Classification of computer based on their cost size and confriguration.

Computer and it's Type

Computers are classified by the type of data they are desinged to process. Data may be obtained either as a result of countig of through the use of same measuring instrument. Data that are obtained by counting are called discreate data are total numbers of students in a classroom. Data that must be obtained throgh measurement are called continous data. For example, continious data are the speeds an automobile measure by speedmotor or the tempreature of a patient as masured by a thermometer.
Classification of computer based on their cost size and confriguration. In this category computers are classified as micro-computer. mainfraim computers, home computer and super computers.

A- MICRO COMPUTERS

A micro computer is the smallest general purpose proceessing system that can execute program instrutions to perform a wide variety of tasks.
The important features of micro computer are:

1. MICRO COMPUTER known as home computer ,personal computer ,desktop computer and small buiseness computer.
2. The worth lenght of a micro computer lies in in the range of 8-32 bits.







3. CPU's are in a single chip.
4. Storage capicity is small.

B- PERSONAL COMPUTER

Personal computer are micro computer for general purpose computer.These are classified as PC,PC /XT,PC/AT and super AT based on their cost and cofiguration .

Features

1. PC is the simplest and chepest type of coumpter and it use an INTEL 8088(micro processor chip)as CPU, 640 KB RAM ,8KB ,ROM.
2. PC/XT contains hard disk ,floppy disk drivers ,Intel 8088 CPU,640KB RAM and 8KB ROM .This is costlier than a PC because of the hard disk it contains .
3. PC/AT contains.Intel 80286 as cpu ,640KB RAM ,64KB ROM, hard disk drive and floppy disk drive ,its CPU is powerfull than the CPU of PC/XT and four -five terminals can be connectected to it to make it multiuser.
4. Super AT uses a32 bit CPU Intel 80386 &80486. The RAM capacity of super macros lies in the range 2-8 mb in 80386 CPU can be extentended upto 32 MB and in case of 80486 upto 64MB .

C- MINI COMPUTERS

The silent features are:

1. The word lenght is 32 bits and their processing speed lies in the range 10-30 MIPS.
2. RAM capacity lies in the range 8 MB -96MB.
3. The hard disk capacity lies in the range 380MB-2GB .
Most mini computers use motorola 68030 and 6840 CPU.

The minicomputers which are faster and more powerful than microcomputers can sapport upped 64 or even100 terminals and some mini computers are UNI . Procssor and some other multiprocessor system .These are use for payroll prepration and scientific computation , multi-user and intractive application in college univercity ,research organisation, time control, intractive engeering design etc.

EXAMPLES OF MINICOMPUTERS ARE:

• IBMAS/400/B60.
• VAX8842
• Extension-vax computers are manufactured by digital data corporation.

D- MAIN -FRAME COMPUTERS

The maneframe computer are faster and more powerful than mini computers. The computers are used where large amount of data or to be processed or very complex calculations are to be made and these task are beyond the computing capacity of minicomputers .

The Main Features Are:

• The word lenght may be 48 ,60 or 64 bits .
• Memory capacity range is 64-256MB and hard disk capacity is 1000 MB-;10 GB are more.
• Processing speed lies in the range in 30 -100MIP's.

EXAMPLE:IBM4300 series

1. IBM 308X series.
2. Latest model IBM 3090 series.

E- SUPER COMPUTERS

The silent features are :

• Their word lenght is 64-96bits; memory capacity 256 MB more ; hard disk capacity 1000MB and more
• Proceesing speed lies in the in range of 400 MIPS-10000MIPS.

Super computers are much faster and more powerful than mainfraim computers . Super compuyers specialy designed to maximum number of FLOPS (floting point operation per second ).Their flops rating usually more than igiga flops per second.

EXAMPLE:

1. CRAY-X-MP/14,X-MP/24 AND X-MP/48.
2. CRAY-MP,CRAYZ,CRAY3,CRAY Y-MPC.