Computer Fundametal

 Computer Fundamentals

Computer: A computer is an electronic machine. It is a combination of hardware and software. It takes inputs from us. It uses some programs (set of instructions) to process these inputs. Finally, it delivers outputs as per your requirement. It can also store your data. Computer follows “Input-Process-Output” Cycle.

Classification of Computer

    

        Analog Computers: In an Analog computer data or number is represented in the       form of continuously varying physical quantities such as pressure, temperature, voltage,       current, etc.

   Application areas: Speedometer of a car, Gasoline pump etc.

     Digital Computers: are those computers that solves problems by operating on discrete data (numeric data) representing variables by performing arithmetic and logical processes on data from a stored program.

     Application areas: home, educational institutions, office,     scientific fields, business etc. 

     Hybrid Computers: are analog computers controlled by digital computers instead of human beings. 

    Application areas : Hospitals, Meteorology Department,factories etc

Microcomputers: Microcomputers are designed to be used by a single user for performing basic operations like educational activities, playing games. These are mainly used in homes, offices, shops, schools, etc. Microcomputers have the following three basic categories

 i) Programmable Computers or Personal Digital Assistant or PDA: are designed to carry out day to day task related to sharing or exchange of information by connecting to desktop computers regardless of location. They are used as notepads and address books.

 ii) Laptop or Desktop or Notebook or Personal Computers: are designed to carry out our day to day personal tasks. They are used in business and at home. 

iii) Workstations: are similar to personal computers but have greater memory and processing capabilities. They are generally used in industrial, business, and in scientific environments that require high levels of computational abilities.  

Minicomputers: Minicomputers are more powerful computers than microcomputers in terms of processing power and capabilities. These computers can support multiple users working simultaneously on the same machine. These are mainly used in an organization where computers installed in various departments are interconnected. These computers are useful for small business organizations. 

 Mainframe computers: Mainframe computers are designed to handle large volumes of data and information. These computers are large and very powerful computers with very high memory capacity. These can process huge databases such as census at extremely fast rate. They are suitable for big organizations, banks, industries etc. and can support hundreds of users simultaneously on the network.


Supercomputers: These are the fastest and very expensive computers. They can execute billions of instructions per second. These are multiprocessor, parallel systems suitable for specialized complex scientific applications involving huge amounts of mathematical applications such as weather forecasting. The main difference between a supercomputer and a mainframe is that a supercomputer executes fewer programs as fast as possible whereas a mainframe executes many programs concurrently. They are best used in Weather forecasting, Nuclear Science, Aerodynamic modeling, etc. 

 PARAM 8000 - India's “first supercomputer”. It was released in 1991 by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC ) and was replicated and installed at ICAD Moscow in 1991 under Russian collaboration. Bhatkar is best known as the architect of India's national initiative in supercomputing where he led the development of Param supercomputers. He developed the first Indian supercomputer, the PARAM 8000. 

Pratyush and Mihir are the supercomputers established at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and National Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (NCMRWF), Noida respectively. As of January 2018, Pratyush and Mihir are the fastest supercomputers in India. Speed: 6.8 PetaFlops .

Purpose: weather forecasting, Climate research Cost: INR 438.90 crore.A petaflop is equal to a quadrillion or a thousand trillion calculations per second.