Download Mark Muthama Voni B66/0848/2011 BQS 214 assignment Question

Mark Muthama Voni
B66/0848/2011
BQS 214 assignment
Question 1
Computer is an electronic device, which automatically accepts and store input data, processes them
usually in binary form and produces results according to the instructions of an installed program. Any
process that uses a computer program will enter data and summarize, analyze or otherwise convert data
into usable information. The process may be automated and run on a computer. It involves recording,
analyzing, sorting, summarizing, calculating, disseminating and storing data.
Question 2
First Generation
The first electronic computer was designed and built based on vacuum tube technology. Vacuum
tubes were used to perform logic operations and to store data. They used vacuum tubes for circuitry
and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very
expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which
was often the cause of malfunctions.
Characteristics of first generation computers
1.
2.
3.
4.
Bulky
Consume more power with limited performance
High cost
Uses assembly language – to prepare programs. These were translated into machine level
language for execution.
5. Punched cards and paper tape were invented to feed programs and data and to get results.
6. Magnetic tape / magnetic drum were used as secondary memory
7. Mainly used for scientific computations.
Second generation
Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic, or assembly,
languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level programming
languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These
were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a
magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.
Characteristics of second generation computers
1.
2.
3.
Transistors were used in place of vacuum tubes.
Small in size
Lesser power consumption and better performance
Third generation
The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers.
Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically
increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through
keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many
different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers for
the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their
predecessors.
Fourth generation
The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits
were built onto a single silicon chip. Microprocessors were introduced as CPU– Complete processors and
large section of main memory could be implemented in a single chip. What in the first generation filled
an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand.
Characteristics of second generation computers
1.
2.
3.
4.
Tens of thousands of transistors can be placed in a single
CRT screen, laser & ink jet printers, scanners etc were developed.
Semiconductor memory chips were used as the main memory.
Secondary memory was composed of hard disks – Floppy disks & magnetic tapes were used for
backup memory
5. LAN and WANS were developed
Fifth generation
Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though
there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use of parallel
processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum computation
and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of computers in years to come. The
goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are
capable of learning and self-organization.
Question 3
Fifth generations computers are only in the minds of advance research scientists and being tested out in
the laboratories. These computers will be under Artificial Intelligence (AI), they will be able to take
commands in an audio visual way and carry out instructions. Many of the operations which require low
human intelligence will be performed by these computers. Parallel Processing is coming and showing
the possibility that the power of many CPU's can be used side by side, and computers will be more
powerful than those under central processing. Advances in Super Conductor technology will greatly
improve the speed of information traffic. Future looks bright for the computers
Fourth Generation computer
These computers use LSI and VLSI technologies.
Fifth Generation Computers
The speed will be extremely high in fifth generation
computer.
Its sizes were reduced to desktop and laptop These computers will be using Ultra Large Scale
computer
Integration (ULSI) technology.
These computers are highly reliable and The goal of fifth generation computers is to develop
accurate.
machines that will be able to think and take
decisions.
They have a large memory and high functional
speed.
The operating speed is measured in beyond
picoseconds and MIPS ( Millions of instruction
per second)
Magnetic disk is the common source of external
storage.
4GL are also used
) It can perform large number of parallel processing.
Biochips and Gallium Arsenide (GAAS) will be used
as memory devices.
Large uses of natural language processing and user
friendly.
Question 4
The 3rd Generation Computers were generally much smaller in size than the 2nd and 1st generation
computers. This is because these newer computers made us of integrated circuits and semiconductors
(a type of material that had the properties of an insulator and a conductor). 3rd generation computers
also contained operating systems, which acted as overseers to the performance of a computer and
which allowed computers to run different programs at once. Another function of operating systems is to
make sure everything is flowing smoothly inside the computer. The 3rd generation computers made the
transition from transistors to integrated circuits and from punch cards to electronic computer systems.
Question 5
Versatility
Computers are quite versatile in nature. They can perform multiple tasks simultaneously with equal
ease. For example, at one moment it can be used to prepare a letter, at the other moment it can be
used to play music and in between one can print a document as well. All this work is possible by
changing the program (sequence of instructions for computers).
Storage
Computers can store large amounts of data and it can recall the required information almost
instantaneously. The memory of the computer is relatively small and it can hold only a certain amount
of information. Therefore, the data are stored on storage devices such as magnetic tape or disks. The
data from these devices can be accessed and brought into the main memory of the computer, as and
when required, for processing
Slide rule
The slide rule, also known colloquially in the United States as a slipstick, is a mechanical analog
computer. The slide rule is used primarily for multiplication and division, and also for functions such as
roots, logarithms and trigonometry, but is not normally used for addition or subtraction.
Slide rules come in a diverse range of styles and generally appear in a linear or circular form with a
standardized set of markings (scales) essential to performing mathematical computations. Slide rules
manufactured for specialized fields such as aviation or finance typically feature additional scales that aid
in calculations common to that field.
Question 6
Micro computer
A microcomputer uses a microprocessor as its central Processing Unit. Microcomputers are tiny
computers that can vary in size from a single chip to the size of a desktop model. They are designed to
be used by only one person at a time and are used at homes and have small to medium data storage
capacities 500MB – 2GB. The common examples of microcomputers are chips used in washing
machines, TVs, Cars and Note book/Personal computers. These computers are used for documentation,
making power point presentation, printing tasks and other usual tasks that u all know.
Main frame
Mainframe computers are those which can handle 100 of user at a time.
They are able to process large amount of data at very high speed. They support multi-user facility. The
number of processors varies from one to six. They are kept in air conditioned room to keep them cool.
They support many I/O and auxiliary storage devices. They support a network of terminals. Mainframe
computers have special operating system that can handle parallel user processing, transactions and time
sharing.