CS101 Introduction to Computing

Lecture 4
Computer Systems
 During the Second Lecture …
• We talked about the evolution of computers

• How initial computers were mechanical, and

then came electro-mechanicals, then tube-
based, and finally transistor based, and how
the future belongs to quantum computers

• We discussed how the size is drastically

decreasing with time and how their capability
is increasing year by year
 Today’s Goal

1. To learn to classify computers according

to their capability and targeted
applications

2. To find out about the essential building

blocks that make up a modern computer
Computer Types According to Capability

• Supercomputers

• Mainframes

• Servers

• Desktops

• Portables
 Supercomputers (1)
• State-of-the-art machines designed to perform
calculations as fast as the current technology allows

• Used to solve extremely complex and large-scale

problems: weather prediction, simulation of atomic
explosions; aircraft design; movie animation

• Cost tens of millions of dollars

• Unique in that unlike mainframes &

personal computers, designed to focus
all their resources and capabilities on a
single task at a time
 Supercomputers (2)
• Early supercomputers used a single or a few
processors working in parallel

• Those processors were custom-built for the

supercomputers, and were, therefore, very
expensive

• Modern supercomputers use the same

processors that are used in desktop PCs.
They, however, are designed to use 1000’s of
them working together in parallel
Why use many not-so-
powerful processors
working in parallel ?
Why not just design a
single, really powerful
processor ?
Post your answers on the CS101 message board
 The Champion: ASCI White
• Most powerful computer as of February 2002
• Capable of 12.3 trillion calculations/sec
– 74,000 times faster than Cray 1 (1976)
– 1,000 times faster than Deep Blue (1997)

• Designed for complex 3-D simulations

required for testing nuclear weapons
• Powered by 8192 microprocessors
• 6 TB of memory; 160 TB of storage capacity
 Mainframe Computers (1)
• Also called “Enterprise Servers”

• Designed for performing multiple, intensive

tasks for multiple users simultaneously

• Used by large businesses (e.g. banks, e-

commerce sites), military, and industrial
organizations
 Mainframe Computers (2)

• Designed for very-high reliability

• Can be serviced/upgraded while in operation

• Generally consist of multiple processors,

GB’s of memory, and TB’s of storage

• Cost in millions of dollars

 Servers/Minicomputers (1)
• The name minicomputers used to define
the class of computers that lies between
personal computers and mainframes

• Then very high-end desktop computers

– called low-end or mid-range servers –
took over the role that was previously
played by minicomputers
 Servers/Minicomputers (2)
• Low-end and mid-range servers are used by
small businesses and organizations as file-
stores, to run e-mail systems and Web sites

• Generally are more reliable than desktops, but

not as solid as the mainframes

• Generally consist of 2 or more processors,

GB’s of memory, and TB’s of storage

• Costs in hundreds of thousands of dollars

 Desktop Computers (1)
• Also called microcomputers

• Low-end desktops are called PC’s and high-end

ones “Workstations”

• Generally consist of a single processor only,

some times 2, along with MB’s of memory, and
GB’s of storage
 Desktop Computers (2)
• PC’s are used for running productivity
applications, Web surfing, messaging

• Workstations for more demanding tasks like

low-end 3-D simulations and other engineering
& scientific apps

• Are not as reliable and fault-tolerant as servers

• Workstations cost a few thousand dollars; PC

around a $1000
 Mobile Computers (1)
• Laptops, palmtops, and wearable computers are
very capable computers but are light-weight and
consume very little power

• Laptops (also called notebook computers) generally

weigh around 2kg, use special low-power
processors, typically have 256MB memory, 40GB of
storage, can work for more than 2 hours on battery

• Their usage is similar to that of PCs

• They cost in the range of $1500-2500

 Mobile Computers (2)
• Palmtops, also known as PDA’s - Personal Digital
Assistants

• Weigh less than a pound, have very low-power

processors, KB’s of memory, MB’s of storage capacity

• Can run for many hours on AA batteries

• Used as an electronic version of a pocket diary. Also

for Web surfing and e-mail or even as mobile phones

• Palmtops cost $200-600

 Mobile Computers (3)
• Wearables are small in size, carried in a pocket,
worn on the arm, waist, or head or elsewhere
on the body

• Capability similar to PDA’s, but more expensive

• They are always ON, and always accessible.

That is, the user can always enter and execute
commands, even while walking around or doing
other activities

• Each soldier of the future will be fitted with one

Click here to view the picture
of a wearable computer
Ranking w.r.t. installed number
• PC’s
• PDA’s
• Workstations
• Servers
• Wearables (will take the top spot in future)
• Mainframes
• Supercomputers
Now that we have learnt about the various
types of computers and about their typical
applications, let’s move on to a new topic

Let’s now find out about the essential

components that are present in every type
of computers
At the highest level, two things
are required for computing
Hardware: The physical equipment in a
computing environment such as the
computer and its peripheral devices
(printers, speakers, etc.)

Software: The set of instructions that

operates various parts of the hardware.
Also termed as “computer program”
We’ll have a lot to say about software
during the duration of this course

However, for the rest of today’s

discussion, let’s concentrate on hardware
 All computers have the following
essential hardware components:
Input – the component through which a user instructs a
computer about what to do
Processor – the engine that processes the instructions
given by the user
Memory – where the processor stores information that is
required during its computations
Storage – where information that is required to be used
much later is stored
Output – the component that communicates the results
of a computation to the user
There is another quite essential component
that is present in every computer …

????
The Bus!
Control Integer Keyboard Mouse
Unit Unit
Compact
Floating Disk
Cache
Point
Memory
Unit

Processor Hard
System Bus
Disk

Memory
Bus

Memory Printer Monitor

Input Devices
• Mouse
• Keyboard
• Joystick
• Camera
• Microphone
• Scanner
What’s a
 Port
The connection point at which we connect
input and output devices to a computer
Many Types of Ports

1. Parallel
2. Serial
3. SCSI
4. USB
5. Firewire
Processor
• Pentium
• Celeron
• Athlon
• PowerPC
• StrongARM (PDA)
• Crusoe (Laptops)
• SPARC (Workstations)
Memory/Storage
• RAM
• Punch cards
• ROM
• Hard disk
• Floppy disk
• Tape
• CD
• DVD
 Classifying Memory/Storage
• Electronic (RAM, ROM)
magnetic (HD, FD, Tape), optical (CD, DVD)

• Volatile (RAM), non-volatile (HD)

• Direct access (RAM, HD), serial access (Tape)

• Read/write (HD, RAM), read-only (CD)

Output Devices
Printer

Plotter

Speakers

Monitor
input device or output device?
mo⚫dem
modulator
demodulator
mo dem
Modem is an example of a device
that acts both as an input as well
as an output device

• Can you think of any other such dual-

purpose devices?

– Network cared
– Touch screens
What have we learnt today?

What are the various types of computers

with respect to their size, capability,
applications (FIVE TYPES)

The five essential components of any

computer are input devices, processor,
memory, storage and output devices
Next time we’ll find out about

1. What are the major building blocks

of a modern personal computer?

2. How those building blocks are put

together to form a PC?