Intro to Computing

Types of Computers
Supercomputer
Supercomputers are fast because they're really many computers working together.
Supercomputers were introduced in the 1960's as the worlds most advanced computer.
These computers were used for intense calculations such as weather forecasting and uantum physics.
Today! supercomputers are one of a kind! fast! and very advanced.
The term supercomputer is always evolving where tomorrow's normal computers are today's
supercomputer.
"s of #ovember $00%! the fastest supercomputer is the IBM Blue Gene/L& it's 6'!'(6 computers! each
with two processors. )t has a processing rate of *%+.$ T,-./S.
Mainframe
0ainframes are computers where all the processing is done centrally! and the user terminals are called
1dumb terminals1 since they only input and output 2and do not process3.
0ainframes are computers used mainly by large organi4ations for critical applications! typically bulk
data processing such as census. 56amples7 banks! airlines! insurance companies! and colleges.
Workstation
8orkstations are high9end! e6pensive computers that are made for more comple6 procedures and are
intended for one user at a time.
Some of the comple6 procedures consist of science! math and engineering calculations and are useful
for computer design and manufacturing.
8orkstations are sometimes improperly named for marketing reasons. :eal workstations are not usually
sold in retail.
The movie Toy Story was made on a set of Sun (Sparc) workstations
9/erhaps the first computer that might ualify as a 1workstation1 was the IBM !"#.
The $ersonal Computer or $C
/; is an abbreviation for a /ersonal ;omputer! it is also known as a Microcomputer.
)ts physical characteristics and low cost are appealing and useful for its users. The capabilities of a
personal computer have changed greatly since the introduction of electronic computers.
The introduction of the microprocessor! a single chip with all the circuitry that formerly occupied large
cabinets! lead to the proliferation of personal computers after about 19%'.
Throughout the 19%0s and 19+0s! home computers were developed for household use! offering some
personal productivity! programming and games! while somewhat larger and more e6pensive systems
2although still low9cost compared with minicomputers and mainframes3 were aimed for office and small
business use.
Microcontroller
0icrocontrollers are mini computers that enable the user to store data! do simple commands and tasks!
with little or no user interaction with the processor.
These single circuit devices have minimal memory and program length but can be integrated with other
processors for more comple6 functionality. w75mbedded<microprocessor
9the smallest category of computer is called an embedded computer which is another term for
microcontroller
0icrocontrollers are important! they are used everyday in devices such as appliances and automobiles.
Ser%er
Similar to mainframes in that they serve many uses with the main difference that the users 2called
clients3 do their own processing usually. The server processes are devoted to sharing files and
managing log on rights.
" server is a central computer that contains collections of data and programs. "lso called a network
server! this system allows all connected users to share and store electronic data and
applications.w7Server<2computing3
Two important types of servers
file ser%ers 9 is a computer attached to a network that has the primary purpose of providing a location
for shared disk access! i.e. shared storage of computer files 2such as documents! sound files!
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photographs! movies! images! databases! etc.3 that can be accessed by the workstations that are
attached to the same computer network.
application ser%ers 9 can be either a software framework that provides a generali4ed approach to
creating an application9server implementation! regard to what the application functions are!
=1>
or the
server portion of a specific implementation instance. )n either case! the server's function is dedicated to
the efficient e6ecution of procedures 2programs! routines! scripts3 for supporting its applied applications.
)ar*+are
?ardware refers to the physical elements of a computer. "lso referred to as the machinery or the euipment
of the computer.
56amples of hardware in a computer are the keyboard! the monitor! the mouse and the processing unit.
?owever! most of a computer's hardware cannot be seen& in other words! it is not an e6ternal element of
the computer! but rather an internal one! surrounded by the computer's casing.
" computer's hardware is comprised of many different parts! but perhaps the most important of these is the
motherboard. The motherboard is made up of even more parts that power and control the computer.
)n contrast to software! hardware is a physical entity! while software in a non9physical entity. ?ardware and
software are interconnected! without software! the hardware of a computer would have no function.
?owever! without the creation of hardware to perform tasks directed by software via the central processing
unit 2bo63! software would be useless.
