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
 It can process data quickly.
 It can perform operations tirelessly.
 It can give accurate results depending on the instructions and commands given.
 It can store, recall, and retrieve information.
 It can confirm and verify the accuracy of the information.
  It can perform multi-tasks.

Limitations of a Computer
 It needs human intervention.
 It has a short life span.
 It cannot formulate information on its own.
 The information or results generated are user dependent.
 It can never replace the capabilities of the human brain.

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, first-generation
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 (1959-1963)

 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(IC). 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 silicon-backed 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.

Classifications of Computer

1) According to size and processing speed:

a) Supercomputers
 The fastest type of computer.
 They are very expensive and employed for specialized applications that require
immense amounts of mathematical calculations.
 They are mainly used for:
 o weather forecasting
o animated graphics
o fluid dynamic calculations
o nuclear energy research
o petroleum exploration
 Examples,
o NEC Earth Simulator
o IBM ASCI White
o TERASCALE Computing System
o TERA Supercomputer
o NERSC IBM SP RS/600
b) Mainframe computers
 A very large and expensive computer capable of supporting hundreds, or even
thousands, of users simultaneously.
 They are slower and less than supercomputers.
 They support hundreds or thousands of users at a time.
 They are used as e-commerce and web servers and in large organizations,
banks, universities and airlines as databases.
 Examples,
o IBM 3090
o Andhal 5890

c) Minicomputers
 A midsized computer.
 In size and power, microcomputers lies between workstations and mainframes.
 In general, a minicomputer is a multi-processing system capable of supporting
from 4 to about 200 users simultaneously.
 They are also known as midrange computers.
 They are used in medium size business, education and government departments
and are also used as servers on the network environment.
 Examples,
o IBM’s AS/400e

d) Microcomputers (Personal Computers)

 Is generally a synonym for the more common term, Personal Computer or PC, a
computer designed for an individual.
 It uses microprocessor technology to input, manipulate, store and output data.
 Business use personal computers for word processing, accounting, desktop
publishing, and for running spreadsheet and database management applications.
 Examples,
o Apple II (introduced by Apple Computer in 1977)
o IBM PC(IBM’s first personal computer)

Two Classifications of Microcomputers

1. Personal Computer or PC
  It is widely popular with people of all lifestyle because they are
powerful, affordable and easy to use.

2. Portable Computer
 Include laptops or notebooks, sub-notebook, tablet computer and
personal digital assistants.
 They are small enough to move easily from one place to another and
they can operate on batteries.
 They are popular with people who travel and need computing power on
the go.

a. Laptop/Notebook Computer
 A small portable computer. Small enough that it can sit on
your lap.
 Use a variety of techniques, known as flat-panel
technologies, to produce a lightweight and non-bulky
display c. screen.
b. Subnotebook Computer
 Slightly lighter and smaller than a full-sized notebook
computer.
 Have smaller keyboard and screen, but are otherwise
equivalent to notebook computers.
c. PDA or Personal Digital Assistant
 A handheld device that combines computing,
telephone/fax, and networking features.
 It can function as a cellular phone, fax sender, and personal
organizer.
 Most PDA’s began as pen-based, using stylus rather than a
keyboard for input.
d. Tablet PC
 Provides the full power and functionality of today’s
notebook PC’s
 Design for a fully equipped personal computer that allows a
user to take notes using natural handwriting on a stylus or
digital pen.

2) According to Data Handled

a) Analog computers
 Analog computers operate on mathematical variables in the form of physical
quantities that are continuously varying. For example temperature, pressure,
voltages, etc.
 Famous examples of analog computers are the Planimeter, the nomogram,
operational amplifiers, mechanical integrators, slide rules, tide predictors,
electric integrators that solve partial differential equations, electronic
machines that solve ordinary differential equations, machines to solve
algebraic equations, the Norden bomb sight, and neural networks.
 b. Digital computers
 Digital computers deal with mathematical variables in form of numbers that
represent discrete values of physical quantities. The advantages of digital
computers are that they are versatile, reprogrammable, accurate, and less affected
by outside disturbances. In contrast to analog computers, digital machines work
on numbers. Each variable is converted into numbers and each number into binary
form, i.e. 0 and 1. It is this combination of 0 and 1 that does all the calculations.
 All modern computers, laptops, and calculators are all digital computers.

c. Hybrid computers
 A hybrid is a combination of digital and analog computers. It combines the best
features of both types of computers. It has the speed of analog computer and the
memory and accuracy of digital computer. Hybrid computers are used mainly in
specialized applications where both kinds of data need to be processed.
 Computer used in hospitals to measure the heartbeat of the patient. Devices used
in petrol pump. In scientific applications or in controlling industrial processes.

