Microcomputer Essay

588 Words3 Pages
Microcomputers Definition of Microcomputer First, we will define that what Is a microcomputer? Microcomputer is a small, relatively inexpensive computer with a microprocessor as its central processing unit. It includes a microprocessor, memory, and input/output facilities. Microcomputers became popular In the 1970s and 80s with the advent of increasingly powerful microprocessors. The predecessors to these computers, mainframes and minicomputers, were comparatively much larger and more expensive (though indeed present day mainframes such as the IBM System z machines use one or more custom microprocessors as their CPUs. Many microcomputers (when equipped with a keyboard and screen for input and output) are also personal computers. The abbreviation micro was common during the 1970s and 1980s, but has now fallen out of common usage. An early use of the term personal computer in 1962 predates microprocessor-based designs. A microcomputer used as an embedded control system may have no human readable Input and output devices. Personal computer may be used generically or may denote an IBM PC compatible machine. Microcomputers Today and Tomorrow Soon after the integrated circuit was developed, just two decades ago, it became apparent that very complex circuits would be possible. In some cases, a major portion of a computer, called a module, could be constructed as a single circuit. In fact, this made it possible to build a large system by breaking it up into a number of different kinds of modules, each of which could be a circuit. The Integrated circuit business was changing every year it became possible to make more and more complicated circuits. So it became desirable to make modules that are more complicated. The problem was that an increase in the complexity of a module meant a decrease in its versatility, so that eventually a computer or other piece of
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