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CATEGORIES OF COMPUTERS

                 Nowadays, different types of computers are used that can be categorised on their type, size,
                 speed, processing power and price. Let us learn about these categories in detail.


                 TYPE

                 On the basis of their type, computers can be classified into three categories which are analog,
                 digital and hybrid computers. Let us learn about them.

                 Analog Computer

                 It refers to a computer that operates by measuring instead of counting.
                 It measures the continuously changeable physical quantities like voltage,
                 pressure, water flow, etc. This type of computer generally displays the

                 output  in the form of a graph. Examples  of analog computers  are
                 mercury thermometers, speedometers in cars, old radios, etc.

                                      Digital Computer

                                      It refers to a computer that uses digits (binary numbers 0’s and 1’s) to generate,
                                      process  and display  data.  The  results produced  by digital  computers  are
                                      more accurate than that of analog computers. All the modern computers
                                      that we use like desktops, laptops and smartphones are examples of digital
                                      computers. Some other examples of digital computers are digital watches,
                                      digital thermometers, electricity meters, etc.


                 Hybrid Computer
                 It refers to a computer that provides the functionality of both an analog

                 and a digital computer while processing and displaying data. It uses the
                 speed of an analog computer and the accuracy of a digital computer. This
                 type of computer is generally used in scientific research and specialised
                 applications. The heartbeat measuring machine is a common example of
                 a hybrid computer.


                 SIZE, SPEED, PROCESSING AND COST

                 On the basis of size, speed, processing and cost, computers can be categorised as follows:

                 Microcomputers

                 Microcomputers were earlier termed personal computers. A personal computer consists of a
                 CPU, computer memory (primary and secondary), input and output devices. There are various
                 microcomputers available nowadays. Let us discuss about them.






                                                                                         Fundamentals of Computer  9
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