Computers can be classified into three major types based on their way of handling data.
These are as follows:
Analogue Computer
They work on continuous variables like waves of the signal, their amplitude, etc.
Digital Computer
They work on the principle of binary digits i.e. 0 and 1.
Any value or symbol is represented through a binary value.
Hybrid Computers
They are a combination of good features of analogue and digital computers.
Digital counterparts convert the analogue signals to perform Robotics and other Process
control.
Hybrid computers are used to control air traffic and radar of national defence.
Digital computers can also be classified according to their physical structure (size) and the purpose of their use.
Based on capacity, speed and reliability they are classified into four categories:
Microcomputer
The term 'Microcomputer' was introduced with the advent of single chip large scale integrated circuit (LSIC) computer processors.
It is the smallest single user computer and its CPU is a microprocessor.
It can perform the same operations and can use the same type of instructions as other computers.
These are the most frequently used computers, better known by the name 'Personal Computers.'
Types of Personal Computers:
1. Desktop Computers
2. Laptop
3. Hand-held Computers/Palmtop
4. Personal Digital Computers/Assistants
5. Tablet PC
6. Workstation
A powerful, single user computer, a workstation is like a personal computer, but it has a more powerful microprocessor and in general, a higher quality monitor used in computer aided design and other applications requiring a high end, usually expensive, machine with considerable calculating or graphics capability.
7. Server
The term server actually refers to a computer’s function rather than to a specific kind of computer.
A server runs a network of computers.
It handles the sharing of equipment like printers and the communication between computers on the network.
For such tasks a computer would need to be somewhat more capable than a desktop computer.
It would need:
• more power
• larger memory
• larger storage capacity and
• high speed communications
Mini Computer
It is a multiuser computer capable of supporting up to hundreds of users simultaneously.
They are usually more powerful compared to microcomputers. Minicomputers are also known as mid range computers as their cost and computing powers lie in the middle range between micro and mainframe computers.
Minicomputers are used for multiusers and interactive applications.
Mainframe Computer
A powerful multiuser computer, the mainframe computer, is capable of supporting many hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously.
They are capable of faster processing and greater storage area.
They are used in where a large database is required.
Super Computer
There is another category of computers, the Super Computer which is somewhat similar to the mainframe computer.
These are largest, fastest and most expensive.
They are used for massive data processing and solving very complicated problems like weather forecasting, weapons research and development, rocketing, atomic, nuclear and plasma physics.
The processing speed of super computers lies in the range 1.102 quintillion operations per second.
