What is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information, or data.
It can store, retrieve, and process data.
You may already know that you can use a computer to type documents, send emails,
play games, and browse the Web.
You can also use it to edit or create spreadsheets, presentations, and even videos.
History of Computers : A brief timeline
The history of computers began with primitive designs in the early 19th century and
went on to change the world during the 20th century.
The history of computers goes back over 200 years.
At first theorized by mathematicians and entrepreneurs, during the 19th century
mechanical calculating machines were designed and built to solve the increasingly
complex number-crunching challenges.
The advancement of technology-enabled ever more complex computers by the early
20th century, and computers became larger and more powerful.
History of Computers: A brief timeline (early19th century)
1801
Joseph Marie Jacquard, a French merchant and inventor invents a loom that uses
punched wooden cards to automatically weave fabric designs. Early computers would
use similar punch cards.
1821
English mathematician Charles Babbage conceives of a steam-driven calculating
machine that would be able to compute tables of numbers. Funded by the British
government, the project, called the "Difference Engine" fails due to the lack of
technology at the time, according to the University of Minnesota.
1848
Ada Lovelace, an English mathematician and the daughter of poet Lord Byron, writes the
world's first computer program.
According to Anna Siffert, a professor of theoretical mathematics at the University of
Münster in Germany, Lovelace writes the first program while translating a paper on
Babbage's Analytical Engine from French into English.
1853
Swedish inventor Per Georg Scheutz and his son Edvard design the world's first printing
calculator. The machine is significant for being the first to "compute tabular differences
and print the results,"
1890
Herman Hollerith designs a punch-card system to help calculate the 1890 U.S. Census.
The machine, saves the government several years of calculations
History of Computers : Early 20th century
1931
At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Vannevar Bush invents and builds
the Differential Analyzer, the first large-scale automatic general-purpose mechanical
analog computer, according to Stanford University.
1936
Alan Turing, a British scientist and mathematician, presents the principle of a universal
machine, later called the Turing machine, in a paper called "On Computable Numbers”.
Turing machines are capable of computing anything that is computable
1937
John Vincent Atanasoff, a professor of physics and mathematics at Iowa State University,
submits a grant proposal to build the first electric-only computer, without using gears,
cams, belts or shafts.
1939
David Packard and Bill Hewlett found the Hewlett Packard Company in Palo Alto,
California. The pair decide the name of their new company by the toss of a coin, and
Hewlett-Packard's first headquarters are in Packard's garage
1941
German inventor and engineer Konrad Zuse completes his Z3 machine, the world's
earliest digital computer
History of Computers : Early 20th century
1941
Atanasoff and his graduate student, Clifford Berry, design the first digital electronic
computer in the U.S., called the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC). This marks the first
time a computer is able to store information on its main memory, and is capable of
performing one operation every 15 seconds
1945
Two professors at the University of Pennsylvania, John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert,
designed and build the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC). The
machine is the first "automatic, general-purpose, electronic, decimal, digital computer,
1946
Mauchly and Presper leave the University of Pennsylvania and receive funding from the
Census Bureau to build the UNIVAC, the first commercial computer for business and
government applications.
1947
William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain of Bell Laboratories invent the
transistor. They discover how to make an electric switch with solid materials and without
the need for a vacuum.
1949
A team at the University of Cambridge develops the Electronic Delay Storage Automatic
Calculator (EDSAC), "the first practical stored-program computer,"
History of Computers : Late 20th century
1953
Grace Hopper developed the first computer language, which eventually became known
as COBOL, which stands for COmmon, Business-Oriented Language.
Hopper is later dubbed the "First Lady of Software" in her posthumous Presidential Medal
of Freedom
1954
John Backus and his team of programmers at IBM publish a paper describing their newly
created FORTRAN programming language, an acronym for Formula Translation,
1958
Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce unveil the integrated circuit, known as the computer chip.
Kilby is later awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work.
