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Ref Page Chapter 1: Introduction to Computers Slide 1/17

Computer

 The word computer comes from the word “compute”,

which means, “to calculate”

 Thereby, a computer is an electronic device that can

perform arithmetic operations at high speed

 A computer is also called a data processor because it can

store, process, and retrieve data whenever desired
Data Processing

The activity of processing data using a computer is called

data processing
Data

Text
Capture Data

Manipulate Data

Output Results

Information
Data is raw material used as input and information is
processed data obtained as output of data processing
Characteristics of Computers

1) Automatic: Given a job, computer can work on it

automatically without human interventions

2) Speed: Computer can perform data processing jobs

very fast, usually measured in microseconds (10 -6 ),
nanoseconds (10-9), and picoseconds (10-12)

3) Accuracy: Accuracy of a computer is consistently high

and the degree of its accuracy depends upon its design.
Computer errors caused due to incorrect input data or
unreliable programs are often referred to as Garbage-
In-Garbage-Out (GIGO)

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 Characteristics of Computers
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4) Diligence: Computer is free from monotony, tiredness,

and lack of concentration. It can continuously work for
hours without creating any error and without grumbling

5) Versatility: Computer is capable of performing almost

any task, if the task can be reduced to a finite series of
logical steps

6) Power of Remembering: Computer can store and

recall any amount of information because of its
secondary storage capability. It forgets or looses certain
information only when it is asked to do so

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 Characteristics of Computers
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7) No I.Q.: A computer does only what it is programmed

to do. It cannot take its own decision in this regard

8) No Feelings: Computers are devoid of emotions. Their

judgement is based on the instructions given to them in
the form of programs that are written by us (human
beings)

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Evolution of Computers

 Blaise Pascal invented the first mechanical adding

machine in 1642
 Baron Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz invented the first
calculator for multiplication in 1671
 Keyboard machines originated in the United States
around 1880
 Around 1880, Herman Hollerith came up with the concept
of punched cards that were extensively used as input
media until late 1970s
 Evolution of Computers
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 Charles Babbage is considered to be the father of

modern digital computers

 He designed “Difference Engine” in 1822

 He designed a fully automatic analytical engine in

1842 for performing basic arithmetic functions

 His efforts established a number of principles that

are f undamental to the desi gn of any di gi tal
computer

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Some Well Known Early Computers

 The Mark I Computer (1937-44)

 The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (1939-42)
 The ENIAC (1943-46)
 The EDVAC (1946-52)
 The EDSAC (1947-49)
 Manchester Mark I (1948)
 The UNIVAC I (1951)
Computer Generations

 “Generation” in computer talk is a step in technology. It

provides a framework for the growth of computer industry

 Originally it was used to distinguish between various

hardware technologies, but now it has been extended to
include both hardware and software

 Till today, there are five computer generations

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 Computer Generations
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Key hardware Key software Key Some

Generation
representative
(Period) technologies technologies characteristics systems

First  Vacuum tubes  Machine and  Bulky in size  ENIAC

(1942-1955)  Electromagnetic assembly  Highly unreliable  EDVAC
relay memory languages  Limited commercial  EDSAC
 Punched cards  Stored program use and costly  UNIVAC I
secondary storage concept
 Difficult commercial  IBM 701
 Mostly scientific production
applications  Difficult to use
Second  Transistors  Batch operating F as t e r, smaller, mo re  Honeywell 400
(1955-1964)  Magnetic cores system reliable and easier to  IBM 7030
memory  High-level program than previous  CDC 1604
 Magnetic tapes programming generation systems
 UNIVAC LARC
 Disks for secondary languages Commercial production
storage  Scientific and was still difficult and
commercial costly
applications

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 Computer Generations
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Generation Key hardware Key software Key Some rep.

(Period) technologies technologies characteristics systems

Third  ICs with SSI and  Timesharing  Faster, smaller, more  IBM 360/370
(1964-1975) MSI technologies operating reliable, easier and  PDP-8
 Larger magnetic system cheaper to produce  PDP-11
cores memory  Standardization  Commercially, easier  CDC 6600
 Larger capacity of high-level to use, and easier to
disks and programming upgrade than previous
magnetic tapes languages generation systems
secondary storage  U n b u n d l i n g o f  Scientific, commercial
 Minicomputers; s o f t w a r e f r o m and interactive on-
upward hardware line applications
compatible family
of computers

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 Computer Generations
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Generation Key hardware Key software Key Some rep.

(Period) Technologies technologies characteristics systems

Fourth (1975-  ICs with VLSI  Operating systems for  Small, affordable,  IBM PC and
1989) technology PCs with GUI and reliable, and easy its clones
 Microprocessors; multiple windows on a to use PCs  Apple II
semiconductor memory single terminal screen  More powerful  TRS-80
 Larger capacity hard  Multiprocessing OS and reliable  VAX 9000
disks as in-built with concurrent mainframe
programming systems and  CRAY-1
secondary storage
languages supercomputers  CRAY-2
 Magnetic tapes and
floppy disks as portable  UNIX operating system  Totally general  CRAY-X/MP
storage media with C programming purpose machines
 Personal computers language  Easier to produce
 Supercomputers based  Object-oriented design commercially
on parallel vector and programming  Easier to upgrade
processing and  PC, Network-based,  Rapid software
symmetric and supercomputing development
multiprocessing applications possible
technologies
 Spread of high-speed
computer networks

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 Computer Generations
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Generation Key hardware Key software Key Some rep.

(Period) technologies technologies characteristics systems

Fifth (1989- ICs with ULSI  Micro-kernel based,  Portable computers  IBM notebooks
Present) technology multithreading,  Powerful, cheaper,  Pentium PCs
 Larger capacity distributed OS reliable, and easier  SUN Workstations
main memory, hard  Parallel to use desktop  IBM SP/2
disks with RAID programming machines
support libraries like MPI &  SGI Origin 2000
 Powerful
 Optical disks as PVM  PARAM 10000
supercomputers
portable read-only  JAVA  High uptime due to
storage media  World Wide Web hot-pluggable
 Notebooks,  Multimedia, Internet components
powerful desktop applications  Totally general
PCs and  More complex purpose machines
workstations supercomputing  Easier to produce
 Powerful servers, applications commercially, easier
supercomputers to upgrade
 Internet  Rapid software
 Cluster computing development
possible
Electronic Devices Used in Computers of Different Generations

(a) A Vacuum Tube (b) A Transistor (c) An IC Chip