《计算机专业英语教程》ch01.pdfVIP

Computersareelectronicdevicesthatcanfollowinstructionstoacceptinput,processthat

input,andproduceinformation.Therearefourtypesofcomputers:microcomputers,minicomputers,

mainframecomputers,andsupercomputers.

Microcomputers,alsoknownaspersonalcomputers,aresmallcomputersthatcanfitonadesktop.

Portablemicrocomputerscanfitinabriefcaseoreveninthepalmofyourhand.Microcomputersare

usedinhomes,schools,andindustry.Todaynearlyeveryfieldusesmicrocomputers.

Onetypeofmicrocomputerthatisrapidlygrowinginpopularityistheportablecomputer,

whichcanbeeasilycarriedaround.Therearefourcategoriesofportablecomputers.

Laptops:laptops,whichweighbetween10and16pounds,maybeAC-powered,battery-powered,

orboth.TheAC-poweredlaptopweighs12to16pounds.Thebattery-poweredlaptopweighs10to15

pounds,batteriesincluded,andcanbecarriedonashoulderstrap.

NotebookPCs:notebookpersonalcomputersweighbetween5and10poundsandcanfit

intomostbriefcases.Itisespeciallyvaluableinlocationswhereelectricalconnectionsarenot

available.Notebookcomputersarethemostpopularportablecomputerstoday.

Subnotebooks:subnotebooksareforfrequentflyersandlife-on-the-roadtypes.[1]Subnotebooks

usersgiveupafull-sizedisplayscreenandkeyboardinexchangeforlessweight.Weightingbetween

2and6pounds,thesecomputerfiteasilyintoabriefcase.

PersonalDigitalAssistants:muchsmallerthaneventhesubnotebooks.PersonalDigital

Assistants(PDAs)weighfrom1to4pounds.ThetypicalPDAcombinespeninput,writing

recognition,personalorganizationaltools,andcommunicationcapabilitiesinaverysmall

package.

Minicomputers,alsoknowsasmidr