THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPUTERS

WARM UP

1. How many types of computers can you name?

2. How are computers usually classified? On which principles?

SPECIALIST READING

Computers can be generally classified by size and power, though

there is considerable overlap:
1. The term supercomputer refers the fastest computer
currently available. Supercomputers are very expensive and are
employed for specialized applications that require immense
amounts of mathematical calculations (number crunching). One
use of these computers is weather forecast because of the large
amount of calculations involved. Other uses of supercomputers
are scientific simulations, (animated) graphics, fluid dynamic
calculations, nuclear energy research, electronic design, and
analysis of geological data (e.g. in petrochemical prospecting). Perhaps
the best known supercomputer manufacturer is Cray Research.
2. Mainframe was a term originally referring to the cabinet
containing the central processor unit or "main frame" of a room-
filling Stone Age batch machine. After the emergence of smaller
"minicomputer" designs in the early 1970s, the traditional big
iron machines were described as "mainframe computers" and
eventually just as mainframes. Nowadays a Mainframe is a very
large and expensive computer capable of supporting hundreds, or
even thousands, of users simultaneously. They are used by
government companies, airline companies for bookings,
insurance companies and banks. The chief difference between a

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supercomputer and a mainframe is that a supercomputer
channels all its power into executing a few programs as fast as
possible, whereas a mainframe uses its power to execute many
programs concurrently. In some ways, mainframes are more
powerful than supercomputers because they support more
simultaneous programs, but supercomputers can execute a single
program faster than a mainframe. The distinction between small
mainframes and minicomputers is vague, depending really on
how the manufacturer wants to market its machines.
3. A minicomputer is a midsize computer. In the past decade,
the distinction between large minicomputers and small
mainframes blurred, as did the distinction between small
minicomputers and workstations. But in general, a minicomputer
is a multiprocessing system capable of supporting from up to 200
users simultaneously.
4. A workstation is a type of computer used for engineering
applications (CAD/CAM), desktop publishing, software
development, and other types of applications that require a
moderate amount of computing power and relatively high quality
graphics capabilities. Workstations generally come with a large,
high-resolution graphics screen, at large amount of RAM, built-in
network support, and a graphical user interface. Most
workstations also have a mass storage device such as a disk drive,
but a special type of workstation, called a diskless workstation,
comes without a disk drive. The most common operating
systems for workstations are UNIX and Windows NT. Like
personal computers, most workstations are single-user
computers. However, workstations are typically linked together
to form a local-area network, although they can also be used as
stand-alone systems.
N.B.: In networking, workstation refers to any computer
connected to a local-area network. It could be a workstation or a
personal computer.

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5. The term Personal computers (PC) defines a computer
designed for general use by a single person. While a Mac is a PC,
most people relate the term with systems that run the
Windows operating system. PCs were first known
as microcomputers because they were a complete computer,
but built on a smaller scale than the huge systems in use by most
businesses. Today, the world of personal computers is basically
divided between Apple Macintoshes and PCs. The principal
characteristics of personal computers are that they are single-user
systems and are based on microprocessors. However, although
personal computers are designed as single-user systems, it is
common to link them together to form a network. In terms of
power, there is great variety. At the high end, the distinction
between personal computers and workstations has faded. High-
end models of the Macintosh and PC offer the same computing
power and graphics capability as low-end workstations by Sun
Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, and DEC.
There are also different types of personal computers and
among them the most popular are the following:
A computer system that is used at home, at work, in
schools, universities... It consists of a monitor and a casing
inside which the power supply, the CPU, the motherboard
and many other devices are located. These computers may
be used for creating, editing, printing and sending
Desktop

documents. They are also used to communicate using the

internet, to play music, videos, games, learn new languages,
mathematics and many other scientific subjects.
A laptop has similar computing power as the desktop, but
has a set of electrical batteries that allows it to be used in
cars, parks, airplanes, etc. They have a smaller weight and
are therefore portable. Besides being used to surf the net
and send e-mails, they can also be used to create, edit, send
Laptop

documents, and excel sheets. The portability and the

computing power of laptops make them suitable for
presentations in conferences and forums.

