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The most used electronic device which most cannot go without even for a day is the computer. It is one of the most luxurious inventions of human civilization. It provides many advantages to mankind in their day to day life. Computers are doing critical jobs within a second with 100% accuracy. With the advancement of technology, computers are now available in different shapes and sizes depending on the demand. The computers which are being used nowadays are quite different from the computers used in the early years.
Computers can be of various types depending on the size of the components and the processing powers. On the basis of the operational principles computers can be divided into two categories, such as analog computers and hybrid computers.
Analog computers are almost at the verge of extinction today. This type of computer can perform several mathematical computations at a time. Analog computers use continuous variables to solve mathematical operations and use electrical and mechanical energy. However, hybrid computers are a combination of both analog and digital computers. Hybrid computers converse the analog signals to digital ones by using the digital segments.
Apart from these two types, there are other important types of computers such as mainframe computers, microcomputers, desktops, laptops, PDAs, minicomputers, super computers and so on. Mainframe computers are used for ERP and bulk data processing. Usually large organizations use this type of computers. Mainframes can host multiple operating systems and control them as a number of virtual machines. So, the mainframe computers can be used as an alternative of several small servers.
Microcomputers are computers which have a microprocessor. With an addition of a keyboard and a mouse this computer can be called a personal computer. Desktops, laptops and PDAs are varieties of personal computers.
Desktops are a type of personal computer which is intended to be used in a single location. These are usually popular and convenient for using in households and workplaces. Laptop computers are miniatures of desktops and can be carried anywhere. PDAs are also known as palmtop, which is even a more mini version of laptop.