1968
Douglas Engelbart reveals a prototype of the modern computer at the Fall Joint
Computer Conference, San Francisco. His presentation, called "A Research Center for
Augmenting Human Intellect" includes a live demonstration of his computer, including a
mouse and a graphical user interface (GUI)
1969
Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, and a group of other developers at Bell Labs produced
UNIX, an operating system that made "large-scale networking of diverse computing
systems — and the internet — practical,
History of Computers : Late 20th century
1970
The newly formed Intel unveils the Intel 1103, the first Dynamic Access Memory (DRAM)
chip.
1971
A team of IBM engineers led by Alan Shugart invents the "floppy disk," enabling data to
be shared among different computers.
1972
Ralph Baer, a German-American engineer, releases Magnavox Odyssey, the world's first
home game console, in September 1972 , according to the Computer Museum of
America. Months later, entrepreneur Nolan Bushnell and engineer Al Alcorn with Atari
release Pong, the world's first commercially successful video game.
1973
Robert Metcalfe, a member of the research staff for Xerox, develops Ethernet for
connecting multiple computers and other hardware.
1977
The magazine cover of the January issue of "Popular Electronics" highlights the Altair
8080 as the "world's first minicomputer kit to rival commercial models." After seeing the
magazine issue, two "computer geeks," Paul Allen and Bill Gates, offer to write software
for the Altair, using the new BASIC language. On April 4, after the success of this first
endeavor, the two childhood friends form their own software company, Microsoft.
History of Computers : Late 20th century
1976
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak co-found Apple Computer on April Fool's Day. They unveil
Apple I, the first computer with a single-circuit board and ROM (Read Only Memory),
1977
Radio Shack began its initial production run of 3,000 TRS-80 Model 1 computers —
disparagingly known as the "Trash 80" — priced at $599, according to the National
Museum of American History.
1977
The first West Coast Computer Faire is held in San Francisco. Jobs and Wozniak present
the Apple II computer at the Faire, which includes color graphics and features an audio
cassette drive for storage.
1978
VisiCalc, the first computerized spreadsheet program is introduced.
1979
MicroPro International, founded by software engineer Seymour Rubenstein, releases
WordStar, the world's first commercially successful word processor. WordStar is
programmed by Rob Barnaby, and includes 137,000 lines of code
History of Computers : Late 20th century
1981
"Acorn," IBM's first personal computer, is released onto the market at a price point of
$1,565, according to IBM. Acorn uses the MS-DOS operating system from Windows.
Optional features include a display, printer, two diskette drives, extra memory, a game
adapter and more.
1983
The Apple Lisa, standing for "Local Integrated Software Architecture" but also the name
of Steve Jobs' daughter, according to the National Museum of American History (NMAH),
is the first personal computer to feature a GUI.
History of Computers : Late 20th century
1983
The machine also includes a drop-down menu and icons. Also this year, the Gavilan SC is
released and is the first portable computer with a flip-form design and the very first to
be sold as a "laptop."
1984
The Apple Macintosh is announced to the world during a Superbowl advertisement. The
Macintosh is launched with a retail price of $2,500, according to the NMAH.
1985
Tim Berners-Lee, a British researcher at the European Organization for Nuclear
Research (CERN), submits his proposal for what would become the World Wide Web. His
paper details his ideas for Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), the building blocks of
the Web
1993
he Pentium microprocessor advances the use of graphics and music on PCs.
1996
Sergey Brin and Larry Page develop the Google search engine at Stanford University.
1997
Microsoft invests $150 million in Apple, which at the time is struggling financially. This
investment ends an ongoing court case in which Apple accused Microsoft of copying its
operating system.
1999
Wi-Fi, the abbreviated term for "wireless fidelity" is developed, initially covering a
distance of up to 300 feet (91 meters) Wired reported.
History of Computers : 21st century
2001
Mac OS X, later renamed OS X then simply macOS, is released by Apple as the successor
to its standard Mac Operating System. OS X goes through 16 different versions, each
with "10" as its title, and the first nine iterations are nicknamed after big cats, with the
first being codenamed "Cheetah,"
2003
AMD's Athlon 64, the first 64-bit processor for personal computers, is released to
customers.
