Information and Communications Technology
History of Computing
Manual Mechanical Devices: A tool or device with simple mechanism powered by hand.
● Abacus (Anciet China, 3000 BC) - 1st manual mechanical device.
● Napier’s Bones (Napier’s Rod) (John Napier (inventor of logarithms), 1617 (in a book entitled
Rabdologia (rabdology))
● Oughtred’s Slide Rule (Reverend William Oughtred and Edmund Gunter, 1622)
● Pascaline (Pascal’s Calculator) (Blaise Pascal, 1642)
● Leibniz’s Calculator (Baron Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibniz, 1674)
● Babbage’s Analytical Engine (Charles Babbage (Father of Modern Computing), 1822) - concept
of a general-purpose mechanical computer.
Electromechanical Devices: Devices that are powered by an electric motor which uses switches and
relays.
● Hollerith’s Punched Card Machine (Herman Hollerith, 1890)
● Jacquard’s Loom (Joseph Marie Jacquard, 1804)
● Mark I (Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator) (Howard Aiken & IBM, 1944 at Harvard
University)
Electronic Devices: Devices which uses electrical switches and circuitry.
● Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC) (John Atanasoff & Clifford Berry, 1937–1942)
● Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) (Dr. John Mauchly & J. Dr. Presper
Eckert, 1943-1946) - 1st large scale general-purpose electronic computer.
● Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC) (John Von Neumann, 1949) -
stored-program computer
Generations of Computers
1st Generation (1940–1956) – Vacuum Tubes
● Tech: Vacuum tubes for circuitry, magnetic drums for memory.
● Size: Huge, room-sized.
● Drawbacks: Expensive, power-hungry, overheated, frequent malfunctions.
● Programming: Machine language, solved one problem at a time.
● Input/Output: Punched cards & paper tape → printouts.
2nd Generation (1956–1963) – Transistors
● Tech: Transistors replaced vacuum tubes → smaller, faster, cheaper, reliable.
● Programming: Assembly language + early high-level languages (COBOL, FORTRAN).
● Memory: Magnetic core replaced magnetic drum.
● Use Case: First applied in atomic energy industry.
3rd Generation (1964–1971) – Integrated Circuits (ICs)
● Tech: ICs on silicon chips → much faster & efficient.
● Interaction: Keyboards & monitors replaced punched cards.
● OS: Enabled multitasking with memory management.
● Impact: Smaller, cheaper → more accessible to the public.
4th Generation (1971–Present) – Microprocessors
● Tech: Microprocessor (thousands of ICs on one chip).
● Example: Intel 4004 (1971) – CPU, memory, I/O on a single chip.
● Milestones:
○ 1981 – IBM home computer.
○ 1984 – Apple Macintosh.
● Impact: Spread into daily life (appliances, gadgets).
● Networking: Linked computers → rise of the Internet.
● Innovations: GUI, mouse, handheld devices.
5th Generation (Present & Beyond) – Artificial Intelligence (AI)
● Tech: Parallel processing, superconductors.
● Goal: Machines that learn, self-organize, and understand natural language.
● Applications: AI systems, robotics, speech recognition, expert systems.
Classification of Computers
According to Capacity
● Supercomputer
○ Largest in size, most powerful, and most expensive.
○ Can process trillions of instructions per second.
● Mainframe
○ Processes millions of instructions per second and accesses huge amounts of data.
○ Supports hundreds to thousands of users simultaneously.
○ Commonly used in hospitals, airlines, banks, and large companies.
● Minicomputer
○ Mid-sized computer, smaller than a mainframe but bigger than a workstation.
○ Used by small to medium organizations.
● Personal Computer (PC)
○ Designed for individual use (desktop PCs, workstations, notebooks).
● Laptop / Notebook / Netbook
○ Small, lightweight, portable computers.
○ Easy to carry—popular with students and business professionals.
● Tablet PC
○ Wireless, portable computers with touchscreen interface.
○ Offers mobility and fast connectivity; used for browsing, media, and apps.
● Mobile Phones / Smartphones
○ Function as both phones and computers
According to Purpose
● General-Purpose Computer
○ Can perform variety of tasks using stored programs.
○ Examples: PCs, laptops, servers.
● Special-Purpose Computer
○ Also called dedicated computers.
○ Designed for a specific application (e.g., ATM machines, traffic control systems,
calculators).
According to Data Handled
● Analog Computer
○ Processes data in continuous form (voltages, signals).
○ Performs operations in parallel.
● Digital Computer
○ Processes data in discrete (binary) form (0s and 1s).
○ Operates step by step (sequential).
● Hybrid Computer
○ Combines features of analog and digital.
○ Controls input/output with analog devices but processes using digital systems.
Elements of Computer System
● Hardware → Tangible parts of the computer (physical components).
● Software → Set of instructions that tells the computer how to operate.
