Introduction to Computers/Computer types

Introduction to Computers ? Computer types

  
            Contents
                      1 -Supercomputer
                      2 -Mainframe
                      3 -Server-
                      4 -Workstation
                      5 -The Personal Computer or PC
                      6 -Microcontroller

 Supercomputer

The Columbia Supercomputer - once one of the fastest.
Supercomputers are the fastest and the most expensive computers. Their huge processing powers mean they can be used for complex applications such as weather forecasting.

        Key features include:
         used in science and engineering
         thousands of processors
                                                              10,000,000,000(ten trillion)calculations per second
                                                               expensive-the cost about 100 million pound
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Mainfram
  Mainframe computer
                                                      
   They come second to super computers. They have th following features:
                                                       They are larger in size compared to other computers
                                                      Have larger capacity and are more powerful in terms of processing speed
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 Server
Inside of a Rack unit Server

Similar to mainframes in that they serve many uses with the main difference that the users (called clients) do their own processing usually. The server processes are devoted to sharing files and managing log on rights.

A server is a central computer that contains collections of data and programs. Also called a network server, this system allows all connected users to share and store electronic data and applications. Two important types of servers are file servers and application servers.
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 Workstation
Sun SPARCstation

Workstations are high-end, expensive computers that are made for more complex procedures and are intended for one user at a time. Some of the complex procedures consist of science, math and engineering calculations and are useful for computer design and manufacturing. Workstations are sometimes improperly named for marketing reasons. Real workstations are not usually sold in retail.

The movie Toy Story was made on a set of Sun (Sparc) workstations [1]

Perhaps the first computer that might qualify as a "workstation" was the IBM 1620.
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The Personal Computer or PC
A personal computer (PC)

PC is an abbreviation for a Personal Computer, it is also known as a Microcomputer. Its physical characteristics and low cost are appealing and useful for its users. The capabilities of a personal computer have changed greatly since the introduction of electronic computers. By the early 1970s, people in academic or research institutions had the opportunity for single-person use of a computer system in interactive mode for extended durations, although these systems would still have been too expensive to be owned by a single individual. The introduction of the microprocessor, a single chip with all the circuitry that formerly occupied large cabinets, led to the proliferation of personal computers after about 1975. Early personal computers generally called microcomputers, sold often in kit form and in limited volumes and were of interest mostly to hobbyists and technicians. By the late 1970s, mass-market pre-assembled computers allowed a wider range of people to use computers, focusing more on software applications and less on development of the processor hardware. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, home computers were developed for household use, offering some personal productivity, programming and games, while somewhat larger and more expensive systems (although still low-cost compared with minicomputers and mainframes) were aimed for office and small business use.
Inside a personal computer. 1. Monitor. 2. Motherboard. 3. CPU (Microprocessor). 4. Main memory (RAM). 5. Expansion cards. 6. Power supply unit. 7. Optical disc drive. 8. Hard disk drive (HDD). 9. Keyboard. 10. Mouse.

Today a personal computer is an all rounded device that can be used as a productivity tool, a media server and a gaming machine. The modular construction of the personal computer allows components to be easily swapped out when broken or upgraded.

                    Inside a personal computer. 
                         1. Monitor.                        2. Motherboard.                 3. CPU (Microprocessor).
                         4. Main memory (RAM).   5. Expansion cards.            6. Power supply unit.
                         7. Optical disc drive.          8. Hard disk drive (HDD).  9. Keyboard. 10. Mouse.

 Microcontroller
A microcontroller

Microcontrollers are mini computers that enable the user to store data, do simple commands and tasks, with little or no user interaction with the processor. These single circuit devices have minimal memory and program length but can be integrated with other processors for more complex functionality. Many such systems are known as Embedded Systems. Examples of embedded systems include Smartphones or car safety systems.

Microcontrollers are important, they are used everyday in devices such as appliances and automobiles.
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Introduction to Computers/History

< Introduction to Computers

Introduction to Computers ? History
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An LSI microprocessor
A microprocessor running the SPARC architecture

Computers were initially large machines that could fill entire rooms. Some were operated using large vacuum tubes that formed the basis of today's transistors. In order to operate such machines, punch cards were used. One of the first such examples of this was the Jacquard Loom. In 1833 Charles Babbage invented his difference engine, an early calculator. Together with the punch card design, he created the analytical engine. Regrettably the engine never saw completion due to political issues.