2004
he Mozilla Corporation launches Mozilla Firefox 1.0. The Web browser is one of the first
major challenges to Internet Explorer, owned by Microsoft. During its first five years,
Firefox exceeded a billion downloads by users,
2005
Google buys Android, a Linux-based mobile phone operating system
2009
Microsoft launches Windows 7 on July 22. The new operating system features the ability
to pin applications to the taskbar, scatter windows away by shaking another window,
easy-to-access jumplists,
History of Computers : 21st century
2010
The iPad, Apple's flagship handheld tablet, is unveiled.
2011
Google releases the Chromebook, which runs on Google Chrome OS.
2015
Apple releases the Apple Watch. Microsoft releases Windows 10.
History of Computers : 21st century
2016
The first reprogrammable quantum computer was created. "Until now, there hasn't been
any quantum-computing platform that had the capability to program new algorithms into
their system.
2017
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a new
"Molecular Informatics" program that uses molecules as computers.
History of Computers : 21st century
2019
A team at Google became the first to demonstrate quantum supremacy — creating a
quantum computer that could feasibly outperform the most powerful classical computer
— albeit for a very specific problem with no practical real-world application. The
described the computer, dubbed "Sycamore" in a paper that same year in the journal
Nature.
2022
The first exascale supercomputer, and the world's fastest, Frontier, went online at the
Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF) in Tennessee.
This machine ushered in the era of exascale computing, which refers to systems that can
reach more than one exaFLOP of power – used to measure the performance of a system
HARDWARE VS SOFTWARE
Hardware
Hardware is any part of your computer that has a physical structure, such as the
keyboard or mouse. It also includes all of the computer’s internal parts, which you can
see in the image below.
What is an Input device? (hardware)
An input device is a piece of hardware that allows the user to put data into a computer
system.
Input Devices:
Keyboard , Mouse, Mic, Webcam, etc.
What is an output devices? (hardware)
An output device is a piece of hardware that allows the user to receive data from a
computer system.
Output Device:
Monitor, Projector, Printer, Speakers, etc.
What is a Storage device?
This allows a user to install programs and save their files on a computer
The device retains this information when the power is switched off, this means it is a
permanent storage
There are three categories of storage devices.
Magenetic (categories of storage device)
•Works by magnetising and demagnetising the surface of a spinning disk.
Optical(categories of storage device)
Works by altering parts of a disc that can or cannot reflect a laser beam.
Solid state (categories of storage device)
Uses flash memory and has no moving parts.
WHAT IS A COMPUTER SOFTWARE?
It is a combination of Instructions, Data, and Programs that the computer needs in order
to do a specific task.
Another term used for computer software is computer programs.
TWO TYPES OF SOFTWARE
System Software
Application Software
System software
is a platform comprised of Operating System (OS) programs and services, including
settings and preferences, file libraries and functions used for system applications.
System software also includes device drivers that run basic computer hardware and
peripherals.
Examples of System Software
The BIOS (basic input/output system) gets the computer system started after you turn it
on and manages the data flow between the operating system and attached devices such
as the hard disk, video adapter, keyboard, mouse and printer.
The boot program loads the operating system into the computer's main memory or
random access memory (RAM).
An assembler takes basic computer instructions and converts them into a pattern of bits
that the computer's processor can use to perform its basic operations.
Application software
It is a program or group of programs designed for end users. Applications software (also
called end-user programs) include such things as database programs, word processors,
Web browsers and spreadsheets.
Application software may simply be referred to as an application.
Examples of application software
1) Word processing software - This tool is used to create letters, word sheets, type
papers etc
Eg: MS Word, MS Works, AppleWorks
2) Spreadsheet Software - A tool used to compute number intensive problems like
forecasting, budgeting etc.
Eg: MS Excel, Quattro Pro, Lotus 1-2-3, MS Works
3) Desktop Publishing Software - This tool is used to create illustrative worksheets,
banners, newsletters, signs, gift cards etc.
Eg: MS Word, MS Publisher, Adobe PageMaker
4) Database Software - Used to store data like text information, memberships, address
etc. which helps users to sort information accordingly.
