The Invention Of Computers

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Personal computers are also known as a general-purpose computer with size, capabilities, and sales prices all geared towards being sold to individuals.  Personal computers contain smaller and simpler minicomputer and mainframe systems that can be operated by an individual at their leisure.  This is opposed to larger minicomputers and mainframe systems that can require a constant team of people to keep the system running.  This ability to be operated by a single individual allow for two types of personal computers.  Two Types The personal computer is either a desktop computer or a laptop computer.  A desktop computer is a larger computer that the owner usually keeps on a desk, while a laptop computer is a computer that is small enough to fit on someone’s lap.  The different types of computers can determine the type of processor that it contains thus determining the uses it can perform.  A desktop computer is usually larger than a laptop, allowing for it to contain a more powerful processor that allows it to function quicker than a laptop computer.  However, both are capable of performing the general uses of the personal computer.  The uses of the personal computer are typically functions that a single user can operate to help accomplish a task. Uses These uses are:

Playing music

Surfing the web

Playing video games

Software applications

E-mail.  

Each of the uses listed above are of simple operations that are productive to the user whether for research on a project, spending time relaxing by playing online games, or connecting to clients over e-mail.  The personal computer provides the user with the technology and capability of the computer at a simple easily operated system.

Mainframes

Mainframes are also known as big iron because they are larger computers that can be accessed and used by multiple people at the same time. The general design for modern mainframes is less defined by single-task computational speed and more by:        

Redundant internal engineering and resulting high reliability and security

Extensive input-output facilities

Strict backward compatibility with older software

High hardware and computational utilization rates to support massive throughput

Along with these characteristics, mainframes are very reliable and stable allowing them to run for long periods of time. This allows for higher rates of usage.  Operations Modern mainframes can sustain multiple operating systems at the same time.  This system is called a virtual machine and allows the applications to run as if they were being run on their own single mainframe.  Along with running multiple operations, mainframes have the ability to add or swap system capacity without disrupting the system.  These capabilities of mainframes allow them to operate at a level of sophistication that is much higher than personal computers, making the uses of mainframes a larger and more specific set. Uses Mainframes are primarily used by large corporate or governmental organizations to run critical applications, bulk data processing, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, and transaction processing.  

Embedded

An embedded computer system is a system that is designed to perform a specific function usually within a larger system.  The computer is called embedded because the system is usually inside of a larger hardware or operating system. Embedded System The internal processing systems for embedded computers are either microcontrollers or digital signal processors. Microcontrollers are a small computer that contains one circuit and can have an input and output faction. Digital signal processors are a specialized microprocessor that functions by processing an algorithm. Uses Embedded computer systems are used in large variety of consumer, industrial, commercial and military applications.

Conclusion

The uses of the computer have only grown as the technology has advanced. When they first were invented, computers could only operate one function. Now computers can run multiple programs at the same time. The uses of the computer will continue to grow as the technology continues to advance. There is no way to tell what computers will be used for next.