SCHOOL OF GENERAL AND FOUNDATION STUDIES

BI013/SI013 - BASIC INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

TUTORIAL 1

1. Describe the following terms:-

i. Data
Data can be defined as a representation of facts, concepts, or instructions in a formalized
manner, which should be suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by
human or electronic machine.

Data is represented with the help of characters such as alphabets (A-Z, a-z), digits (0-9)
or special characters (+,-,/,*,<,>,= etc.)

ii. Information
When data is processed, organized, structured or presented in a given context so as to
make it useful, it is called information.

iii. Information system (IS)

Information system, an integrated set of components for collecting, storing, and
processing data and for providing information, knowledge, and digital products.

iv. Information Technology (IT)

Information Technology means the use of hardware, software, services, and supporting
infrastructure to manage and deliver information using voice, data, and video.

2. Describe the FIVE (5) generations of computers with suitable examples for each.
 i. The First Generation of Computers- (the 1940s-1950s)
• The main electronic component used in the computers of the 1940s to 1950s era were
vacuum tubes.

• The main memory storing units were magnetic tapes and magnetic drums.

• The machine language was used as the programming language.

• The sizes used to be very large which could take up entire rooms and the speed was very
slow.

• The only input/output devices were paper tape and punched cards.

• Around 100 different vacuum tubes were used in order to produce the computers.

• Examples are UNIVAC1, ENIAC, IBM 701 and IBM 650.

On June 14, 1951 the very first electronic computer produced in series (and in the
United States), the UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer) was delivered to
the US States Census Bureau at the price of $1.6 Mio.

ii. The Second Generation of Computers- (the 1950s-1960s)

• The main electronic component used in the computers of the 1950s to 1960s era were
transistors.

• The main memory storing units were magnetic tape or disk and magnetic core.

• The assembly language was used as the programming language.

• The sizes were smaller as compared to those of the first generation and they used to
consume low power and generate less heat.

• There was an improvement in speed.

• The input/output devices were magnetic tape and punched cards.

• Examples are IBM 1401, IBM 7094 AND IBM 7090, UNIVAC 1107.
 IBM 1401 Data Processing System. From the left: 1402 Card Read-Punch, 1401
Processing Unit, 1403 Printer.

iii. The Third Generation of Computers- (the 1960s-1970s)

• The main electronic components used in the computers of the era 1060s to 1970s were
integrated circuits ICs.

• The memory storing units were the magnetic disk or take and a large magnetic core.

• High-level languages such as BASIC, COBOL, Pascal were used as the programming
language.

• The sizes were smaller and efficient and the computers were called minicomputers.

• There was an improvement in reliability and speed as compared to the second generation
of computers.

• The input/output devices were keyboards, magnetic tape monitor, printer, etc.

• Examples are IBM 370, IBM 360, UNIVAC 1108.

UNIVAC 1108 Computer Systems

iv. The Fourth Generation of Computers- (1970s-present)
• The main electronic components used in the fourth generation of computers are
microprocessors and very large scale integration (VLSI).

• When thousands of transistors are attached to a single microchip, it is known as VLSI.

• Semiconductor memory storage units such as RAM, ROM, etc were introduced.

• RAM (random-access memory)- Temporarily stores the programs and data and the
contents are lost when the computer is shut down.

• ROM (read-only memory)- Permanently stores the data and programs and the contents are
retained even after shutting down the computer.

• High-level languages such as C#, JAVA, Python, JavaScript are used as programming
languages.

• The sizes are smaller and the speed has improved.

• The input/output devices are a monitor, mouse, keyboard, printer, and so on.

• Examples are STAR 1000, APPLE II, IBM PC.

IBM PERSONAL COMPUTERS

v. The Fifth Generation of Computers- (present and the future)

• The main electronic components that are used in the present generation of computers is
Artificial Intelligence which uses the parallel processing method and the Ultra-Large Scale
Integration (ULSI).

• The fifth generation of computers understands the natural human language.

• The speeds are really fast and the sizes are also small.

• The fifth-generation computers are portable and have a huge storage capacity.
 • The input/output devices are keyboards, monitors, touchscreen pens, printers, light
scanners, and so on.

• Examples are laptops, desktops, tablets, smartphones, etc.

3. Elaborate any FIVE (5) characteristics of a computer.

• Speed
• A computer works with much higher speed and accuracy compared to humans while
performing mathematical calculations. Computers can process millions (1,000,000) of
instructions per second. The time taken by computers for their operations is microseconds
and nanoseconds.

• Accuracy
• Computers perform calculations with 100% accuracy. Errors may occur due to data
inconsistency or inaccuracy.

• Diligence
• A computer can perform millions of tasks or calculations with the same consistency and
accuracy. It doesn’t feel any fatigue or lack of concentration. Its memory also makes it
superior to that of human beings.
• Versatility
• Versatility refers to the capability of a computer to perform different kinds of works with
same accuracy and efficiency.

• Reliability
• A computer is reliable as it gives consistent result for similar set of data i.e., if we give
same set of input any number of times, we will get the same result.

• Automation
• Computer performs all the tasks automatically i.e. it performs tasks without manual
intervention.

• Memory
• A computer has built-in memory called primary memory where it stores data. Secondary
storage are removable devices such as CDs, pen drives, etc., which are also used to store
data.