Types Of Computer
Different types of computer systems are used in various fields for different applications as per the system performance requirements.
A computer is a digital electronic device designed to execute the program instructions with high level of accuracy.
The computers are used in many fields to transform the raw data into the meaningful information. The information has many useful applications.
The computer science technology in terms of hardware and software has evolved in the last few decades.Â
These developments led to the development of different types of computers suitable for the specific types of application.
Different types of computers were invented to meet the needs of the users. Based on the different criteria’s the computers are classified.
The computer types based on the technology used includes analog computer, digital computer, and hybrid computer.
The computer types based on the size and processing power include supercomputer, mainframe computer, workstation, minicomputer, personal computer and embedded computer.
In this article, we will discuss in detail different types of computer, its application and features.
Types Of Computer Systems
Table Of Contents
Types Of Computer
Different types of computer systems are used in various fields for different applications as per the system performance requirements.
The computer system types can be grouped into various categories based on the size, system performance, application, computer hardware and software technology.
Types Of Computer Based On The Technology
The computers can be grouped into three basic types on the basis of the technology used and the data handling capabilities of the computers.
Types Of Computer
Analog Computer
The term analogue we often come across many times with reference to the technology used in various devices. The technology progressively transformed from analog to digital.
For example, the mechanical watches were replaced by contemporary digital watches. Similarly, the mechanical weighing scale got replaced by a digital weighing scale.
In order to understand the term analogue computers, let us first understand the meaning of term analog.
The word analogue ( also spelled analog ) comes from the Greek ana, meaning “up to,” and logos, meaning, among other things, “ratio” and “proportion.”
The term analogue entered in computer language as an adjective to describe a type of signal that is continuous in amplitude.
The analog computers were later on replaced by the 1970s with faster, more powerful digital computers.
The analog computers were replaced due to the advancement in the computer hardware and the digital electronics technology especially in the field of microprocessor.
The analogue computers can process the analogue data. The analogue data is continuous data that changes continuously and cannot have discrete values.
In other words, the analogue computers are used where the accuracy of the data need not be precise. For example, the measurement of length, weight, speed, temperature, pressure and other such similar things.
The computers in terms of hardware architecture are driven by a specific type of signals. In terms of hardware technology, the analogue computer works on the analogue signals.
The analog computers were later on replaced by the 1970s with faster, more powerful digital computers.
Types Of Computer
Digital Computer
The world is moving towards the digital world. The term digital we often come across many times with reference to the technology used in various devices.
The modern computer is said to be a digital computing machine. In simple words, the latest breeds of computers work on the principles and the digital electronic technology.
The digital computer means the computer can execute the program instruction expressed in the form of binary representation that is either zero ( 0 ) or   one ( 1).
At the hardware level, the digital computer is driven by a steady stream of clock pulses. The microprocessor inside the computer consists of billions of tiny components called the transistor.
The transistor in the digital electronics can function like a micro-switch that can be programmed to be either ON or OFF. These two discrete states can be easily represented in the binary with either 1 and 0.
And therefore, all computer programs are compiled to convert into machine code instructions in binary. The processor can directly interpret and execute the machine code instructions in binary.
The digital computer can process the data represented in the binary format that is either 0 or 1. The digital computers can perform arithmetic calculations and the logical operations using various logic gates.
Types Of Computer
Hybrid Computer
The term hybrid means combination of both analog and digital computing technology. And therefore, hybrid computers offer the features and functionalities of both the analog and digital computers.
The basic idea behind the hybrid computer is to combine the best of both analog and digital computing.
The analog computing makes arithmetic operations faster and the digital components can perform faster logical operations.
A hybrid computer is tailormade and designed after taking into consideration the processing power of the computer and the field of its application.
A hybrid computer integrates the analog and the digital technology in such a manner that it can perform fast and accurate operations.
Types Of Computer Based On The Processing Power
The computers can be grouped into six basic types on the basis of the physical size and the processing power of the computer.
Supercomputer
The supercomputers are the very high-performance computing machines capable of performing billions of complex calculations at very high speed.
The supercomputers are extremely powerful and expensive computing machine platforms. These high-performance computing machines are used in many research and development ( R & D ) fields.
Some of the most commonly used applications of supercomputers include space, whether forecast, military, aviation, medical and clinical research and many other fields.Â
The performance of the supercomputers is measured in terms of floating-point operations per second ( FLOPS ). The FLOPS is a measure of the computing speed of a computer expressed in number of operations per second, especially arithmetic operations involving the floating-point numbers.Â
The countries with largest and most powerful operational supercomputers include USA, Japan, India, China, Germany, France, UK and Russia.
Most supercomputers work on the Linux based operating system. The supercomputers need a reliable consistent power supply and precision air-conditioning for the optimal performance. Â
Since June 2020, the Japanese Fugaku is the world’s most powerful supercomputer, reaching initially 415.53 petaFLOPS and 442.01 petaFlops after an update in November 2020 on the LINPACK benchmarks.
Types Of Computer
Mainframe Computer
The mainframe computer are powerful computing machines. These computers are specially used by large corporations to manage the operations.
The mainframe computer comes with huge computing and processing power used for large scale transaction processing work.
For example, big corporations like Amazon can deploy the mainframe computer to process the large scale centralized global operations.
The mainframe computer hardware configuration includes powerful processors, large solid-state primary and secondary memory, and high-speed storage devices and other IT infrastructure.
The mainframe computer is critical for managing the commercial databases, transaction servers, and the application servers that require high processing power, reliability, security and the versatility.
Mani Computer
The minicomputer is also alternately referred to as mini-frame computer. The minicomputer is a scale down variant of the mainframe computer.
It is a midsize computer with enough computing and processing power to support a large group of users up to three hundred.
For example, a university or an educational institution can install a minicomputer to support large number of students accessing the service placed within the campus area.
The minicomputer can easily handle and support general purpose computational requirements. These computers are relatively inexpensive with minimum operational cost.
The minicomputer can also be used for a small organization for commercial applications. With the advancement into hardware technology, a powerful computing machines are now available in this category.
Types Of Computer
Workstation Computer
The workstation are specialized computers and similar in many ways to the high configuration desktop computers.
The workstation hardware configuration is specifically designed for the sizable reduction in the overall IT hardware cost.
The workstation computers are relatively offer more processing power and memory as compared to the desktop computer.Â
The workstation computers are primarily designed to support the centralized operations. These computers are extensively used in many organizations.
The workstation computers can also be configured as per the needs of a specific type of operations or application software.
For example, the workstations for a commercial bank are configured for the database frontend application. Whereas, the workstations for an engineering company can be configured for CAD CAM software application.
Embedded Computer
The automation is an integral feature of the modern consumer electronic devices. The smart gadgets today are sold with many programmed operations to enhance the user experience.
The list of smart gadgets includes starting from your mobile, car, washing machine, air-conditioner, digital camera, robotic vacuum cleaners and other such devices.
However, in order to execute the preloaded operations, the gadget must be equipped with a miniature computer device called an embedded computer.
In simple words, an embedded computer is a package of hardware and pre-loaded software that helps the modern gadgets to perform the complex automated operations.Â
The embedded computer is one the most fascinating and rapidly growing field that offers immense future growth potential. Â Â
Types Of Computer
Personal Computer
The personal computers need no introduction and these machines are now part of our everyday life. These computers are used by the end users for wide range of applications.
The personal computers include wide range of computers such as desktop, laptop, tablets and palmtops.
The latest range of personal computers carry enough processing punch. These computers are equipped with the high-performance modern microprocessor, the high data access speed of the RAM and the solid-state permanent storage.
Types Of Computer
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