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 A netbook specializes in browsing the Web. They have the
looks of laptops, but lack the full capabilities of a
Netbook

computer. They weigh less than a laptop and are smaller in

size which are big advantages for travelers. Almost all
netbooks do not have CD / DVD drives.
A tablet PC has the capabilities of a laptop, but is smaller in
size and does not have a keyboard. It has a touch-screen
that allows using fingers or stylus to input instructions and
interact with the machine. The keyboard or mouse are not
needed. It is light and small in size and is therefore easy to
carry. Modern Tablet PCs allow you to use the internet to
look for information and news, watch online videos, read e-
books, communicate with your friends, shop online.
Tablets are fitted with batteries that may last up to 10
Tablet PC

hours. Major advances in technologies such as battery life,

smaller size yet larger memories, touch-screen recognition,
and wireless internet access have all contributed to make
the use of tablets PC more efficient and practical.
Apart from the types of computers mentioned above, smart
phones should also be included in this classification as they are
now being used nearly in the same way as any portable computer.
Besides making telephone calls, a smartphone runs on an
operating system and has the ability to let the user send and
receive e-mails, browse websites on the net and read documents.
The latest trend in computing is wearable computers.
Essentially, common computer applications (e-mail, database,
multimedia, calendar/scheduler) are integrated into watches, cell
phones, visors and even clothing.
1. Answer the following questions.
1. Based on the reading passage, what is the difference between a
supercomputer and a mainframe?
2. Is there any difference between a minicomputer and a
microcomputer?
3. What about a workstation and a personal computer?

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2. BROWSE THE INTERNET
a. Give three examples for each type of computers.
Microcomputers Minicomputers Mainframe Supercomputers
computers

b. Microcomputers, also known as personal

computers, can be classified into desktop
computers, portable computers, handheld or
palm-sized computers, pen-based computers and wearable
computers. Give examples for each category.
Desktop Portable Handheld/ Pen-based Wearable
computers computers palm-sized computers computers

3. It’s Power Point Presentation time!!!

Have you ever heard of Nettops, Palmtops, Digitizers,
Netbooks, Chromebooks or MacBooks?
Choose a topic for presentation from the list given below:
1. Supercomputers versus Mainframe computers
2. Minicomputers versus Microcomputers
3. Desktop computers versus Workstations
4. Laptops versus Notebooks
5. Netbooks versus Nettops
6. Digitizers or Graphics tablets?
7. Tablet PC versus Mobile telephones
8. Types of Wearable computers
9. Servers versus Terminals
10. Advantages of a Laptop over a Desktop Computer
11. Advantages of a Laptop over a Tablet PC
12. Chromebooks versus Macbooks

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 COMPUTER HARDWARE

WARM UP
a. Write the names of this computer components. What else
would you add?

Vocabulary Study
1. What do these abbreviations stand for? Decipher them.
1. DVD 8. RAID 15. ROM
2. SSD 9. MB 16. CD-ROM
3. Hz 10. GHz 17. SDRAM
4. NIC 11. FSB 18. XGA
5. CPU 12. LCD 19. GB
6. TFT 13. IBM 20. kbps
7. PC 14. UPS 21. PDF

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 2. Match the following terms to the given definitions:
1. Supercomputer a. The electronic circuit expansion board
in a computer that is used to process
2. Mainframe audio signals and connect to and
control a microphone loudspeaker or
computer headphones.
b. A piece of equipment used for reading
3. Memory from and writing to a storage medium.
c. The most powerful type of computer
4. Hard disk drive or mainframe computer used for
processing work on nuclear research.
d. The main electronic circuit board inside
(HDD)
a computer that holds and connects
together all the main electronic
5. Uninterruptible components.
e. A type of LCD commonly used in
Power Supply portable computers which uses a
separate transistor to control each pixel
(UPS) on the display.
f. The electronic part of a computer
6. Sound card system that is used for temporarily
storing the programs and data that are
7. Motherboard being used by the processor.
g. A magnetic storage device that reads or
8. FSB writes data on metal disks inside a
sealed case.
9. TFT Display h. A battery backup system that
automatically provides power to a
10. Storage device computer system when the normal
electricity source fails.
i. The largest and most powerful type of
computer used for processing payroll
data.
j. The set of connectors on a
motherboard that carry data signals
between the processor and the
memory.

