Computers
can be broadly classified by their speed and computing power.
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S.No.
|
Type
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Specifications
|
|
1
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PC (Personal Computer)
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It
is a single user computer system having moderately powerful microprocessor
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|
2
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Workstation
|
It
is also a single user computer system, similar to personal computer however
has a more powerful microprocessor.
|
|
3
|
Mini Computer
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It
is a multi-user computer system, capable of supporting hundreds of users
simultaneously.
|
|
4
|
Main Frame
|
It
is a multi-user computer system, capable of supporting hundreds of users
simultaneously. Software technology is different from minicomputer.
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|
5
|
Supercomputer
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It
is an extremely fast computer, which can execute hundreds of millions of
instructions per second.
|
A PC
can be defined as a small, relatively inexpensive computer designed for an
individual user. PCs are based on the microprocessor technology that enables
manufacturers to put an entire CPU on one chip. Businesses use personal
computers for word processing, accounting, desktop publishing, and for running
spreadsheet and database management applications. At home, the most popular use
for personal computers is playing games and surfing the Internet.
Although
personal computers are designed as single-user systems, these systems are
normally linked together to form a network. In terms of power, now-a-days
high-end models of the Macintosh and PC offer the same computing power and
graphics capability as low-end workstations by Sun Microsystems,
Hewlett-Packard, and Dell.
Workstation
Workstation
is a computer used for engineering applications (CAD/CAM), desktop publishing,
software development, and other such types of applications which require a
moderate amount of computing power and relatively high quality graphics
capabilities.
Workstations
generally come with a large, high-resolution graphics screen, large amount of
RAM, inbuilt network support, and a graphical user interface. Most workstations
also have mass storage device such as a disk drive, but a special type of
workstation, called diskless workstation, comes without a disk drive.
Common
operating systems for workstations are UNIX and Windows NT. Like PC,
workstations are also single-user computers like PC but are typically linked
together to form a local-area network, although they can also be used as
stand-alone systems.
Minicomputer
It is
a midsize multi-processing system capable of supporting up to 250 users
simultaneously.
Mainframe
Mainframe is very large in size and is an expensive
computer capable of supporting hundreds or even thousands of users
simultaneously. Mainframe executes many programs concurrently and supports many
simultaneous execution of programs.
Supercomputer
Supercomputers
are one of the fastest computers currently available. Supercomputers are very
expensive and are employed for specialized applications that require immense
amount of mathematical calculations (number crunching).
For
example, weather forecasting, scientific simulations, (animated) graphics,
fluid dynamic calculations, nuclear energy research, electronic design, and
analysis of geological data (e.g. in petrochemical prospecting).
