Computer Platforms
Week 3
Types of computers
COMPUTER PLATFORMS
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Aims
Distinguish between the different types of
computers that are available and what
they are used for.
Know about supercomputers and who
uses them
Computer Platforms
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Computer are everywhere?
Affects every aspect of our lives.
Process the data which makes a modern society
function.
Embedded in a huge range of devices.
Microcomputers bring computing directly to
almost everyone.
Opening up new ways of communication.
Breaking down political and national boundaries.
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What do all computers have in
common?
A computer responds to a set of well
defined instructions
They can execute a pre-recorded list of
instructions (a program).
They can store and retrieve data
Computers can perform complex and
repetitive procedures quickly to the same
standard
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Different types of computer
The main types of computer are mainframe,
desktop, laptop, PDA and wearable computers,
such as mobile phones, embedded computers.
Each type of computer is suitable for a different
purpose.
Using the internet find out about each type of
computer and find out where it would be used.
HNC COMPUTING - COMPUTER
PLATFORMS
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Different types of computer
Mainframe (“enterprise servers”)
Large-scale computers executing millions of
instructions per second. Used to process very
large volumes of data; multi-user (used to run
networks) require special accommodation and
facilities .
Users: banks, airlines.
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Different types of computer
Desktop (Microcomputer or person computer)
Can be used at home or within the workplace, if unnetworked it is known as a stand-alone PC, if
however it is networked then it is known as a
workstation or a client
Users: anyone requiring modest computing facilities.
Laptop
A portable personal computer with the facilities of a
desktop personal computer but generally are harder
to upgrade
Users: anyone requiring modest computing facilities
on the move
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Different types of computer
PDA
A small hand-held computer used as an
electronic personal organiser. It can input data
using a pen, recognise hand-writing, run
personal organisational tools and has
communications capabilities.
Users: People on the move with a busy
schedule, used by teachers, doctors, business
managers
COMPUTER PLATFORMS
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Different types of computer
Wearable computers
Wearable computers are being built into bands
that log physical data from the wearer – they can
be used to monitor athletes, patients or people
who want to lose weight. Wearable computers
can also be attached to police and fire fighters,
sending messages back when heart rates
suggest stress or danger.
COMPUTER PLATFORMS
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Different types of computer
Embedded computers
You could say that any device that has a
microprocessor in it is a computer, and that
would include washing machines and microwave
ovens.
COMPUTER PLATFORMS
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Embedded computers
As technology moves forward, you can start to
see that mobile phones can connect to the
Internet, a PDA can make calls - all of these
devices are starting to become one.
Have ago at the PowerPoint quiz.
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Supercomputers
The world’s fastest and most powerful
computers are known as supercomputers.
The speed of a computer is measured in flops
(floating point operations).
Computer developers are racing to produce the
first petaflop computer. It would be over a billion
times faster than a standard computer and could
perform 1,000,000,000,000,000
(one thousand trillion) operations per second
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Supercomputers Cont.
Who would need such a computer?
– A large food company used a supercomputer to find a
way to stop its potato crisps being blown off the
assembly line.
– Supercomputers provide the power behind largescale climate change models. These computers look
at millions of pieces of data, from temperature to
trends in CO2 emission, to provide predictions of the
future climate.
– Users: Nasa, Met office
Can you think of any more?
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Conclusion
We discussed the different types of
computers
Looked into who would use a
supercomputer
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