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A computer is a machine that can be programmed to manipulate symbols. Its

principal characteristics are:

It responds to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined manner. It can execute a prerecorded list of instructions (a program). It can quickly store and retrieve large amounts of data.

There are three types of computer which are:

MainframeComputers

Microcomputer

Minicomputer

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Description

Microcomputer is a computer with a microprocessor as its central processing

unit. It is physically small compared to mainframe and minicomputers.

Size

Microcomputers are the smallest and cheapest out of the four classes of

computer which are supercomputers, mainframe computers, and

minicomputers.

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Price

The price of a microcomputer is between $700 to $2,000

Usability

Microcomputers are mostly used for handling word processing, spreadsheet

calculations, database management, creating or editing photographs or

graphics, browsing the Internet, retrieving email and playing music, videos

and games.

User

Single user- Microcomputers are designed to serve only one user at a time,

although they can often be modified with software or hardware to

concurrently serve more than one user.

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Areas of usage

1. Home- used by families for education as it can hold thousands of bookvolumes worth of information.

2. Business- can save information to disks and shared it among branches ofbusiness, making the business able to trade inventory and update sales

figures much faster than before.

3. Hospital- for storing medical records and for downloading patientsmedical histories.

Power

Microcomputers had enough power to perform the basic recreational

activities that people owning personal computers required. Typically, they

were used for playing music and movies as well as surfing the Internet and

word processing amongst other things.

Applications

The rapid increase in the speed and memory of the PC has extended its use

from single applications to multi-tasking applications. The general trend has

been to have several PCs linked together in a network in order to share

peripherals such as printers. This practice is reducing the popularity of mini-

computers and mainframes.

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Example

1. ABC-80 (Luxor)2. Advantage (North Star)3. Altair 8800 (MITS)4. Apple II (Apple, Inc)5. Atari 800XL6. BBC Micro Model B+7. BBC Master 5128. Commodore 64\Commodore 64C9. CPC 6128+

10. CBM II series

http://computer.wikia.com/index.php?title=Luxor_ABC-80&action=edit&redlink=1http://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Altair_8800http://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Apple_II_familyhttp://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Apple,_Inchttp://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Acorn_BBC_Microhttp://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Acorn_BBC_Masterhttp://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Commodore_64http://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Amstrad_CPChttp://computer.wikia.com/index.php?title=Commodore_II&action=edit&redlink=1http://computer.wikia.com/index.php?title=Commodore_II&action=edit&redlink=1http://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Amstrad_CPChttp://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Commodore_64http://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Acorn_BBC_Masterhttp://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Acorn_BBC_Microhttp://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Apple,_Inchttp://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Apple_II_familyhttp://computer.wikia.com/wiki/Altair_8800http://computer.wikia.com/index.php?title=Luxor_ABC-80&action=edit&redlink=1

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Description

Minicomputer is a computer with processing and storage capabilities smaller

than those of a mainframe but larger than those of a microcomputer, used by

small businesses in manufacturing processes or in scientific research.

Size

Minicomputers were once used as the primary operating systems for small

businesses or for one department of a large corporation, supporting up to

approximately 200 clients. Modern minicomputers commonly referred to as

servers and workstations, are able to support hundreds of clients.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/computerhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/computer

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Price

The price of a minicomputer is between $15,000 to $ 150,000

Usability

Minicomputers are used for process control and performing financial and

administrative tasks such as word processing and accounting.They are alsoused for data management and as a communication tool.

User

Multi-user- A minicomputer is a multiprocessing system capable of

supporting from 4 to about 200 users simultaneously.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/multiprocessing.htmlhttp://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/system.htmlhttp://www.webopedia.com/TERM/U/user.htmlhttp://www.webopedia.com/TERM/U/user.htmlhttp://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/system.htmlhttp://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/multiprocessing.html

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Areas of usage

1. School and classroom- used by students for taking down notes and typingdocuments at school. They are also useful for basic computer tasks like

word processing or Internet surfing.