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VERBS RELATED TO HARDWARE
a. Take a look at all these verbs. They are related to
hardware and can be used with different hardware
components and pieces. Read the explanations and
translate them into your native language in your copybooks.
ADD You may add memory to your computer if the
memory in your computer is very limited.
ASSEMBLE You may assemble or disassemble a
DISASSEMBLE computer or a device.
ATTACH You may attach a cable to a connector.
CONNECT You may connect or disconnect any cable or
DISCONNECT device to or from your computer.
FIT If you want the processor to fit a processor
socket or the expansion card to fit an expansion
slot you must be certain they are the appropriate
size and shape.
HANDLE You may handle a machine such as a
computer or a vehicle. Handle is a synonym of
manipulate.
INSERT You may insert or remove a memory module,
REMOVE e.g. a DDR3 memory module, into a memory
slot. You say insert to and remove from.
INSTALL You may install or uninstall a peripheral, an
UNISTALL expansion card, or any hardware component.
MOUNT You may mount a motherboard or a DVD
drive by fixing it to the tower case of a
computer.
OVERHEAT A processor may overheat if you the fan
doesn’t work properly.
PLACE You may place a component in a particular
position. For example, you may place a
processor on the processor socket in order to
insert it.
PLUG You may plug a power cord or a cable into a
UNPLUG socket or a connector. Or you may unplug a
power cord or a cable from a socket or
connector.

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PRESS You may press a key on your keyboard, or you
may press a button, e.g. the power button of
your computer.
PUSH You may push a memory module until it fits
PULL into a memory slot. Or you may pull a memory
module or an expansion card in order to
remove it.
REPLACE You may replace an old or broken hardware
component by a new one.
SCREW You may screw or unscrew screws using a
UNSCREW screwdriver.
SUPPORT A motherboard may support a specific type of
processor, or expansion card.
TURN ON You may turn on or turn off your PC to make
TURN OFF it start or stop working. It means the same as
switch on/ switch off.
UPGRADE You may upgrade an old computer, hardware
component, or application to a new one.
Upgrade is also a noun, i.e. a new version of
something.
VERIFY You may verify that a cable is connected, or
you may just verify that everything is right.

b. Match the verbs (1-10) with the nouns (a-j) to make

collocations.
1. assemble a. screw
2. attach b. RAM module
3. upgrade c. cable
4. fit d. hard-disk
5. screw e. printer
6. insert f. power cord
7. mount g. computer
8. uninstall h. motherboard
9. plug i. CPU
10. overheat j. HW components

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SPECIALIST READING
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
The processor, for instance Pentium/Intel, is the
most important part of the computer. It processes the data and
controls the computer. Powerful computers used as servers
often have more than one processor.
There are two main types of memory: RAM which
holds the program instructions and the data that is being used
by the processor, and ROM which holds the program
instructions and settings required to start up the computer.
The combination of the processor and memory is
sometimes referred to as the CPU, although sometimes the
processor itself is referred to as the CPU. The other parts
connected to the CPU are known as peripherals. These can
include input devices, output devices, storage devices and
communication devices. Input devices include: keyboards,
scanners, barcode readers, digital cameras, microphones and video cameras.
Output devices include: monitors, printers, plotters, loudspeakers,
headphones. Storage devices include: magnetic tape, floppy disks
(diskettes), hard disks, SSDs, CD-ROMs, CD-R disks, CD-RW
disks, DVDs and MO disks. A common communications
device is a modem.
A set of connectors used for carrying signals between
the different parts of a computer is known as a bus. Data is
transferred constantly between the processor and memory
along the system bus. Each part of memory has its own
memory address and the processor determines where
processed data is stored by sending an address signal along an
address bus and data along a data bus. This is synchronized
by an electronic clock in the CPU that determines the
operating speed of the processor. Transferring data between the
processor and RAM can slow up the computer; therefore, some
extremely fast memory is usually used as a cache to hold the
most frequently used data.

