1. Types of Computers Contents
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
1. Types of Computers Contents 1 Classes of computers 1 1.1 Classes by size ............................................. 1 1.1.1 Microcomputers (personal computers) ............................ 1 1.1.2 Minicomputers (midrange computers) ............................ 1 1.1.3 Mainframe computers ..................................... 1 1.1.4 Supercomputers ........................................ 1 1.2 Classes by function .......................................... 2 1.2.1 Servers ............................................ 2 1.2.2 Workstations ......................................... 2 1.2.3 Information appliances .................................... 2 1.2.4 Embedded computers ..................................... 2 1.3 See also ................................................ 2 1.4 References .............................................. 2 1.5 External links ............................................. 2 2 List of computer size categories 3 2.1 Supercomputers ............................................ 3 2.2 Mainframe computers ........................................ 3 2.3 Minicomputers ............................................ 3 2.4 Microcomputers ........................................... 3 2.5 Mobile computers ........................................... 3 2.6 Others ................................................. 4 2.7 Distinctive marks ........................................... 4 2.8 Categories ............................................... 4 2.9 See also ................................................ 4 2.10 References .............................................. 4 3 Torpedo Data Computer 5 3.1 Background .............................................. 6 3.1.1 History ............................................ 6 3.1.2 The problem of aiming a straight-running torpedo ...................... 6 3.1.3 TDC functional description .................................. 7 3.2 Notes and references ......................................... 9 i ii CONTENTS 3.3 External links ............................................. 10 4 Analog computer 11 4.1 Setup ................................................. 11 4.2 Timeline of analog computers ..................................... 11 4.2.1 Precursors ........................................... 11 4.2.2 Modern era .......................................... 12 4.3 Electronic analog computers ...................................... 13 4.4 Analog–digital hybrid computers and hybrid computing devices ................... 14 4.5 Implementations ........................................... 15 4.5.1 Mechanical analog computers ................................ 15 4.5.2 Electronic analog computers ................................. 16 4.6 Components ............................................. 17 4.7 Limitations .............................................. 17 4.8 Decline ................................................ 18 4.9 Practical examples ........................................... 18 4.10 See also ................................................ 18 4.11 Notes ................................................. 18 4.12 References ............................................... 19 4.13 External links ............................................. 19 5 Deltar 20 6 History of computing hardware 21 6.1 Early devices ............................................. 21 6.1.1 Ancient era .......................................... 21 6.1.2 Medieval calculating tools ................................... 22 6.1.3 Mechanical calculators .................................... 22 6.1.4 Punched card data processing ................................. 23 6.1.5 Calculators .......................................... 23 6.2 First general-purpose computing device ................................ 24 6.3 Analog computers ........................................... 25 6.4 Advent of the digital computer .................................... 26 6.4.1 Electromechanical computers ................................. 26 6.4.2 Digital computation ...................................... 27 6.4.3 Electronic data processing .................................. 27 6.4.4 The electronic programmable computer ........................... 28 6.5 The stored-program computer ..................................... 29 6.5.1 Theory ............................................ 29 6.5.2 Manchester “baby” ...................................... 30 6.5.3 Manchester Mark 1 ...................................... 30 6.5.4 EDSAC ............................................ 31 CONTENTS iii 6.5.5 EDVAC ............................................ 31 6.5.6 Commercial computers .................................... 31 6.5.7 Microprogramming ...................................... 32 6.5.8 Magnetic storage ....................................... 32 6.6 Early computer characteristics ..................................... 32 6.7 Transistor computers ......................................... 32 6.7.1 Transistorized peripherals ................................... 33 6.7.2 Supercomputers ........................................ 33 6.8 The integrated circuit ......................................... 34 6.9 Post-1960 (integrated circuit based) .................................. 34 6.10 Future ................................................. 35 6.11 See also ................................................ 35 6.12 Notes ................................................. 36 6.13 References ............................................... 39 6.14 Further reading ............................................ 42 6.15 External links ............................................. 42 7 Instructions per second 44 7.1 Thousand instructions per second ................................... 44 7.2 Millions of instructions per second .................................. 44 7.3 Timeline of instructions per second .................................. 45 7.4 Historic data .............................................. 45 7.5 See also ................................................ 45 7.6 References ............................................... 45 7.7 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses .......................... 48 7.7.1 Text .............................................. 48 7.7.2 Images ............................................ 50 7.7.3 Content license ........................................ 51 Chapter 1 Classes of computers Computers can be classified, or typed, in many ways. 1.1.2 Minicomputers (midrange comput- Some common classifications are summarized below. For ers) others see Category:Classes of computers. Minicomputers (colloquially, minis) are a class of multi-user computers that lie in the middle range 1.1 Classes by size of the computing spectrum, in between the smallest mainframe computers and the largest single-user sys- tems (microcomputers or personal computers). The 1.1.1 Microcomputers (personal comput- term superminicomputer or supermini was used to dis- ers) tinguish more powerful minicomputers that approached mainframes in capability. Superminis were usually 32- Microcomputers are the most common kind of comput- bit at a time when most minicomputers were 16-bit. ers in use as of 2014. The term “microcomputer” was in- The contemporary term for minicomputer is midrange troduced with the advent of systems based on single chip computer, such as the higher-end SPARC, POWER and microprocessors. The best-known early system was the Itanium-based systems from Oracle Corporation, IBM Altair 8800, introduced in 1975. The term “microcom- and Hewlett-Packard. puter” has practically become an anachronism. These computers include: 1.1.3 Mainframe computers • Desktop computers – A case and a display, put un- The term mainframe computer was created to distinguish der and on a desk. the traditional, large, institutional computer intended to • In-car computers (carputers) – Built into a car, service multiple users from the smaller, single user ma- for entertainment, navigation, etc. chines. These computers are capable of handling and pro- cessing very large amounts of data quickly. Mainframe • Game consoles – Fixed computers specialized for computers are used in large institutions such as govern- entertainment purposes (video games). ment, banks and large corporations. They are measured in MIPS (million instructions per second) and respond to up to 100s of millions of users at a time. Smaller microcomputers are also called mobile devices: • Laptops and notebook computers – Portable and 1.1.4 Supercomputers all in one case. A Supercomputer is focused on performing tasks involv- • Tablet computer – Like laptops, but with a touch- ing intense numerical calculations such as weather fore- screen, entirely replacing the physical keyboard. casting, fluid dynamics, nuclear simulations, theoretical • Smartphones, smartbooks, PDAs and palmtop astrophysics, and complex scientific computations. A su- computers – Small handheld computers with lim- percomputer is a computer that is at the front-line of cur- ited hardware. rent processing capacity, particularly speed of calcula- tion. The term supercomputer itself is rather fluid, and • Programmable calculator– Like small handhelds, the speed of today’s supercomputers tends to become typ- but specialized on mathematical work. ical of tomorrow’s ordinary computer. Supercomputer processing speeds are measured in floating point opera- • Handheld game consoles – The same as game con- tions per second, or FLOPS. An example of a floating soles, but small and portable. point operation is the calculation of mathematical equa- 1 2 CHAPTER