is a computer that has a micro-processor as its central processing unit. Their size is smaller as compared to mainframe and mini computers. Many microcomputers (when equipped with a keyboard and screen for input and output) are also personal computers (in the general sense).The abbreviation "micro" was common during the 1970s and 1980s.But now it is not generally used.
Difference between microcomputer and minicomputer
- Micro Computer: Microcomputer, as the name suggests, is a personal computer specifically designed for personal use and typically consists of a chip that houses a CPU, data memory, I/O buses, etc. It can be used by one person at a time. , Its types include tablet and smartphone microcomputers, desktop microcomputers, workstation and server microcomputers, etc.
Example: Laptop, Desktop, IBM-PC, etc.
Features of microcomputer:
- Small size: Microcomputers are small in size and designed for personal use.
- Low cost: Microcomputers are relatively inexpensive compared to other types of computers.
- Limited Processing Power: Microcomputers have limited processing power and are generally not suitable for complex tasks.
2. mini computer: Mini computers, as the name suggests, are a type of computer that provide most of the features and capabilities that a larger computer typically provides. It generally supports multiple users at a time so one can say that it is a multiprocessing system. It is a small computer designed for business applications and services and can also perform time-sharing, batch processing, online processing, etc.
Example: AS/400 computer, Motorola 68040, MV 1500, etc.
- Larger size: Minicomputers are larger than microcomputers but smaller than mainframe computers.
- Higher processing power: Minicomputers have greater processing power than microcomputers and are designed for multi-user applications.
- Customizable: Mini computers can be customized to suit the specific needs of the user and can be used for a variety of applications.
Similarities between Microcomputer and Minicomputer: - Both are general purpose computers capable of performing a wide variety of tasks.
- Both can be used for personal or business purposes.
- Both use microprocessors to perform calculations and data processing.
- Both can be connected to external devices such as printers, scanners and external storage devices.
Microcomputers and IoT
The Raspberry Pi, a small, single-board computer, was once described as a microcontroller. Today the Raspberry Pi and other single-board computers used for Internet of Things (IoT) prototyping, education, and applications, such as Arduino, Intel, and Particle, are often described as microcontrollers rather than microcomputers. .
However, microcomputers can be used to perform similar functions as microcontrollers in IoT applications. Some IoT devices, such as smart TVs, refrigerators, and other connected devices, are sometimes referred to as microcomputers.
where a microcomputer fits in
- Embedded systems, which are fixed inside something and do not support direct human interaction but still meet all the other criteria of a microcomputer
- Workstation, first described as a more powerful personal computer for specialized applications;
- minicomputers, now called mid-range servers;
- Mainframes, now commonly referred to by manufacturers as large servers;
- Supercomputers, large servers, sometimes including computer systems that use parallel processing; And
microcomputer vs microcontroller A microcontroller is an integrated circuit (IC) designed to control a specific operation in an embedded system. These single chips have onboard RAM, ROM, and peripherals.
Microcontrollers have been called single microcomputers.
microcomputer vs microprocessor
A microprocessor is a computer processor on a microchip that includes all or most of the CPU's functions. Microprocessors do not have RAM, ROM or other peripherals. Thus, microprocessors cannot function standalone. Rather, systems such as microcomputers, which contain microprocessors, can be programmed to operate on data by writing specific instructions for their microprocessors into their memory.
A microcomputer is technically a microprocessor and its Peripherals can be described as a combination of I/O devices, circuitry and memory - not just on a chip.
History of micro computer
TTL precursor: Although they contained no microprocessor but were built around transistor-transistor logic (TTL), by 1968 Hewlett-Packard calculators had different levels of programmability than microcomputers. The HP 9100B (1968) had rudimentary conditional (if) statements, statement line numbers, jump statements (go to), registers that could be used as variables, and primitive subroutines. The programming language resembled assembly language in many ways. Later models added more features, including the BASIC programming language (HP 9830A in 1971). Some models had tape storage and small printers. However, displays were limited to one line at a time.
The HP 9100A was referred to as a personal computer in a 1968 Science magazine advertisement But that advertisement was immediately removed.HP was reluctant to sell them as "computers" because the perception at the time was that computers needed to be large in size to be powerful, and thus it was decided to market them as calculators. Additionally, at the time, people were more likely to purchase calculators than computers, and, purchasing agents also preferred the term "calculator" because purchasing a "computer" required additional layers of purchasing authority approval.The Datapoint 2200, made by CTC in 1970, was also equivalent to a microcomputer. Although it has no microprocessor, the instruction set of its custom TTL processor was the basis of the instruction set for the Intel 8008, and for practical purposes the system behaves almost as if it contained an 8008. This is because Intel was the contractor in charge of developing Datapoint's CPU, but CTC ultimately rejected the 8008 design because it required 20 support chips.
Another early system, Kenbak-1, was released in 1971. Like the Datapoint 2200, it used small-scale integrated transistor-transistor logic instead of a microprocessor. It was marketed as an educational and hobbyist instrument, but was not commercially successful; Production ceased soon after introduction.
early microcomputer
In late 1972, a French team headed by François Garnel within a small company, Realizations & Etudes Electronics (R2E), developed and patented a computer based on a microprocessor – the Intel 8008 8-bit microprocessor. This Microl-N was marketed as early as 1973 as a "micro-ordinator" or microcomputer, primarily for scientific and process-control applications. About a hundred Microl-Ns were installed over the next two years, followed by a new version based on the Intel 8080. Meanwhile, another French team developed Alvan, a small computer for office automation, which found customers in banks and other sectors. Before the adoption of the Zilog Z80 as the main processor, the first versions were based on LSI chips with the Intel 8008 as the peripheral controller (keyboard, monitor and printer).
In late 1972, a Sacramento State University team led by Bill Pentz built the Sac State 8008 computer, capable of handling the medical records of thousands of patients. The SAC STATE 8008 was designed with the Intel 8008. It had a complete set of hardware and software components: a disk operating system consisting of a series of programmable read-only memory chips (PROMs); 8 kilobytes of ram; IBM's Basic Assembly Language (BAL); a hard drive; one color display; a printer output; 150 bit/s serial interface to connect to mainframe; And even the world's first microcomputer front panel.
In early 1973, Sword Computer Corporation (now Toshiba Personal Computer System Corporation) completed the SMP80/08, which used the Intel 8008 microprocessor. However, the SMP80/08 was not commercially released. Following the announcement of the first general-purpose microprocessor, the Intel 8080, in April 1974, Sword announced the SMP80/X in May 1974, the first microcomputer to use the 8080.
Virtually all early microcomputers were essentially boxes with lights and switches; One had to read and understand binary numbers and machine language to program and use them (the Datapoint 2200 was a notable exception, which had a monitor, keyboard, and a modern design based on tape and disk drives). Of the early "box of switch" type microcomputers, the MITS Altair 8800 (1975) was arguably the most famous. Most of these simple, early microcomputers were sold as electronic kits – bags filled with loose components that had to be soldered together before the buyer could use the system.
The period from approximately 1971 to 1976 is sometimes called the first generation of microcomputers.
home computer: By 1977, the introduction of the second microcomputer generation as consumer goods, known as home computers, made them significantly easier to use than their predecessors because their predecessors were often accompanied by practical electronics for operation. Complete familiarity was required. The ability to connect to a monitor (screen) or TV set allowed visual manipulation of text and numbers. The BASIC language, which was easier to learn and use than raw machine language, became a standard feature. These features were already common in minicomputers, with which many hobbyists and early builders were familiar.
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