What is computer, its utility and features
What
is computer, its utility and features
Computers are made up of hardware and software. The word computer is derived from the Latin word "computare".
It has three main functions. The first is data receiving which we also call Input. The second one is to process the task and the third one is to show the activities which is called Output.
Charles Babbage is said to be the father of the modern computer.
What is the full form of computer?
Technically there is no full form of computer. Still there is an imaginary full form of computer.
C – Commonly
O – Operated
M – Machine
P – Particularly
U – Used for
T – Technical and
E – Educational
R – Research
History of computer
It cannot be properly proved that since when the development of computer started. But officially the development of computer has been classified according to the generation. These are mainly divided into 5 parts.
1. First Generation of Computer – 1940-1956 “Vacuum Tubes”
The first generation computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory. They used to be quite big in size. A lot of power was used to run them.
Being very large, it also had a lot of heat problem, due to which it used to malfunction many times. Machine language was used in these.
For example, UNIVAC and ENIAC computers.
2. Second Generation of Computer – 1956-1963 “Transistors”
In second generation computers, transistors replaced vacuum tubes. Transistors took up very little space, were smaller, were faster, were cheaper and were more energy efficient. They used to generate less heat than the first generation computers but still there was still a problem of heat in it. In this, high level programming languages like COBOL and FORTRAN were used.
3. Third Generation of Computers – 1964-1971 “Integrated Circuits”
Integrated Circuit was used for the first time in third generation computers. In which the transistors were small and inserted inside the silicon chip, which is called Semi-Conductor. It benefited from this that the processing capacity of the computer increased to a great extent. Monitors, keyboards and operating systems were used for the first time to make computers of this generation more users friendly. It was launched in the market for the first time.
4. Fourth Generation of Computers – 1971-1985 “Microprocessors”
The specialty of the fourth generation is that Microprocessor was used in it. Due to which thousands of Integrated Circuits were embedded in a single silicon chip. This made it very easy to reduce the size of the machine.
The use of microprocessor increased the efficiency of the computer even more. This very work was able to do big calculations in time.
5. Fifth Generation of Computer – 1985-present “Artificial Intelligence”
Fifth generation is of today's era where Artificial Intelligence has established its dominance. Now many advanced technologies like Speech Recognition, Parallel Processing, and Quantum Calculation are coming into use.
This is a generation where the ability to take decisions on its own has come due to the computer's artificial intelligence. Gradually, all its work will be automated.
Definition of computer
There are many components of any modern digital computer but some of them are very important like Input Device, Output Device, CPU (Central Processing Unit), Mass Storage Device and Memory.
How does computer work?
Input (Data): Input is the step in which raw information is inserted into the computer using Input Device. It can be a letter, picture or even a video.
Process: The data inputted during the process is processed according to the instruction. This is completely internal process.
Output: The data which has already been processed during the output is shown as the result. And if we want, we can save this result and keep it in memory for future use.
Motherboard
Motherboard
The main circuit board of any computer is called Motherboard. It looks like a thin plate but it is holding many things. Such as CPU, memory, connectors for hard drives and optical drives, expansion cards to control video and audio, as well as connection to all the ports of the computer. If seen, the motherboard is directly or in direct connected with all the parts of the computer.
CPU/Processor
Do you know what is Central Processing Unit i.e. CPU? This is also called. It is found in the motherboard inside the computer case. It is also called the brain of the computer. It is keeping an eye on all the activities inside a computer. The higher the speed of a processor, the sooner it will be able to do processing.
RAM
RAM
We also know RAM as Random Access Memory. This is the short term memory of the system. Whenever the computer does some calculations, it temporarily saves that result in RAM. If the computer is turned off, this data is also lost. If we are writing a document, then to avoid it being destroyed, we should save our data in between. By saving, if the data is saved in the hard drive, then it can stay for a long time.
RAM is measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB). The more RAM we have, the better it is for us.
Hard Drive
hard drive
Power Supply Unit
Power Supply Unit
The job of the power supply unit is to take power from the main power supply and supply it to other components as per the requirement.
Expansion Card
Expansion
Card
All computers have Expansion Slots so that we can add an Expansion Card in the future. These are also called PCI (Peripheral Components Interconnect) cards. But today's motherboard has many slots already built in. Names of some expansion cards which we can use to update old computers.
