What is a Computer?

It is a machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions. It is composed and made of electronic components and devices.

Uses of Computers:
Word Processing Internet Digital video or audio composition Desktop Publishing Medicine Mathematical Calculation Traveling Telecommunications Defense System E-Learning Gambling Examinations Businesses Banking Robotics Electronic devices & gadgets Weather Analysis Sales & Marketing

Two major parts of Computer:

1. Hardware In general term it refers to the physical artifacts of a technology. In the form of computer hardware, it is the physical components of a computer system. 2. Software In general term, it is used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on a computer system.

Classifications of Computer according to its size:

Supercomputer Mainframe Minicomputer Microcomputer

Characteristics of a Computer:
Speed Reliability Storage Capacity Productivity

What is a Microcomputer ?

It is a complete computer on a smaller scale and is generally a synonym for the more common term, personal computer or PC, a computer designed for an individual. A microcomputer contains a microprocessor (a central processing unit on a microchip), memory in the form of read-only memory and random access memory, I/O ports and a bus or system of interconnecting wires, housed in a unit that is usually called a motherboard.

What is Personal Computer ?

Is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator.

Types of Personal Computer

1. Workstation

Is a high-end personal computer designed for technical or scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by one person at a time, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating systems.

2. Desktop Computer
A type of computer that could fit on a desk was considered remarkably small. Usually indicates a particular style of computer case. Desktop computers come in a variety of styles ranging from large vertical tower cases to small form factor models that can be tucked behind an LCD monitor.

3. Single Unit

These Personal Computers combine the monitor with the case of the unit into a single unit. The monitor almost always utilizes a Touch Screen as the primary user input. Otherwise known as Allin-One PCs.

4. Nettop

It is a type of mini desktop or small form factor computer designed for performing basic computation tasks such as surfing the Internet, accessing webbased applications and rich internet applications, document processing and audio/video playback etc.

5. Laptop

Also called a notebook computer or sometimes a notebook, is a small personal computer designed for mobility.

Subnotebooks, a subtype of notebook computers with most of the features of a standard laptop computer but smaller.

6. Netbook

These are small portable computers in a "clamshell" design, that are designed specifically for wireless communication and access to the Internet.

7. Tablet-PC

It is a slate-shaped mobile computer, first introduced by Pen computing in the early 90s with their PenGo Tablet Computer and popularized by Microsoft. It is a touch-screen or graphics tablet/screen hybrid technology allows the user to operate the computer with a stylus or digital pen, or a fingertip, instead of a keyboard or mouse.

7. Ultra-Mobile PC

It is a specification for a small form factor tablet PC. It was developed as a joint development exercise by Microsoft, Intel, and Samsung, among others.

8. Home Theater PC
It is a convergence device that combines the functions of a personal computer and a digital video recorder. It is connected to a television or a televisionsized computer display and is often used as a digital photo, music, video player, TV receiver and digital video recorder. Home theater PCs are also referred to as media center systems or media servers.

8. Pocket PC / Palm Top / Mobile Phones

It is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer (personal digital assistant) that runs the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system. It may have the capability to run an alternative operating system like NetBSD or Linux. It has many of the capabilities of modern desktop PCs.

SI prefix (also known as a metric prefix)

Is a name or associated symbol that precedes a basic unit of measure (or its symbol) to form a decimal multiple or submultiple. The abbreviation SI is from the French language name Systme International d Units (also known as International System of Units). SI prefixes are used to reduce the number of zeros shown in numerical quantities.

SI prefixes 1000m 10n Prefix Symbol Since[1] Short scale Long scale Decimal

10008

1024

yotta

1991

Septillion

10000000000 Quadrillion 00000000000 000 10000000000 00000000000 10000000000 00000000 10000000000 00000 10000000000 00 1000000000 1 000 000 1000 100 10

10007

1021

zetta

1991

Sextillion

Trilliard

10006

1018

exa

1975

Quintillion

Trillion

10005

1015

peta

1975

Quadrillion

Billiard

10004 10003 10002 10001 10002 3 10001 3

1012 109 106 103 102 101

tera giga mega kilo hecto deca

T G M k h da

1960 1960 1960 1795 1795 1795

Trillion Billion Million

Billion Milliard

Thousand Hundred Ten

10000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000

1 2 3 3

100 10 10 10 10 10
1 2 3 6

(none) deci centi milli micro nano

(none) d c m n

NA 1795 1795 1795 1960[2] 1960

One Tenth Hundredth Thousandth Millionth Billionth Milliardth

1 0.1 0.01 0.001 0.000001 0.000000001 0.0000000000 01 0.0000000000 00001 0.0000000000 00000001 0.0000000000 00000000001

1 2

1000

10

12

pico

1960

Trillionth

Billionth

1000

10

15

femto

1964

Quadrillionth

Billiardth

1000

10

18

atto

1964

Quintillionth

Trillionth

1000

10

21

zepto

1991

Sextillionth

Trilliardth

1000

10

24

yocto

1991

Septillionth

0.0000000000 Quadrillionth 00000000000 001