This document classifies and describes different types of computers. It discusses analog and digital computers, and how computers can be classified based on their construction and configuration. It provides details on various types of computers like microcomputers, laptops, palmtops, mainframes, miniframes, and supercomputers. It describes their key components, uses in different applications, and provides examples for each type.

1. TYPES OF COMPUTERS

2. Classification of Computers
 Computer Types Computer can be divided into
different types on the following basis:
 On the basis of Construction
 On the basis of Configuration

3. Digital and Analog Computers
Analog
Digital
Hybrid

4. Classification of computers
 On the basis of Configuration
 Palmtop
 Laptop
 Micro
 Mainframe
 Miniframe
 Super

5. Analog Computer
Analog Computer Analog computers are designed to
measure continuous electrical or physical conditions,
such as current, voltage, flow, temperature, length, or
pressure.
Purpose: -Mostly analog computers are special-purpose
computers. Normally they are designed to perform some
specific task not multiple tasks.

8. Components of Analog computer
 operational amplifier
 the computer's capacity is determined by the number of
amplifiers. Examples
 Wrist watch (if non-digital),
 car's speedometer, pressure,
 temperature,
 fuel gauges are also considered analog computers.

9. Uses of Analog computers
 Uses of Analog Computer:- The output of an analog computer is
often an adjustment to the control of a machine; such as, an
adjustment to a valve that controls the flow of steam to a turbine
generator.
 It is also used in temperature setting to control the ovens for
baking.
 They have been widely used in simulating the operation of
aircraft, nuclear power plants, and industrial chemical
processes.

10. Digital Computers
Digital Computer Digital computers are designed to
perform daily routine tasks such as writing letters,
sending e- mails, performing calculations in an office or
creating a database to store large amount of data etc.
Purpose
•Digital computers may be either special or general
purpose. Mostly these computers are designed to
perform multiple tasks.

12. Key components of digital computers
 IC (Integrated Circuits)
 Examples :-Personal Computer, Laptop,
Mainframe, Super Computer etc.

13. Use of digital computers
 Word processing is the most common application for
personal digital computers.
 Accounting - Computers are ideal for keeping payroll
records, printing paychecks, billing customers, preparing
tax returns, and taking care of many of the other accounting
tasks in an organization.
 Record keeping - Computers can record information like
inventories and personnel files.

14. Digital computers in Industrial purposes
 Industrial computers save considerable time and
reduce waste by efficiently performing hundreds of
industrial tasks.
 Science - The research and development applications
are the most numerous.
 Digital computers are being used to do lengthy and
complicated mathematical calculations millions of times
faster than human beings.

15. Hybrid Computers
 Hybrid Computer A computer which possesses
characteristics of both Analog and Digital computers
is called Hybrid computer.
 Some computers combine the functions of both
analog and digital computers. These computers are
called Hybrid Computers.

17. Types of Hybrid Computers
 Examples of Hybrid Computers:-
 Used in Cement plant,
 ECG machine, CNG pump, etc

21. Classification of digital computers
 Micro computer
 The microcomputers are also known as personal
computers or simply PCs.
 They are also called Desktop computers.
 Microcomputers are the most common, smallest and very
cheaper computers.
 They were introduced in 1970’s as a result of the
development of microprocessor.
 A single microprocessor may carry more than hundred
thousand transistors on a single silicon chip.

22. Types of Micro computers
 Micro Computer Size: A personal computer can be
placed easily on any table or desk. Ex. Desktop PCs
 Micro Computer Tower PCs

23. Uses of Micro Computers
 Micro Computers are being widely accepted and used
in business, at home and in educational institutions.
 They are commonly known as personal computers and
are usually single user machines but can be
interconnected among themselves to form a Local Area
Network.

24. Laptop Computers
 A laptop computer (also known as notebook computer)
is a small mobile personal computer, usually weighing
around from 1 to 3 kilograms (2 to 7 pounds).
 Notebooks smaller than an A4 sheet of paper and
weighing around 1 kg are termed subnotebooks

25. Components of Laptop Computers
 Laptops contain components that are similar to those in
their desktop counterparts and perform the same
functions but are designed for mobile use and efficient
power consumption.
 Laptops have LCD displays for output. In addition to a
built-in keyboard, they may utilize a touchpad (also
known as a track pad) or a pointing stick for input,
though an external mouse or keyboard can also be
attached.