Video Card
Sound card
Network Card
Bluetooth Card (Adapter)
Computer hardware and software
We can call computer
hardware any such physical device that we use in our computer, while computer
software means the collection of codes that we install in the hard drive of our
machine to run the hardware.Computer hardware and software
For example, the computer monitor that we use to navigate, the mouse that we use to navigate, these are all computer hardware. Wherein the Internet Browser from which we visit the website, and the Operating System in which that Internet Browser runs. We call such things software.
Types of Computer
Whenever we ever hear the use of the word computer, then only the picture of personal computer comes in our mind. Let me tell you people that there are many types of computers. Computers come in various Shapes and Sizes. We use them as per the need, such as ATM to withdraw money, Scanner to scan a barcode, Calculator to do any big calculation. These are all different types of computers.
1. Desktop
Many people use
desktop computers for their homes, schools and for their personal work. They
are designed in such a way that we can keep them on our desk. They have many
parts like Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, and Computer Case.
Desktop
2. Laptop
You must have known
about laptops which are battery powered, they are very portable so that they
can be taken anywhere and anytime.
laptop
3. Tablet
Now let's talk about
the tablet, which we also call handheld computer because it can be easily held
in the hands.
tablet
It does not have keyboard and mouse, just a touch sensitive screen which is used for typing and navigation.
Example- iPad.
4. Servers
A server is some type
of computer that we use to exchange information. For example, whenever we
search for something on the Internet, all those things are stored in the server
itself.Servers
Other types of computers
Let us now know how many are types of computers there?
Smartphone: When the Internet is enabled in a normal cell phone, we can do many things using it, and then such a cell phone is called a smartphone.
Wearable:
Wearable is a general term for a group of technology devices – including fitness trackers and smart watches – that are designed to be worn throughout the day. These devices are often called wearable.
Game Console:
computer game
This game console is
also a special type of computer that you use to play video games on your TV.
TV:
TV is also a type of computer which now includes many applications or apps that convert it into Smart TV.
Advantages of computer
1. Multitasking
Multitasking is a great advantage of computer. In this, a person can easily calculate multiple tasks, multiple operations, numerical problems, that too in a few seconds. Computer can easily calculate in trillion of instructions per second.
2. Speed
Now it is no longer just a calculating device. Now it has become a very important part of our life.
Its great advantage is its high speed, which helps it to complete any task, that too in a very short time. In this, almost all the operations can be done immediately; otherwise it would take a lot of time to do them.
3. Cost / Stores do a large amount of data
It is a low cost solution. Because with this a person can save a large amount of data in a low budget. Using a centralized database, a very high quantity of information can be stored, so that the cost can be earned to a great extent.
4. Accuracy
These computers are very accurate about their calculations; the chances of making a mistake in them are negligible.
5. Data Security
Protecting digital data is called data security. Computer protects our digital data from unauthorized users such as cyber-attack or access attack.
Disadvantages of computer
Now let us know about some disadvantages of computer.
1. Virus and Hacking Attacks
Virus is a destructive program and hacking is called that unauthorized access in which the owner does not know about you.
These viruses can be easily spread through email attachment, sometimes even from USB, or they can be accessed to your computer from any infected websites.
Whereas once it reaches your computer then it ruins your computer.
2. Online Cyber Crimes
Computers and
networks are used to do these online cyber-crimes. Wherein Cyber stalking and
Identity theft also come under these online cyber-crimes.
cyber
3. Reduction in employment opportunity
Since the computer is capable of doing many tasks simultaneously, there is a huge loss of employment opportunity.
Therefore, from the banking sector to any governmental sectors, you see that all computers are given more importance in the place of people. So unemployment is only increasing.
Talking about the other disadvantage, it does not have IQ, it totally depends on the users, it has no feeling, and it cannot take any decision by itself.
Future of computer
By the way, day by
day a lot of technological changes are coming in the computer. Day by day it is
becoming more affordable and with more performance and more capacity. As the
need of the people increases, there will be more changes in it. Earlier it was
of the size of a house, now it is getting absorbed in our hands.
Future of computer
There will come a time when it will be controlled by our mind. Nowadays scientists are doing more research on Optical Computer, DNA Computer, Neural Computer and Quantum Computer. Along with this, a lot of attention is also being paid to Artificial Intelligence so that it can do its work smoothly on its own.
