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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 cost. 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, analog 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 ECG  or medical  diagnostic  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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