A computer is a programmable machine. The two principal characteristics of a computer are: The idea responds to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined manner and it can execute a prerecorded list of instructions (a program).
Modern Computers Defined
Modern computers are electronic digital and digital. The actual machinery - wires, transistors, and circuits - is referred to as hardware; the instructions and data are called software.
All general-purpose computers call for the following hardware components:
Memory: enables a computer to store, at least temporarily, data along with programs.
Mass storage device: allows a computer to permanently retain large amounts of data. Popular mass storage devices include solid state drives (SSDs) or disk memory sticks and tape drives.
Input device: usually a keyboard and mouse, typically the input device is the conduit through which data and instructions enter a computer.
End result device: a display screen, printer, or other device that lets you see what the computer system has accomplished.
Central processing unit (CPU): the heart of the computer, this is the part that actually executes instructions.
In addition to these components, many others make it possible for the basic components to function together efficiently. For example , every computer requires a bus that transmits data from a part of the computer to another.
Computer Classification: By Size and Power
Most people affiliate a personal computer (PC) with the phrase computer. A PC is a small and affordable computer designed for an individual use. PCs are based on the microprocessor technology that enables suppliers to put an entire CPU on one chip.
Personal computers at home can be used for a number of different apps including games, word processing, accounting and other tasks.
Computers are generally classified by simply size and power as follows, although there is considerable overlap. The differences between laptop or computer classifications generally get smaller as technology advances, creating smaller and more highly effective and cost-friendly components.
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Personal computer: a small, single-user computer based on a microprocessor. Beyond the microprocessor, a personal computer has a keyboard for entering data, a monitor intended for displaying information, and a storage device for saving data.
Workstation: a powerful, single-user laptop. A workstation is like a personal computer, but it has a more powerful microprocessor and a higher-quality monitor.
Minicomputer: a multi-user computer capable of supporting from 10 to a huge selection of users simultaneously.
Mainframe: a powerful multi-user computer capable of supporting many hundreds or thousands involving users simultaneously.
Supercomputer: an extremely fast computer that can perform hundreds of millions of guidance per second.