Notes for ICTL Form 1. Credit to Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum, Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia

1. MODULE 1
COMPUTER HARDWARE
EVOLUTION AND TYPES OF THE
COMPUTER

2. EVOLUTION OF THE COMPUTER

3. TYPES OF COMPUTER

8. Single User System
A system which is used by a single person, i.e., the
entire information of the hard disk only used by only
one person is called single user system.
Multi User System
A multi user system can be used by many persons, i.e., the
hard disk contents can be used by many persons at the
same time is called multi user system.

9. DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPUTER
1) PC (Personal Computer)
• The personal computer (PC)
defines a computer designed for
general use by single person.
• PCs were first known as
microcomputers because they
were a complete computer but
build on a smaller scale than
huge systems in used by most
businesses.

10. 2) DESKTOP
• A PC that is set up in a
permanent location (not
portable). Most desktops offer
more power, storage and
versatile for less cist then their
portable brethren

11. 3) LAPTOP
• Also called notebook.
• Laptops are portable computers
that integrate the display,
keyboard, a pointing devise or
trackball, processor, memory
and hard drive all in a battery-
operated package slightly larger
than an average hardcover book

12. 4) PALMTOP
• More commonly known as Personal
Digital Assistants (PDAs).
• Palmtops are tightly integrated
computers that often use flash memory
instead of hard drive for storage.
• These computers usually do not have
keyboards but rely on touchscreen
technology for user input.
• Palmtops are typically smaller than a
paperback novel, very lightweight with
reasonable battery life. A slightly larger
and heavier version of palmtop is the
handheld computer

13. 5) WORKSTATION
• A desktop computer that has
a more powerful processor,
additional memory and
enhanced capabilities for
performing special group of
task, such as 3D graphics or
game development

14. 6) SERVER
• A computer that has been
optimized to provide services
to other computers over a
network.
• Servers usually have
powerful processors, large
memory and hard drives.

15. 7) MAINFRAME
• In the early days computing,
mainframes were huge
computers that could fill an
entire room or even a whole
floor.
• The size of computers has
diminished while its power has
increased, the term mainframe
has fallen out of use in favor of
enterprise server.
• You’ll still hear the term used,
particularly in large companies
to describe the huge machines
processing millions of
transactions everyday.

16. 8) MINICOMPUTER
• Another term rely used nowadays.
• Minicomputers fall in between microcomputers (pcs) and mainframes
(enterprise servers).
• Minicomputers are normally referred to as mid-range servers now.

17. 9) SUPERCOMPUTER
• This types of computer usually costs hundreds of
thousands or even millions of dollar.
• Although some supercomputers are single computer
systems, most are comprised of multiple high performance
computers working in parallel as single system.
• The best known supercomputers are built by Cray
Supercomputers

18. 10) WEARABLE
• The latest trend in
computing is wearable
computers.
• Essentially, common
computer applications
(email, database,
multimedia,
calendar/scheduler) are
integrated into watches,
cell phone, visors and even
clothing