3. According to Purpose
a. General-purpose computers
 It is capable of dealing to a variety of different problems and are able to
respond to programs created to meet different needs.
 It is capable of storing different programs of instructions thus they can
perform a variety of operations.
 Example is a Desktop Computer
b. Special purpose computers (Dedicated computers)
 It is designed to perform one specific task.
 The programs are built into permanently in the machine and given task are
performed very quick and efficient.
 Examples are computers used in monitoring nuclear reactions, outer space
missions, oil explorations

Components of a Computer System

I. HARDWARE is the physical equipment associated with a computer system. This is the
tangible components of the computer system.
Four Primary Components of a Computer Hardware System
A. Input Devices - any hardware component that allows the user to enter data, execute
commands and user responses into the computer. Basically, input devices are used for data
entry.

1. Keyboard – The set of typewriter keys that enables you to enter data in a computer.
 2. Mouse – invented by Douglas Engelbert of Stanford Research Center in 1963, and
pioneered by Zerox in 1970s, the mouse is a device that controls the movement of the
cursor or pointer on a display screen.
3. Joystick – a device consisting of a hand held stick that pivots about one end and
transmits its angle in two dimensions to a computer. It often used to control games,
and usually have one or more push-buttons whose state can also be read by the
computer.
4. Light pen - A small, photosensitive device connected to a computer and moved by
hand over an output display in order to manipulate information in the computer. Used
in Personal Digital Assistant and Smart Board.
5. Microphone – allows the computer to receive and record sound. Necessary for voice
recognition software and any software that needs to record sound.
6. Digital camera – takes pictures without film, and stores your snapshots as digital files
in its memory. Later, you can transfer your picture files to your PC through cable.
7. Barcode reader - An optical scanning device that reads texts which have been
converted into a special bar code or zebra stripes.
8. Webcam - A digital camera capable of capturing images to a computer for
transmission over the Internet or other network.
9. Drawing Tablet - is similar to a white board, except you use a special pen to write on it
and it's connected to the computer.  Then the word or image you draw can be saved on
the computer.

10. Scanner – An input device that takes in an optical image and digitizes it into an
electronic image. This can be used to create a computerized version of a photo or
illustration.

4 Kinds of Scanner
 Flatbed scanner - A scanner that provides a flat, glass surface to hold pages
of paper, books and other objects for scanning. The scan head is moved
under the glass across the page.
 Sheet-fed scanner - A scanner that allows only paper to be scanned rather
than books or other thick objects. It moves the paper across a stationary
scan head.
 Handheld scanner - A scanner that is moved across the image to be
scanned by hand. Handheld scanners are small and less expensive than
their desktop counterparts, but rely on the dexterity of the user to move the
unit across the paper.
 Drum scanner - A type of scanner used to capture the highest resolution
from an image. Photographs and transparencies are taped, clamped or
fitted into a clear cylinder. A light source that focuses on one pixel is
beamed onto the drum and moves down the drum a line at a time.

B. Output Devices- Any hardware component that presents, displays, alters, or record output
after it has left a computer’s system unit.
 1. Monitor – it is the most popular output device. It receive signals from video card inside
of the computer and gives the user a graphical or textual display.
2. Speakers – are used to produce sounds, listen to music, play music and watch movies.
3. Printer-create images on paper, plastic, cloth and other print media using technologies
like ink transfer, heat transfer, chemical reactions and physical force.

Types of Printers
 Laser Printer-uses toner and an internal laser to print.
 Inkjet or Bubble Jet Printers-uses ink to print. Usually available in color.
 Dot-Matrix Printer-creates characters by striking pins against an ink
ribbon. Each pin makes a dot, and combinations of dots form characters
and illustrations.

