INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

CSC 101 – 2 Units

 LECTURE TWO

Classification of Computer
Systems
 LECTURE OUTLINE
 Types of computers
 Digital computers
 Analog Computers
 Hybrid Computers
 Micro Computers
 Mini Computers
 Mainframe Computers
 Super Computers
 Review questions
 Classification of Computers
• Computer types can be classified according to
their:
• i. Devices
• ii. Sizes/Classes/Classification of digital
computer
• iii. Purpose
• iv. Generations
• v. Processors (CPU)
 Computer Type by Devices or Signals
• There are three types of computers by the
signals it provides or by their devices, these
are:
• i. Analog computer
• ii. Digital Computer
• iii. Hybrid computer
 Analog Computer

• Analog Computer measures in physical or

continuous form. Analog computers are those
that represent data in a continuous manner using
physical variables such as pressure, temperature
etc. Examples are: watch, the volume control of a
television that allows continuous adjustment of
the volume in one smooth action. A thermometer
represents information in analog form.
 Analog Computer Contd.
These computers process data in form of
variables, that is, quality that changes every
time or continuous signals. The outputs of
analog computers are usually represented in the
form of smooth curves or graphs from which
information can be read. These computers are
less accurate than digital output since their
accuracy depends on the user or reader of such
output.
 Uses of Analog Computers
• i. For weather forecasting
• ii. For meteorological surveys
• iii. For launching space/satellites
• iv. For remote sensing operations by
surveyors.
• v. Scientific/engineering purposes
 Digital Computers

• The word ‘digital’ as used means whole numbers

(discrete). Digital computer is a computer that
counts in a discrete or numerical variable. It can
count from 0-1, 0-9 while 0 is infinity. These
computers process data in form of discrete or
separate values that is, 0, 1, 2, 3 etc by operating
on it in steps, they cannot work with values in
intermediate intervals such as 1½, 1¾, etc.
 Digital Computers Contd.
• Digital computers are more accurate and more
flexible than analog computers because they
used the digital form of electricity signals.
However, it must be noted that input and
output information in digital computers must
be converted to analog form before
processing can take place.
 Uses of Digital Computers
• For business and commercial data processing
application such as:
• Preparation of payroll report/analysis
• Preparation of stock control and inventory
• For statistical projections
• For monitoring laboratory experiment in
hospitals.
 Hybrid Computers
• This combines the features of Analog and Digital
Computers. It can count in numerical variable and
as well measure in a continuous variable. The
digital component normally serves as the
controller and provides logical and numerical
operations, while the analog component often
serves as a solver of differential equations and
other mathematically complex equations. An
example is a robot used in an industrial
environment.
 Uses of Hybrid Computers
• For control and feedback processes.
• For system-parameter estimation
 CLASSIFICATION BY GENERATIONS
• The classifications of computers in reference
to the different generations of computing
devices. Each generation of computer is
characterized by a major technological
development that fundamentally changed the
way computers operate, resulting in
increasingly smaller, cheaper, and more
powerful and more efficient and reliable
devices.
 First Generation (1940-1950s): Vacuum
Tubes
• The first computers used vacuum tubes for
circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and
were often enormous, taking up entire rooms.
They were very expensive to operate and in
addition to using a great deal of electricity,
generated a lot of heat, which was often the
cause of malfunctions.
First generation computers Contd.
• First generation computers relied on machine
language, the lowest-level programming language
understood by computers, to perform operations,
and they could only solve one problem at a time.
Input was based on punched cards and paper tape,
and output was displayed on printouts. The
UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of
first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC
was the first commercial computer delivered to a
business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.
 Second Generation (1950s-1960s):
Transistors
• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second
generation of computers. The
• transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in
computers until the late 50s. The
• transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers
to become smaller, faster,
• cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-
generation predecessors. Though
• the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the
computer to damage, it was a
• vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation
computers still relied on punched
• cards for input and printouts for output.
 Second-generation computers Contd.

Second-generation computers moved from

cryptic binary machine language to symbolic, or
assembly, languages, which allowed
programmers to specify instructions in words.
High-level programming languages were also
being developed at this time, such as early
versions of COBOL and FORTRAN.
 Second generation Computers Contd.

