Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VI – Western Visayas
Himamaylan City Division
HIMAMAYLAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Vasquez St., Brgy. 3, Himamaylan City

Subject: Java Programming Track: TVL/ICT/Computer Programming

Grade: 11 Section: Computer Programming

LESSON 1
COMPUTER FUNDAMENTALS

What is Computer? e.g., monitor.

A computer is a programmable electronic

device that accepts raw data as input and processes it Computers are divided into different types based on
with a set of instructions (a program) to produce the different criteria. Based on the size, a computer can
result as output. It renders output just after be divided into five types:
performing mathematical and logical operations and  Micro Computer
can save the output for future use. It can process  Mini Computer
numerical as well as non-numerical calculations. The  Mainframe Computer
term "computer" is derived from the Latin word  Super Computer
"computare" which means to calculate.  Workstations
A computer is designed to execute
applications and provides a variety of solutions 1. Micro Computer:
through integrated hardware and software It is a single-user computer which has less
components. It works with the help of programs and speed and storage capacity than the other types. It
represents the decimal numbers through a string of uses a microprocessor as a CPU. The first
binary digits. It also has a memory that stores the microcomputer was built with 8-bit microprocessor
data, programs, and result of processing. The chips. The common examples of microcomputers
components of a computer such as machinery that include laptops, desktop computers, personal digital
includes wires, transistors, circuits, hard disk are assistant (PDA), tablets, and smartphones.
called hardware. Whereas, the programs and data are Microcomputers are generally designed and
called software. developed for general usage like browsing, searching
It is believed that the Analytical Engine was for information, internet, MS Office, social media, etc.
the first computer which was invented by Charles
Babbage in 1837. It used punch cards as read-only 2. Mini Computer:
memory. Charles Babbage is also known as the father Mini-computers are also known as "Midrange
of the computer. Computers." They are not designed for a single. They
are multi-user computers designed to support
The basic parts without which a computer cannot multiple users simultaneously. So, they are generally
work are as follows: used by small businesses and firms. Individual
 Processor: It executes instructions from software departments of a company use these computers for
and hardware.
specific purposes. For example, the admission
 Memory: It is the primary memory for data
department of a University can use a Mini-computer
transfer between the CPU and storage.
 Motherboard: It is the part that connects all other for monitoring the admission process.
parts or components of a computer.
 Storage Device: It permanently stores the data, 3. Mainframe Computer:
e.g., hard drive. It is also a multi-user computer capable of
 Input Device: It allows you to communicate with supporting thousands of users simultaneously. They
the computer or to input data, e.g., a keyboard. are used by large firms and government organizations
 Output Device: It enables you to see the output, to run their business operations as they can store and
process large amounts of data. For example, Banks,
universities, and insurance companies use mainframe
computers to store the data of their customers,  Improves your abilities: 
students, and policyholders, respectively. It helps write good English if you are not good
at spelling and grammar. Similarly, if you are not good
4. Super Computer: at math, and don't have a great memory, you can use
Super-computers are the fastest and most a computer to perform calculations and store the
expensive computers among all types of computers. results.
They have huge storage capacities and computing  Assist the physically challenged:
speeds and thus can perform millions of instructions It can be used to help the physically
per second. The super-computers are task-specific challenged, e.g., Stephen Hawking, who was not able
and thus used for specialized applications such as to speak used computer to speak. It also can be used
large-scale numerical problems in scientific and to help blind people by installing special software to
engineering disciplines including applications in read what is on the screen.
electronics, petroleum engineering, weather  Keeps you entertained: 
forecasting, medicine, space research and more. For You can use the computer to listen to songs,
example, NASA uses supercomputers for launching watch movies, play games and more.
space satellites and monitoring and controlling them
for space exploration. The computer has become a part of our life.
There are plenty of things that we do in a day are
5. Work stations: dependent on a computer. Some of the common
It is a single-user computer. Although it is like examples are as follows:
a personal computer, it has a more powerful
microprocessor and a higher-quality monitor than a  ATM: 
While withdrawing cash from an ATM, you are
microcomputer. In terms of storage capacity and
using a computer that enables the ATM to take
speed, it comes between a personal computer and
instructions and dispense cash accordingly.
minicomputer. Work stations are generally used for  Digital currency:
specialized applications such as desktop publishing, A computer keeps a record of your
software development, and engineering designs. transactions and balance in your account and the
money deposited in your account in a bank is stored
Benefits of Using a Computer: as a digital record or digital currency.
 Increases your productivity:   Trading: 
A computer increases your productivity. For Stock markets use computers for day to day
example, after having a basic understanding of a word trading. There are many advanced algorithms based
processor, you can create, edit, store, and print the on computers that handle trading without involving
documents easily and quickly. humans.
 Connects to the Internet:   Smartphone: 
The smartphone that we use throughout the
It connects you to the internet that allows you
day for calling, texting, browsing is itself a computer.
to send emails, browse content, gain information, use
 VoIP: 
social media platforms, and more. By connecting to All voice over IP communication (VoIP) is
the internet, you can also connect to your long- handled and done by computers.
distance friends and family members.
 Storage: History of Computers
 A computer allows you to store a large The first counting device was used by the
amount of information, e.g., you can store your primitive people. They used sticks, stones and bones
projects, ebooks, documents, movies, pictures, songs, as counting tools. As human mind and technology
and more. improved with time more computing devices were
 Organized Data and Information:  developed. Some of the popular computing devices
It not only allows you to store data but also starting with the first to recent ones are described
enables you to organize your data. For example, you below;
can create different folders to store different data and
information and thus can search for information easily Abacus
and quickly.
The history of computer begins with the birth of philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz in 1673. He
abacus which is believed to be the first computer. It is improved Pascal's invention to develop this machine.
said that Chinese invented Abacus around 4,000 years It was a digital mechanical calculator which was called
ago. the stepped reckoner as instead of gears it was made
It was a wooden rack of fluted drums. See the following image;
which has metal rods
with beads mounted on Difference Engine
them. The beads were In the early 1820s, it was
moved by the abacus designed by Charles Babbage
operator according to who is known as "Father of
some rules to perform Modern Computer". It was a
arithmetic calculations. mechanical computer which
Abacus is still used in could perform simple
some countries like China, Russia and Japan. An image calculations. It was a steam
of this tool is shown below; driven calculating machine designed to solve tables of
numbers like logarithm tables.
Napier's Bones
It was a manually- Analytical Engine
operated calculating This calculating machine was
device which was also developed by Charles
invented by John Napier Babbage in 1830. It was a
(1550-1617) of mechanical computer that used
Merchiston. In this punch-cards as input. It was
calculating tool, he used capable of solving any
9 different ivory strips or mathematical problem and
bones marked with storing information as a permanent memory.
numbers to multiply and divide. So, the tool became
known as "Napier's Bones. It was also the first Tabulating Machine
machine to use the decimal point. It was invented in 1890, by Herman Hollerith, an
American statistician. It was a
Pascaline mechanical tabulator based on
Pascaline is also known as punch cards. It could tabulate
Arithmetic Machine or statistics and record or sort data
Adding Machine. It was or information. This machine
invented between 1642 was used in the 1890 U.S.
and 1644 by a French Census. Hollerith also started
mathematician- the Hollerith?s Tabulating Machine Company which
philosopher Biaise Pascal. later became International Business Machine (IBM) in
It is believed that it was 1924.
the first mechanical and
automatic calculator. Differential Analyzer
Pascal invented this machine to help his father, a tax It was the first electronic
accountant. It could only perform addition and computer introduced in the
subtraction. It was a wooden box with a series of United States in 1930. It was
gears and wheels. When a wheel is rotated one an analog device invented by
revolution, it rotates the neighboring wheel. A series Vannevar Bush. This machine
of windows is given on the top of the wheels to read has vacuum tubes to switch
the totals. An image of this tool is shown below; electrical signals to perform
calculations. It could do 25 calculations in few
Stepped Reckoner or minutes.
Leibnitz wheel
It was developed by a Mark I
German mathematician-
The next major changes in the history of computer  IBM 1620
began in 1937 when Howard Aiken planned to  IBM 7094
develop a machine that could perform calculations  CDC 1604
involving large numbers. In 1944, Mark I computer  CDC 3600
was built as a partnership between IBM and Harvard.  UNIVAC 1108
It was the first programmable digital computer. Third Generation Computers
The third generation computers used integrated
Generations of Computers circuits (ICs) instead of transistors. A single IC can pack
A generation of computers refers to the huge number of transistors which increased the
specific improvements in computer technology with power of a computer and reduced the cost. The
time. In 1946, electronic pathways called circuits were computers also became more reliable, efficient and
developed to perform the counting. It replaced the smaller in size. These generation computers used
gears and other mechanical parts used for counting in remote processing, time-sharing, multi programming
previous computing machines. as operating system.
In each new generation, the circuits became smaller Some of the popular third generation computers are;
and more advanced than the previous generation  IBM-360 series
circuits. The miniaturization helped increase the  Honeywell-6000 series
speed, memory and power of computers. There are  PDP(Personal Data Processor)
five generations of computers which are described  IBM-370/168
below;  TDC-316

