ELEC111 Reviewer: Computers' Characteristics

Study Notes

Speed: Computers execute millions of instructions per second, greatly reducing the time required for calculations compared to manual methods.
Accuracy: Computers perform calculations with high precision, ensuring that reports and processed data are reliable and correct.
Diligence: Computers can operate continuously without fatigue, maintaining performance and accuracy over long periods.
Versatility: Capable of handling diverse tasks, from payroll preparation to analyzing vast datasets in various fields like finance and healthcare.
Power of Remembering: Computers can store and retrieve large amounts of data indefinitely, facilitating easy access to old and new files.

IT: Refers to the use of computers and other devices to create, process, store, secure, and exchange electronic data.
ICT: Encompasses technologies that enable access to information through telecommunications, including internet, wireless networks, and software applications.

Hardware: Tangible physical components of a computer system, including devices like mouse, keyboard, CPU, and HDD/SSD.
Software: Set of instructions or programs that dictate how hardware performs tasks, including applications like web browsers and photo editing software.

Manual-Mechanical Devices: Operated manually; examples include abacus and tally sticks.
Electro-Mechanical Devices: Combine electrical and mechanical elements; examples include electric typewriters and Jacquard looms.
Electronic Devices: Use of electronic systems for data manipulation and transmission; examples include personal computers and smartphones.
Purely Manual Devices: Use of traditional methods for data handling; examples include paper and pencil.

1st Generation: Featured valves and vacuum tubes; devices included UNIVAC I and ENIAC.
2nd Generation: Marked by the transition to transistors; notable devices included IBM 650 and TRADIC.
3rd Generation: Introduced integrated circuits; notable systems were IBM System 360 and CDC 1604.
4th Generation: Characterized by microprocessors; included devices like smart tablets and iPhones with processing speeds starting at 100 million instructions per second.
5th Generation: Focused on artificial intelligence and advanced computational capabilities; notable examples include Google DeepMind and IBM Quantum Computers.