NAME: TIJANI MAZEED OLAMILEKAN

DEPARTMENT: COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION

MATRIC/JAMB REG.: 202441220423AF

COURSE CODE: CSC 101

COURSE TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE

 1. HISTORY OF COMPUTER

The word 'computer' is an old word that has changed its meaning

several times in the last few centuries. Originating from the Latin, by

the mid-17th century it meant 'someone who computes'. The

American Heritage Dictionary (1980) gives its first computer

definition as "a person who computes." The computer remained

associated with human activity until about the middle of the 20th

century when it became applied to "a programmable electronic

device that can store, retrieve, and process data" as Webster's

Dictionary (1980) defines it. Today, the word computer refers to

computing devices, whether or not they are electronic,

programmable, or capable of storing and retrieving' data.

The Tec encyclopedia (2003) defines computer as "a general

purpose machine that processes data according to a set of

instructions that are stored internally either temporarily or

permanently." The computer and all equipment attached to it are

called hardware. The instructions that tell it what to do are called

"software" or "program". A program is a detailed set of humanly

prepared instructions that directs the computer to function in

specific ways. Furthermore, the Encyclopedia Britannica (2003)

defines computers as "the contribution of major individuals,

machines, and ideas to the development of computing." This implies

that 2the computer is a system. A system is a group of computer

components that work together as a unit to perform a common

objective.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS

Computing machines can be classified in many ways and these

classifications depend on their functions and definitions. They can

be classified by the technology from which they were constructed,

the uses to which they are put, their capacity or size, the era in which

they were used, their basic operating principle and by the kinds of

data they process. Some of these classification techniques are

discussed as follows:

Classification by Technology

This classification is a historical one and it is based on what performs

the computer operation, or the technology behind the computing

skill.

1. FLESH: Before the advent of any kind of computing device at

all, human beings performed computation by themselves. This

involved the use of fingers, toes and any other part of the body.

2. WOOD: Wood became a computing device when it was first

used to design the abacus. Schickard in 1621 and Polini in

1709 were both instrumental to this development.

3. METALS: Metals were used in the early machines of Pascal,

 Thomas, and the production versions from firms such as

Monroe, e t c.

CLASSIFICATION BY CAPACITY

Computers can be classified according to their capacity. The term

‘capacity’ refers to the volume of work or the data processing

capability a computer can handle. Their performance is determined

by the amount of data that can be stored in memory, speed of

internal operation of the computer, number and type of peripheral

devices, amount and type of software available for use with the

computer.

The capacity of early generation computers was determined by

their physical size - the larger the size, the greater the volume.

Recent computer technology however is tending to create smaller

machines, making it possible to package equivalent speed and

capacity in a smaller format. Computer capacity is currently

measured by the number of applications that it can run rather than

by the volume of data it can process. This classification is therefore

done as follows:

i MICROCOMPUTERS

The Microcomputer has the lowest level capacity. The machine has

memories that are generally made of semiconductors fabricated on

silicon chips. Large-scale production of silicon chips began in 1971

and this has been of great use in the production of microcomputers.

The microcomputer is a digital computer system that is controlled

by a stored program that uses a microprocessor, a programmable

read-only memory (ROM) and a random-access memory (RAM). The

ROM defines the instructions to be executed by the computer while

RAM is the functional equivalent of computer memory.

The Radio Shack TRS-80, the Genie III are examples of

microcomputers and are essentially fourth generation devices.

Microcomputers have from 4k to 64k storage location and are

capable of handling small, single-business application such as sales

analysis, inventory, billing and payroll.

ii MINICOMPUTERS

In the 1960s, the growing demand for a smaller stand-alone

machine brought about the manufacture of the minicomputer, to

handle tasks that large computers could not perform economically.

Minicomputer systems provide faster operating speeds and larger

storage capacities than microcomputer systems. Operating systems

developed for minicomputer systems generally support both

multiprogramming and virtual storage. This means that many

programs can be run concurrently. This type of computer system is

very flexible and can be expanded to meet the needs of users.

Minicomputers usually have from 8k to 256k memory storage

location, and a relatively established application software. The PDP-

8, the IBM systems 3 and the Honeywell 200 and 1200 computer are

typical examples of minicomputers.

iv LARGE COMPUTERS

Large computers are next to Super Computers and have bigger

capacity than the Medium-size computers. They usually contain full

control systems with minimal operator intervention. Large computer

system ranges from single-processing configurations to nationwide

computer-based networks involving general large computers. Large

computers have storage capacities from 512k to 8192k, and these

computers have internal operating speeds measured in terms of

nanosecond, as compared to small computers where speed is

measured in terms of microseconds. Expandability to 8 or even 16

million characters is possible with some of these systems. Such

characteristics permit many data processing jobs to be

accomplished concurrently. Large computers are usually used in

government agencies, large corporations and computer services

organizations. They are used in complex modeling, or simulation,

business operations, product testing, design and engineering work

and in the development of space technology. Large computers can

serve as server systems where many smaller computers can be

connected to it to form a communication network.

