Difference between revisions of "Serial computer"
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| − | A '''serial computer''' is one which uses a serial | + | A '''serial computer''' is one which uses a [[serial]] implementation for operations on larger units of data (e.g. the addition of two numbers), rather than the more common [[parallel]]. |
| − | For example, instead of a [[word]]-wide [[adder]], there is only a single-[[bit]] adder, and to add two numbers, they are fed into it a bit at a time, one bit on each [[clock]] tick, starting with the least significant bit. | + | For example, in a serial machine which is [[binary]] internally, instead of a [[word]]-wide [[adder]], there is only a single-[[bit]] adder, and to add two numbers, they are fed into it a bit at a time, one bit on each [[clock]] tick, starting with the least significant bit. |
| − | Serial computers were more common in the early stages of computing; they are slower, but | + | Serial computers were more common in the early stages of computing; they are slower than [[parallel computer]]s, and have more complex control [[logic]], but seemingly used fewer components - an acceptable trade-off at that stage, when the technology (e.g. [[vacuum tube]]s) was more expensive, and physically bulky. In reality, due to their complexity, they were not actually as economical in their use of components as it had been thought they would be; their greater complexity, and slower speed, turned out to be too high a price to pay for their somewhat limited component counts. |
| − | {{stub}} | + | {{semi-stub}} |
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| + | ==See also== | ||
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| + | [[Category: Hardware Basics]] | ||
Latest revision as of 00:00, 13 May 2024
A serial computer is one which uses a serial implementation for operations on larger units of data (e.g. the addition of two numbers), rather than the more common parallel.
For example, in a serial machine which is binary internally, instead of a word-wide adder, there is only a single-bit adder, and to add two numbers, they are fed into it a bit at a time, one bit on each clock tick, starting with the least significant bit.
Serial computers were more common in the early stages of computing; they are slower than parallel computers, and have more complex control logic, but seemingly used fewer components - an acceptable trade-off at that stage, when the technology (e.g. vacuum tubes) was more expensive, and physically bulky. In reality, due to their complexity, they were not actually as economical in their use of components as it had been thought they would be; their greater complexity, and slower speed, turned out to be too high a price to pay for their somewhat limited component counts.
