Basic-Computer-Concepts.pdf

Cagayan State University Sanchez Mira Campus Basic Computer Concepts By : Yurie Masuli What is a Computer? By modern definition, a computer is an electronic device that accepts (inputs), processes, stores, and outputs...

Cagayan State University Sanchez Mira Campus Basic Computer Concepts By : Yurie Masuli What is a Computer? By modern definition, a computer is an electronic device that accepts (inputs), processes, stores, and outputs data at a high speeds according to programmed instructions. If you look closely at the definition, you can see that a computer is made up of five basic elements: Electronic – means all computers are powered by electricity. Programmable – computers follow set of instructions (called programs) in order to operate. Storage – computers are able to store huge amount of data for future use (electronic cabinet). Retrieve – computers are able to get back or return whatever it has stored. Process – computers are able to transform or manipulate data it has stored into useful information. Data and Information Data is raw, unprocessed facts. It has the potential to become useful information, but first it has to be manipulated and transformed. And the best way to do that is to feed the data into the computer. Data is actually what computers feed on. Meanwhile, information is processed data. It is a data that has already manipulated and transformed into something useful. Four Basic Functions of Computer All computers perform the following four basic functions: Input – the procedure of feeding or entering data into a computer. Process – the operation of manipulating and transforming data into something useful. This function is done through programs. Programs are written instructions that tell the computer on how to manipulate and transform the data it was given to it. Output – the result of the processing function. Storage – computers save data and outputs for later use. Capabilities and Limitations of a Computer A computer is a machine that needs to be controlled and instructed to successfully perform a task. No matter how powerful and sophisticated it is, it must be directed what to do. Users should follow the principal of GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) which means that wrong data entered into the computer will result to wrong information produced. Capabilities of a Computer 1. It can process data quickly. 2. It can perform operations tirelessly. 3. It can give accurate results depending on the instructions and commands given. 4. It can store, recall, and retrieve information. 5. It can confirm and verify the accuracy of the information. 6. It can perform multi-tasks. Limitations of a Computer 1. It needs human intervention. 2. It has a short life span. 3. It cannot formulate information on its own. 4. The information or results generated are user dependent. 5. It can never replace the capabilities of the human brain. History of Computer History of Computer History of Computer The Five Generations of Digital Computing The First-Generation Computers (1951-1958) First-generation computers had vacuum tubes, resistors, and welded metal joints. They were large, slow, expensive, and produced a lot of heat. In addition, firstgeneration computers often broke down because of burned-out vacuum tubes. In 1945, Presper Eckert and John Mauchly developed the first operational electronic digital computer, called ENIAC, for the US Army. ENIAC had more than 18,000 vacuum tubes, and took up to 1,800 square feet of space. Today, ENIAC’s technology could fit in a modern wristwatch. In 1951, the UNIVAC-1 became the first commercially available electronic computer. This computer was designed by Eckert and Mauchly and built by the Remington Rand Corporation. IBM 701 was the IBM’s first electronic computer built in 1953. The Second-Generation Computers (1951-1958) Instead of vacuum tubes, the second-generation computers used transistors an exciting new invention at the time. John Barden, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley of Bell Telephone Laboratories invented the transistor. Magnetic tapes and disk began to replace punched cards as external storage devices. Magnetic cores (very small donut-shaped magnets that could be popularized in one of two directions to represent data) strung on wire within the computer became the primary internal storage technology. In 1961, Grace Hopper, the woman that found the first computer bug, finishes developing COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language). The Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) founded by Ken Olsen, released the first minicomputer, the PDP-8 in 1964. In 1965, Thomas Kurtz and john Kemeny of Dartmouth College developed BASIC (Beginners All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) as a computer language to help teach people how to program. The Third-Generation Computers (1963-1974) Computers in the third-generation computers relied on a new technology called integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is a single wafer or chip that can hold many transistors and electronic circuits. Magnetic tape and disks completely replace punched cards as external storage devices. Magnetic core internal memories began to give way to a new form, metal oxide semi- conductor (MOS) memory, which, like integrated circuits, used siliconbacked chips. In 1958 Jack Kilby invented the monolithic integrated circuit, which is still widely used in electronic systems. The C programming language is developed at AT & T bell Labs by Brian Kerninghan and Dennis Ritchie. The Unix Operating system, also written at Bell Labs, is rewritten using C. This later makes UNIX one of the most portable operating systems. The Fourth-Generation Computers (1971-Present) The fourth-generation is just an extension of the third-generation technology. This next technological development is to put more power and capabilities in one chip called microprocessor which has made computers the fastest and most powerful they have ever been. In 1975, the Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems or MITS produced the first Personal Computer. They named the computer “Altair 8080”. This was the first easily available micro-computer. It had256 bytes of memory and ran a version of BASIC written by Bill Gates. Apple’s widely successful PC was the Apple II personal computer. Apple II was the first personal computer to come in a plastic case and include color graphics. In 1978, VisiCalc was released. It is the first spreadsheet program and it made microcomputers useful to businesses. In 1993, Intel Pentium introduced Pentium Processor, a microprocessor with 3.1 million transistors. The Fifth-Generation Computers (1982 - Onward) The Fifth Generation Computer Systems was an initiative by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry, begun in 1982, to create computers using massively parallel computing and logic programming. It was to be the result of a massive government/industry research project in Japan during the 1980s. This generation’s focus is more on connectivity. This is to permit computer users to connect their computers to other computers. Cagayan State University Sanchez Mira Campus Thank You!!!