CS211 02 The Development of Computer Hardware and Software
CS211 02 The Development of Computer Hardware and Software
Autumn 2023
Brief Recap
• History of Computers
• Generation of Computers
• Characteristics of Computers
• Types of Computers
• Software Generation
• https://www.mkpulse.co.uk/the-fascinating-story-behind-colossus/
ENIAC UNIVAC I
• The advent of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s and the
proliferation of the internet transformed the way people accessed
and shared information, leading to a new era of interconnected
computing.
• What advancement do you think the next era will usher in?
• The most famous example is the ENIAC, which was used for
complex scientific and military calculations.
• IBM's 1401 and UNIVAC 1107 are notable computers from this era.
• The IBM System/360 and DEC PDP-8 are iconic third-generation machines.
• Notable computers include the Apple II, IBM PC, and early laptops.
40 CS211 - ICT Fundamentals (Autumn 2023)
Generation of Computers
Fifth Generation (1980s-Present): AI and Supercomputers
• Computers can store vast amounts of data, from text documents and
images to videos and software. Storage capacity is measured in bytes,
with modern computers having gigabytes (GB) to terabytes (TB) of
storage.
• Different types of storage, such as hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-
state drives (SSDs), provide varying levels of speed and capacity.
• Digital computers work with discrete values (0s and 1s), ensuring
high accuracy in arithmetic and logical operations.
• They are known for their robust processing capabilities, reliability, and
the ability to handle extensive data processing and storage tasks.
• They are used for highly complex and compute-intensive tasks, such as
weather modeling, scientific simulations, and nuclear research.
• The fastest supercomputer in the world right now is Frontier, at the Oak
Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, USA.
• PCs are versatile and commonly used for various tasks, such as
word processing, web browsing, gaming, and software
development.
• Advent of personal computers like the Altair 8800, Apple II, and
IBM PC.
• https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/
• https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=394
• https://www.mkpulse.co.uk/the-fascinating-story-behind-colossus/
• https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168122/
• https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084970/