Over time computers became more and more powerful, with the introduction of the ubiquitous microprocessor driving forward development. Gordon Moore, one of the co-founders of Intel, invented Moores law, which predicted that the number of transistors that could be placed on an integrated circuit inexpensively doubled every 2 years. This law has held true to a certain degree, and it can be seen in motion every day with the introduction of more and more powerful microprocessors and larger hard drives and memory modules.










Contents
[hide]

    1 Notable Computers
        1.1 Z1                                          
        1.2 ENIAC
        1.3 Altair 8800
        1.4 Commodore 64
        1.5 Macintosh
        1.6 IBM PC
    2 Podcast
    3 Images

[edit] Notable Computers

Here are some computers that came and went in the history of computing. Some modern examples are also shown here.
[edit] Z1
A replica of the Z1.
A replica of the Z1

The Z1 was a mechanical computer designed by Konrad Zuse in 1935 and first built in 1936. It was a binary electrically-driven mechanical calculator with limited programmability, reading instructions from punched tape.


[edit] ENIAC
An image of the ENIAC.
An image of the ENIAC in use     


A behemoth of a machine weighing 27 tonnes, ENIAC stood for Electrical Numerical Integrator and Computer. Originally planned for use in calculating artillery firing tables, on completion in 1946 its first tasks were to perform calculations for hydrogen bomb design. The ENIAC used thousands of vacuum tubes and a punch card mechanism. Working out the programming on paper took weeks, and performing the necessary wiring took days. The ENIAC saw service until October 2, 1955.






[edit] Altair 8800

A microcomputer design from 1975, the Altair is considered to have started the personal computer revolution. It was the target of Microsoft's first product: a programming language called Altair Basic. The computer was sold as a kit requiring assembly by the user, although pre-assembled kits could be bought for a higher price. The Altair defied sales forecasts by selling thousands instead of hundreds to computer hobbyists, accelerating a growing hacker culture.









[edit] Commodore 64
C64
Commodore 64C system with 1541-II floppy drive and 1084S RGB monitor.

An 8 bit computer introduced in January 1982, the Commodore 64 rose to become the best selling personal computer of all time. Office productivity tools such as word processors, spreadsheets and databases were available, but due to its advanced graphics and audio systems, along with the inclusion of a cartridge slot, the Commodore was seen as a gaming device rather than a productivity tool, with over 20,000 games released, and even game development environments such as the Shoot'Em-Up Construction Kit.








[edit] Macintosh

First introduced by Apple in 1984, the Macintosh was the first popular computer to use a mouse and graphical user interface (GUI) rather than a command line interface, and was initially used primarily as a desktop publishing tool.

The Macintosh is famous for its 1984 advertisement, which can be viewed here.
[edit] IBM PC

The granddaddy of all current personal computers, the IBM PC was introduced in 1981. It was capable of running 3 different operating systems at launch, the most popular being PC DOS. Because of its success, many manufacturers were encouraged to create clones with the same feature set as the PC, which we use today as our computers.
[edit] Podcast

View this podcast to find out about the history of computing. The history of computers is a long one. Please, visit www.facebook.com --117.200.86.167 14:33, 20 December 2010 (UTC)komal



[edit] Images










Charles Babbage, who is accredited with first conceptualizing the programmable computer [w:Charles_babbage].
   
A model of Joseph Jacquard's loom
   
A replica of the Z1, a mechanical computer created by Konrad Zuse in 1936
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Introduction to Computers/What is a computer

< Introduction to Computers

                                      Introduction to Computers ? What is a computer

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What is a computer?
          A computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. A computer can also be defined as an electronic machine that accepts input (data), processes it and gives out results(information) A computer is an electronic device that can perform a variety of operation in accordance with a set of instruction called program. It can process input 
                                                    and produces output.
 
Computer organization at a glance
A basic computer consists of three major components: CPU (Central Processing Unit), IO (Input/Output) and Memory as illustrated in Figure
Data comes through the Input and the CPU processes the data, based on a program which is in Memory. The result is returned to Memory or is presented to the user.
The CPU itself consists of an Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), a Control Unit (CU) and Registers.
[edit] A Computer-based system
A computer-based system is a system in which a computer is involved and consists of three major elements: Hardware, Software, and User. The elements of a computer based system are described in the three following scenarios: 

Registration in a Univers
              Hardware = Micro computers, Network platform, and a Server Computer
              Software = Student Registration Application, Database, and Operating System
             User = Operators, Administrators

   Controlling a section of an Assembly Line

             Hardware = A specially embedded system which is developed for this purpose
             Software = The machine code loaded on the embedded system Memory
             User = Other Machine, Supervisor
    Playing a game with a Computer
            Hardware = Game console such as XBox, Playstation
            Software = The game itself
            User = The game player