• Analog Computers
• Digital Computers
• Hybrid Computers
Analog computers: are used to process and represent continuous data. Analog data includes temperature, pressure, voltage and weight, etc. All the analog computers are special purpose computers. But their results are approximately correct. These are very much speedy. They produce their results at the same time. Analog computers takes input data continuously and produce quantity and produces analog values as output.
Few examples of analog
These computers/devices use an
analog computers or devices are: Mercury Thermometer, Voltmeter, Simple Weighing
Scale, Barometer, etc.
Digital Computers: represents physical quantities with the help
of digits or numbers Digital computers work with discrete numbers. These
numbers are used to perform Arithmetic calculations and also make Logical
decisions to reach a conclusion, depending on, the data they receive from the
user. Digital computers are general purpose computers that can be used to solve
variety of problems. These can be used in almost every field of life such as
science and research, education, health, engineering, business, banks, markets,
space, aircrafts, etc. They have powerful processing capabilities, large memory
and storage to process and retain data as well as information. Digital
computers come in different shapes and sizes.
Classification
According to
their size, speed, memory and peripheral support they can be classified into
the following four classes.
Microcomputers,
Minicomputers, Mainframe Computers, Super Computers
Hybrid Computers is a combination of digital and
analog technologies. The hybrid system provides the good precision that can be
attained with analog computers and the greater control that is possible with
digital computers, plus the ability to accept input data in either form. A typical Hybrid
computer accepts analog signals, converts them to digital and processes them in
digital form. This integration is obtained by digital to analog and analog to
digital converter. Hybrid Machines are generally used in scientific
applications, in controlling industrial processes and in Robotics.
CLASSIFCATION OF DIGITAL COMPUTERS
They are classified on the basis of their size, speed, and performance
are into four classes.
Super Computer is the biggest in size and the most
powerful computer. It is used in large scientific and research laboratories as
well as the government organizations to meet their extra ordinary demand for processing data which require tremendous
processing speed, memory and other services. These computers are extremely
expensive and the speed is measured in TIPS (trillions billions of instructions
per seconds). This kind of computer is also helpful for forecasting weather
reports worldwide.
Mainframe Computers After Super computers, the most
expensive, largest and the most quickest or speedy computers are called
mainframe computers. These computers are used in large companies, factories,
organizations etc. This computer can control and supervise hundreds users at a
time. The mainframes are able to process billions of instructions per second
(BIPS). They have several hundreds of megabytes of primary storage and operate
at a speed measured in nanosecond. This computer is commonly used in big
hospitals, air fine companies, stock exchange companies, universities and many
other large organizations where huge amount of data is processed and
controlled.
Mini Computers are smaller than mainframes, both in
size and other facilities such as speed, storage capacity and other services.
Their speeds are rated between one and fifty million instructions per second
(MIPS).
Micro Computers are the smallest range of computers
introduced in the early 70's. Microcomputers of today are equivalent to the
mini computers of yesterday in terms of performance and processing. These
computers are lesser in cost than the computers given above and also small in
size. Today this is thought to be the most popular computer in all. Microcomputers
come in many shapes and sizes.
Related topic: Uses of Computer
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