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.

A computer is designed to execute applications and provides a variety of solutions

through integrated hardware and software components. It works with the help of
programs and represents the decimal numbers through a string of binary digits. 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.

Characteristics of Computer
The basic parts without which a computer cannot work are as follows:

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o Processor: It executes instructions from software and hardware.

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

Benefits of Using a Computer:

o Increases your productivity: A computer increases your productivity. For
example, after having a basic understanding of a word processor, you can create,
edit, store, and print the documents easily and quickly.
o Connects to the Internet: It connects you to the internet that allows you to send
emails, browse content, gain information, use social media platforms, and more.
By connecting to the internet, you can also connect to your long-distance friends
and family members.
o Storage: A computer allows you to store a large amount of information, e.g., you
can store your projects, ebooks, documents, movies, pictures, songs, and more.
o Organized Data and Information: It not only allows you to store data but also
enables you to organize your data. For example, you can create different folders
 to store different data and information and thus can search for information easily
and quickly.
o Improves your abilities: It helps write good English if you are not good at
spelling and grammar. Similarly, if you are not good at math, and don't have a
great memory, you can use a computer to perform calculations and store the
results.
o Assist the physically challenged: It can be used to help the physically
challenged, e.g., Stephen Hawking, who was not able to speak used computer to
speak. It also can be used to help blind people by installing special software to
read what is on the screen.
o Keeps you entertained: You can use the computer to listen to songs, watch
movies, play games and more.

The computer has become a part of our life. There are plenty of things that we do in a
day are dependent on a computer. Some of the common examples are as follows:

1. ATM: While withdrawing cash from an ATM, you are using a computer that
enables the ATM to take instructions and dispense cash accordingly.
2. Digital currency: A computer keeps a record of your transactions and balance in
your account and the money deposited in your account in a bank is stored as a
digital record or digital currency.
3. Trading: Stock markets use computers for day to day trading. There are many
advanced algorithms based on computers that handle trading without involving
humans.
4. Smartphone: The smartphone that we use throughout the day for calling,
texting, browsing is itself a computer.
5. VoIP: All voice over IP communication (VoIP) is handled and done by computers.

Application of Computer
Computers play a role in every field of life. They are used in homes, business,
educational institutions, research organizations, medical field, government offices,
entertainment, etc.

1. Home
 Computers are used at homes for several purposes like online bill payment,
watching movies or shows at home, home tutoring, social media access, playing
games, internet access, etc. They provide communication through electronic
mail. They help to avail work from home facility for corporate employees.
Computers help the student community to avail online educational support.
2. Medical Field
Computers are used in hospitals to maintain a database of patients’ history,
diagnosis, X-rays, live monitoring of patients, etc. Surgeons nowadays use
robotic surgical devices to perform delicate operations, and conduct surgeries
remotely. Virtual reality technologies are also used for training purposes. It also
helps to monitor the fetus inside the mother’s womb.
3. Entertainment
Computers help to watch movies online, play games online; act as a virtual
entertainer in playing games, listening to music, etc. MIDI instruments greatly
help people in the entertainment industry in recording music with artificial
instruments. Videos can be fed from computers to full screen televisions. Photo
editors are available with fabulous features.
4. Industry
Computers are used to perform several tasks in industries like managing
inventory, designing purpose, creating virtual sample products, interior
designing, video conferencing, etc. Online marketing has seen a great revolution
in its ability to sell various products to inaccessible corners like interior or rural
areas. Stock markets have seen phenomenal participation from different levels
of people through the use of computers.
5. Education
Computers are used in education sector through online classes, online
examinations, referring e-books, online tutoring, etc. They help in increased use
of audio-visual aids in the education field.
6. Government
In government sectors, computers are used in data processing, maintaining a
database of citizens and supporting a paperless environment. The country’s
defense organizations have greatly benefitted from computers in their use for
missile development, satellites, rocket launches, etc.
7. Banking
In the banking sector, computers are used to store details of customers and
conduct transactions, such as withdrawal and deposit of money through ATMs.
Banks have reduced manual errors and expenses to a great extent through
extensive use of computers.
8. Business
Nowadays, computers are totally integrated into business. The main objective of
business is transaction processing, which involves transactions with suppliers,
employees or customers. Computers can make these transactions easy and
 accurate. People can analyze investments, sales, expenses, markets and other
aspects of business using computers.
9. Training
Many organizations use computer-based training to train their employees, to
save money and improve performance. Video conferencing through computers
allows saving of time and travelling costs by being able to connect people in
various locations.
10. Arts
Computers are extensively used in dance, photography, arts and culture. The
fluid movement of dance can be shown live via animation. Photos can be
digitized using computers.
11. Science and Engineering
Computers with high performance are used to stimulate dynamic process in
Science and Engineering. Supercomputers have numerous applications in area
of Research and Development (R&D). Topographic images can be created
through computers. Scientists use computers to plot and analyze data to have a
better understanding of earthquakes.

