Foundation – Basic Of Computer & It’s Fundamentals 1

Computer Fundamentals
 What Is a computer?

A
computer is an electronic device that manipulates information or data. Computer receives the data as input, process it, and
output it depending on a programme, software, or set of instructions on how to process the data. It is capable of a wide range
of activities and able to perform both numerical and non-numerical calculations. Not only are they thousands of times faster,
they can fit on your desk, in your lap, or even in your pocket.

A computer is designed to run programmes and deliver a wide range of solutions through integrated hardware and software compo nents.
It uses programs to operate and represents decimal numbers as a string of binary digits. The word "Computer" comes from the Latin word
"Computare" which meaning "To Calculate". Desktop computers, laptop computers, microcomputers, analogue computers, and digital
computers are all examples of computers.

 Fundamentals of Computer
A computer performs 5 basic operations, which are as follows:
•Inputting •Processing •Storing •Controlling •Outputting
These operations are executed by the 5 primary functional units that make up a computer system, which include the input unit, storage
unit, output unit, and two of the main components in the central processing unit (CPU) - the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and the control
unit.

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» Input Unit:
This unit consists of input devices that take input and convert it into binary language that the computer can understand. Keyboards,
mice, joysticks, and scanners are examples of common input devices.

» Storage Unit:
Storage unit in a computer system is used to store information
using devices for immediate use.

» Processing Unit:
This unit known as the central processing unit (CPU), which is
the main part of any digital computer system. It is consisting of
storage unit, control unit and arithmetic logic unit.

» Control Unit:
The controller coordinates and controls the flow of data to and
from the CPU, and controls all operations of the ALU, memory
registers, and input/output devices. It is also responsible for
executing all instructions stored in the program.
FIGURE 1: BLOCK DIAGRAM OF FUNCTIONAL COMPONENT UNITS OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM

» Arithmetic Logic Unit:

The Arithmetic Logic Un it (ALU) performs arithmetic and logical operations on the operands based on the incoming instructions.

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» Output Unit:
The output unit consists of output devices connected to a computer. It converts binary data from CPU into human readable form.
Common output devices are monitors, printers, etc.

 Generations of Computer

The evolution of computer systems is often discussed as the development of different generations. Each generation is a major advance in
computer technology. The main generations of computer are:

❖ First Generation (1940 –1956):

The first generation of computers used vacuum tubes as their main technology. They are bulky and take up a
lot of space. These tubes are like electric bulbs and they generate a lot of heat and devices often leak. Therefore,
they are very expensive and only large organizations can afford them.
Examples are (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) ENIAC
IMAGE 1: V ACUUM TUBES OF FIRST-GENERATION C OMPUTERS and UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer).
❖ Second Generation (1956 –1963):
Second generation computers were developed using Transistor Technology, which
made them smaller and more efficient than their predecessors. They were cheaper, consumed
less energy, were more compact, more reliable and faster than the first generation of vacuum
tube machines. In this generation, magnetic cores were used as primary storage, while IMAGE 2: FIRST G ENERATION COMPUTER

magnetic tapes and disks were used as secondary storage devices.

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❖ Third Generation (1964 – 1971):

Third generation computers used Integrated Circuits (ICs). A single IC has many transistors, resistors and capacitors and their
associated circuits. These changes made computers smaller, more reliable, and more efficient. This generation used remote, t ime-sharing
and multi-program operating systems. This generation used high-level languages (FORTRAN-II to IV, COBOL, PASCAL PL/1, BASIC,
ALGOL-68, etc.).
❖ Fourth Generation (1971 – Present):
Fourth generation computers used Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) circuits. VLSI circuits with approximately 5,000 transistors and
other circuit elements and associated circuits on a single chip enabled the creation of the fourth generation of microcompute rs. Fourth
generation computers became more powerful, more compact, more reliable and more
affordable. As a result, this led to the personal computer (PC) revolution. This generation
used time-sharing, real-time networks, and distributed operating systems. This generation
used all high-level languages like C, C++, Databases etc.
❖ Fifth Generation (Present – Beyond):
The fifth generation has evolved, and VLSI technology has evolved into ULSI
technology, which stands for Ultra-Large-Scale Integration. This means that 10 million
electronic components are used to manufacture a microprocessor chip. Fifth generation
computers were created using logic programming and massively parallel computing. This
generation of computers is based on parallel processing hardware and AI (artificial
IMAGE 3: IMAC - AN E XAMPLE OF 4TH & 5TH G ENERATION COMPUTERS

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intelligence) software. Artificial intelligence is able to describe means and methods to make computers think like humans. Various high-
level languages such as C and C++, .NET, Java, etc. can be used in this generation.

 Types of a Computer

We can define computer types on two bases. That is based on size and processing power. First, let's look at what types of computers exist:

• Super Computer: Supercomputers are designed to process large amounts of data,

such as trillions of instructions or data in seconds. Supercomputer performance is
measured in floating-point operations per second (FLOPS), not millions of
instructions per second (MIPS). Some supercomputers can perform up to 100 trillion
FLOPS. For example,
IBM Sumit:
▪ Speed – 146.6 petaFLOPS
▪ Cores - 2,414,592
▪ Vendor – IBM
▪ Location - Oak Ridge National Laboratory, United States IMAGE 4: SUMIT IBM - ONE OF THE FASTEST SUPER COMPUTER

• Mainframe Computer: The mainframe computers are pretty advanced, but they are comparatively smaller in size than the
supercomputers. Mainframes are designed to support hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously, and it also supports running
multiple programs simultaneously. The main function of mainframes is to store large databases. IBM invented the first-ever mainframe
computer.

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• Mini Computer: Minicomputers are medium-sized multiprocessor computers. This type of

computer has two or more processors and supports 4 to 200 users at a time. They are more
expensive and more powerful than PCs. Minicomputers are used for scientific and technical data
processing, business transaction processing, document processing and database management.
• Workstation Computer: Workstation computers are intended for technical or scientific use. It
consists of a fast microprocessor with large RAM and a high-speed graphics adapter. This is a
IMAGE 5: INTEL NUC - MINI COMPUTER
single user computer. It is often used to perform specific tasks with great precision.
• Personal Computer (PC): Personal Computers is also known as a microcomputer. It is basically
a general-purpose computer designed for individual use. These are manufactured to put an
entire CPU on one chip.
• Server Computer: A server computer is a computer that combines data and programs.
Electronic data and applications are stored and shared on server computers. Shown in figure 2.
• Analog Computer: Data that is continuously changing and cannot have discrete values is called
IMAGE 6: W ORKSTATION
analog data. Therefore, analog computers are used when we don't need exact values or we need
approximate values like speed, temperature, pressure, etc.
• Digital Computer: Digital computers are designed to easily perform calculations and logical
operations at high speed. It takes raw data as input and processes it using a program stored in
memory to produce a final output. It only understands binary input 0 and 1, so the raw input is

FIGURE 2: BLOCK-DIAGRAM OF A SERVER COMPUTER

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converted into 0 and 1 by the computer, which is then processed by the computer to produce the final output.
• Hybrid Computer: A hybrid computer is a combination of an analog computer and a digital computer. Hybrid computers are as fast
as analog computers and have the memory and accuracy of digital computers. Therefore, it is widely used in professional applicat ions
that need to process analog and digital data.
• Tablets and Smartphone: Tablets and smartphones are portable and easy to carry, easy to carry computers. This is one of the best
uses of modern technology. These devices have better hardware features, a wide range of operating systems and better media
capabilities. Smartphones and tablets have many sensors and also provide wireless communication protocols.

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