26. Use of Laptop Computers
 Laptops are generally popular among students,
travelers and businessmen.
 Laptops are capable of many of the same tasks that
desktop computers perform..
 HP 320LX, Dell inspiron, Macbook and Vadem Clio

27. Palmtop Computer
 Palmtop Computer are
 A small computer that literally fits in your palm.
Compared to full-size computers, palmtops are limited,
but they are practical for certain functions such as
phone books and calendars.
 They are also called hand-held computers, pocket
computers or PDA (Personal data assistant or pocket
digital assistant)

29. Key Components of Palmtop Computers
 The primary input device of a PDA is the stylus. A stylus
is an electronic pen and looks like a small ballpoint pen.
 This input device is used to write notes and store in the
PDA by touching the screen.
 Palmtop Uses Palmtops are generally popular among
students, travelers and businessmen

30. Mainframe computers
 Mainframe Computer:-A mainframe (also known as "big
iron") is a high-performance computer used for large-
scale computing purposes that require greater availability
and security of data than a smaller- scale machine can
offer.
 In the past, a typical mainframe might have occupied
2,000 - 10,000 square feet. Now the mainframe computer
specially requires a very large clean room with air-
conditioner.

33. Functions of Mainframe Computers
 Historically, mainframes have been associated with
centralized rather than distributed computing.
 Mainframe computers are usually large and expensive
computers. Thousands of users can work at a time on
mainframe computers.
 For example, IBM, S/390 mainframe can support 50,000
users simultaneously.

34. Mainframe Computer Operating System
and Uses
 Special operating systems are used on main frames such as z/VM,
z/VSE™, Linux for System z™, and z/TPF.
 Mainframe Computer Uses:-
 The mainframe computers are specially used as servers on the World Wide
Web. The mainframe computers are used in large organizations such as
Banks, Airlines and Universities etc. where many people (users) need
frequent access to the same data, which is usually organized into one or
more huge databases. Examples: IBM S/390, Control Data CYBER 176
and Amdahl 580

35. Miniframe Computers
 Minicomputers were first introduced in early 1960s. A
minicomputer is a class of multi-user computers that lies in the
middle range of the mainframe computers and the
microcomputers.
 They are smaller than mainframes in size and other facilities,
such as speed, storage capacity and services.
 Size: A minicomputer and its peripheral equipment can usually fill
a small room. A minicomputer typically about the size and shape
of a wardrobe, mounted in a single tall rack.

36. Use of Miniframe Computers
 Minicomputers are commonly used as servers like a small
mainframe in a network environment and hundreds of users can
be connected to the network with a minicomputer at a time.
 Miniframe Computer Uses The minicomputers are used in
business, education and many other government departments.
They are also widely used in industrial and small business
application.
 39. Miniframe Computer Examples: IBM’s AS 400, Hewlett
Packard HP 3000 series, Data General’s MV/1500 etc.

37. Super Computers
 Super computer is a large computer or collection of
computers that act as one large computer capable of
processing enormous amounts of data. They are the
fastest and most powerful type of computers. Size: -A
minicomputer and its peripheral equipment can usually fill
a small room. A minicomputer typically about the size and
shape of a wardrobe, mounted in a single tall rack.

39. Functions of Super Computers
 A super computer can execute one instruction in Pico-
seconds (thousand-billionth of a second). Mostly they are
based on the principle of parallel processing. They have
extraordinary high speed due to the use of several
processors connected in parallel.
 Columbia is a supercomputer built by Silicon Graphics for
NASA. Its main purpose was to simulate the violent
collision and merger of spiral galaxies.

40. Super Computers
 Super Computer is composed of 10,240 processors. It has 20
terabytes of Random-access memory, 440 terabytes of storage,
and 10 petabytes of archive storage.
 Super Computer Uses Super computers are normally used in
large organizations, research laboratories, aerospace centers,
large industrial units, atomic reactors or the places where very
high processing speed is required.
 Super Computer Examples: Cray 1, Cray 2 Cray XMP and
CYBER 205