Prepared by: Fareed Khan Tareen Page 1

 A computer is an electronic device that stores and processes data, and can be
programmed with instructions. It manipulates information, or data.
 Charles Babbage, an English mechanical engineer, originated the concept of a
programmable computer. He invented the first mechanical computer in the early
19th century and considered the “Father of the Computer”.

There are Five Generations of Computers.

 First Generation of Computers (1942-1955) Vacuum Tubes
 Second Generation Computers (1955-1964) Transistors
 Third Generation Computers (1964-1975) Integrated Circuits
 Fourth Generation Computers (1975-Present) Microprocessors
 Fifth Generation Computers (Present & Beyond) Artificial Intelligence

First Generation of Computers (1942-1955) Vacuum Tubes

• The beginning of commercial computer age is from UNIVAC (Universal Automatic
Computer). It was developed by two scientists Mauchly and Echert at the Census
Department of United States in 1947. The first generation computers were used
during 1942-1955. They were based on vacuum tubes. Examples of first generation
computers are ENIVAC and UNIVAC-1.

Second Generation Computers (1955-1964) Transistors

• The second generation computers used transistors. The scientists at Bell
laboratories developed transistor in 1947. These scientists include John Barden,
William Brattain and William Shockley. The size of the computers was decreased by

Prepared by: Fareed Khan Tareen Page 2

 replacing vacuum tubes with transistors. The examples of second generation
computers are IBM 7094 series, IBM 1400 series and CDC 164 etc.

Third Generation Computers (1964-1975) Integrated Circuits

• The Third generation computers used the integrated circuits (IC). Jack Kilby
developed the concept of integrated circuit in 1958. It was an important invention in
the computer field. The first IC was invented and used in 1961. The size of an IC is
about ¼ square inch. A single IC chip may contain thousands of transistors. The
computer became smaller in size, faster, more reliable and less expensive. The
examples of third generation computers are IBM 370, IBM System/360, UNIVAC
1108 and UNIVAC AC 9000 etc.

Fourth Generation Computers (1975-Present) Microprocessors

• The fourth generation computers started with the invention of Microprocessor.
The Microprocessor contains thousands of ICs. Ted Hoff produced the first
microprocessor in 1971 for Intel. It was known as Intel 4004. The technology of
integrated circuits improved rapidly. The LSI (Large Scale Integration) circuit and VLSI
(Very Large Scale Integration) circuit was designed. It greatly reduced the size of
computer. The size of modern Microprocessors is usually one square inch. It can
contain millions of electronic circuits. The examples of fourth generation computers
are Apple Macintosh & IBM PC.

Fifth Generation Computers (Present & Beyond) Artificial

Intelligence
• Scientists are working hard on the 5 th generation computers with quite a few
breakthroughs. It is based on the technique of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Computers
can understand spoken words & imitate human reasoning, Can respond to its
surroundings using different types of sensors. Scientists are constantly working to
increase the processing power of computers. They are trying to create a computer
with real IQ with the help of advanced programming and technologies. IBM Watson
computer is one example that outsmarts Harvard University Students. The
advancement in modern technologies will revolutionize the computer in future.

Prepared by: Fareed Khan Tareen Page 3

 RAM
 RAM is an acronym for Random Access Memory.
 RAM is a type of computer data storage. A RAM device makes it possible to
access data in random order, which makes it very fast to find a specific piece of
information.

ROM
 ROM is “built – in” computer memory containing data that normally can only
be read, not written to.
 ROM contains the programming that allows your computer to be “booted up”
or regenerated each time you turn it on.

BIOS
 Short for Basic Input/output System, the BIOS, ROM BIOS, or System BIOS is a
chip located on all motherboards that contain instructions and setup for how
your system should boot and how it operates.

CPU
 CPU is the abbreviation for Central Processing Unit.
 CPU is the brain of computer. It handles all the instructions you give your
computer.
 The computer CPU is responsible for handling all instructions it receives from
hardware and software running on the computer.

Prepared by: Fareed Khan Tareen Page 4

 32 bit in Processor
 Computers, operating systems, or software programs are capable of
transferring data 32-bits at a time. With computer processors, (e.g. 80386,
80486, and Pentium) they were 32-bit processors, which means the processor
were capable of working with 32 bit binary numbers (decimal number up to
4,294,967,295). Anything larger and the computer would need to break up the
number into smaller pieces.

64 bit in Processor
 Replacement for the older x86 or 32-bit platform, 64-bit is a computer or
software program that is capable of transferring 64-bits at a time. With respect
to hardware, 64-bit is referencing the width of the registers on a computer's
microprocessor or the computer bus; sometimes called WOW64 and x64.

ALU in Processor
 Short for Arithmetic Logic Unit, ALU is one of the many components within a
computer processor. The ALU performs mathematical, logical, and decision
operations in a computer and is the final processing performed by the
processor. After the information has been processed by the ALU, it is sent to
the computer memory.

Control Unit in Processors

 A control unit is circuitry that directs operations within the computer's
processor by directing the input and output of a computer system. The
processor then controls how the rest of the computer operates (giving
directions to the other parts and systems).

Motherboard
Prepared by: Fareed Khan Tareen Page 5
  A motherboard is one of the most essential parts of a computer system.
 It holds many crucial components of a computer, including the CPU, RAM, and
all other hardware components and allocates powers to them.

Operating System
 An operating system or OS is a software program that enables the computer
hardware to communicate and operate with the computer software. Without
a computer operating system, a computer and software programs would be
useless.

Computer Security
Computer security is also known as IT or Cyber security. Computer security is a
process of protection of computer, hardware and software. In this process,of
preventing and detecting un-authorized use of computer. It involves the process of
safeguard against intrades from using your computer resources form even gaining
access to them accidentally.

Malicious Software: Viruses, Worms, Trojan Horses, and

Spyware
Malware
Viruses

 Rogue software program that attaches itself to other software programs or

data files in order to be executed

Worms

Prepared by: Fareed Khan Tareen Page 6

  Independent computer programs that copy themselves from one computer to
other computers over a network.

Trojan horses

 Software program that appears to be benign but then does something other
than expected.

• Computer crime
• Defined as “any violations of criminal law that involve a knowledge of
computer technology for their perpetration, investigation, or
prosecution”

• Computer may be target of crime, e.g.:

• Breaching confidentiality of protected computerized data

• Accessing a computer system without authority

• Computer may be instrument of crime, e.g.:

• Theft of trade secrets

• Using e-mail for threats or harassment

Prepared by: Fareed Khan Tareen Page 7