C. Storage Devices- these are important for keeping a document for later retrieval and use.

Two Classifications of Storage Devices:

1. Primary Storage- is the main memory. In this memory, the data used from
processing and the programs to be read are stored.
 ROM (Read Only Memory) - is a permanent memory. The
instructions stored can be changed and will not get lost even if the
power is switched off.
 RAM (Random Access Memory) - is a temporary memory. The
information stored in it will get lost once the computer is switched
off or the power is cut off.
2. Secondary Storage-is also called an external memory.

Most common examples of external secondary storage devices are the following.

a) Hard Disk- it is a magnetic disk in the system unit of a personal computer and is
an external hard disk device.
b) CD-ROM- is an optical disk format used to hold texts, graphics and sounds that
are pre-recorded. It is small, flat metal-coated plastic disc, about 4.75 inches in
diameter. It stores information by using a laser which creates pits on disc, and is
read by using another laser to read the light reflected from the pins.
c) Flash Drives – is a type of compact USB memory drive that acts like a portable
hard drive, letting you to store and transport computer data.
 D. System Unit- part of the computer which is responsible for accepting and processing the
data brought in by the input devices, passing resulting information to the users via the
output devices.

Components of System Unit:

1. Main Circuit Board- central nervous system. Also called motherboard.

2. Port- is a connection from the main circuit board to a peripheral device such
as keyboard, printer or a video monitor by means of a special cable. Also
called interface.
3. Expansion Slots- they are used to connect expansion cards to the main
circuit board. An expansion card is a printed circuit card with circuitry that
gives the computer additional capabilities.
4. Central Processing Unit (CPU)- is the computer’s processing, control and
internal storage circuitry.

Bytes- unit of measurement in measuring memory

Hertz- unit of measurement in measuring speed

Bit- stands for binary digits. It is the basic unit of data recognized by the
computer.

1 Byte= 8 bits
1 Kilobytes (KB) = 1024 bytes
1 Megabytes (MB) = one million bytes
1 Gigabytes (GB) = one billion bytes
1 Terabytes (TB) = one trillion bytes

II. SOFTWARE – is the programs and data that a computer uses. The software provides the
commands that tell the hardware what task to perform, what to read and write, how to send the
end result (the output) to a monitor and/or printer.
Kinds of Software
1. Application Software – these are programs that people use to get their work done.
Examples of Application Software
 Word Processor - is a computer application used for the production (including
composition, editing, formatting, and possibly printing) of any sort of printable material.

Examples: MS-Word, MS-Publisher, PageMaker

 Spreadsheet Software – Presents business data in a grid of rows and columns.
 Example: MS-Excel
 Graphics and Presentation - is a computer software package used to display information,
normally in the form of a slide show.

Example: MS-PowerPoint
 Database Software – a software that helps a user organize data in a way that allows fast
and easy access to the data.

Example: MS-Access, Oracle, MySQL

 Games - involves interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video
device.

Example: Mario, Solitaire, FreeCell, Minesweeper, DOTA (Defense of the ancient)

 Internet Browser - a software application that enables a user to display and interact with
text, images, and other information typically located on a Web page at a website on the
World Wide Web or a local area network.

Ex: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera Mini, Google Chrome

2. System Software – The system software includes all programs used to operate and maintain
the computer system. It controls all input/output functions and coordinates the flow of operations
during processing.
 Operating System - a set of computer programs that manage the hardware and software
resources of a computer.

Example: DOS, Windows, Linux, Mac

 Programming Languages – A software used to write or create other programs or software.

Example: FORTRAN (Formula Translator), COBOL, Pascal, C/C++, Java, Visual Basic
3. Utility Software (also known as service program, service routine, tool, or utility routine) It is
specifically designed to help manage and tune the computer hardware, operating system or
application software, and perform a single task or a small range of tasks.

Example: Disk Defragmenters, System Profilers, Virus Scanners (Disk doctors –

fix disks, Antivirus – “kill” viruses)
III. PEOPLEWARE are the users of the computer, they may be the system analysts,
programmers, Web Developer, students, administrators, encoders or just a common personnel
who in a way works with the computer.