Definition of Computer:-
A computer is a machine or device that performs processes, calculations and operations based on instructions provided by a software or hardware program. It is designed to execute applications and provides a variety of solutions by combining integrated hardware and software components.
C- COMMON
O-OPERATING
O-OPERATING
M- MACHINE
P-PARTICULAR
U-USED FOR
T- TECHNICAL
E-EDUCATION
R- RESEARCH
A computer is made up of multiple parts and components that facilitate user functionality. A computer has two primary categories:
Hardware
Physical structure that houses a computer's processor, memory, storage, communication ports and peripheral devices
Software
Includes operating system (OS) and software applications.
A computer works with software programs that are sent to its underlying hardware architecture for reading, interpretation and execution. Computers are classified according to computing power, capacity, size, mobility and other factors, as personal computers (PC), desktop computers, laptop computers, minicomputers, handheld computers and devices, mainframes or supercomputers.
Evolution of Computers
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Although computers have technically been in use since the abacus approximately 5000 years ago, it is modern computers that have had the greatest and most profound effect on society. The first full-sized digital computer in history was developed in 1944. Called the Mark I, this computer was used only for calculations and weighed five tons.
First Generation Computers
First generation computers bore little resemblance to computers of today, either in appearance or performance. The first generation of computers took place from 1940 to 1956 and was extremely large in size. The inner workings of the computers at that time were unsophisticated. These early machines required magnetic drums for memory and vacuum tubes that worked as switches and amplifiers. It was the vacuum tubes that were mainly responsible for the large size of the machines and the massive amounts of heat that they released. These computers produced so much heat that they regularly overheated despite large cooling units. First generation computers also used a very basic programming language that is referred to as machine language.
Second Generation Computers
The second generation (from 1956 to 1963) of computers managed to do away with vacuum tubes in lieu of transistors. This allowed them to use less electricity and generate less heat. Second generation computers were also significantly faster than their predecessors. Another significant change was in the size of the computers, which were smaller. Transistor computers also developed core memory which they used alongside magnetic storage.
Third Generation Computers
From 1964 to 1971 computers went through a significant change in terms of speed, courtesy of integrated circuits. Integrated circuits, or semiconductor chips, were large numbers of miniature transistors packed on silicon chips. This not only increased the speed of computers but also made them smaller, more powerful, and less expensive. In addition, instead of the punch cards and the printouts of previous systems, keyboards and monitors were now allowing people to interact with computing machines.
Fourth Generation Computers
The changes with the greatest impact occurred in the years from 1971 to 2010. During this time technology developed to a point where manufacturers could place millions of transistors on a single circuit chip. This was called monolithic integrated circuit technology. It also heralded the invention of the Intel 4004 chip which was the first microprocessor to become commercially available in 1971. This invention led to the dawn of the personal computer industry. By the mid-70s, personal computers such as the Altair 8800 became available to the public in the form of kits and required assembly. By the late 70s and early 80s assembled personal computers for home use, such as the Commodore Pet, Apple II and the first IBM computer, were making their way onto the market. Personal computers and their ability to create networks eventually would lead to the Internet in the early 1990s. The fourth generation of computers also saw the creation of even smaller computers including laptops and hand-held devices. Graphical user interface, or GUI, was also invented during this time. Computer memory and storage also went through major improvements, with an increase in storage capacity and speed.
The Fifth Generation of Computers
In the future, computer users can expect even faster and more advanced computer technology. Computers continue to develop into advanced forms of technology. Fifth generation computing has yet to be truly defined, as there are numerous paths that technology is taking toward the future of computer development. For instance, research is ongoing in the fields of nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, as well as quantum computation.
IT gadgets and their applications
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An ICT device stands for “information and communications technology”. It’s a broad term that covers all available communication gadgets such as television sets, cell phones, personal computers, tablets, etc. The ICT includes both Internet-connected devices and mobile ones supported by wireless technology. Its definition also contains more outdated appliances such landline phones, radios, and broadcast TV. ICT devices allow individuals and organizations (companies, governments, and educational establishments) to communicate with each other in the digital world via specially designed applications.
Uses of ICT :-
· They make conversations easier
· They help companies grow
· They allow us to do everything everywhere
· They increase our effectiveness
· They bring families and friends together
· They help save space
· They entertain us
· They make sure we aren’t alone
Application of ICT in education
There are dozens of uses of ICT in education alone. They provide numerous resources for teachers to use during their lessons. Besides, they allow for more interactivity between the teacher and his students. Personal computers can be used for testing, to replace textbooks that aren’t available in physical form, and to prepare the pupils for life in the digital world. Here’s a mini-list inside a list of the Top 5 functions of ICT gadgets in education
· Presentations
· Demonstrations
· Skill practicing
· Internet Interaction
· Audio and Video materials
Basics of Hardware and Software
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Comparison chart
Hardware versus Software comparison chart
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Hardware
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Software
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Definition
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Devices that are required to store and execute (or run) the software.
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Collection of instructions that enables a user to interact with the computer. Software is a program that enables a computer to perform a specific task, as opposed to the physical components of the system (hardware).
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Types
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Input, storage, processing, control, and output devices.
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System software, Programming software, and Application software.
