1. Match the following.

AB
a) Very Large scale Integration I) Second Generation
b) Vacuum Tube Technology II) Fifth Generation
c) Stored Program III) Fourth Generation
d) Superconductor Technology IV) First Generation
e) Semiconductor Technology v) Third Generation
2. Write True or False
A. Expert system is an example of artificial Intelligence.
B. The world’s first general purposes electronic digital computer was the Abacus.
C. The first generation computers used machine language for programming.
D. Charles Babbage designed the Analytical Engine .
E. Personal Computer (PC) was developed in the first generations

1. 3 CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
Computers are broadly classified into two categories depending upon the logic
used in their design as:
1.3.1 Analog computers:
In analog computers, data is recognized as a continuous
measurement of a physical property like voltage, speed, pressure etc. Readings on a dial
or graphs are obtained as the output, ex. Voltage, temperature; pressure can be
measured in this way.
Computer Fundamentals/8
1.3.2 Digital Computers:
These are high speed electronic devices. These devices are
programmable. They process data by way of mathematical calculations, comparison,
sorting etc. They accept input and produce output as discrete signals representing high
(on) or low (off) voltage state of electricity. Numbers, alphabets, symbols are all
represented as a series of 1s and Os.
Digital Computers are further classified as General Purpose
Digital Computers and Special Purpose Digital Computers. General Purpose computers
can be used for any applications like accounts, payroll, data processing etc. Special
purpose computers are used for a specific job like those used in automobiles,
microwaves etc.
Another classification of digital computers is done on the basis of their capacity to
access memory and size like:
• Small Computers:
I) Microcomputers: Microcomputers are generally referred to as Personal
Computers (PCs). They have Smallest memory and less power. They are widely used
in day to day applications like office automation, and professional applications, ex. PCAT,
Pentium etc.
II) Note Book and Laptop Computers: These are portable in nature and are
battery operated. Storage devices like CDs, floppies etc. and output devices like printers
can be connected to these computers. Notebook computers are smaller in physical
size than lap top computers. However, both have powerful processors, support
graphics, and can accept mouse driven input.
Microcomputer
Notebook or Laptop Handheld Computer
Fig. 1.8 Small Computers
III) Hand Held Computers:
These types of computers are mainly used in applications like
collection of field data. They are even smaller than the note book computers.
Introduction to Computer System/9
• Hybrid Computers: Hybrid Computers are a combination of Analog and Digital
computers. They combine the speed of analog computers and accuracy of digital
computers. They are mostly used in specialized applications where the input data
is in an analog form i.e. measurement. This is converted into digital form for further
processing. The computers accept data from sensors and produce output using
conventional input/output devices.
• Mini Computers: Mini computers are more powerful than the micro computers. They
have higher memory capacity and more storage capacity with higher speeds. These
computers are mainly used in process control systems. They are mainly used in
applications like payrolls, financial accounting, Computer aided design etc. ex. VAX,
PDP-11
•Mainframe Computers: Main frame computers are very large computers which
process data at very high speeds of the order of several million instructions per second.
They can be linked into a network with smaller computers, micro computers and with
each other. They are typically used in large organizations, government departments etc.
ex. IBM4381, CDC
• Super Computers: A super computer is the fastest, most powerful and most expensive
computer which is used for complex tasks that require a lot of computational power.
Super computers have multiple processors which process multiple instructions at the
same time. This is known as parallel processing. These computers are widely used in
very advanced applications like weather forecasting, processing geological data etc.
ex. CRAY-2, NEC - 500, PARAM.
Check your Progress - 1.3
1. Fill in the blanks
a. Personal computers are also called as ………………….
b. Combination of Analog and Digital computers are called as ……………..
c. In a ………..computer number and characters are represented as a series of 0’s
and 1’s.
2. Answer in brief
1. What is parallel processing?
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2. What is analog computer?
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3. Write 1-2 lines on mainframe computers.
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