Computer is an electronic device that accepts data, process it according to preset instructions and produces useful information that human being can use to make business decisions.
A computer system consists of hardware and software components. Hardware is the physical equipment that you can see and touch such as the case, floppy disk drives, keyboard, monitor, cables, speakers, and printers.
Software describes the programs that are used to operate the computer system. Computer software, also called programs, instructs the computer on how to operate
The two types of software are operating systems and applications.
Application software accepts input from the user and then manipulates it to achieve the output.
Examples of applications include word processors, database programs, spreadsheets, web browsers, web development tools, and graphic design tools.
An Operating System (OS) is a program that manages all the other programs in a computer. It also provides the operating environment with the applications that are used to access resources on the computer.
Examples of operating systems include The Disk Operating System (DOS), Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Linux, Mac OS X, DEC VMS, and IBM OS/400.
An Operating System (OS) is a program that manages all the other programs in a computer. It also provides the operating environment with the applications that are used to access resources on the computer.
Examples of operating systems include The Disk Operating System (DOS), Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Linux, Mac OS X, DEC VMS, and IBM OS/400.
There are two computer types, Mainframes and PCs.
Mainframes are powerful machines that allow companies to automate manual tasks, shorten the time to market for new products, and run financial models that enhance profitability, etc.
The mainframe model consists of centralized computers. End users interface with the computers via "dumb terminals". These dumb terminals are low cost devices that usually consist of a monitor, keyboard, and a communication port to talk to the mainframe. At its peak in the late 70s and early 80s, the mainframe market was dominated by IBM and Digital Equipment Corporation. These high-powered machines, however, came with high price tags.
Advantages of mainframes
A computer system consists of hardware and software components. Hardware is the physical equipment that you can see and touch such as the case, floppy disk drives, keyboard, monitor, cables, speakers, and printers.
Software describes the programs that are used to operate the computer system. Computer software, also called programs, instructs the computer on how to operate
The two types of software are operating systems and applications.
Application software accepts input from the user and then manipulates it to achieve the output.
Examples of applications include word processors, database programs, spreadsheets, web browsers, web development tools, and graphic design tools.
An Operating System (OS) is a program that manages all the other programs in a computer. It also provides the operating environment with the applications that are used to access resources on the computer.
Examples of operating systems include The Disk Operating System (DOS), Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Linux, Mac OS X, DEC VMS, and IBM OS/400.
An Operating System (OS) is a program that manages all the other programs in a computer. It also provides the operating environment with the applications that are used to access resources on the computer.
Examples of operating systems include The Disk Operating System (DOS), Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Linux, Mac OS X, DEC VMS, and IBM OS/400.
There are two computer types, Mainframes and PCs.
Mainframes are powerful machines that allow companies to automate manual tasks, shorten the time to market for new products, and run financial models that enhance profitability, etc.
The mainframe model consists of centralized computers. End users interface with the computers via "dumb terminals". These dumb terminals are low cost devices that usually consist of a monitor, keyboard, and a communication port to talk to the mainframe. At its peak in the late 70s and early 80s, the mainframe market was dominated by IBM and Digital Equipment Corporation. These high-powered machines, however, came with high price tags.
Advantages of mainframes
- Scalability, the ability to add more users as the need arises
- Centralized management, Centralized backup
- Low cost desktop devices (dumb terminals)
- High level of security
- Disadvantages of mainframes
- Character based applications
- Lack of vendor operating system standards and interoperability in multi-vendor environments
- Expensive, with a high cost for set up, maintenance, and initial equipment
- Potential single point of failure (non-fault tolerant configurations)
- Time sharing systems, which means that there is a potential for a bottleneck
- Standardized hardware
- Standardized, highly interoperable operating systems
- GUI interface
- Low cost devices (when compared to mainframes), low cost of entry
- Distributed computing
- User flexibility High productivity applications
- Desktop computers cost, on average, five times as much as dumb terminals
- No centralized backup
- No centralized management
- Security risks can be greater (physical, data access, and virus security)
- High management and maintenance costs, although they are generally cheaper to maintain than mainframes