What is Computer | Computer History

What is an Electronic digital Computer?

A Computer is a Programmable Electronic Device that can Store, Retrieve, and Process Data.

First computer ever built

ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator) is believed to be the first computer ever built on the planet. It was designed by Dr. John Mauchly and Dr.J.P.Eckert completed in 1946. Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator was built of 18,000 vacuum tubeands 70,000 resistors. [How enourmous o.o?]

Power consumed – 5,000,000 Kilowatt and floor space – 1,8oo square feet.
Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator could add two numbers in 200 microseconds and multiplication of two numbers in 2800 microsecond.
It cost $3,000,000 to build the ENIAC.

History of Computer Architecture

• Zeroth Generation –Mechanical (1642 – 1945)
• First Generation –Vacuum tube ( 1945 – 1955)
  
  
  
  

  vacuum-tube
• Second Generation –Transistor ( 1955 – 1965)
• Third generation –Integrated Circuit (1965 -1980)
• Fourth Generation –Personal Computers and VLSI ( 1980 – now )

Computer Systems’ Components – Overview

Basically there’re 6 components which surround a computer system:

• Hardware
• Software
• Data and Information
• People
• Procedures
• Communications

Data and Information

• How is data stored -> where (hardware)
• Who manipulates the data -> by whom (software)
• Examples – resume, list of contacts, employees, documents, graphics, sound, etc

Communication component

Modern computer information systems depend on the ability to share processing operations and data among  different computers and users, located both locally and remotely.

Hardware

Computer hardware processes data by executing instructions, storing data and transferring data and information between the various peripherals.

Software

Software consists of the system and application programs that define the instructions that are executed by hardware.

People

• Beneficiaries of computer and communications systems.
• People can be the most complicating factor.

Procedures

• steps for accomplishing a result.
• expressed in manuals or documentation.

What is a Computer?

Computer Anatomy

What is inside the System Unit?

Inside CPU

System Unit Components

Additional Components in a System Unit

• Memory Cards
• Internal Modem
• Printer Ports, Serial Ports, USB Ports
• Specialised Processing Chips
• Video Display Board (Card)
• Sound Board

Overview of a Motherboard

Motherboard Anatomy

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

RAM Chips

SIMM (Single In-line Memory Module)

HDD (Hard Disk Drive)

Power Supply

250-watt-atx-power-supply-FSP250-60ATV

Schematic Diagram of a Personal Computer

Hardware Types

• I/O Devices (Input/Output) – Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers
• Storage – floppy disks, zip drives, hard disks, CDs
• System Unit – CPU (CPU = Arithmetic and Logic Unit, Control Unit, Interfaces), Memory (RAM), I/O interfaces, Buses

Memory

Memory is a collection of storage cells. Each cell can store a character

• 1 cell = 8 bits = 1 byte
• 1 Kilo Byte (KB) = 1024 bytes
• 1 Mega Byte (MB) = 1024 KB
• 1 Giga Byte (GB) = 1024 MB

Similar cells in the hard drives, floppies, ZIPs

• can store data and or programs (instructions)
• instruction = the most basic operation
• 1 instruction is stored on 1, 2 or 3 bytes

A Typical Computer Systems

A computer system as a whole

Types of Computers

• Microcomputers
• Mainframes
• Minicomputers
• Supercomputers

Summary of this entry

A Computer is a programmable Electronic Device, that can store, retrieve and process data. The components of the computers are Hardware, Software, Data, Information, Procedure and People. The main three units of the computers are Input/Output unit, System unit and Memory unit.

* The above information is aimed to assist people who want to learn more about computer technology. All credits go to the original creator(s) of these information or founder(s) of these knowledges. These works is not and will not be used for any commercial purposes in this website.