Computer Basics Question Part 1

Short note :- Definition of Computer

Today’s world is an information rich world and it has become a necessity for everyone to know about computers.

In 1640s, Computer term was first used as “one who calculates.”  From 1897, term changed and got a new computer meaning “Calculating machine“. From 1945 the term indicates as “programmable digital electronic computer“.

The word compute is derived from the Latin word ‘computare’, was meaning “arithmetic, accounting”.

The Computer meaning is the digital device that stores information in memory using input devices and manipulate information to produce output according to given instructions.

The actual machinery, the physical parts of a computer system refer to as Computer hardware; the instruction (a program) that tells the computer what to do or how to do, that is called Computer software (often called just software).

Computer Meaning in general term

Technically, a computer means to calculate or electronic programmable machine.

Computer is used to perform some sequence of instructions in fast and accurate manner. Computer receives input in the form of digitized data, using input devices like keyboard, mouse, joystick, scanner etc. It process based on a program instructions to give output.

Functionalities of a Computer. If we look at it in a very broad sense, any digital computer carries out the following five functions 

Step 1 − Takes data as input.

Step 2 − Stores the data/instructions in its memory and uses them as required.

Step 3 − Processes the data and converts it into useful information.

Step 4 − Generates the output.

Step 5 − Controls all the above four steps.

【 Do you know the full form of computer? 】

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Advantages of Computers

Following are certain advantages of computers.

High Speed

• Computer is a very fast device.

• It is capable of performing calculation of very large amount of data.

• The computer has units of speed in microsecond, nanosecond, and even the picosecond.

• It can perform millions of calculations in a few seconds as compared to man who will spend many months to perform the same task.

Accuracy

• In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate.

• The calculations are 100% error free.

• Computers perform all jobs with 100% accuracy provided that the input is correct.

Storage Capability

• Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.

• A computer has much more storage capacity than human beings.

• It can store large amount of data.

• It can store any type of data such as images, videos, text, audio, etc.

Diligence

• Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness, and lack of concentration.

• It can work continuously without any error and boredom.

• It can perform repeated tasks with the same speed and accuracy.

Versatility

• A computer is a very versatile machine.

• A computer is very flexible in performing the jobs to be done.

• This machine can be used to solve the problems related to various fields.

• At one instance, it may be solving a complex scientific problem and the very next moment it may be playing a card game.

Reliability

• A computer is a reliable machine.

• Modern electronic components have long lives.

• Computers are designed to make maintenance easy.

Automation

• Computer is an automatic machine.

• Automation is the ability to perform a given task automatically. Once the computer receives a program i.e., the program is stored in the computer memory, then the program and instruction can control the program execution without human interaction.

Reduction in Paper Work and Cost

• The use of computers for data processing in an organization leads to reduction in paper work and results in speeding up the process.

• As data in electronic files can be retrieved as and when required, the problem of maintenance of large number of paper files gets reduced.

• Though the initial investment for installing a computer is high, it substantially reduces the cost of each of its transaction.

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Disadvantages of Computers

Following are certain disadvantages of computers.

No I.Q.

• A computer is a machine that has no intelligence to perform any task.

• Each instruction has to be given to the computer.

• A computer cannot take any decision on its own.

Dependency

• It functions as per the user’s instruction, thus it is fully dependent on humans.

Environment

• The operating environment of the computer should be dust free and suitable.

No Feeling

• Computers have no feelings or emotions.

• It cannot make judgment based on feeling, taste, experience, and knowledge unlike humans.

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Characteristics of computer

Speed :- 

As you know computer can work very fast. It takes only few seconds for calculations that we take hours to complete. Suppose you are asked to calculate the average monthly income of one thousand persons in your neighborhood. For this you have to add income from all sources for all persons on a day-to-day basis and find out the average for each one of them. How long will it take for you to do this? May be one day, two days or one week? Do you know your small computer can finish this work in few seconds? The weather forecasts that you see every day on TV is the result of compilation and analysis of huge amount of data on temperature, humidity, pressure, etc. from various places processed by computers. It takes few minutes for the computer to process this huge amount of data and give the result.

Accuracy:

In spite of its high speed of processing, the computers accuracy is consistently high enough which avoids any errors. If it all there are errors, they are due to errors in instructions given by the programmer.

Diligence :-

 A computer is free from tiredness, lack of concentration, fatigue, etc. It can work for hours without creating any error. If millions of calculations are to be performed, a computer will perform every calculation with the same accuracy. Due to this capability it is better than human being in routine type of work.

Versatility :-

 It means the capacity to perform completely different type of work. You may use your computer to prepare payroll slips. Next moment you may use it for inventory management or to prepare electricity bills or prepare accounts, etc. Therefore computer is highly versatile.

Reliable:

The output generated by the computer is very reliable, but it is reliable only when the data, which is passing as input to the computer and the program, which gives instructions are correct and reliable.

Storage Capacity:

The computer has a provision to store large volumes of data in the small storage devices, which has the capacity to store huge amounts of data and help the retrieval of data an easy task.

Automation:

Once the instructions fed into the computer it works automatically without any human intervention until the completion of execution of a program until meets logical instructions to terminate the job.

Automatic ::

They can perform Automatically when assigned a task or operation say you have started a download of movies the computer will download the entire movie in spite the user is present or not without any interruption unless there are network errors or connectivity issues.

They can perform huge numerical and logical calculations when given proper instruction automatically. Even pilots can hand over the controls to a computer as they can fly huge aircraft which are called AUTO-PILOT Mode.

No Feeling & No IQ ::

They do not have feelings and self IQ. They do not feel anything unlike humans i.e. tiredness, boredom, laziness, envy, or jealousy. As they do not have their own IQ they entirely depend upon humans for inputs, the computer cannot take their own decisions based on logic.

PC has errors only when an input is wrong or incorrect, the Computer scientists are working on AI (Artificial Intelligence)which will make them so powerful and accurate that they will make their own decision, and logic when giving some instruction.This type of computer will have unbelievable characteristics which will change the entire Generations of computer systems.