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Function
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Hardware serve as the delivery system for software solutions. The hardware of a computer is infrequently changed, in comparison with software and data, which are “soft” in the sense that they are readily created, modified, or erased on the comput
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To perform the specific task you need to complete. Software is generally not needed to for the hardware to perform its basic level tasks such as turning on and reponding to input.
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Examples
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QuickBooks, Adobe Acrobat, Google Chrome, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Apple Maps
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Inter dependency
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Hardware starts functioning once software is loaded.
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To deliver its set of instructions, Software is installed on hardware.
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Failure
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Hardware failure is random. Hardware does have increasing failure at the last stage.
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Software failure is systematic. Software does not have an increasing failure rate.
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Durability
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Hardware wears out over time.
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Software does not wear out over time. However, bugs are discovered in software as time passes.
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Nature
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Hardware is physical in nature.
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Software is logical in nature.
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CPU
Central processing unit. Unit that bring the instruction from memory to be executed and decodes.
Input Devices
The main function of the input device is to enter the data in the computer. The various example of input data are a mouse, keyboard, light pen, etc.
Output Devices
Output devices can be viewed in the monitor or you can print it on the paper. And that is why printer and monitor are one of the most common output devices.
Computer – Memory
A memory is just like a human brain. It is used to store data and instructions. Computer memory is the storage space in the computer, where data is to be processed and instructions required for processing are stored. The memory is divided into large number of small parts called cells. Each location or cell has a unique address, which varies from zero to memory size minus one. For example, if the computer has 64k words, then this memory unit has 64 * 1024 = 65536 memory locations. The address of these locations varies from 0 to 65535.
Memory is primarily of three types −
- Cache Memory
- Primary Memory/Main Memory
- Secondary Memory
Cache Memory
Cache memory is a very high speed semiconductor memory which can speed up the CPU. It acts as a buffer between the CPU and the main memory. It is used to hold those parts of data and program which are most frequently used by the CPU. The parts of data and programs are transferred from the disk to cache memory by the operating system, from where the CPU can access them.
Advantages
The advantages of cache memory are as follows −
- Cache memory is faster than main memory.
- It consumes less access time as compared to main memory.
- It stores the program that can be executed within a short period of time.
- It stores data for temporary use.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of cache memory are as follows −
- Cache memory has limited capacity.
- It is very expensive.
Primary Memory (Main Memory)
Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on which the computer is currently working. It has a limited capacity and data is lost when power is switched off. It is generally made up of semiconductor device. These memories are not as fast as registers. The data and instruction required to be processed resides in the main memory. It is divided into two subcategories RAM and ROM.
Characteristics of Main Memory
- These are semiconductor memories.
- It is known as the main memory.
- Usually volatile memory.
- Data is lost in case power is switched off.
- It is the working memory of the computer.
- Faster than secondary memories.
- A computer cannot run without the primary memory.
Secondary Memory
This type of memory is also known as external memory or non-volatile. It is slower than the main memory. These are used for storing data/information permanently. CPU directly does not access these memories, instead they are accessed via input-output routines. The contents of secondary memories are first transferred to the main memory, and then the CPU can access it. For example, disk, CD-ROM, DVD, etc.
Characteristics of Secondary Memory
- These are magnetic and optical memories.
- It is known as the backup memory.
- It is a non-volatile memory.
- Data is permanently stored even if power is switched off.
- It is used for storage of data in a computer.
- Computer may run without the secondary memory.
- Slower than primary memories.
Software
Application Software:- Application software is a program or group of programs designed for end users. These programs are divided into two classes: system software and application software. While system software consists of low-level programs that interact with computers at a basic level, application software resides above system software and includes applications such as database programs, word processors and spreadsheets. Application software may be bundled with system software or published alone.
Various Examples Of Application Software Are:
- Word processing software
- Database programs
- Entertainment software
- Business software
- Educational software
- Computer-aided design(CAD) software
- Spreadsheet software etc.
System Software:- System software is a platform comprised of Operating System (OS) programs and services, including settings and preferences, file libraries and functions used for system applications. System software also includes device drivers that run basic computer hardware and peripherals.
Various examples of system software are operating system(OS), BIOS, device firmware, certain system utility software which helps to configure, optimize and maintain the computer, programming software such as assemblers, compilers and debuggers etc.
Utility Software:-
Application software that assists OS in carrying out certain specialized tasks are called utility software. Let us look some of the most popular utility software.
Ex:-
1- Antivirus
2- File Management Tools
3- Disk Cleanup
4- Compression Tools
5- Disk Defragmenter
Open source and Proprietary Software
A software whose source code is freely distributed with a license to study, change and further distributed to anyone for any purpose is called open source software. Open source software is generally a team effort where dedicated programmers improve upon the source code and share the changes within the community. Open source software provides these advantages to the users due to its thriving communities −
- Security
- Affordability
- Transparent
- Interoperable on multiple platforms
- Flexible due to customizations
- Localization is possible
Proprietary Software
Software that can be used only by obtaining license from its developer after paying for it is called proprietary software. An individual or a company can own such proprietary software. Its source code is often closely guarded secret and it can have major restrictions like −
- No further distribution
- Number of users that can use it
- Type of computer it can be installed on, example multitasking or single user, etc.
For example, Microsoft Windows is a proprietary operating software that comes in many editions for different types of clients like single-user, multi-user, professional, etc.