Eg: MS Access, FileMaker Pro
CLASSIFYING COMPUTERS
SUPERCOMPUTER
Supercomputers are the biggest, fastest, most powerful, and most expensive computers
for processing data types; they are designed to process an immense amount of data.
A supercomputer can treat trillions of instructions/directions in a second. It has
thousands of interconnected processors.
Supercomputers are especially used in scientific and engineering applications such as
weather forecasting, quantum mechanics, climate research, scientific simulations,
nuclear energy research, etc where a high level of performance is required.
MAINFRAMES
Mainframe computers, also known as mainframes, are the most commonly used type of
digital computer in large industries for controlling processes as well as in offices for
maintaining networks and providing access to shared resources.
IBM is estimated to control two-thirds of the mainframe market.
They are far more suitable for intensive operation than supercomputers.
Many modern computers can multitask; however, they are typically limited to eight or
fewer processors.
Megaflops (millions of floating-point arithmetic operations per second) are used to
measure processor speed.
MINICOMPUTER
These computers came into the market in mid 1960s and were sold at a much cheaper
price than the main frames, they were actually designed for control, instrumentation,
human interaction, and communication switching as distinct from calculation and record
keeping, later they became very popular for personal uses with evolution.
EXAMPLE: LAPTOP, PC (PERSONAL COMPUTER), IPad, Tablets, Smartphones
MINICOMPUTER : TABLET PC
Some people consider tablet PCs to be the best handy solution; as while being small in
size, they can run any operating system.
Tablet PC’s are one of the first minicomputers and are often costlier than a standard
laptop because of the touch screen technology.
On the contrary, to suffice the need of this external hardware, tablet PC’s have a
touchscreen which you can use for typing on the screen, and for navigating instead of
typing on a keyboard or clicking on a mouse.
MINICOMPUTER : SMARTPHONES
A smartphone is a mobile device that combines the functionality of a traditional mobile
phone with advanced computing capabilities.
There are mobile versions of your desktop operating systems like Android, Windows
Mobile, and iOS, which often come as an inbuilt feature in high-end cell phones.
It can conveniently update them and perform all your tasks on the smartphones without
the need for any laptop or desktop.
MINICOMPUTER : NOTEBOOK/LAPTOPS
A netbook is as capable as a laptop, and any operating system that you can run on the
latter can be used in a notebook, thus enabling you to perform all the tasks that you
earlier used to carry out on your laptop.
The only single feature that you will not get in it is an optical drive, but that is also not
going to disrupt anything as you can conveniently connect an external drive using the
USB ports.
MINICOMPUTER : TOUCH SCREEN PADS
Touch Screen Pads are built explicitly for graphic designers and aim at making their lives
easier.
If you are a graphic designer or have an interest in sketching and drawing, you must try
out this type of minicomputer.
Without a mouse and keyboard, they save a lot of space and are perfectly potable. They
are easily manageable and highly compatible with software like Adobe Photoshop and
Adobe Illustrator.
MINICOMPUTER : PERSONAL COMPUTER
A desktop computer, also known as a PC (Personal computer), is the most common type
of microcomputer. It have CPU (Central Processing Unit), a keyboard and a mouse for
input, and a monitor or display unit for output.
The CPU is made up of a microprocessor, main memory, secondary storage unit such as
a hard drive or optical drive, and a power supply unit all housed in a single cabinet.
WORKSTATION
They are similar to PCs but with more memory and a high-speed processor
They are intended to support network operating systems and network applications.
They are used in architectural design, video editing, animations, etc.
SERVERS
A server is a computer or system that provides resources, data, services, or programs to
other computers, known as clients, over a network.
A server is one for which many PCs are connected.
It has large capacity secondary storage and more memory
They host, workstations, network servers, and operating systems
They avoid duplicate installation of applications and all users will have access to a
common copy of the program
CLASSIFICATION ON THE BASIS OF FUNCTIONALITY
01
Servers are nothing but dedicated computers which are set up to offer some services to
the clients.
They are named depending on the type of service they offer.
