Introduction to Computer Systems
Discussion:
What is computer ?
A computer is a programmable electronic device that accepts raw data as input and
processes it with a set of instructions (a program) to produce the result as output. It
renders output just after performing mathematical and logical operations and can save
the output for future use. It can process numerical as well as non-numerical
calculations. The term "computer" is derived from the Latin word "computare" which
means to calculate.
A computer is designed to execute applications and provides a variety of solutions
through integrated hardware and software components. It works with the help of
programs and represents the decimal numbers through a string of binary digits. It also
has a memory that stores the data, programs, and result of processing. The
components of a computer such as machinery that includes wires, transistors, circuits,
hard disk are called hardware. Whereas, the programs and data are called software.
It is believed that the Analytical Engine was the first computer which was invented by
Charles Babbage in 1837. It used punch cards as read-only memory. Charles Babbage
is also known as the father of the computer.
Types of Computers:
There are different types of computer technology available these days. The functionality
and data processing of each type of computer is distinct and so are the output results.
Though, the methods/techniques, size, capacity, characteristics, and data handling
aspects of each computer may be different as well. Let us understand the different types
of computers one by one:
Supercomputers
Mainframe computers
Minicomputers
Personal computers (PCs) or microcomputers
Supercomputers – a powerful computer that can
process large amounts of data and do a great amount of
computation very quickly.
Supercomputers are used for areas related to:
Science
Engineering
Education
Aerospace
Supercomputers are used for complex tasks, such as:
Weather forecasting
Climate research
Scientific simulation
Oil and gas exploration
Quantum mechanics
Cryptanalysis
Mainframe computers
– a high-performance computer used for large information
processing jobs.
Mainframe computers are primarily used in :
Institutions
Research
Academics
Health care
Financial institutions
Mainframe computers are useful for tasks related to:
Census taking
Industry and consumer statistics
Enterprise resource planning
Transaction processing
e-business and e-commerce
Minicomputers – a mid-range computer that is
intermediate in size, power, speed, storage capacity,
etc., between a mainframe and a microcomputer. It is
used by small organizations.
Personal Computer (PC) – a small computer designed for use by a single user
at a time. “Microcomputer” is now primarily used to mean a PC, but it can refer to
any kind of small computer, such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet,
smartphone, or wearable.
D
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Computer
Laptop
Tablet
What are input devices of computer?
Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device which helps to input data
to the computer. The layout of the keyboard is like that of traditional typewriter, although
there are some additional keys provided for performing additional functions.
References
What is Computer?
[Link]
Types of Computers:
[Link]
Computer Keyboard Picture
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