First Generation of Computer (1937 – 1946):

In 1937 the first electronic digital computer was built by Dr. John V.
Atanasoff and Clifford Berry. It was called the Atanasoff-Berry Computer

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(ABC). In 1943 an electronic computer name the Colossus was built for the
military. Other developments continued until in 1946 the first general– purpose
digital computer, the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC)
was built. It is said that this computer weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000 vacuum
tubes which was used for processing. When this computer was turned on for the
first time lights dim in sections of Philadelphia. Computers of this generation
could only perform single task, and they had no operating system.

Characteristics:
i. Sizes of these computers were as large as the size of a room.
ii. Possession of Vacuum Tubes to perform calculation.
iii. They used an internally stored instruction called program.
iv. Use capacitors to store binary data and information.
v. They use punched card for communication of input and output data and
information
vi. They generated a lot of heat.
vii. They have about One Thousand 1000 circuits per cubic foot.

Examples:
i. Mark I developed by Aiken in 1944.
ii. Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC) built at the
Moore School for Engineering of the University of Pennsylvania in 1946
by J. Presper Eckert and William Mauchley.
iii. Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC) also
developed in 1947 by Eckert and Mauchley.

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Second Generation of Computer (1947 – 1962):

Second generation of computers used transistors instead of vacuum tubes
which were more reliable. In 1951 the first computer for commercial use was
introduced to the public; the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC 1). In
1953 the International Business Machine (IBM) 650 and 700 series computers
made their mark in the computer world. During this generation of computers
over 100 computer programming languages were developed, computers had
memory and operating systems. Storage media such as tape and disk were in use
also were printers for output.
Characteristics:
i. The computers were still large, but smaller than the first generation of
computers.
ii. They use transistor in place of Vacuum Tubes to perform calculation.
iii. They were produced at a reduced cost compared to the first generation
of computers.
iv. Possession of magnetic tapes as for data storage.
v. They were using punch cards as input and output of data and
information. The use of keyboard as an input device was also
introduced.
vi. These computers were still generating a lot of heat in which an air
conditioner is needed to maintain a cold temperature.
vii. They have about one thousand circuits per cubic foot.
Example:
i. Leprechaun, IBM built by Bell Laboratories in 1947
ii. Transis produced by philco, GE and RCA.
iii. UNIVAC 1107, UNIVAC III.
iv. RCA 501.

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v. IBM 7030 stretch.

Third Generation of Computer (1963 – 1975):

The invention of integrated circuit brought us the third generation of
computers. With this invention computers became smaller, more powerful more
reliable and they are able to run many different programs at the same time.
Characteristics:
i. They used large-scale integrated circuits, which were used for both
data processing and storage.
ii. Computers were miniaturized, that is, they were reduced in size
compared to previous generation.
iii. Keyboard and mouse were used for input while the monitor was used
as output device.
iv. Use of programming language like COBOL and FORTRAN were
developed.
v. They have hundred thousand circuits per cubic foot.
Examples:
i. Burroughs 6700, Mini computers
ii. Honeywell 200
iii. IBM system 360
iv. UNIVAC 9000 series.

Fourth Generation of Computer (PC 1975 – Current)

At this time of technological development, the size of computer was re-
divided to what we called Personal Computers, PC. This was the time the first
Microprocessor was created by Intel. The microprocessor was a very large-
scale, that is, VLS integrated circuit which contained thousands of transistors.

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Transistors on one chip were capable performing all the functions of a

computer’s central processing unit.
Characteristics:
i. Possession of microprocessor which performs all the task of a
computer system use today.
ii. The size of

computers and cost was reduced.

iii. Increase in speed of computers.
iv. Very large scale (VLS) integrated circuits were used.
v. They have millions of circuits per cubic foot.
Examples:
i. IBM system 3090, IBM RISC6000, IBM RT.
ii. ILLIAC IV.
iii. Cray 2 XMP.
iv. HP 9000.
v. Apple Computers.
Fifth Generation of Computers (Present and Beyond)
Fifth generations computing devices, based on artificial intelligence (AI)
are still in development, although there are some application such as voice
recognition, facial face detector and thumb print that are used today.
Characteristics:
i. Consist of extremely large scale integration.
ii. Parallel processing
iii. Possession of high speed logic and memory chip.
iv. High performance, micro-miniaturization.

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v. Ability of computers to mimic human intelligence, e.g. voice

recognition, facial face detector, thumb print.
vi. Satellite links, virtual reality.
vii. They have billions of circuits per cubic.
Examples:
i. Super computers
ii. Robots
iii. Facial face detector
iv. Thumb print.