Definition of Computer Fundamental

 Computer is derived from the Latin word computare which mean calculate.
Computer can be defined as an electronic digital and automatic machine.
takes  input  from the user, process it, stores it if necessary and gives output in desired form.
 Computer is the most powerful device the human being has ever invented.
It brought enormous effects in our daily life and changes in the world.

Features of Computer

1. High speed, decreasing size and cost
2. Accuracy and reliability
3. Vast storage capacity
4. Automatic
5. Electronic
6. Non – intelligent

Advantages

1. Computer is faster then human
2. 100% accurate and reliable
3. Can perform various type of  work
4. Very useful for repeated job.
5. Complicated things are easy to show and simulate.

Disadvantages

1. Danger of  electric shock and other physical Damages.
2. Failure of device and programs can produce unreliable information.
3. Increases dependency on them.
4. Simple mistake can cause loss of life and property.
5. Danger of Security leakage

History of Computer

A. Mechanical Era 

1. Abacus – first computer,used for calculating
2. Napier’s bone – used to perform multiplication(John Napiers)
3. Slide rule – used for making numerical and reading(Willam oughtred, 1622)
4. Pascal’s Calculator- Calculating Device ( Blaise pascal, 1642)
5. Stepped Reckoner – calcuting Device ( Baron Gottrried Von Leibniz, 1970)
6. Jacquard Loom- textile loom, used punched card with punched hole, 1801
7. Annlytical Engine – Charles Babbage 1842
8. Tabulating Machine – Data processing 
9. Turing Machine

B. Electromechanical Era

1. Mari –I 
2. ABC (Atanasoff Berry Computer)
3. Zuse- First programmed control Computer.
4. ARRA(Automatic Relay Calculator Amsterdam)
5. BARK(Binary Arithmetic Relay Calculator)

C. Electronic Era

1. Colossus
2. ENIAC(Electronic Numerical Integrator And Calculator)
3. Stored Program Concept 
4. EDSAC(Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer)
5. EDVAC(Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer)
6. UNIVAC(Universal Automatic Computer)

Generation of Computer

I. First Generation of Computer(1942-1955)
II. Second Generation of Computer(1955-1964)
III. Third Generation of Computer(1965-1975)
IV. Fourth Generation of Computer(1975-1989
V. Fifth Generation of Computer(1989- present)

I. First Generation of Computer(1942-1955)

1. Used thousands of  Vacuum tubes.
2. Very Big in size taking up entire room.
3. Consumed lot of electricity.
4. Generate massive amount of heat.
5. Processing speed was in very few kilohertz.
6. Magnetic drum or punch cards used for Secondary Storage.
7. Dependent upon Machine Language.
8. Input was punched cards & paper tape.
9. Output was displayed on printouts.
10. Operations operate by human themselves.(no O/S)
11. Uses by Government for census, defense etc
E.g. MARK I, UNIVAC, EDSAC, EDVAC, ENIAC etc

II. Second Generation of Computer(1955-1964)

1. Used transistors instead of vacuum tubes.
2. Computer were smaller then 1st Generation.
3. CPU consisted of transistors as well as diodes.
4. Processing speed was in up to 58 kilohertz.
5. Magnetic core was used for internal storage.
6. Magnetic tapes/drum/disk was used as secondary storage.
7. Became cheap than 1st Generation.
8. First time stored their instruction in memory.
9. Assembly and High level language were used.(e.g. COBOL, FORTRAN)
10. Used punch cards for input and printouts for output.
11. Used for the atomic industry.
12. E.g. IBM 1401, ICL 2950/10.

III. Third Generation of Computer(1965-1975)

1. Transistors put in silicon chip called as Integrated Circuit (IC)
2. Reduced the size of computer.
3. Computer became portable.
4. Consumed less electricity than previous generations.
5. More reliable than previous.
6. Speed increase around 12MHz.
7. Semiconductor memory was used as primary memory.
8. Magnetic tapes/disk were used as secondary storage.
9. Low cost computer were commercially manufactured.
10. High level language like C was intensively used.(like UNIX, MULTICS)
11. Multiprocessors O/S were introduced.
12. Keyboard and video display were introduced.
13. E.g. IBM 360, PDP-8, PDP-11, STAR etc.

IV. Forth Generation of Computer(1975-1989)

1. Electronic components packed on silicon chip. (LSI, VVLS)
2. Major achive ment of this generation is microprocessor.
3. PC's were cheaper and smaller.
4. Consumed less power.
5. GUI( Graphics User Interfaface) helps user to learn about computer.
6.  Very much reliable then previous generations.
7. Application makes PC's pwerpul tool for both home and office use.
8. They had large and speed secondary and primary memory, They were general purpose computer.
9. Fastest I/O devices.
10. Cost reduced.
11. Multimedia ,Networking, Distributed computing are introduced.
12. E.g. Pentium PC, Core2duo PC, Apple/Macintosh etc.

V. Fifth Generation of Computer(1989-present)

1. These computer will have IQ and logic power.
2. Will have expert system similar to human being.
3. Bio chips made up of protein fiber Gallium Arsenide(GaAs) will be used as memory.
4. Natural language will be used as programming language.
5. Fifth generation computer will be higher then other generation.
6. Knowledge Information Processing System architecture will be used.
7. e.g. robots,  super, computers, etc.

Block Diagram 


Input Devices

1. Mouse
2. Keyboard
3. Microphone
4. DVD Drive
5. Joystick
6. Touch screen
7. Scanner
8. Bar Code Reader (BCR)
9. Camera etc.

Output Devices:

1. Monitor
2. Printers
3. Projectors
4. Speakers etc.