Types of Computer Systems

Syllabus Detail

  • Types, mobile, desktop, server 11 GEN

What is a Computer System?

  • A computer is a device that is capable of receiving information (input), performing operations with that information (processing) and producing a result (output)
  • A computer system is a computer that comes with software, hardware and other peripherals that allow for it so perform a certain task
  • There are many types of computer systems, the most common being desktops, mobile devices including laptops, and servers

 

Desktop Computer Systems

  • A desktop computer system is a personal computer system designed for use in a set location
  • This is primarily due to its size and power requirements
  • Unlike a mobile computing device such as a tablet, phone or laptop, a desktop computer relies on a non-removable power supply plugged in to the wall
  • A desktop computer generally includes the system case with the computer's components, as well as common peripherals such as a keyboard, mouse and monitor
  • Check out a list of basic computer components here

 

Mobile Computer Systems (Mobile phones, Tablets and Laptops)

  • A mobile computer system is a computer system that is not constrained to one location
  • Its size and use of portable battery allow for the computer system to be moved freely
  • Mobile computer systems often rely on alternate forms of input as they generally don't rely on external peripheral devices
    • Modern day mobile phones, tablets and even some laptops rely on touch screen capabilities to accept input
    • This eliminates the need for a mouse and keyboard as a virtual keyboard is used instead
    • Laptop computer systems come with built in mouse devices, known as a track pad or touch pad, as well as a built in keyboard

Servers

  • A server is a computer system specifically designed to run services
  • They work by accepting requests from the client (a user) and returning a response (such as a web page)
  • The benefit of running a service on a dedicated computer such as a server is security
  • Many types of servers exist, such as:
    • Mail servers = these store and move mail across the Internet
    • Web servers = these servers are responsible for loading web pages and other resources from a disk and serving it to the client (a user's web browser) over HTTP (hyper-text transfer protocol)
    • FTP servers = allow for moving files securely between computers

 

Further Research

  1. Check out a list of server types here
  2. Check out different types of computer systems here

 

 Step 6 - Worksheet and Practice (yet to be added)

 

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