OBJECTIVE: Students will become familiar with the different types of computer and how they have evolved through the years through lecture, classroom discussion and completion of a worksheets.

Types of Computers

All computers have the same basic components. How are computers different?

Size Cost Performance

What are the different types of computers? Supercomputers Mainframes Minicomputers Professional Workstations Personal Computers

Supercomputers

Faster and more powerful than a Mainframe Size – Very large Cost – Up to $100 million Performance – can process trillions of calculations per second Who uses them today?

large research facilities or government agencies Examples – weather forecast, car crash simulation testing

Mainframe Computers The first computers used by businesses and government agencies around

1951. Size –large and housed in special, climate controlled rooms Cost - hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Performance – very fast and allows thousand of employees to request and

update from a central location. Who uses them today?

Large companies who have large numbers of employees or customers who need to access information at the same time.

Examples – Nationwide Car Rental, Social Security Administration

Minicomputers

Smaller multi-user systems common in the 1970’s and 1980’s Size – smaller than mainframes Cost – Usually less than $100,000 Performance – good but most have been replaced by the PC Who uses them now?

Examples – small to medium-sized businesses with less than 100 users.

Professional Workstations

Size – sits on a desktop Cost – a few thousand dollars Performance – more than personal computer but less than a

minicomputer Who uses them today?

Scientists, graphics designers, financial analysts, and architects

Personal Computer

Who was first? Apple with the Apple I in 1976 (Steve Wozniak & Steve Jobs)

Who was second? IBM in 1981 (Microsoft & IBM)

Who was next? IBM-Compatibles such as Digital, HP, Dell

Size – sits on a desktop Cost - $500 and up Performance – fast and continuing to get faster due to

chip-making technology and miniaturization Who uses them today?

Almost every business and individuals at home

Assignment

Complete the “Computer System Recommendations” worksheet.You will turn it in as you leave todayUse proper heading

Assignment

Complete the handout as we go through the presentation

History of the Computer

How the Computer Evolved

1642 Blaise Pascal – mechanical adding machine

Early 1800’s Jacquard – uses punch cards to control the pattern of the weaving loom

1822 Charles Babbage - invents the Difference Engine

1890 Herman Hollerith – invents a machine using punch card to tabulate info for the Census Hollerith’s Tabulating Machine

Evolution (continued)1910 Charles Watson Sr. – International

Business Machines1946 – Mauchly and Eckert created the

ENIAC computer, first electronic computer is unveiled at Univ. of Pennsylvania

1970’s – Integrated circuits and silicon chips lead to smaller

microprocessors

                                  

               

ENIAC Computer Miles of wiring 18,000 vacuum tubes Thousands of resistors

and switches No monitor 3,000 blinking lights Cost $486,000 100,000 additions per

second Weighed 30 tons Filled a 30x50 foot room Could be replaced today

by one fingernail-size silicon chip

Computer Generations1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Timeframe 1951-1958

1959-1964 1965-1974 1975-1989 1990-present

Circuit Components

Vacuum Tubes

Transistors Integrated Circuits (IC)

Large-scale IC (LSI)

Very Large IC (VLSI)

Memory Capacity

4,000 Bits

32,000 Bits 128,000 Bits

100 Million Bits

Unlimited

Data Input Hard Wired Program in computer

Punch Cards

Keyboard Entry

Read Programs off Disk

CDROM, Optical Disk

Computers Are Everywhere

Laptop ComputersAppliancesCarsMedical EquipmentPrintersGame Consoles

Reflection

What interesting/new thing(s) did you learn about computers today?

How have computers/microelectronics changed our lives?CommunicateCookEntertainmentWork