Hardware I
Types of computers:
Mainframe computers (now called enterprise computers). They are room-sized computers placed I air-conditioned rooms, work at high speed and have very large storage capacity. They are used by banks, government departments, supermarket chains and so on. Supercomputers are mainframes designed for special purposes. (The Roadrunner – designed by IBM to monitor US nuclear arsenal)
Servers store and retrieve ((retri:v) – znovu získávat, poskytovat) different types of information in computer networks. Provide different services to other computers in network. WEB servers information from web pages and applications, file servers store files … They must be reliable (RAID technology, disk mirroring).
Personal computers
· Desktop computers are the most common type. PCs are made under different brand names, often referred as IBM – compatible. They are different from Macintosh computers, made by Apple.
· Laptop computers (notebooks) are small, portable computers. Today can do the same jobs as desktop PCs.
· Tablet PCs are A4-sized computers, without keyboard. You use stylus to operate them. They often recognize handwriting.
Hand-held devices
(today combination of a small computer, mobile phone, e-mail access to internet, they give the users freedom of movement and access to information and communication))
· PDA (Personal Digital Asistent) devices originally made for personal organization (diary, address book, note taking).
· Mobilephones/Smartphones wireless telephone and access to internet
· Palmtop small computer with limited functions
PC components
System box
Types of case: tower (minitower, miditower, bigtower), desktop, barebone
The front side: Start button, reset button
Back side: ports and connectors
You can study the topic at: http://vyuka.gjkt.cz/ (IVT, Hardware – as guests)