intended to be operated directly by an end user.
• A personal computer may be a desktop computer, a laptop, a tablet PC, or a
handheld PC (also called a palmtop).
• Software applications for personal computers include word processing,
spreadsheets, databases, Web browsers and e-mail clients, games and special-
purpose software applications.
• A PC may be used at home or in an office. Personal computers may be
connected to a local area network (LAN), either by a cable or a wireless
connection.
 Personal (Micro) Computers : Features

• Cheap and easy to use:

• Micro computers are cheap and easy to use.
• Limited Support for I/O device
• They support very limited input and output capacities.
• Storage Capacity
• They have less storage capacity
• Software Capacity
• These computers support very limited number of software
• Architecture
• Most of microcomputers are self-contained unit, which are light
enough and can be moved easily.
• Number of Operators
• They are designed to be used by one person at a time.
• I/O devices
• In addition to CPU , a microcomputer has diff input / output
devices like.
 Personal (Micro) Computers : Features

• Data Storage
• Hard disk and floppy disk drivers are used to enter and store data and programs.

• Softcopy Output
• A visual display screen (monitor) and / or a printer is used to
get the output.
 Personal (Micro) Computers : Uses

• Like other computers (super, mainframe, micro), personal

computers can be instructed to perform a variety of individual
functions.
• A set of instructions that tells a computer what to do is called a
program.
• Today, thousands of application programs are available for use on
personal computers. They include such popular programs as word
processing programs, spreadsheet programs, database programs,
and communication programs.
• Desktop Computers
• Today the desktop computers those computers
which have the different desktop computer cases that
can be laid on the desk and they are different from the
tower computers on the basis of the design of the case as
in tower computers .
Personal Computer (Desktop)
 Personal (Micro) Computers : Uses

• Laptop Computers
• A laptop is a personal computer designed for mobile
use.
• It is small and light enough to sit on a person’s lap
while in use.
• A laptop integrate most of the typical components of
a desktop computer , including a display , keyboard,
a pointing device ( a touch pad, also known as a
track pad, and / or a point stick, speakers, and often
including a battery, into a single small and light unit.
Personal Computer (Laptop)
 Personal (Micro) Computers : Uses

• Palmtop Computers
• A computer small enough to hold in one hand and
operate with the other. Also called a “handtop”
• These ultra-small computers may have specialized
keyboards or keypads for data entry applications or
have small qwerty keyboards.
• Because of their small size, most palmtop computers
do not include disk drives .
• However, many contain PCMCIA(Personal Computer
Memory Card International Association) slots in
which you can insert disk drives, modems, memory,
and other devices.
Personal Computer (palmtop)
 Personal (Micro) Computers : Uses

• Tablet Computers
• A tablet personal computer (tablet PC) is a portable personal
computer equipped with a touchscreen as a primary input device
and designed to be operated and owned by an individual
• The Tablet PC provides all of the features, reliability and
power of Windows XP, plus pen and ink capabilities that
allow you to write directly on the screen or use the pen
as you would a mouse and keyboard.
• The Tablet PC extends the way you would use a laptop
or notebook computer.
• You can use the wireless pen to take notes while in
meetings, sketch ideas, even add personality to your e-
mail and instant messages.
Tablet Computers
Discussion
Chapter is over