● Peopleware → The human user (end-user) who interacts with the computer.
Computer Hardware Components
Input Devices (used to provide data and control signals)
● Keyboard
● Mouse
● Trackball
● Touchpad/Trackpad
● Joystick
● Touch Screen
● Light Pen
● Digitizing Tablet
● Stylus
● Bar Code Reader
● Scanner
● Digital Camera
● Microphone
● Web Camera
Output Devices (used to display results of processing)
● Monitor/Display
● Printers
○ Dot-matrix → impact printer, forms images with pins.
○ Inkjet → sprays ink for text/images.
○ Laser → uses toner and heat for high-quality printing.
● Plotter
● Speakers
Input/Output Devices (perform both input and output functions)
● Disk Drive → Reads/writes information on disks.
● Hard Disk Drive (HDD) → Permanent magnetic storage.
● Optical Disk (CD/DVD) → Uses lasers to read/write data.
● Modem → Modulates/demodulates signals for internet communication.
● CD-ROM/DVD-ROM → Reads sound, video, and data stored on disks.
System Unit: The main part of a personal computer
Parts of the System Unit
● Motherboard: main circuit board of a microcomputer and holds the CPU, memory and expansion
slots.
● Central Processing Unit (CPU): The “brain” of the computer, controls all operations.
○ 3 basic pasts:
■ Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) → Performs arithmetic and logic operations.
■ Control Unit (CU) → Directs data flow, controls which instructions are executed.
■ Registers → Small, high-speed storage inside the CPU for temporary
data/instructions.
● Bus: Electronic pathways that allow 1s and 0s (data) to move from one component to another.
● Expansion Slots
○ Sockets on the motherboard.
○ Allow adapters/cards to be connected (e.g., graphics card, sound card).
● Bays: Hold storage devices like hard drives, floppy drives, CD/DVD drives.
● Power Supply: Converts household electricity into a usable form for the computer.
● Sound Components
○ Sound Card → Allows the computer to play and record high-quality audio.
● MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface): Connects instruments to the computer for
recording, editing, and playback of music.
● Network Card: Allows file sharing, storage access, and printer sharing in networks.
● Memory: Acts like an electronic filing cabinet for data and instructions.
○ Read Only Memory (ROM): refers to permanent memory. It's non-volatile, so when it
loses power, the data remains.
○ Random Access Memory (RAM): stores the data that you're currently working with, but
it's volatile, meaning that as soon as it loses power, that data disappears.
Quantities in Computing
● Binary: a string of 0s (zeros) and 1s (ones)
● Bit (binary digit) - smallest unit of information in a computer.
● Byte (B): Standard group of 8 bits.
Size Measurements
● Lowercase "b" = bits
● Uppercase "B" = bytes
Conversions
● 1 Kilobyte (KB) = 1024 Bytes
● 1 Megabyte (MB) = 1024 KB
● 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1024 MB
● 1 Terabyte (TB) = 1024 GB
Usage of Units
● Megabytes, Gigabytes, Terabytes are commonly used to describe:
○ Disk space / storage capacity (hard drives, SSDs, flash drives)
○ System memory (RAM)
Peripheral Devices: Any piece of hardware attached externally to a computer.
● Examples: Scanners, printers, digital cameras, external drives, speakers.
Computer Software: A collection of programs, procedures, and documentation that perform tasks on a
computer system.
Types of Software
System Software: Helps run computer hardware and the computer system.
● Operating System (OS) → Manages resources (Windows, macOS, Linux).
● Utility Programs → Perform standard tasks (file management, virus scanning, data backup).
● Device Drivers → Allow hardware devices to communicate with the system.
● Servers and Windowing Systems.
Programming Software: Provides tools for writing and developing programs.
● Compilers → Convert code into machine language.
● Translators → Convert between programming languages.
● Debuggers → Find and fix errors.
● Interpreters → Execute code line by line.
● Linkers and Text Editors.
Application Software: Allows end users to perform specific tasks.
● Business software (accounting, spreadsheets, word processors).
● Industrial automation.
● Educational software.
● Medical software.
● Databases.
● Games.
● Telecommunications & Internet apps.
Ways of Acquiring Software
● Public Domain Software: Uncopyrighted; free for everyone to use, copy, or modify.
● Freeware: Copyrighted but free to use.
● Shareware
○ Free on a trial basis (may expire or have limited features).
○ Encourages users to pay for the full version.
● Commercial Software: Paid software with all features enabled.
Impact of ICT on the Environment, Security, and Society
Computer Security, Ethics, and Privacy
● Computer Security Risk: Loss of information, software, or data; Processing incompatibilities;
Damage to computer hardware
● Computer Crime vs. Cybercrime
○ Computer Crime → intentional breach in computer security
○ Cybercrime → illegal acts committed online
● Cybercrime in the Philippines
○ Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175) (Sept. 12, 2012)
■ Hacking – Breaking into a computer system without permission.