First Generation Computers Fourth Generation Computers

The first generation (1946-1959) computers The fourth generation (1971-1980) computers
were slow, huge and expensive. In these computers, used very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits; a chip
vacuum tubes were used as the basic components of containing millions of transistors and other circuit
CPU and memory. These computers were mainly elements. These chips made this generation
depended on batch operating system and punch computers more compact, powerful, fast and
cards. Magnetic tape and paper tape were used as affordable. These generation computers used real
output and input devices in this generation; time, time sharing and distributed operating system.
Some of the popular first generation computers are; Some of the popular fourth generation computers
ENIAC ( Electronic Numerical Integrator and are;
Computer)  DEC 10
EDVAC ( Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic  STAR 1000
Computer)  PDP 11
UNIVACI( Universal Automatic Computer)  CRAY-1(Super Computer)
IBM-701  CRAY-X-MP(Super Computer)
IBM-650
Fifth Generation Computers
Second Generation Computers In fifth generation (1980-till date) computers,
The second generation (1959-1965) was the era of the the VLSI technology was replaced with ULSI (Ultra
transistor computers. These computers used Large Scale Integration). It made possible the
transistors which were cheap, compact and production of microprocessor chips with ten million
consuming less power; it made transistor computers electronic components. This generation computers
faster than the first generation computers. used parallel processing hardware and AI (Artificial
In this generation, magnetic cores were used as the Intelligence) software.
primary memory and magnetic disc and tapes were Some of the popular fifth generation computers are;
used as the secondary storage. Assembly language  Desktop
and programming languages like COBOL and  Laptop
FORTRAN, and Batch processing and  NoteBook
multiprogramming operating systems were used in  UltraBook
these computers.  ChromeBook
Some of the popular second generation computers
are;