Classes of computers: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:50, 23 July 2021

Revision as of 11:08, 7 August 2021

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* [[Desktop computer]]s – A case put under or on a desk. The display may be optional, depending on use. The case size may vary, depending on the required expansion slots. Very small computers of this kind may be integrated into the monitor.

* Rackmount computers – The cases of these computers fit into [[19-inch rack]]s, and maybe space-optimized and very flat. A dedicated display, keyboard, and mouse may not exist, but a [[KVM switch]] or built-in remote control (via LAN or other means) can be used to gain console access.

* In-car computers ([[carputer]]s) – Built into automobiles, for [[In car entertainment|entertainment]], [[Automotive navigation system|navigation]], etc.

* [[Laptop|Laptop Computer]]s and [[notebook computer]]s – Portable and all in one case.

* [[Tablet computer]] – Like laptops, but with a [[touch-screen]], entirely replacing the physical keyboard.

* [[Smartphone]]s, [[smartbook]]s, and [[Palmtoppalmtop computer]]s – Small handheld personal computers with limited hardware specifications.

* [[Programmable calculator]]– Like small handhelds, but specialized in mathematical work.

* [[Game console|Video game console]]s – Fixed computers built specifically for entertainment purposes.

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===Minicomputers (mid-range computers)===

[[Minicomputer]]s (colloquially, minis) are a class of multi-user [[computer]]s that lie in the middle range of the computing spectrum, in between the smallest [[mainframe computer]]s and the largest single-user systems ([[microcomputer]]s or [[personal computers]]). The term [[superminicomputer|supermini computer]] or simply supermini was used to distinguish more powerful minicomputers that approached mainframes in capability. Superminis (such as the [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] [[VAX]] or [[Data General Eclipse MV/8000]]) were usually [[32-bit]] at a time when most minicomputers (such as the [[PDP-11]] or [[Data General Eclipse]] or [[IBM Series/1]]) were [[16-bit]]. These traditional minicomputers in the last few decades of the 20th Centurycentury, found in small to medium-sized businesses, laboratories and embedded in (for example) hospital [[CAT scanner]]s, often would be [[19-inch rack|rack-mounted]] and connect to one or more [[Computer terminals|terminals]] or [[punched tape|tape]]/[[punched card|card]] readers, like mainframes and unlike most personal computers, but require less space and electrical power than a typical mainframe. The contemporary term for minicomputer is [[midrange computer]], such as the higher-end [[SPARC]], [[IBM POWER microprocessors|POWER]] and [[Itanium]]-based systems from [[Oracle Corporation]], [[IBM]] and [[Hewlett-Packard]], and the size is now typically smaller, such as a [[tower case]].

===Mainframe computers===

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===Supercomputers===

A [[Supercomputersupercomputer]] is focused on performing tasks involving intense numerical calculations such as weather forecasting, fluid dynamics, nuclear simulations, theoretical astrophysics, and complex scientific computations. A supercomputer is a computer that is at the front-line of current processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation. The term supercomputer itself is rather fluid, and the speed of today's supercomputers tends to become typical of tomorrow's ordinary computer. Supercomputer processing speeds are measured in floating-point operations per second, or [[FLOPS]]. An example of a floating-point operation is the calculation of mathematical equations in real numbers. In terms of computational capability, memory size and speed, I/O technology, and topological issues such as bandwidth and latency, supercomputers are the most powerful, are very expensive, and not cost-effective just to perform batch or transaction processing. These computers were developed in 1970s and are the fastest and the highest capacity computers

==Classes by function==