Categories of Computer - Schoolingaxis.com

Computers are categorize on the principle of working as follows

(i) Digital Computers

Computers which are in use today are digital computers. They manipulate numbers and operate on binary digits o and 1. They understand information composed of only 0's and 1's. In the case of alphabetic information, the alphabets are coded in binary digits. Example

• Personal computers.
• Score board, that directly counts discrete values such as the time left to play and the score of each team.

Digital computers are further grouped into two categories.

• General purpose digital computers - General purpose digital computers which are used for payroll, graphs, analysis, account, banking system etc.
• Special purpose digital computers - Special purpose digital computers which are used for a specific job like the computer installed in automobiles to control fuel, ignition instrument, and banking systems.

(ii) Analog Computers

The computers that operate on data which is in the form of continuously variable. physical quantity, is called an Analog Computers.

Analog computers were used to simulate certain systems. They were also used to solve differential equations.
These computers recognize data as a continuous measurement of a physical property. Their output is usually in the form of readings on dials or graphs.
Voltage, pressure, speed, and temperature are some physical properties that can be measured in this way.

Example

• A service station gasoline pump contains an analog processor that connects fuel flow measurements into quantity and price values.
• Automobile speedometer, etc.

(iii) Hybrid Computers

Hybrid computer is a combination of an analog and a digital computer. Such a computer system utilizes the measuring capabilities of an analog computer and counting capability of a digital computer.