Pc vs. Mainframe
Personal Computer vs. Mainframe
POS/355
16 January 2012
Jean Mc Kay
When most people hear the word mainframe they might not what the person is talking about. When they hear personal computer they could immediately think of a laptop or desktop. Like a personal computer a mainframe is huge system that processes loads of data usually for large firms like a bank or insurance company. In this paper I will compare and contrast the mainframe and the personal computer. According to businessdictionary.com a main frame computer is a data processing system used in large organizations for different applications (WebFinance, Inc., 2012). The applications consist of but are not limited to; bulk data processing, consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, and financial transaction processing (WebFinance, Inc., 2012). Mainframes use proprietary operating systems based off the UNIX platform with some using Linux. Mainframe computers used to be room-sized data processors to now being housed in a single workstation or tower.
A Personal Computer (PC) is a small computer that is created to be used by one person at a time (WebFinance, Inc., 2012). The size and the capabilities of the computer vary on the individual and come with different variations of speed and hardware. The basic hardware of a personal computer consists of a motherboard, Basic Input Output System (BIOS), Central Processing Unit (CPU), Memory (RAM), Video and Sound processors, Hard Drive, Disk Drive, and adapter cards (Inet Daemon).
Personal computers and mainframes are alike in that they both process data and information input by an end-user. The biggest differences are of course the amount of data that is processed and size of the machine itself. A personal computer can vary in sizes from being portable like a laptop to being stationed on a desk like a desktop. A mainframe computer is not mobile and was originally the size of a large room. Today, mainframes are much smaller but are
POS/355
16 January 2012
Jean Mc Kay
When most people hear the word mainframe they might not what the person is talking about. When they hear personal computer they could immediately think of a laptop or desktop. Like a personal computer a mainframe is huge system that processes loads of data usually for large firms like a bank or insurance company. In this paper I will compare and contrast the mainframe and the personal computer. According to businessdictionary.com a main frame computer is a data processing system used in large organizations for different applications (WebFinance, Inc., 2012). The applications consist of but are not limited to; bulk data processing, consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, and financial transaction processing (WebFinance, Inc., 2012). Mainframes use proprietary operating systems based off the UNIX platform with some using Linux. Mainframe computers used to be room-sized data processors to now being housed in a single workstation or tower.
A Personal Computer (PC) is a small computer that is created to be used by one person at a time (WebFinance, Inc., 2012). The size and the capabilities of the computer vary on the individual and come with different variations of speed and hardware. The basic hardware of a personal computer consists of a motherboard, Basic Input Output System (BIOS), Central Processing Unit (CPU), Memory (RAM), Video and Sound processors, Hard Drive, Disk Drive, and adapter cards (Inet Daemon).
Personal computers and mainframes are alike in that they both process data and information input by an end-user. The biggest differences are of course the amount of data that is processed and size of the machine itself. A personal computer can vary in sizes from being portable like a laptop to being stationed on a desk like a desktop. A mainframe computer is not mobile and was originally the size of a large room. Today, mainframes are much smaller but are
Bibliography: Cartmell, P. (n.d.). Mainframe vs. Personal Computer. Retrieved January 15, 2012, from ehow.com: http://www.ehow.com/facts_7286049_mainframe-vs_-personal-computers.html Inet Daemon. (n.d.). Personal Computer Hardware. Retrieved January 15, 2012, from Inetdaemon.com: http://www.inetdaemon.com/tutorials/computers/hardware/index.shtml WebFinance, Inc. (2012). Mainframe Computer. Retrieved January 15, 2012, from BusinessDictionary.com: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/mainframe-computer.html WebFinance, Inc. (2012). Personal Computer (PC). Retrieved January 15, 2012, from BusinessDictionary.com: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/personal-computer-PC.html