1 / 27

TYPES OF COMPUTERS

TYPES OF COMPUTERS. Group members: Nicola McLeod Natalia Mullings. What is a Computer?.

hgaudet
Download Presentation

TYPES OF COMPUTERS

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. TYPES OF COMPUTERS Group members: Nicola McLeod Natalia Mullings

  2. What is a Computer? • A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information, or "data." It has the ability to store, retrieve, and process data. You can use a computer to type documents, send email, and browse the internet. You can also use it to handle spreadsheets, accounting, database management, presentations, games, and more.

  3. There are four (4) types of computers that were designed by mankind. These include: • Supercomputers • Mainframe computers • Minicomputers • Microcomputers

  4. Supercomputers • A supercomputer is a computer that performs at or near the currently highest operational rate for computers. A supercomputer is typically used for scientific and engineering applications that must handle very large databases or do a great amount of computation (or both).  It was first created in 1960.

  5. SUPERCOMPUTERS Advantages Disadvantages Storage and Bandwidth Maintenance and Support Expensive Processing Time • Decreasing Processing Time • Solving New Problems • Lowering Costs • Improving Safety • High Capacity

  6. Uses A supercomputer is used for: • Processing of information on quantum mechanics • Large scale weather forecasting • Molecular studies • Polymer research • To solve mathematical problems • Wind tunnel research • Chemical composition.

  7. Main Frames • A data processing system employed mainly in large organizations for various applications, including bulk data processing, process control, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, and financial transaction processing.

  8. Main Frames Advantages Disadvantages Requires backwards-compatibility with Mainframe Operating Systems. Dedicated staff are needed to run the system. Initial start-up costs can be high, compared to client-server networks - which can start small and be expanded later. A small client-server system might be all you need. By default, there is no geographical distribution built into the system, and this is something that client-server networks are designed for. They can take up a lot of space and require dedicated environmental management, for example, cooling systems. • Supports thousands of transactions per second. • Can serve thousands of users and applications simultaneously. • Able to manage huge amounts of data. • More reliable and secure than client-server networks. • Backwards compatibility with legacy mainframe software, which is useful if your organization has already invested heavily in mainframe computing.

  9. Uses Businesses and large institutions often use mainframe computers as network servers for their personnel workstations. Because of their massive capacity for memory and storage, they are also commonly used as web servers. • E-Business and E-Commerce • Health Care • Military Use • Academics and Research

  10. Minicomputers • A minicomputer is a type of computer that possesses most of the features and capabilities of a large computer but is smaller in physical size. • Minicomputers are mainly used as small or midrange servers operating business and scientific applications. However, the use of the term minicomputer has diminished and has merged with servers. 

  11. Minicomputers Advantages Disadvantages Maybe weak in performance Maybe difficult to upgrade • Cost • Size • Probability

  12. Uses • Process Control • Data Management • Communications

  13. Microcomputers • A microcomputer is a complete computer on a smaller scale and is generally a synonym for the more common term, personal computeror PCs, a computer designed for an individual.

  14. Microcomputers Advantages Disadvantages Least powerful Negative Physical Aspects Computer Addiction • Widely used • Research and Information • Connections with People

  15. Uses Home • Families use microcomputers for education; software can hold thousands of book volumes worth of information. Businesses • Took a huge leap forward in bookkeeping, inventory and communication when microcomputers were made readily available. Medical Uses • The first microcomputer (dubbed the "Sac State 8008") was built specifically for storing medical records. Before microcomputers were available, medical records were stored in paper form. Microcomputers make it possible to download patients' medical histories.

  16. Now let’s recap!!! • What is a Computer? • List the types of computers • Give a disadvantage and an advantage of each.

  17. Let’s Play!! • Which of the following is not a type of computer? • Supercomputer • Microcomputer • Printers

  18. What is another name for microcomputers? • Personal computers • Mainframes • None of the above

  19. References • http://www.gcflearnfree.org/computerbasics/1 • http://jm.infodora.com/web?ts=go&q=type+of+computer+systems • http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~fgandon/lecture/uk1999/computers_types/

More Related