Information and Communication Technology Overview

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Questions and Answers

What was a key feature of first generation computers?

Reliance on vacuum tubes for circuitry (correct)

Use of assembly languages for programming

Use of transistors for circuitry

Integration of circuits on single chips

Which generation of computers introduced the concept of graphical user interface (GUI)?

Second generation

First generation

Fourth generation (correct)

Third generation

Which of the following was a programming method used in first generation computers?

Machine language (correct)

High-level programming languages

Object-oriented programming

Structured programming

What was a significant advancement in the second generation of computers?

Use of transistors replacing vacuum tubes Signup and view all the answers

What advancement characterized the third generation of computers?

Development of integrated circuits Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the computing capability of first generation computers?

Could only solve one problem at a time Signup and view all the answers

Which one of the following was an example of a second generation computer?

IBM 7030 Stretch Signup and view all the answers

What is the defining feature of the fourth generation of computers?

The introduction of personal computers Signup and view all the answers

Which invention occurred first during the electromechanical age?

Telegraph Signup and view all the answers

What significant advancement in computing occurred in 1940?

Creation of the Harvard Mark 1 Signup and view all the answers

During which generation of digital computing were transistors first introduced?

Second generation Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary use of the ENIAC computer when it was initially designed?

Artillery firing tables for the U.S. Army Signup and view all the answers

Which programming languages emerged during the second generation of computing?

FORTRAN and COBOL Signup and view all the answers

What replaced magnetic cores for internal storage in the third generation of computing?

Metal oxide semiconductors Signup and view all the answers

What device is considered the first large-scale automatic digital computer in the United States?

Mark 1 Signup and view all the answers

What is one positive impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)?

Access to distance learning Signup and view all the answers

How does automation negatively impact employment?

It replaces manual labor with machines. Signup and view all the answers

What technology did the first generation of digital computers primarily rely on?

Punch cards and vacuum tubes Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic best describes a computer?

It manipulates data according to a set of instructions. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant negative consequence of reduced personal interaction due to ICT?

Potential feelings of isolation. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following issues is associated with the high cost of ICT implementation?

Need for specialized personnel to operate systems. Signup and view all the answers

Why can increased competition from ICT be challenging for certain organizations?

It may threaten their market position. Signup and view all the answers

How have the roles of early computers evolved over time?

They have transitioned from human calculations to electronic devices. Signup and view all the answers

What is one health issue linked to reduced physical activity caused by ICT?

Increased risk of obesity. Signup and view all the answers

What was the original meaning of the word 'computer' as recorded in 1613?

A person who performed calculations Signup and view all the answers

Which invention is credited with being the first reliable and commercially successful calculating machine?

Arithmometer Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following devices was designed for automatic control using punched cards?

Jacquard Loom Signup and view all the answers

Who invented the device known as Napier’s Bones, and what was its primary function?

John Napier for multiplication and roots Signup and view all the answers

Which invention by Blaise Pascal was limited to addition and subtraction?

Pascaline Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary use of the Slide Rule, invented by William Oughtred in 1622?

Performing logarithmic calculations Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true about the Stepped Reckoner, invented by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz?

It could add, subtract, multiply, and divide automatically. Signup and view all the answers

What is a unique characteristic of the Difference Engine and the Analytical Engine?

They were designed to tabulate polynomial functions. Signup and view all the answers

Who is considered the first computer programmer?

Augusta Ada Byron Signup and view all the answers

Which invention is recognized as the first mechanical computer?

Analytical Engine Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary purpose of the Tabulating Machine invented by Herman Hollerith?

Summarizing information and accounting Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was the first programmable computer?

Z1 Signup and view all the answers

Which computer is known as the first electronic digital computing device?

Atanasoff-Berry Computer Signup and view all the answers

What significant feature does the EDVAC have that distinguishes it from earlier computers?

The first stored program computer Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true about ENIAC?

It was the first electronic general-purpose computer. Signup and view all the answers

Which invention was developed by John Presper Eckert and John Mauchly?

UNIVAC 1 Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Basic Computing Periods

Electromechanical Age (1840-1940): Characterized by early telecommunications, including the telegraph and telephone.
Key Inventions:
- Telegraph (early 1800s)
- Morse code by Samuel Morse (1835)
- Telephone by Alexander Graham Bell (1876)
- First radio by Guglielmo Marconi (1894)

Generations of Computers

First Generation (1946-1958): Utilized vacuum tubes and magnetic drums for memory; relied on machine language; examples include ENIAC, EDSAC, and UNIVAC I.
Second Generation (1959-1964): Transistors replaced vacuum tubes, leading to smaller computers; moved to assembly languages; examples include UNIVAC III and IBM 7000 series.
Third Generation (1965-1970): Introduction of integrated circuits, which improved speed and efficiency, leading to more powerful computers.

Fourth Generation

Fourth Generation (1971-Present): Development of CPUs, integrating memory, logic, and control circuits on a single chip; introduction of graphical user interfaces; notable personal computer development includes Apple II.

Impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Positive Impact:
- Distance Learning: Provides access to educational resources globally.
Negative Impact:
- Job Loss: Automation results in displacement of manual labor.
- Reduced Personal Interaction: Can lead to isolation and unhappiness.
- Health Issues: Decreased physical activity linked to social isolation.
- Cost: High expenses for implementing and maintaining ICT systems.
- Competition: Increased competition can challenge certain organizations.

Definition of a Computer

An electronic device that manipulates, stores, retrieves, and processes data based on instructions (program).

Early Computing Devices

Tally Sticks: Ancient devices for recording numbers and messages.
Abacus: Invented in Babylonia (2400 B.C.) for basic arithmetic.
Napier's Bones: Introduced by John Napier (1614) for multiplication and division.
Slide Rule: Created by William Oughtred (1622) for mathematical calculations.
Pascaline: Developed by Blaise Pascal (1642), limited to addition and subtraction.
Stepped Reckoner: Engineered by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1672) for basic operations.
Jacquard Loom: Invented by Joseph-Marie Jacquard (1801) using punched cards for automation.
Arithmometer: First commercially successful calculator by Thomas de Colmar (1820).
Difference Engine and Analytical Engine: Mechanical calculators designed by Charles Babbage (1822, 1834).

Notable Early Computers

Harvard Mark I: Also known as IBM ASCC, the first electro-mechanical computer (1943).
Z1: First programmable computer, created by Konrad Zuse (1936-1938).
Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC): First electronic digital computing device (1939-1942).
ENIAC: First electronic general-purpose computer, completed in 1946.
UNIVAC I: First commercial computer, designed by Eckert and Mauchly.
EDVAC: First stored-program computer, designed by Von Neumann (1952).

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Description

Explore the four main sections of digital computing, focusing on the evolution from electromechanical systems to the fourth generation of CPUs. Learn about significant developments such as the Apple II and the graphical user interface (GUI). This quiz will enhance your understanding of basic computing periods and technologies in information and communication technology.