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 In a desktop computer, the CPU and storage devices
are normally built inside a system unit which consists of a
metal chassis enclosed in a flat desktop or a tower shaped case.
Other peripherals are attached to the system unit by cables.
Each peripheral uses its own driver card or controller (an
expansion card that is plugged into special expansion slots in the system
unit). Expansion cards contain the electronics required to
communicate with and control the device e.g. video or
graphics cards are used for monitors, soundcards are used
for audio input/output and NICs are used for connecting to
other computers in a network. Extra memory can also be added
to the computer using special memory expansion slots inside
the computer. A portable computer that does not have enough
space inside to fit expansion cards may use an external device
called a port replicator to provide connections for peripherals.
Storage devices are used to store data and programs
that are not being used by the processor. They usually consist
of:
a. storage media in the form of a circular disk or a
tape where the data is stored.
b. a disk or tape drive that moves the media past a
read/write head that reads the data from and writes
data to the storage media.
Storage devices in the form of a disk are used to store the
programs and data that are not being used. Note that the
American spelling of disk is commonly used, although the
British spelling, disc, is sometimes used. Before a program or
data can be used, it must be transferred from the storage device
to the main RAM memory. Hard disks consist of a set of
magnetic coated metal disks that are vacuum-sealed inside a
case to keep out the dust. The magnetic surfaces of the disks
are formatted using a read/write head to provide magnetic
storage areas. These storage areas form concentric circles called
tracks and each track is subdivided into sections called sectors.
The disks are rotated at high speed and read from or written to

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by the read/write head that moves across the surface of the
disks. In server computers, hard disks can be connected
together and made to operate as one unit using RAID. This can
speed up the system and provide a way of recovering data if the
system crashes (fails suddenly and completely, usually referring to the
failure of the hard disk). Storage devices include magnetic
devices, optical devices and magneto-optical devices.
Magnetic devices are devices that use magnetism. Floppy
disks (diskettes), magnetic tape (made of a magnetic coated flexible
plastic) and hard disks are examples of magnetic devices. There
is also a variety of optical storage devices that use laser light
to read or write to a disk, including: CD-ROMs (compact disk
read only memory), CD-R (recordable compact disk), CD-RW
(rewritable compact disk), DVD (digital versatile disk – previously
known as digital video disk). Magneto optical devices, like CD-
MO (magneto-optical compact disk) are devices that use a
combination of magnetism and laser light.
Units of measurement used in data storage include:
bit a binary digit i.e. a 1 or a 0
byte 8 bits = 1 character i.e. a letter, numerical digit
or a punctuation mark
megabyte 1,048,576 bytes (approximately one million
(MB) bytes)
gigabyte 1,073,741,824 bytes (approximately one
(GB) thousand million bytes)
terabit 1,099,511,627,776 bits (approximately one
thousand gigabits)
micron one millionth of a metre
angstrom the approximate radius of an atom
When comparing computers, the power of the computer is
important. This is mainly determined by the speed and
capacity (size) of each part of the computer. Speed is measured
in hertz (Hz) i.e. cycles per second. Capacity is measured in bytes
(B) where 1 byte = 8 bits (binary digits) = 1 character.

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When specifying a computer, the following are normally
quoted:
1. the speed of the processor (MHz - megahertz, GHz -
gigahertz)
2. the capacity (size) of the memory (GB - gigabytes)
3. the capacity of the magnetic storage devices e.g. HDD, SSD
(GB – gigabytes, TB – terabytes)
4. the speed of the optical storage devices e.g. CD – ROM,
DVD
5. the display monitor size (measured in inches diagonally across the
screen surface) ″
6. the monitor image quality (resolution) given by the number
of pixels (picture elements) that are used across and down the
screen e.g. 1366 x 768, or by the graphics standard used e.g.
XGA (extended graphics array).
7. the graphics card memory size (GB - gigabytes)
8. the speed of the modem (measured in kbps – kilobits per second)
Two different number systems are used in computer
specifications:
a. The decimal system, which consists of ten digits from 0 to
9, is used for measuring speed.
b. The binary system, which only has two digits (1 and 0), is
used for measuring capacity.
The following prefixes are also used in measurements:
Decimal system Binary system
kilo 103=1 thousand 210=1 thousand
mega 106 = 1 million 220=1,048, 576
giga 109=1 thousand million 230=1,073,741, 824

Communication is provided between applications

programs and the computer hardware by set of programs
collectively known as the operating system e.g. Microsoft
Windows, MacOS, Linux, Ubuntu, etc.

