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CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS

Computers can be classified into different categories based on the following criteria:

1. Types of data processed (Analog, Digital, and Hybrid computers)

2. Functions performed (Special Purpose and General Purpose computers)
3. Processing capabilities (Micro, Workstation, Mini, Mainframe, and Super computers)
Classification of Computers According to Types of Data Processed
1. Analog Computer

Analog computer operates on

inputs of continuously varying electrical
voltage. It measures the input rather than
counting. They do not compute directly with
numbers, rather, they measure continuous
physical magnitudes (e.g. pressure,
temperature, voltage, current, length). Analog computers are powerful tools to solve differential
equations. They are mainly used in scientific design and production environments. Each one has to
be constructed to do a specific job and will respond very quickly to changes in the measured inputs.

2. Digital Computer

A digital computer operates essentially by

counting. All quantities are expressed as discrete
digits or numbers and computations are done with
numerical digits. Mathematical expressions are
represented as binary digits (0 and 1) and all
operations are done using these binary digits at a
very high rate. Digital computer is much faster
than analog computer and the computations are far more accurate. They come in various sizes
starting from pocket size to the large systems occupying big rooms. Most of the computers available
today are digital.
 3. Hybrid Computer

Hybrid computer combines features of both analog and

digital computers. In this computer, some calculations are done in
the analog portion of the computer and some are done in the
digital portion of it. In a hospital, for example, analog devices may
measure patient's heart function, temperature and other vital
signs. These measurements may then be converted into numbers
and supplied to a digital component in the system. This
component is used to monitor the patient's vital signs and to send
an immediate signal to the nurse's station if any abnormal
readings are detected.

Classification of Computers According to Functions Performed

1. Special Purpose Computer

Special purpose computer is made specially to cater to the requirements of a particular task
or application, for example, weather forecasting. It incorporates the instructions needed into the
design of internal storage so that it can perform the given task on a simple command. It, therefore,
does not possess unnecessary options, and costs less.

2. General Purpose Computer

The general-purpose computer is designed to meet the needs of many different applications.
The instructions needed to perform a particular task are not wired permanently into the internal
memory. When one job is over, instructions for another job can be loaded into the internal memory
for processing. Thus, a general-purpose machine can be used to prepare billing, manage inventories,
print sales reports, and do scientific calculations and so on.
Classification of Computers According to Processing Capabilities

1. Microcomputer

Microcomputer is the low end computer. It is built on a single chip microprocessor.

Microcomputers include (a) portable computers and (b) desktop computers.

a. Portable Computer
Portable computer is a very small, easy to use
microcomputer. The users can carry it wherever they go.
That is, it provides mobile computing facility. This group
includes pen-based computer, hand-held computer,
notebook computer, laptop computer and mobile devices
like personal digital assistant and smartphone.

b. Personal Computer or Desktop Computer

Personal computer is a microprocessor
based, single user computer. The peripherals for
personal computer include a keyboard and a
mouse as input devices, monitor to display
information and a hard disk for storage. The
personal computer is also called desktop
computer as it is normally installed on a desktop.

2. Work Station

Workstation is a powerful computer which in terms of power is between personal computer

and minicomputer. It has high resolution graphics monitor, large RAM and secondary storage.
Although it is a standalone system, usually it forms part of a network and are used for specialized
applications such as desktop publishing, software development and engineering designs.
3. Mini Computer

Minicomputer is a medium sized

computer that is costlier and more powerful than a
microcomputer. It is in fact a scaled down version
of mainframe computer. This can support up to a
few hundred users at a time with multi-terminal,
time-sharing system. Minis are the popular data
processing systems among the business
organizations today. They have many uses in business such as payroll processing, process
control, invoicing, and stock control. They are mainly used as departmental computers in large and
medium-sized organizations. They are also used in government departments, universities and
establishments.

4. Mainframe

The earliest computers were called mainframes due to their size. They have large
storage capacities, very high speed of processing (compared to micros and minis) and can support
a large number of terminals (Many hundreds to thousands) for use by a variety of users
simultaneously. They are used by big companies, banks, government departments, etc. as their
main computer.
 5. Super Computer

It is the fastest and the most expensive computer. This has extremely large storage
capacities and computing speeds that are at least ten times faster than that of other computers. It
can perform hundreds of millions of instructions per second. The super computer is used for
specialized applications such as large-scale numerical problems in scientific and engineering
disciplines. These include applications in electronics, petroleum engineering, weather forecasting,
medicine and nuclear energy research.

COMPUTER STORAGE CAPACITIES

Data is made up of individual elements that can have only one of two states, the ‘on’ or ‘off’ state.
These elements are known as ‘bits’ or binary digits and can have values of either ‘1’ or ‘0’.

Bits are grouped together to form a ‘byte’ which are normally the smallest grouping used by
computers. A byte is normally made up of 8 bits.
The following are computer storage capacities:

Name Abbreviation Number of Bytes

Byte B 1 byte

Kilobyte KB 1,024 bytes

Megabyte MB 1,048,576 bytes

Gigabyte GB 1,073,741,824 bytes

Terabyte TB 1,099,511,627,776 bytes

Petabyte PB 1,125,899,906,842,624 bytes

A word is the smallest unit of data that can be handled by the CPU. Word length refers to the size of
the word and normally ranges from 8 bits to 64 bits. Larger word lengths usually mean that the computer can
operate faster.
COMPUTER PROCESSING SPEED

A computer's processor speed describes the maximum number of calculations per second the
processor can perform. It is the rate at which a processor executes a task and is measured in Gigahertz
(GHz).

Computer speeds are categorized as follows:

Milliseconds – speed of processing is measured in thousand of a second.

Microseconds – speed of processing is measured in millions of a second.

Nanoseconds – speed of processing is measured in billions of a second.

Picoseconds – speed of processing is measured in trillions of a second.

MIPS – speed of processing is measured in millions of instructions per second.

Mhz (megahertz) – speed of processing is measured in millions of cycles per second.

Ghz (gigahertz) – speed of processing is measured in billions of cycles per second.

A higher number of computer speed meant a faster processor, but advances in technology have
made the processor chip more efficient so now they do more with less.