Computer Basics Knowledge


Computer Basics


What is a computer?

A computer is an electronic device/machine that receives information in a particular format as input and applies a set of operations with predetermined but variable set of programs to give a result in the form of useful information as output.
A computer can manipulate information, or data and has ability to store, retrieve and process data. In daily work computer is used for send mail, play games, write a document and for browse the web.
The form of input given to the appliance is a digitalized data, the process that data with some sequence of instruction or program to produce the result.
Computer definition and organization included in computer basics notes. It is needed to know computer basics for beginners with the knowledge of the history of the computer. The computer is considered as a programmable machine because it takes input and process that in a particular way and execute or give output as a list of programs. 


History of the modern computer


History of computer system started with the analytical engine envisioned by Charles Babbage, who followed mathematical ideas of George Boole. George Boole was the first and prominent mathematician who gave principal of logic inherent in today’s digital computer.
Ada Lovelace, who was the assistant and collaborator of Babbage, introduced the ideas of program loops and the subroutine that’s why he was the first programmer.
Computer basics questions included the generations of the age of equipment. Computer age can divided into ages or can seen as the life cycle of a computer from to its first age to the current age of the computer. 

GENERATIONS OF COMPUTER

First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes : 

The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms.

The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-generation computing devices.

In first generation of computer, this operating system allowed only one program to run at a time and a number of input jobs are grouped for processing. It is known as Batch Processing.

The first computer was ENIAC developed by John W.mauchly and J. Presper Eckert at the University of Pennsylvania, with 18000 Vaccum tubes and required 167 square meters of space.

Second Generation (1956-1963) Transistors:

Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers.

Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated Circuits:

The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers. 

Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.

Fourth Generation (1971-Present) Microprocessors:

The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip.

What in the first generation filled an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand

Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices

Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial Intelligence:

Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today.

In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh.

The primary organization of computer system


The computer system can organize with different structure elements that make it. Computer basics the question is to define these parts:
1.    First is input process that used for feeding data to the appliance.

2.    Store process for saving and storing data and information for the use of the system.

3.    Processing that define a way of carrying out addition, subtraction, and multiplication or       logical operations to convert them into useful information.

4.    Output process, a process of giving a result for the user.

5.    Control most significant operation that is used to co-ordinate and synchronized above         processes

The architecture of computer vary from one to another system but this is the bundle of basics, organization element, that remains same in all system.


Different types of the computer system


As per consideration of size and power, computer can be divided as:
· Personal computers, a small and single user computer system, worked on a microprocessor.

·    Minicomputer, the multi-user computer that supports 10 to 100 users at a time.

·    Mainframe, a multi-user computer system that supports 100 to 1000 user at a time.

·   Workstations, a robust and single user system that is similar to a personal system but have the most powerful microprocessor and an extreme quality of the monitor.

·    Supercomputer system, very fast that performs 100 to millions of instructions per second.

As per physical appearance and flexibility, computer can divide into many categories:
·    Desktop computer, are less expensive and are placed on a particular desk, they are not flexible to carry that used for the static area.

·    A laptop computer, laptops are different from desktop, they are more expensive than desktop but are easy to take from one place to another. These are portable but difficult to access its inherent part; that’s why they are not easy to upgrade.

·    A tablet computer, these are a handheld computer that is more portable, these are touch sensitive, that eliminates the requirement of keyboard or mouse. Tablets can not do all things laptop or desktop, but only for play games, check mail, or stream music and videos, tablet are good options.
·     Servers are used on a network and servers another computer over there. These are large and used for a large organization or system. It looks like a regular desktop but much more giant.


What are different parts needed in a computer system


Computer include hardware and software requirement of the computer system.
That can be defined as:
(1) Memory that makes computer system to store data, and programs.
(2) Mass Storage device that is used to store a large amount of data permanently. Devices are disk drives, tape drives.
(3) Input devices that are used to give data to a computer system for processing. Devices like  keyboard, mouse, etc.
(4) An output device that is used to print the result after processing of given input to the  computer system. Devices like printer monitor etc.
(5) CPU, central processing unit used to control all the processing performed by above units. It defined as the heart of computer system.

The difference between hardware and software


Computer basics questions on equipment and software include knowing what is
hardware and software, and how they differ from each other.

Hardware can define as that has a physical structure, which can be touched and seen or
is tangible for the user like keyboard and mouse. Read this topic carefully to find IBPS
computer questions with answers.

Apart from hardware, software is a set of instructions that helps equipment in
reforming it’s functioning and provide an interface between user and device. It is
intangible for the user, it guides the device, and does not have any physical structure 
like hardware. The software is like browser, word processors.

1)  Hardware has the physical appearance whereas software is set of codes that installed on computer hard drive.

2)  Hardware devices are operated by software one at a time.

3) Hardware makes a computer work on the same machine,  software can be used to follow a person to interact with hardware.

4) Hardware devices include keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner, sound card, network card, modem, CD-ROM, DVD, speaker.
5)  Software includes an operating system, word processors, etc.

The difference between input and output device

Here in this topic examiner tries to confuse you with ibps exam computer questions of 
devices. Input devices are used to give data and information for processing. Output 
devices are used to display the result of the processing of information provided by input
devices.

Input devices only receive data, it is possible to provide information or data to another
device but can not get or receives from other devices like keyboard, mouse.

Output devices on another hand can receive data or information but does not transmit or
monitor, another device like a speaker, monitor, projector.

A device that can send data and receives data to known as input /output device like CD-
ROM drive, USB flash drive.

Introduction of input and output Device.

Input device gives data or feeds data to the computer for processing:

Keyboard – 

this input device has the letter, number and multimedia keys for volume control, play 
pause. The computer is a digital system based on machines, so every key on the 
keyboard is assigned a binary value that transmits binary pattern to the appliance.

Mouse – 

It is like a pointer, that points to an icon on the screen of equipment, so it used as a 
pointing device. It combined with left and right clicking buttons and a wheel for 
scrolling. Its function is of selecting, arranging icon on the desktop, scrolling the web
page, copy/paste.

Two types of the mouse are there 

(1) traditional mouse with rubber covered ball at the bottom, ball rolls and    resulting in movement of a cursor on the screen.

(2 ) An optical mouse that tracks mouse position using an optical sensor.

Scanner – 

the scanner is used to convert the print document into images. It works as a photocopier.

Digital camera – 

A digital camera is used to capture pictures then those images are transferred to the
computer when connected. The format for images is JPEG.

Output devices: 

these are used to display processed data to the user of a computer system.

Monitor – 

it is the most useful output device that is a display device. Monitor are of two types 
CRT (cathode ray tube) and LCD (liquid crystal display).

CRT are more expensive as compared to the LCD and are larger, that is why to occupy
more space.

Printer – 

it is used to print out text/images in a paper format. There are different types of printer
available like Dot Matrix, Inkjet, laser jet. Laserjet is good in quality compared to
 inkjet and dot matrix but expensive.

Speaker – 

Speakers are an essential part of computer they are available in different sizes for 
different purposes like a big speaker, woofers, and subwoofers.

Speakers that are small in size are built in and are used to notify about various system 
notifications through different sounds.






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