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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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