PINES CITY COLLEGES

GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Second Semester, AY 2023-2024

LIVING IN THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ERA

LECTURE NOTES # 4

Topic: CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTER

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS ON THE BASIS OF PURPOSE
A. General Purpose Computers which designed to perform many different kind of tasks
B. Special purpose computers which is designed to handle a specific problem or to perform
specific task
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS BASED ON APPLICATION
1. Analog- a form of computer that uses the continuously-changeable aspects of physical
phenomena such as electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic quantities to model the problem being
solved. These computers are used in hospitals, Air crafts and so on.

2. Digital computers are the most common class of computers. Digital computers can be defined
as a computer that performs calculations and logical operations with quantities represented as digits,
usually in the binary number system

C. Hybrid computer which have the qualities of both digital and analog computers. It has the speed
of analog and the accuracy of digital computers.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS BASED ON SIZE/CAPABILITY

1. SUPERCOMPUTER
✔ The most powerful in terms of speed and accuracy
✔ Used in solving complex mathematical computations
✔ Capable of executing trillions of instructions per second which is calculated in floating point
operations per second (FLOPS)
✔ The largest in terms of size. They can occupy anything from a few feet to hundreds of feet.
2. MAINFRAMES
✔ Large sized computer types. They are equally powerful but fall short in terms of the
computation ability in supercomputers. They are like big file servers enabling multiple users
from nearby and remote locations to access resources at the same time
✔ Also known as big iron, these systems can handle massive amounts of data going in and out
simultaneously. This makes them popular with businesses.

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 3. MINICOMPUTERS
✔ Minicomputers are general purpose devices without the monumental expenses associated
with a larger system. Their processing power is below that of mainframe systems but above
the capabilities of personal computers
✔ Also known as mid-range computers, these became popular in the late 1960s but have
become almost extinct because of the popularity of personal computers. The latter can now
perform most of the tasks reserved for minis.
✔ The first minicomputer was unveiled in 1967 by digital equipment corporation and was
followed later by designs from IBM and other companies.
4. SERVERS
✔ Computers used to provide resources, services, and functionality to client computers in a
servers-client network model. Resources provided are based on the functions of a particular
server, which may fall under these categories:
◆ File server
◆ Database server
◆ Print server
◆ File transfer protocol
◆ application server
◆ Web server
✔ Sizes will depend on purpose and tasks in the network. Bigger and more multitasking
installations will require multiple system and storage installations.
5. MICROCOMPUTERS/PERSONAL COMPUTERS
✔ Smallest, least expensive and the most used types of computers
✔ They have a small memory, less processing power, are physically smaller, and permit fewer
peripherals compared to super and mainframe computers.
✔ They are more commonly known as personal computers or simply PCs. The term was initially
used to refer to IBM compatible computers.
CATEGORIES OF PERSONAL COMPUTER includes:
Desktop Computers A typical desktop computer fall under the small size computer that sit on desk
Sub categories
1. Single Unit Systems Single unit computers, also known as all-in-one PCs, are a sub-type / desktop
computer. They integrate the monitor and system unit within a single unit They also have connectivity
to a mouse, keyboards and other peripherals* usually through USB ports
2. Nettop Systems - Nettop, which are sometimes called mini PCs, are small and cheap system
units. They use less power and perform less processing. The term nettop comes from a combination of
the Internet and desktop, as the computer is intended desktop meant primarily for Internet use,
Nettops have enough computing power to run an operating system and may have universal serial
bus (USB) ports as well as plugs for speakers or headphones. Just like any other desktop, they attach
to peripheral accessories via USB ports and the monitor via VGA or DVI ports.
3. Single Board Computers- Smallest possible computers which mimic the shape and functionality
of full-size desktop motherboards. They fit miniature circuit boards, the size of an ATM card and
numerous input/output ports for connectivity to peripherals. Standout are USB ports for a keyboard
and mouse, HDMI output to monitors, Ethernet ports, and Bluetooth/Wireless & capability. A single
board computer (SBC) is an integrated piece of hardware which is called so because it only spots
one boards desktop computer which features additional-circuitry chips and processor.
4. Thin Clients- These are low-cost computer types that rely on server systems in order to provide
computing services to attached monitors. They communicate to the server via the remote desktop
protocol and are part of the implementation setup known as client/server model.

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 Mobile Computers
Mobile devices have become the norm in recent years. Most users opt for laptops and tablets
due to ease of use on the go and battery power. Particular features that make mobile systems a
favorite include; Extended battery use, Wi-Fi capabilities, and Mobility.
The most common types of mobile computers include: tablets, smart phones, laptops computers,
personal digital assistant, ultrabooks, chrome books, net books.
Wearable gadgets include smart watches, head mounted displays, smart ware
Dedicated or Embedded systems- the embedded software are usually firmware, but not always
fixed onto volatile memory which may not always require post-installation configurations. In any case,
the hardware does repetitive assignments.

RESOURCES https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=RQ98_ksHwgY
References:
Senn, J.A. Information Technology. 3rd Ed. USA: Pearson Prentice Hall
Caoilli-Tayian, Ronina, R. and Eleazar, Mia V. (2019). Living in the Information Technology Era.
Philippines:C&E Publishing, Inc.
3G.E-learning LLC (2018). Living in the IT Era. USA: 3G.E-Learning LLC Concepts of Information
and Communication Technology.
http://www.itdesk.info/en/concepts-of-information-and-communicationtechnology/
Prepared By: Noted By:

Rowena Tolentino- Acacio

Engr. Cecilia Lim-Cabanilla
Head
Janice S. Patacsil