Eg: security server, database server.
Servers
02
Those are the computers designed to primarily to be used by single user at a time.
They run multi-user operating systems.
They are the ones which we use for our day to day personal / commercial work.
Workstation
03
They are portable devices that are designed to perform a limited set of tasks like basic
calculations, playing multimedia, browsing internet etc.
They are generally referred as mobile devices.
They have very limited memory and flexibility and generally run on “as-is” basis.
Information Appliances
04
They are the computing devices which are used in other machines to serve limited set of
requirements.
They follow instructions from the non-volatile memory and they are not required to
execute reboot or reset.
The processing units used in such device work to those basic requirements only and are
different from the ones that are used in personal computers- better known as
workstations.
Embedded computers
CLASSIFICATION ON THE BASIS OF DATA HANDLING
01 Analog
An analog computer is a form of computer that uses the continuously-changeable
aspects of physical fact such as electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic quantities to model
the problem being solved.
Any thing that is variable with respect to time and continuous can be claimed as analog
just like an analog clock measures time by means of the distance traveled for the spokes
of the clock around the circular dial.
Analog
02 Hybrid
A computer that processes both analog and digital data, Hybrid computer is a digital
computer that accepts analog signals, converts them to digital and processes them in
digital form.
03 Digital
A computer that performs calculations and logical operations with quantities represented
as digits, usually in the binary number system of “0” and “1”, “Computer capable of
solving problems by processing information expressed in discrete form. from
manipulation of the combinations of the binary digits, it can perform mathematical
calculations, organize and analyze data, control industrial and other processes, and
simulate dynamic systems such as global weather patterns.
Introduction to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Overview
What is ICT? – lets define one by one :
Information – facts provided or learned about something or someone.
Communication – the imparting or exchanging of information or news.
Technology – machinery and equipment developed from the application of
scientific knowledge.
What is Information?
facts provided or learned about something or someone.
refers to the knowledge obtained from reading, investigation, study or research.
We need information to make decisions and to predict the future.
Information is knowledge and helps us to fulfill our daily tasks.
What is Communication?
The imparting or exchanging of information or news.
Communication is an act of transmitting messages.
It is a process whereby information is exchanged between individuals using symbols,
signs or verbal interactions.
Previously, people communicated through sign or symbols, performing drama and
poetry.
What is Communication?
with the advent of technology, these ‘older’ forms of communication are less
utilized as compared to the use of the Internet, e-mail or video conferencing.
Communication is important in order to gain knowledge. With knowledge, we are more
confident in expressing our thoughts and ideas.
THE EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION
THE EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION
Communication has improved and evolved to facilitate our daily activities.
In the 21st century, everything related to communication utilizes technology to ‘send
out’ or disseminate information to a wider audience.
Information can be ‘sent out’ in many ways.
The inventions of cellular phones, television and other electronic devices are important
in enhancing communication.
What is Technology?
Technology is the use of scientific knowledge, experience and resources to create
processes and products that fulfill human needs.
Technology is one of the most powerful agents of change in our society.
Change comes with technology and it is now moving at a faster pace than ever.
What is Technology?
Technology is a body of knowledge devoted in creating tools, processing actions
and extracting of materials.
We apply technology in almost everything we do in our lives, we use technology at work,
communication, transportation, learning, manufacturing, creating artifacts, securing
data, scaling businesses and so much more.
What is Technology?
“ If technology is well applied, it can benefit humans, but if it is wrongly applied, it
can cause harm to human beings”
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF TECHNOLOGY?
Aiding Communication - Telephone and fax machines are the devices used in
extending communication.
Spreading Information - To broadcast information such as news or weather reports
effectively. Radio, television, satellites and the World Wide Web (www) are powerful
tools that can be used.
SO WHAT IS ICT?
ICT is the technology required for information processing, in particular, the use of
electronic computers, communication devices and software applications to convert,
store, protect, process, transmit and retrieve information from anywhere, anytime.
WHAT IS INFORMATION
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
It consist of 3 technologies
Information Technology
Computer Technology
Communication Technology