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Answer the following questions.
1. What is the difference between RAM and ROM?
2. Based on the reading passage, complete the table with the
appropriate classification of peripherals. Give examples for
each group.

3. Name some examples of expansion cards.

4. Complete the table with the appropriate classification of
storage devices. Give examples for each group.

5. What units do we use to measure the following:

a. speed of the processor? c. the display monitor size?
b. the capacity of the magnetic d. the monitor image quality?
storage? e. the speed of the modem?

How to Install a Serial ATA (SATA)

hard-disk drive (HDD)
Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX-iid_L4j8
and watch the tutorial or
go to https://www.seagate.com/gb/en/support/kb/how-to-
install-and-troubleshoot-serial-ata-sata-hard-drives-196169en/
and read the instructions SEAGATE SUPPORT provides
to do the exercises below.
a. Write True or False next to the following sentences.
Correct the false ones.
1. Serial ATA hard drives are easy to install.
2. The Serial ATA interface cable must be 1-meter long.
3. In order to install a Serial ATA hard drive you need a
motherboard with a Serial ATA connector.

60
4. If there isn’t a Serial ATA connection on your motherboard
you need a Serial ATA host adapter.
5. Anti-static containers are used to protect new hardware
components (i.e. a new hard drive).
6. When you install a hard drive you don’t need to wear an anti-
static wrist strap.
7. Before installing the new hard drive, you must turn off your
computer.
8. If you disassemble your hard drive, the warranty is void.
9. When you install a new hard drive your computer always
detects it automatically.
10. You must always change the BIOS setup after installing a
new hard drive.
b. Answer these questions.
1. How many cables do you need to install a SATA hard drive?
2. How can you know if there is a Serial ATA connection on
your motherboard?
3. If there isn’t a Serial ATA connection on your motherboard,
what do you need to install a Serial ATA hard drive?
4. Why do you need to wear an anti-static wrist strap when you
install a hard drive?
5. What can you do if your computer doesn’t detect your new
hard drive automatically?

c. Match the words in the first column with the

explanations in the second column.
1. A Serial ATA hard a. is used to secure a device using
drive... screws.
2. A screwdriver... b. is used to discharge yourself from
electricity.
3. A Serial ATA host c. is a hard drive with a Serial ATA
adaptor... connection.
4. An anti-static wrist d. is used to feed electricity to a device.
strap... e. is used to connect a Serial ATA device
5. A power cable... to a connection that is not Serial ATA
(for example, a PCI connection).

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 COMPONENTS AND PERIPHERALS
WARM UP
Have you done any of the following actions during this year?
Be careful to use correctly the Present Perfect forms. If the
answer is affirmative, then ask for a concrete day using the
Past Simple.
1. Add memory to your computer. Yes / No
2. Install a new peripheral. Yes / No
3. Unplug your computer from the wall socket. Yes / No
4. Change your screen. Yes / No
5. Disassemble your tower case. Yes / No
6. Mount a new motherboard to the case. Yes / No
7. Replace or upgrade an expansion card. Yes / No

GRAMMAR REVISION
We use the present perfect to talk about the repetition of an action in a
time period that started in the past and includes the present. There is a
probability that this action will occur again. E.g. I have read 20 books this
year. (I may read more books.)
We use the simple past with a time period that is finished or closed:
1998, last week, etc. E.g. Google had 10,000 searches a day in 1998.
E.g. How many hits has your Web site had today? / Last month my
Web site had 5,000 hits.

PRESENT PERFECT VERSUS PAST SIMPLE

1. Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below
with the appropriate tense.
Since computers were first introduced to the public in
the early 1980's, technology …………….... (change) a great deal.
The first computers ………….... (be) simple machines designed
for basic tasks. They …………….... (have, not) much memory
and they ………….... (be, not) very powerful. Early computers

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were often quite expensive and customers often …………....
(pay) thousands of dollars for machines which actually
……….... (do) very little. Most computers ………....
(be) separate, individual machines used mostly as expensive
typewriters or for playing games.
Times ……….... (change). Computers ……....
(become) powerful machines with very practical applications.
Programmers …………….... (create) a large selection of useful
programs which do everything from teaching foreign languages
to bookkeeping. We are still playing video games, but today's
games …………….... (become) faster, more exciting interactive
adventures. Many computer users …………….... (get, also) on
the Internet and…………….... (begin) communicating with
other computer users around the world. We ……………....
(start) to create international communities online. In short, the
simple, individual machines of the past ……………....
(evolve) into an international World Wide Web of knowledge.

