What us difference between distributed computing and workgroup computing?

Question

According to the definition, distributed computing means to distributed a problem among different users while workgroup computing means to work on a problem by different users. So what's the difference between these two? Plz explain it with an example

• David Richerby: I can't help thinking, when a question is "What is X? please explain it with an example" that the asker has been set the homework exercise, "Explain X, with an example." If you were just interested in understanding, wouldn't any good explanation be enough? (And, besides, good explanations often include examples, anyway.)

Answer 1

Distributed computing is understood as splitting a big computational task between computers on a network, to reduce the total time and share the computational resources. The whole process is organized in such a way that the subtasks are distributed to the computing nodes in a fully automated way.

Workgroup computing is more the cooperation of several individuals working on the same project, sharing documents to be edited or exchanging messages. The challenge of this mode of operation is to ensure data coherence and correct distribution of the updates.

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In a way, these two concepts are the opposite of each other: distributed computing splits data between different nodes, and workgroup processing lets different actors operate on the same data simultaneously.

Answer 2

Workgroup is Microsoft's term for peer-to-peer local area network. Computers running Microsoft operating systems in the same workgroup may share files, printers, or Internet connection. They call small local area networks such as home or hospital as 'workgroup'. But it's performance is best with fewer number of computers. You can share resources like printers, scanner, etc,. between computers connected on workgroup. Also, it is not safe for sensitive information and there is no centralized management of the resources.

Whereas, distributed computing is the field of study in computer science. E.g. distributed database, aircraft control systems, routing algorithms, grid computing could computing etc.,

Now, I ask you one question: Can workgroup be that part of distributed computing or vice verse or both are possible? I hope this question will help you dig out more information and learn little bit more about workgroup and distributed computing.