Name
tōnɡ yònɡ jì suàn jī
General-purpose computer
Introduction
General-purpose computer also includes complete functions, An electronic computer suitable for applications in scientific calculations, data processing, process control, etc., has a higher computing speed, a larger storage capacity, and is equipped with more complete peripheral equipment and software. However, compared with a dedicated computer, its structure is complex and expensive.
General-purpose computers are highly adaptable and have a wide range of applications, but their operating efficiency, speed and economy will be affected to varying degrees depending on different application objects.
Classification
General-purpose computers can be divided into supercomputers, mainframes, medium-sized computers, minicomputers, microcomputers, and single-chip computers according to their scale, speed, and functions. The basic difference between these types usually lies in their size, structural complexity, power consumption, performance indicators, data storage capacity, instruction system and equipment, software configuration, etc.
Generally speaking, the computing speed of supercomputers is very high, up to hundreds of millions of instructions per second, data storage capacity is very large, large-scale complex structure, expensive, mainly used for large-scale scientific calculations. It is also one of the important indicators of a country's scientific strength. The single-chip computer is made of only one integrated circuit. It is small in size, light in weight, and very simple in structure. The performances between the supercomputer and the single-chip computer are mainframes, medium-sized computers, minicomputers and microcomputers. Their performance indicators and structural scales decrease accordingly.
Microcomputers, or personal computers, are currently the fastest growing field. According to the different microprocessor chips it uses, it can be divided into several types: first, it uses Intel chips 386, 486, and Pentium and other IBM PCs and compatible computers; second, it uses the PowerPC chip jointly developed by IBM-Apple-Motorola. Machine, Apple’s Macintosh already uses this chip machine; again, DEC company launched a machine using its own Alpha chip.