These were also the first computers that stored

their instructions in their memory, which moved
from a magnetic drum to magnetic core
technology. The first computers of this
generation were developed for the atomic
energy industry.
 Third Generation (1964-1971): Integrated
Circuits
• The development of the integrated circuit was
the hallmark of the third generation of
computers. Transistors were miniaturized and
placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors,
which drastically increased the speed and
efficiency of computers. Instead of punched
cards and printouts, users interacted with
third generation computers through
keyboards and monitors.
 Third generation contd.
• These were interfaced with an operating
system, which allowed the device to run many
different applications at one time with a
central program that monitored the memory.
Computers for the first time became
accessible to many because they were smaller
and cheaper than their predecessors.
 Fourth Generation (1970-1980s):
Microprocessors
• The microprocessor brought the fourth
generation of computers, as it became possible to
build thousands of integrated circuits were built
onto a single silicon chip. What in the first
generation filled an entire room could now fit in
the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip,
developed in 1971, located all the components of
the computer - from the central processing unit
and memory to input/output controls - on a
single chip.
 Fourth generation contd.
• In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for
the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced
the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved
out of the realm of desktop computers and
into many areas of life as more and more
everyday products began to use
microprocessors.
 Fourth generation contd.
As these small computers became more
powerful, they could be linked together to form
networks, which eventually led to the
development of the Internet. Fourth generation
computers also saw the development of
Graphical User Interface (GUI), the mouse and
handheld devices.
 Fifth Generation - Present and Beyond:
Artificial Intelligence
• Fifth generation computing devices, based on
artificial intelligence, are still in development,
though there are some applications, such as
voice recognition, that are already being used
today. The use of parallel processing and
superconductors is helping to make artificial
intelligence a reality.
 Fifth generation contd.
• Quantum computation and molecular and
nanotechnology will radically change the face
of computers in years to come. The goal of
fifth-generation computing is to develop
devices that respond to natural language input
and are capable of learning and self-
organization.
 CLASSIFICATION BY PURPOSE
Computers can be classified into two by
purpose. These are Special Purpose Computers
and General Purpose Computers.
 Special Purpose computers
•These are computers designed to carry out
specific tasks. They have in-built programs which
are stored in a part of the main memory called
Read-Only Memory (ROM). The content of this
part of the memory can be accessed and
executed by the computer, but cannot be
modified by the programmer or the user.
Special Purpose Computers contd.
•The operations that can be carried out by this type of
computer are predetermined at the time of manufacture.
The computer cannot be used for any other purpose.
Microcomputers (small computers) are so inexpensive
however; that we can afford to use them to perform
specific functions such as telling the time, monitoring
human temperature or blood pressure.
 General Purpose Computer
•These are computers that are not specifically designed
or built for specific jobs.
•They solve various kinds of problems depending on the
program or software loaded into them. Their main
memory is typically Random Access Memory (RAM) - a
temporary storage that looses its contents when the
computer is switched off. It is easy to change the
contents of RAM, substituting one program for another
and this is what makes them general-purpose computers.
Most microcomputers or PCs are general purpose
computers.
 CLASSIFICATION BY SIZE
• Computers can be classified into four
according to size, these are Microcomputers,
Minicomputers, Mainframe Computers and
Supper Computers.
 Micro Computers
• A Micro Computer is a computer whose central
processing unit (CPU) is based on a
microprocessor. They use silicon chips and
memory chips like ROM and RAM. They are
the smallest and inexpensive computers. They
are also known as micro or PCs (Personal
Computers). Micro computers can be classified
into three units which are Desktop, Portables
(Laptops, Notebooks) and Hand held units.
 Desktop Unit
• This is the computer unit that can fit the top of a desk. It is the
type that is found in homes, offices and schools. Examples
are: IBM PC, Apple II, etc. Desktop Unit can also be divided
into two namely the Single User Unit and Multi-user Unit.
•
• Single User Unit: This is a computer unit that can only be used
by one person at a time.
•
• Multi-user Unit: It is a computer unit that many people can
use simultaneously, i.e. at the same time.
•
 Portable/Laptop Units
• These are small computer units that can fit unto the lap or small
enough to be carried in a briefcase. The have small video
display unit and compact arrangement of keys on the keyboard.
They are as powerful as the Desktop units and more expensive.
Some are also known as Notebook computers.
•
• Hand-held or Palm top Units
• These are computer units that are used to keep track of events,
anniversaries, can be used to translate words into foreign
languages, it can provide synonyms and antonyms for words
and so on. The can fit into a pocket, they look like calculators
and are operated on top of the palm e.g. organizers.
 Mini Computers
• These are computer systems that fall between
microcomputers and mainframe computers. They are
more expensive than the microcomputers and are
used by medium sized companies whose volume of
work needed computer systems with a higher
processing power than the microcomputers. Examples
are MIR 9300, Hewlet Packard 3000 and MU 400 (data
general). They are multi-user systems and are found
factories and warehouses where they are used for
managing production and inventory operations.
 Mainframe Computers
• These are large computer systems that are
used by big organizations for processing their
business transactions like payroll, salary,
inventory and routine paperwork. They can
operate 24 hours a day serving hundreds of
users e.g. IBM 360/370 system, NCRV 88000
systems.
 Super Computers
• These are the fastest, largest and most
expensive computer system. They are used in
scientific and research laboratories. They are
also used for sending astronauts into the out
space and for weather forecasting. They are as
well used in computer generated movies and
commercials e.g. CRAY, X-Map and CRAY 2
Revision Questions