(A.1.4) What is a Computer - Types of Personal Computers

Common Types of Computers

Two popular types of personal computers are the IBM compatible and Macintosh computers. The first personal computer was produced by IBM in 1981 and was called the IBM PC. In 1984, Apple Computer introduced the Macintosh, or Mac, and it became the first widely sold personal computer with a graphical user interface or GUI (pronounced gooey). Although both IBM and Apple computers are personal computers, the term PC came to refer to IBM or IBM-compatible personal computers.

Apple now produces a Macintosh computer called the iMac, which is a desktop computer that features an all-in-one design. This means all the internal components are located behind the monitor, rather than in a tower case, which is customary in desktop computers.

While our training is intended for people who use PCs and the Windows operating system, some of our information also applies to Macintosh computers.

A typical iMac computer

Other Types of Computers

You may hear someone refer to a computer as a workstation or a server, especially at work. You may wonder how these two items are different from desktop computers.
Workstations are similar to desktop computers, but are more powerful and are usually connected to a network. Servers are specialized computers that store and deliver, or “serve up,” information to other computers on a network.
There are many different types of servers such as file servers, database servers, and web servers. For example, employees at a company might store all the business documents on a file server so that they can share files and access then from any computer on the network. When you use your browser to click a link, a web server delivers the page you requested on the Internet, the biggest network in the world.