Classification of Computers

A presentation on Classification of Computers.
Panjab University, Chandigarh

Classification of Computers
The computer systems can be classified on the following basis:

1. On the basis of size.
2. On the basis of functionality.
3. On the basis of data handling.

1. CLASSIFICATION
OF COMPUTERS
Presented By:
Jasbir Singh
17048445
BCA-1
st
sem

2. 1.Introduction
2.Types of computers
Digital computers
Analog computers
Hybrid computers
3.Purpose Wise Classification
Special purpose computers
General purpose computers
4.Size wise classification
Embedded computers
Programmable computers
Laptops or notebooks
Personal computers
Workstation
Mainframes
Super computers
INDEX

3. INTRODUCTION
Computer is a
programmablemachine.
Thetwoprincipal
characteristicsofa
computerare: It
respondstoaspecificset
ofinstructionsinawell
definedmannerandit
canexecuteapre
recordedlistof
instructions(aprogram).

4. DIGITAL COMPUTERS
Mostcommonlyusedcomputersare
digitalcomputers.Theyrepresent
data,whethernumbers,letters,or
symbols,inbinaryform(i.e.‘0’and
‘1’)andtheyworkwithnumbersin
theformofseparatediscretedigits.
ANALOG COMPUTERS
AnalogisaGreekwordthatdenotes
‘similar’.Analogcomputersuse
continuousphysicalquantitieslike
pressure,temperature,length,voltage
etc.andconvertthemintonumeric
values.

5. Hybridcomputersarecomputersthatexhibitfeaturesofanalog
computersanddigitalcomputers.Thedigitalcomponent
normallyservesasthecontrollerandprovideslogicaland
numericaloperations.
HYBRID COMPUTERS

6. SPECIALPURPOSECOMPUTERis
designedonlytomeetthe
requirementsofaparticulartask
orapplication.Ittherefore
doesn’tpossesunnecessary
optionsandislessexpensive.
GENERALPURPOSECOMPUTERS
aredesignedtomeetthe
needs ofmany different
applications.Theinstructions
neededtoperformaparticular
taskarewiredpermanentlyinto
theinternalmemory.

7. SIZE WISE
CLASSIFICATION
1.EMBEDDED COMPUTERS
Anembeddedsystemisacomputersystemwitha
dedicatedfunctionwithinalargermechanicalor
electricalsystem,oftenwithreal-time computing
constraints.Itisembeddedaspartofacomplete
deviceoftenincludinghardwareandmechanicalparts.

8. 2. PROGRAMMABLE
COMPUTERS
Thesecomputersareverysmallbutbiggerthanembeddedcomputers.The
maindifferencebetweenprogrammableandembeddedcomputersisthatthe
programmablecomputerscanbeprogrammedbyusers.Example:Personal
DigitalAssistants,TabletPCs,Latestmobiles,etc.

9. 3. LAPTOPS AND NOTEBOOKS
Thesecomputersaremuch
biggerthanprogrammable
computers.Thesecomputers
areplacedonyourlaps.
Theyaredesigned to
mobilitytocomputerusers.

10. 4. PERSONAL COMPUTERS
Apersonalcomputer(PC)isamulti-
purposecomputerwhosesize,
capabilities,andpricemakeit
feasibleforindividualuse.PCsare
intendedtobeoperateddirectlyby
anenduser,ratherthanbya
computerexpertortechnician.
Computertime-sharingmodelsthat
weretypicallyusedwithlarger,more
expensive mini computer
andmainframesystems,toenable
thembeusedbymanypeopleatthe
sametime,arenotusedwithPCs.

11. Aworkstationisaspecialcomputerdesignedfortechnicalorscientific
applications.Intendedprimarilytobeusedbyonepersonatatime,theyare
commonlyconnectedtoalocalareanetworkandrunmultiuseroperating
systems. Ithasalsobeenusedlooselytorefertoeverythingfrom
amainframecomputerterminaltoaPCconnectedtoanetwork.
5. WORKSTATION

12. Mainframecomputersarecomputersusedprimarilybylarge
organizationsforcriticalapplications,bulkdataprocessing,such
ascensus,industryandconsumerstatistics,enterpriseresource
planning,andtransactionprocessing.
6. MAINFRAMES

13. Asupercomputerisacomputerwithahighlevelofcomputing
performancecomparedtoageneral-purposecomputer.
Performanceofasupercomputerismeasuredinfloating-point
operationspersecond(FLOPS)insteadofmillioninstructions
persecond(MIPS).
7. SUPERCOMPUTERS