2. Fill in the blanks with the simple past or the present

perfect of the verb in parentheses.
A: Do you like to surf the Internet?
B: Of course, I do. I ’ve had my Internet connection since
1999, and I love it. A couple of months ago, I ……………....
(buy) a new computer with lots of memory and speed. And last
month I …………….... (change) to a better service provider.
Now I can surf much faster.
A: What kind of things do you search for?
B: Lots of things. I ………………...... (always, want) to learn
about the stock market, and with the Web, I can start to learn.
Last week I …………….... (make) my first investment in the
stock market.

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A: Do you ever buy products online?
B: Sometimes I do. Last month, I …………….... (find) a great
Web site where I can download music for 99¢. So far I
…………….... (download) about a hundred songs, and I
…………….... (make) several CDs. My old computer
…………….... (not /have) a CD burner, so I’m very happy with
my new one.
A: …………….... (you /sell) your old computer?
B: No. It was about eight years old. I just……………....
(remove) the hard drive and …………….... (leave) the computer
on top of the garbage dumpster. When I ………….... (pass) by
a few hours later, it was gone. Someone …………….... (take) it.
A: Was your new computer expensive?
B: Yes, but I …………….... (get) a great deal online.
A: I …………….... (have) my computer for three years, and it
seems so old by comparison to today’s computers. But it’s too
expensive to buy a new one every year.
B: There’s a joke about computers: When is a computer old?
A: I don’t know. When?
B: As soon as you get it out of the box!

READING FOR DETAILS

Now study the computer ad below to answer the questions
1. What is the memory size of this PC?
2. What storage devices are supplied?
3. Which input devices are supplied?
4 What size is the display screen?
5. How fast is the processor?
6. What is the capacity of the hard drive?
7. Which operating system does it use?
8. What multimedia features does the computer have?

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 HOW TO READ A COMPUTER AD
1. Intel Pentium 4 processor
(3GHz, 800MHz FSB)
2. Mini Tower Chassis
3. 1GB dual channel DDR2
SDRAM
4. 200GB Serial ATA hard drive
(7200 rpm)
5 128 MB PCI-Express video card
6. Integrated audio
7. 48X CD-RW drive
8. 19’’ TFT flat panel XGA
(1024x768) monitor
9. Microsoft Windows XP Professional
10 Microsoft Intellimouse
11. 105-key keyboard

SPEAKING ACTIVITY
Role play. Work in pairs, A and B. Find out as much as you
can about your partner's computer and complete this table.
The teacher will give each of you computer details. Read them carefully and get ready to
answer your partner’s questions. You also have to ask your partner questions as to be able
to complete the table below.
Feature A B
1. processor type
2. processor speed
3. bus speed
4. memory capacity
5. memory speed
6. memory type
7. hard disk capacity
8. screen size

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 9. screen resolution
10. optical drive speed

LANGUAGE WORK
FUNCTION OF AN ITEM
We can describe the function of an item in a number of ways.
Study these examples.
1. Using the Present simple: E.g. ROM holds instructions which
are needed to start up the computer.
2. Used to + infinitive: E.g. ROM is used to hold instructions
which are needed to start up the computer.
3. Used for + -ing form: E.g. ROM is used for holding
instructions which are needed to start up the computer.
4. Emphasising the function: E.g. The function of ROM is to
hold instructions which are needed to start up the computer.
GRAMMAR PRACTICE
a. Match each item in Column A with its function in B.
A Item B Function
1. RAM a. controls the cursor
2. processor b. inputs data through keys like a typewriter
3. mouse c. displays the output from a computer on a
4. clock screen
5. flash d. reads DVD-ROMs
memory e. reads and writes to electronic chips on a card
key f. give items a unique ID number
6. monitor g. holds data read or written to it by the
7. keyboard processor
8. DVD- h. provides extremely fast access for sections of a
ROM drive program and its data
9. cache i. controls the timing of signals in the computer
10. barcodes j. controls all the operations in a computer
b. In written form, describe the function of each item in
four ways, as in the explanation above.

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