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According to Capacity
The term “capacity” refers to the volume
of work or data processing capability a
computer can handle. Their performance
judge by the:
1. amount of data that can be stored in
memory
2. speed of internal operation of the
computer
3. number and type of peripheral devices
4. amount and type of software available
for use with the computer
The capacity of early generation
computers were determined by their physical
size – the larger the size, the greater the
volume.
In the computer terms, size and speed of
operation are at the present proportionate to
each other.
Generally, though, recent technology is
tending to create smaller machines, making it
possible to package equivalent speed and
capacity in a smaller format.
Today’s miniaturization of most computer
components made significant improvements
in capacity.
Capacity is currently measured by the
number of jobs (or applications) that it can
run rather than by the volume of data that it
can process.
With this criterion in mind, computer
systems are classified as microcomputers,
mini computers, mainframe computers and
super computers.
Classification According to Size
MICROCOMPUTERS
They are the smallest general-
purpose computers. They are about
the same size as of Typewriter, they
contain a small CPU, normally called
a microprocessor.
MICROCOMPUTERS
Control Unit
Memory Unit
- like an electronic filing cabinet capable of
holding data or instructions
- it is where the computer program and data
are stored during processing
- this unit is a random-access storage device
consisting of thousands of storage location, each
of which can be directly reached by control unit
- with unique address for CPU to easily
locate data instructions needed
- compared to post office
Registers
- used to store data and instructions inside
the processor.
Operations performed by the CPU
1. INPUT OPERATION
- an input operation is one that
signals an input device to read data, it
automatically transmits that data to the CPU
- each program provides an area
computer storage within the CPU to hold an
input record.
2. PROCESSING OPERATION
- data transfer operation can move
data from the input area to the output area in
order for the information to be written
- it must appear in an output area
which the CPU that is set up by each program
3. OUTPUT OPERATION
- written or recorded
Speed of CPUs.
• The speed of CPUs is measured in hertz.
• A hertz is on cycle per second.
• Need to measure time to determine cycles
per second.
• Today, many CPUs can complete over six
instructions per second.
• Speed of modern CPUs.
• Most computers have a CPU that can do
more than 400MHz.
• Computers will soon be at speeds of over a
gigahertz, 1,000,000,000 Hertzs.
Measurement of Speed – MIPS and MHZ
An electronic device like computer that
provides a series of pulses at extremely
regular intervals of time. The interval
between successive pulses i.e. their rate of
repetition, is known as the clock speed.
In computers the clock rate is
measured in Mega Hertz (MHz), i.e. there
are at least one million pulses per second.
Now-a-days computers come with still
stunning clock speed of Giga Hertz(GHz)
MIPS - short form of millions of
instructions per second.
The execution speed of computer is
measured in terms of MOPS.
characters. 7 0111
8 1000
9 1001
BYTE
- it is the unit of measuring computer’s
memory and size of a program.
- one BYTE is the string of eight (8) binary
digits (BITS). It may represent a single letter,
numeral or other characters.
- Computer memory is expressed in terms
of BYTES, KLOBYTES,MEGABYTES GIGABYTES
and TERABYTES.
Conversion
8 BITS = 1 BYTE
1024 BYTES = 1 KILOBYTE(KB)
1024 KB = 1 MEGABYTE (MB)
1024 MB = 1 GIGABYTE (GB)
1024 GB = 1 TERABYTE
BYTE
- a ‘’Kilo’ should mean 10^3(10*10*10)
that is 1000 bytes. However, since the
computer uses Binary System and 2 ^10( i.e.
2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2) equals to 1024 bytes
which is nearly 1000 bytes.
Hence, ‘Kilo’ refers to 1024 in measuring
units of computer.
WORD
- a computer word is defined in terms of bytes
of bytes.
- a word may be formed by combining two or
more bytes. The most common combination is of
four bytes. Word-length is a length of bits that
occupy one location in memory.
- a computer having a smaller word-length is
slower that another having a larger word-length
is, though the speed of both is same. Word-
length is generally fixed for a computer.
- But some computers have a changeable
word-length i.e. they can be used in doing
small or big tasks.
- Now a- days computers have word-length
of 16,32,48,64,128 or even more bits.
Classification Based on Brand
Computer are classified in terms of Brand
also. Many companies are involved in
manufacturing of computer throughout the
world. Many brands of computers are
available in the market. On the basis of brand
the following three categories are available.
1. IBM
2. IBM Compatibles
3. APPLE/Macintosh
IBM PC (International Business
Machine Personal Computer)
IBM is one of the leading companies of the world
in manufacturing computers, which established in
1924 in USA. In the beginning. IBM manufactured
mainframe computers followed by mini and
microcomputers. The computers manufactured by
IBM are called as IBM computers or IBM brand
computers. Personal computer (PC) is the most
important type of microcomputer. The
microcomputers manufactured by IBM company are
called as IBM PC. These computers are more reliable,
durable and have better quality and the cost
originally was very high but now-a-days the cost has
gone down.
IBM Compatibles
A computer that has the same
functional characteristics and the principles of
IBM computers are called as IBM compatibles.
The basic architecture is similar to IBM PC
excepting few technologies. All the software and
program, which run in IBM computers, can
equally run in IBM compatibles. IBM compatible
computers are cheaper and their parts are easily
available in the market. Therefore, they are
popular in the world. Most of the
microcomputers used in Nepal are IBM
APPLE/Macintosh Computers
The computer manufactured by Apple
company with different architecture is called as
Apple or Macintosh computer. This company was
established in USA in 1970s. The Apple computers
have their own software and hardware. These
computers are in some way different from IBM
computers and the software used in Apple
computers does run in IBM computers. Apple
company manufactured new brand of computers
popularly known as Macintosh. In Nepal, most of
the desktop publishing houses use
Apple/Macintosh because they are very easy to
handle and the graphic print that we get is of
better quality.
Classification of Computers
Based on the Operating System
An operating system (OS) is a collection of software
that manages computer hardware resources and
provides common services for computer programs.
The operating system is a vital component of the
system software in a computer system. Application
programs require an operating system to function.