Major Components Inside a Computer
The $rocessor
This is the 1brain1 of your ;omputer. "n e6tremely sophisticated piece of miniaturi4ed electronics! the
processor 2often called the ;/@ or ;entral /rocessing @nit3 is at the bottom of all tasks the /; performs.
The processor reads instructions 2commands3 from memory that tell it what it needs to do to accomplish the
work that the user wants! and then e6ecutes them. )ntel is one of the maAor manufacturers of ;omputer
processors.
567 )ntel /entium ))) *00Bh4)n this e6ample )ntel is the manufacturer. /entium is their product type 2)ntel
manufacture ;eleron range as well3. 1))) *00Bh41 is the processor speed. So /entium 1)C $00 Bh41 is faster
than 1))) *00Bh41.
Memory or ,-M
:"0 2:andom "ccess 0emory3 holds all of the 1active1 information that the computer is using. 0emory is
empty when your /; is switched off Then each program or data file used grab part of the system memory.
8hen you close a program the memory grabed by that program is freed up. Benerally! the more memory
your system has! the more things you can do with it simultaneously. )ncreasing the amount of memory in the
system also improves performance in most cases.
5ven though it is a ;omputer hardware component! :"0 is also like human memory. )magine you are
reading a book. 8hen you start reading a book the content of the book remains in your memory. Dut it goes
away when your attention goes to somewhere else.
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)ar* .isk
?ard Eisk is the computer's permanent storage capacity. Si4e of the ?ard Eisk determines how many files
pr programs can be saved in your computer.
@nlike :"0! you can store your files permanently in the ?ard Eisk until you remove them.
567 Take the e6ample under above 0emory section. ?ard Eisk is similar to the book! because the items
written in the book are permanent.
MotherBoar*
0otherDoard is the main circuit board inside your computer. "ll other /; computer parts are connected to
specific slots on the 0other Doard.
Sometimes it is called as the 0ain Doard. 0otherboard has in9built chips. .ne of it holds the computer time.
0otherboard also has a battery! which will enable it to function some tasks such as maintaining the system
time even when the /; is switched off.
)n addition to above there are other computer hardware components known as add9on cards.
/ther Computer )ar*+are Components
These /; computer parts are commonly known as /;) cards.
They are using software called FdriversG to communicate with the operating system.
.perating Systems such as 8indows H/ maintains a driver database to configure these computer hardware
component cards. ?owever! you will get the manufacturers driver ;Es at the time of purchasing these
cards.
"dd9on cards are fi6ed to specific slots on the 0otherboard. 8indows can immediately identify when you fi6
a new card and search its driver database to install a suitable driver for the new card. )t will ask you to insert
the manufacturer's ;E if there is no suitable driver found in the database.
Graphics Car* (0G- car*)
This is the device that sends the output to your monitor. Iou fi6 the monitor cable to the back of the CB"
card 2CB" port3 in order to get the display. /lease note that some of the computers have the CB" card
built9in with the motherboard. Iou won't see a separate card for CB" in these computers.
There are slots on the 0other Doard to fi6 the graphics card. CB" card has its own memory to hold graphics
and videos. )t is important to have a CB" card with high memory if you want to play latest /; games.
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Soun* Car*
This computer hardware component is used to send the sound to your speakers. This is the card that you
plug speaker cables.
Sound card also built9in to the 0other Doard in some /;s.
?aving a uality sound card is a must for latest games and especially if you are using your /; to watch
movies and listen to music.
L-1 Car*
-"# card 2#etwork card3 is used to connect your /; to a #etwork. Some broadband modems also can be
connected to the /; using -"# cards.
0ost of the new -"# cards are using a port called F5thernet portG which is in the back of the card.
#etwork cables are reuired to connect a /; with a -"# card to rest of the computers or to a broadband
modem.
Internal Mo*em
)nternal 0odem is used to connect your computer to the )nternet. They are using the dial9up method.
There are two types of dial9up 0odems known as )nternal and 56ternal.
)nternal 0odem is fi6ed inside the /; and you fi6 the phone cable to the backside of it.
These modem cards are disappearing fast with the introduction of high9speed broadband technology.
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