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Computer Platforms Week 3

Computer Platforms Week 3. Types of computers. Aims. Distinguish between the different types of computers that are available and what they are used for. Know about supercomputers and who uses them. Computer are everywhere?. Affects every aspect of our lives.

gary-watkins
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Computer Platforms Week 3

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  1. Computer PlatformsWeek 3 Types of computers HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  2. Aims • Distinguish between the different types of computers that are available and what they are used for. • Know about supercomputers and who uses them HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  3. Computer are everywhere? • Affects every aspect of our lives. • Process the data which makes a modern society function. • Embedded in a huge range of devices. • Microcomputers bring computing directly to almost everyone. • Opening up new ways of communication. • Breaking down political and national boundaries. HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  4. What do all computers have in common? • A computer responds to a set of well defined instructions • They can execute a pre-recorded list of instructions (a program). • They can store and retrieve data • Computers can perform complex and repetitive procedures quickly to the same standard HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  5. Different types of computer • The main types of computer are mainframe, desktop, laptop, PDA and wearable computers, such as mobile phones, embedded computers. • Each type of computer is suitable for a different purpose. • Using the internet find out about each type of computer and find out where it would be used. HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  6. Different types of computer • Mainframe (“enterprise servers”) Large-scale computers executing millions of instructions per second. Used to process very large volumes of data; multi-user (used to run networks) require special accommodation and facilities . Users: banks, airlines. HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  7. Different types of computer • Desktop (Microcomputer or person computer) Can be used at home or within the workplace, if un- networked it is known as a stand-alone PC, if however it is networked then it is known as a workstation or a client Users: anyone requiring modest computing facilities. • Laptop A portable personal computer with the facilities of a desktop personal computer but generally are harder to upgrade Users: anyone requiring modest computing facilities on the move HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  8. Different types of computer • PDA A small hand-held computer used as an electronic personal organiser. It can input data using a pen, recognise hand-writing, run personal organisational tools and has communications capabilities. Users: People on the move with a busy schedule, used by teachers, doctors, business managers HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  9. Different types of computer • Wearable computers Wearable computers are being built into bands that log physical data from the wearer – they can be used to monitor athletes, patients or people who want to lose weight.Wearable computers can also be attached to police and fire fighters, sending messages back when heart rates suggest stress or danger. HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  10. Different types of computer • Embedded computers You could say that any device that has a microprocessor in it is a computer, and that would include washing machines and microwave ovens. HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  11. Are computers merging together? As technology moves forward, you can start to see that mobile phones can connect to the Internet, a PDA can make calls - all of these devices are starting to become one. Have ago at the PowerPoint quiz. HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  12. Supercomputers • The world’s fastest and most powerful computers are known as supercomputers. • The speed of a computer is measured in flops (floating point operations). • Computer developers are racing to produce the first petaflop computer. It would be over a billion times faster than a standard computer and could perform 1,000,000,000,000,000 (one thousand trillion) operations per second HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  13. Supercomputers Cont. • Who would need such a computer? • A large food company used a supercomputer to find a way to stop its potato crisps being blown off the assembly line. • Supercomputers provide the power behind large-scale climate change models. These computers look at millions of pieces of data, from temperature to trends in CO2 emission, to provide predictions of the future climate. • Users: Nasa, Met office Can you think of any more? HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

  14. Conclusion • We discussed the different types of computers • Looked into who would use a supercomputer HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER PLATFORMS

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