Lesson 1 Introduction to Computer

I. Computer Definition
What is Computer?
A computer is a programmable electronic device that accepts raw data as input and processes it
with a set of instructions (a program) to produce the result as output. It renders output just
after performing mathematical and logical operations and can save the output for future use. It
can process numerical as well as non-numerical calculations. The term "computer" is derived
from the Latin word "computare" which means to calculate.

It also has a memory that stores the data, programs, and result of processing. The components
of a computer such as machinery that includes wires, transistors, circuits, hard disk are called
hardware. Whereas, the programs and data are called software.

It is believed that the Analytical Engine was the first computer which was invented by Charles
Babbage in 1837. It used punch cards as read-only memory. Charles Babbage is also known as
the father of the computer.

The basic parts of computer are as follows:

• Processor: It executes instructions from software and hardware.

• Memory: It is the primary memory for data transfer between the CPU and storage.
• Motherboard: It is the part that connects all other parts or components of a computer.
• Storage Device: It permanently stores the data, e.g., hard drive.
• Input Device: It allows you to communicate with the computer or to input data, e.g., a
keyboard.
• Output Device: It enables you to see the output, e.g., monitor.

What are the advantages of a computer?

• Increase your productivity
• Can store massive amounts of information and reduce waste
• Connects you to the Internet
• Helps sort, organize, and search through information
• Keeps you connected
• Get a better understanding of data
• Can help you learn and keep you informed
• You can earn money
• Improves your abilities
• Improves your employment options
• Keep you entertained
• Find love in your life
• Assist the physically challenged
How many types of computer?
Computers are divided into different types based on different criteria. Based on the size, a
computer can be divided into five types:

1. Micro Computer
2. Mini Computer
3. Mainframe Computer
4. Super Computer
5. Workstations

1. Micro Computer:
It is a single-user computer which has less speed and storage capacity than the other types.
It uses a microprocessor as a CPU. The first microcomputer was built with 8-bit
microprocessor chips. The common examples of microcomputers include laptops, desktop
computers, personal digital assistant (PDA), tablets, and smartphones. Microcomputers are
generally designed and developed for general usage like browsing, searching for
information, internet, MS Office, social media, etc.

2. Mini Computer:
Mini-computers are also known as "Midrange Computers." They are not designed for a
single. They are multi-user computers designed to support multiple users simultaneously.
So, they are generally used by small businesses and firms. Individual departments of a
company use these computers for specific purposes. For example, the admission
department of a university can use a Mini-computer for monitoring the admission process.
3. Mainframe Computer:
It is also a multi-user computer capable of supporting thousands of users simultaneously.
They are used by large firms and government organizations 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,
students, and policyholders, respectively.

4. Super Computer:
Super-computers are the fastest and most expensive computers among all types of
computers. They have huge storage capacities and computing speeds and thus can perform
millions of instructions per second. The super-computers are task-specific and thus used for
specialized applications such as large-scale numerical problems in scientific and engineering
disciplines including applications in electronics, petroleum engineering, weather forecasting,
medicine, space research and more. For example, NASA uses supercomputers for launching
space satellites and monitoring and controlling them for space exploration.
5. Workstations:
It is a single-user computer. Although it is like a personal computer, it has a more powerful
microprocessor and a higher-quality monitor than a microcomputer. In terms of storage
capacity and speed, it comes between a personal computer and minicomputer. Work
stations are generally used for specialized applications such as desktop publishing (books or
booklets that are intended to be printed), software development, and engineering designs.
How many generations of computers are there?
you’ll learn more about each of the five generations of computers and the advances in
technology that have led to the development of the many computing devices we use today. The
initial computer faced many changes, obviously for the betterment. It continuously improved
itself in terms of speed, accuracy, size, and price. These five generations of computers start in
1940 with vacuum tube circuitry and goes to the present day and beyond with artificial
intelligence (AI) systems and devices.

1. FIRST GENERATION: VACUUM TUBES (1940–1956)

The first computer systems used vacuum tubes
for circuitry and magnetic drums for main
memory, and they were often enormous, taking
up entire rooms. These computers were very
expensive to operate, and in addition to using a
great deal of electricity, the first computers
generated a lot of heat, which was often the
cause of malfunctions. The maximum internal
storage capacity was 20,000 characters.

First-generation computers relied on machine

language, the lowest-level programming language understood by computers, to perform
operations, and they could only solve one problem at a time. It would take operators days
or even weeks to set up a new problem. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape,
and output was displayed on printouts.

It was in this generation that the Von Neumann architecture was introduced, which displays
the design architecture of an electronic digital computer. Later, the UNIVAC and ENIAC
computers, invented by J. Presper Eckert, became examples of first-generation computer
technology. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered to a business client,
the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.

2. SECOND GENERATION: TRANSISTORS (1956–1963)

The world would see transistors replace vacuum
tubes in the second generation of computers. The
transistor was invented at Bell Labs in 1947 but
did not see widespread use in computers until the
late 1950s. This generation of computers also
included hardware advances like magnetic core
memory, magnetic tape, and the magnetic disk.

The transistor was far superior to the vacuum

tube, allowing computers to become smaller,
faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient, and more
 reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Though the transistor still generated a
great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over
the vacuum tube. A second-generation computer still relied on punched cards for input and
printouts for output.

3. THIRD GENERATION: INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (1964–1971)

The development of the integrated
circuit was the hallmark of the third
generation of computers. Transistors
were miniaturized and placed on
silicon chips, called semiconductors,
which drastically increased the speed
and efficiency of computers.

Instead of punched cards and

printouts, users would interact with a third-generation computer through keyboards,
monitors, and interfaces with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many
different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory.
Computers, for the first time, became accessible to a mass audience because they were
smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.

Integrated circuit (IC) chips are small electronic devices made out of semiconductor
material. The first integrated circuit was developed in the 1950s by Jack Kilby of Texas
Instruments and Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor.

4. FOURTH GENERATION: MICROPROCESSORS (1971–PRESENT)

The microprocessor ushered in the fourth
generation of computers, as thousands of
integrated circuits were built onto a
single silicon chip. The technology in the
first generation that filled an entire room
could now fit in the palm of the hand. The
Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971,
integrated all the components of the
computer, from the central processing
unit and memory to input/output
controls, on a single chip.

In 1981, IBM introduced its first personal computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple
introduced the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop
computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use
the microprocessor chip.
 As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form
networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Each fourth-generation
computer also saw the computer development of GUIs, the mouse, and handheld
technology.

5. FIFTH GENERATION: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (PRESENT AND BEYOND)

Fifth-generation computer technology,
based on artificial intelligence, is still in
development, though there are some
applications, such as voice recognition, that
are being used today. The use of parallel
processing and superconductors is helping
to make artificial intelligence a reality. This
is also so far the prime generation for
packing a large amount of storage into a
compact and portable device.

Quantum computation and molecular and

nanotechnology will radically change the face of computers in years to come. The goal of
fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that will respond to natural language input
and are capable of learning and self-organization.