2. Science and investigation- used by scientists and investigators to accessGPS, mapping applications, scientific calculators or to make drawings and

take notes. They are also used to send and access data like pictures and

videos for on-the-spot investigation or assessment.

3. Business- for making notes and to-do lists, performing calculations,maintaining address books and sending and receiving emails.

Power

Minicomputers possess much more power than a microcomputer, but not

enough to perform the tasks of a mainframe computer. They were developed

in the 60s and gradually became less expensive as time moved on and

technology became more widely available.

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Applications

The ability to connect minicomputers to each other and mainframes has

popularized them among larger businesses. This use is being challenged by the

developments in the microcomputer range and the practice of sharing

resources of microcomputers under a network. Minicomputers are still

recognized as being able to process large amounts of data.

Example

1.Control DatasCDC 160A and CDC 17002.DEC PDP and VAX series3.Data General Nova4.Hewlett-Packard HP 3000 series, HP 2100 series, HP1000 series.5.Honeywell-Bull Level 6/DPS 6/DPS 6000 series6.IBM midrange computers7.Norsk Data Nord-1, Nord-10, and Nord-1008.Prime Computer Prime 50 series

9.SDS SDS-92

10. Texas Instruments TI-99011. Wang Laboratories 2200 and VS series

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Datahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Datahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Datahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Datahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDC_160Ahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDC_160Ahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDC_1700http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Equipment_Corporationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Equipment_Corporationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Equipment_Corporationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmed_Data_Processorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAXhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Generalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Generalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Generalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_General_Novahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewlett-Packardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewlett-Packardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewlett-Packardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_3000http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_2100http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HP1000&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeywellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeywellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeywellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_Bullhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Level_6/DPS_6/DPS_6000&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBMhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBMhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBMhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_midrange_computerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norsk_Datahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norsk_Datahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norsk_Datahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Computerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Computerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Computerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_Data_Systemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_Data_Systemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_Data_Systemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instrumentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-990http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Laboratorieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Laboratorieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-990http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instrumentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_Data_Systemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Computerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norsk_Datahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_midrange_computerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBMhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Level_6/DPS_6/DPS_6000&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_Bullhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeywellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HP1000&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_2100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_3000http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewlett-Packardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_General_Novahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Generalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAXhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmed_Data_Processorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Equipment_Corporationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDC_1700http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDC_160Ahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Data

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Description

A mainframe computer is a high-performance computer used for large-scale

computing purposes that require greater availability and security than a

smaller-scale machine can offer.

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Size

Mainframe computers are usually slower, less powerful and less expensive

than supercomputers but they are definitely faster, more powerful and more

expensive compared to minicomputers and microcomputers.The size ofmainframe computers began to be miniaturized in the 1990s, when

mainframes began to be known as servers or hubs.

Price

The price of a mainframe computer is around $4 millions.

Usability

Mainframes are typically used as central data repositories to handle the data

responsibilities of a network of computers, such as updating software and

operating systems, according to IBM.

User

Multi-userMainframe computers allow several users (sometimes hundreds)to use the computer at the same time, connected via remote terminals (screens

and keyboards)

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Areas of usage

Utility companies such as gas and electricity suppliers- to calculate

customers bills.

Banks - for managing thousands of customers accounts each day Insurance companies - for keeping track of policies and claims Airlines - for dealing with bookings, tickets, cancellations etc Police station - for storing and processing all of the data collected each

day about crimes

Power

Mainframe computers are extremely powerful and large computers that have

the capacity to process the activity of multiple users at one time. Many other

smaller, less powerful computers are networked with the mainframe, meaning

they are attached to the central mainframe computer. From here, the

mainframe has the capability to process and store things that come from the

connected terminals.

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Applications

Mainframe computers generally require special attention and are kept in a

controlled atmosphere. They are multi-tasking and generally used in areas

where large databases are maintained such as government departments and

the airline industry.

Example

1. IBM zSeries2. System z93. System z10 servers4. IBM 43815. DEC 106. NEC 610

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