■ Cybersquatting – Using or registering a domain name to profit from someone
else’s brand or trademark.
■ Cybersex – Online sexual activities through chat, video, or other digital means.
■ Child Pornography – Illegal creation, distribution, or possession of sexual
content involving minors.
■ Identity Theft – Stealing someone’s personal information to commit fraud or
crimes
■ Illegal Data Access – Entering or retrieving information from a computer system
without authorization.
■ Online Libel – Posting false or harmful statements about someone on the
internet.
● Network Attacks that Put Computers at Risk
○ Viruses – Malicious programs that attach to files and spread, damaging or altering data.
○ Worms – Self-replicating programs that spread across networks without needing to
attach to files.
○ Spoofing – Pretending to be a trusted source (like faking an email or website) to trick
users.
○ Trojan Horses – Malicious software disguised as a useful or harmless program.
○ Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks – Overloading a system or network with traffic to make
it unusable.
Types of Malicious Logic Programs
● Computer Virus → Alters the way a computer operates without consent.
● Computer Worm → Self-replicating program that spreads rapidly.
● EXE File Virus → Attaches itself to executable files.
● Trojan Horse → Disguised as a legitimate program, but performs harmful actions (doesn’t
self-replicate).
Intellectual Property (IP): Refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary/artistic works, symbols,
images, and designs.
Two Categories:
1. Industrial Property → patents, trademarks, industrial designs, geographic indications.
2. Copyright → literary/artistic works (novels, films, paintings, photographs, music,
architecture).
■ Also includes rights of performers, producers, and broadcasters.
Computer Ethics: Moral principles that regulate computer use.
Computer Applications in Society
● Education – Computers are used for teaching, research, student records, and e-learning.
● Finance/Banking – Used for online banking, ATMs, digital payments, and financial
record-keeping.
● Government – Helps in record management, online services, taxation, and public administration.
● Healthcare – Used for patient records, medical research, hospital management, and diagnostic
tools.
● Science – Essential for simulations, research, experiments, and analyzing complex data.
● Publishing – Computers make editing, designing, and distributing books, newspapers, and online
content easier.
● Travel – Used for airline reservations, online booking, GPS navigation, and travel planning.
● Industry – Computers control machines, manage production, inventory, and improve business
operations.
Computer Applications in Education
1. Management
○ Budgeting
○ Inventory
○ Student records
○ Library systems
○ Communication
2. Learning and Instruction
○ Teacher-Centered Instruction
■ Computer as Object of Study (Computer Literacy) – Learning about computers
themselves (parts, functions, and uses).
■ Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) – Using computers to support teaching
(drills, tutorials, practice tests).
■ Computer-Managed Instruction (CMI) – Computers used to manage lessons,
tests, grading, and tracking student progress.
■ Design of Teaching Materials – Computers help teachers create presentations,
worksheets, multimedia lessons, and other instructional tools.
○ Student-Centered Learning
■ Students use computers for problem-solving, information retrieval, data
manipulation, and communication.
3. Educational Research
Gathering and processing information
○ Accessing bibliographic citations
○ Analyzing student performance data
○ Using desktop computers for advanced research tasks
INTERNET: A worldwide network of interconnected computers (also called Cyberspace, Web,
Information Superhighway).
THE WEB
● Web pages → documents with text, graphics, sound, video, and links.
● Web site → collection of related web pages.
● Homepage → first/main page of a website.
● Hyperlink → active text/image linking to another page.
● Web Browser → software to view web pages (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Edge).
● Search Engine → finds websites by keywords (e.g., Google).
● Directory → organized websites into categories (e.g., old Yahoo).
● URL → website address.
CLOUD COMPUTING: Uses internet-based services for data storage, software, and computing.
WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW): All publicly accessible websites and related resources; Invented by Tim
Berners-Lee.
E-MAIL (Electronic Mail): sending messages/files through networks.
WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM: An operating system by Microsoft using a GUI (Graphical User
Interface) → picture-based interaction with the computer.
Terminologies:
● Desktop → main screen area.
● Drives → devices used to store data (C:, D:, USB).
● Folders → used to organize files.
● Directory → path of a folder (e.g., C:\Windows\Desktop).
● File Extension → identifies file type (.docx, .pptx, .xlsx).
● Icon → small image representing a file/program.
● Wallpaper → desktop background.
● Shortcut Icon → file/folder icon with a small arrow (quick access).
Windows Arrangement:
● Tile → windows shown side by side.
● Cascade → windows overlap, showing title bars.
Microsoft Office Application
MS WORD: A word processing and graphic program used to create, edit, and format documents.
MS POWERPOINT: Presentation software used for creating slides.
MS EXCEL: Electronic spreadsheet application used for storing, organizing, and manipulating data.