V SUPERCOMPUTERS

The supercomputers are the biggest and fastest machines today and

they are used when billion or even trillions of calculations are

required. These machines are applied in nuclear weapon

development, accurate weather forecasting and as host processors

for local computer.

Super computers have capabilities far beyond even the traditional

large-scale systems. Their speed ranges from 100 million-

instruction-per-second to well over three billion. Because of their

size, supercomputers sacrifice a certain amount of flexibility.

Supercomputers may need the assistance of a medium-size general

purpose machines (usually called front-end processor) to handle

minor programs or perform slower speed or smaller volume

operation.

CLASSIFICATION BY THEIR BASIC OPERATING PRINCIPLE

Computers can be divided into:

1. ANALOG COMPUTERS

Analog computers were well known in the 1940s although they are

now uncommon. In such machines, numbers to be used in some

calculations were represented by physical quantities such as

electrical voltages. According to the Penguin Dictionary of

Computers (1970), “an analog computer must be able to accept

inputs which vary with respect to time and directly apply these

inputs to various devices within the computer which performs the

computing operations of additions, subtraction, multiplication,

division, integration and function generation….” The computing

units of analog computers respond immediately to the changes

which they detect in the input variables. Analog computers excel in

solving differential equations and are faster than digital computers.

2. DIGITAL COMPUTERS

Most computers today are digital. They represent information

discretely and use a binary (two-step) system that represents each

piece of information as a series of zeroes and ones. The Pocket

Webster School & Office Dictionary (1990) simply defines Digital

computers as “a computer using numbers in calculating.” Digital

computers manipulate most data more easily than analog

computers. They are designed to process data in numerical form and

their circuits perform directly the mathematical operations of

addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Because digital

information is discrete, it can be copied exactly but it is difficult to

make exact copies of analog information.

3. HYBRID COMPUTERS

These are machines that can work as both analog and digital

computers.
THE COMPUTER EVOLUTION

The computer evolution has been explained in some different ways

over the years, by many authors. The computer has evolved through

the following stages:

First Generation Electronic Computers (1937-1953)

These devices used electronic switches, in the form of vacuum tubes,

instead of electromechanical relays. The machine was completed in

1945 and it was used extensively for calculations during the design

of the hydrogen bomb.

Second Generation (1954-1962)

The second generation witnessed several important developments

at all levels of computer system design, ranging from the technology

used to build the basic circuits to the programming languages used

to write scientific applications. Electronic switches in this era were

based on discrete diode and transistor technology with a switching

time of approximately 0.3 microseconds. A number of high level

programming languages were introduced and these include

FORTRAN (1956), ALGOL (1958), and COBOL (1959). Important

commercial machines of this era include the IBM 704 and its

successors, the 709 and 7094.

Third Generation (1963-1972)

Technology changes in this generation include the use of integrated

circuits, or ICs (semiconductor devices with several transistors built

into one physical component), semiconductor memories,

microprogramming as a technique for efficiently designing complex

processors and the introduction of operating systems and time-

sharing.

Fourth Generation (1972-1984)

Large scale integration (LSI - 1000 devices per chip) and very large

scale integration (VLSI-100,000 devices per chip) were used in the

construction of the fourth generation computers. Whole processors

could now fit onto a single chip, and for simple systems the entire

computer (processor, main memory, and I/O controllers).

Fifth Generation (1984-1990)

This generation brought about the introduction of machines with

hundreds of processors that could all be working on different parts

of a single program. The scale of integration in semi-conductors

continued at a great pace

2. Explanation on each device

• Keyboard

A computer keyboard is an essential input device used for typing

and interacting with a computer or other digital devices

• Projector

A projector is an output device that presents images onto a

projection screen and can be connected to a computer, and can

replace a monitor or television to project images to a big group of

people. Projectors come in various forms and sizes and are used in

auditoriums and movie theatres. Some projectors can support Wi-Fi

and Bluetooth connectivity. Most projectors are built to accept

several input sources, such as VGA connections for older devices and

HDMI connectors for modern equipment. Projectors help

significantly in increasing the visibility of content.

• Printer

The printer takes electronic data from the computer and creates an

exact copy of it in monochrome (in this context, black and white)

or colors, depending on the type of printer.

• Flash drive

A flash drive is a portable storage device. It’s the size of a human

thumb and connects to a computer via a USB port. Flash drives are

an easy way to stored and transfer information between computers

and range in size from 2GB to 1TB.

• Biometric scanner

A biometric scanner is a device that is use to detect an identity

through fingerprint. Because of their high accuracy, cost-efficiency,

and ease of use, biometric scanners have been widely used in both

commercial and academic settings for decades.

 • Touch Screen

Touch screen is an electronic visual display by which the user can

control through multi-ways by touching the screen

• Joystick

A joystick is an input device commonly used to control video

games. Joysticks typically connect to your computer using a

basic USB or serial port connection and often come with software

that allows you to assign the function of each button.

3. Computer is divided into some basic component:

a. Input Unit:

This unit establishes a link between the user and the computer so

that the user can direct commands and data into the computer.

These devices take data from the users and send it to the

computer in a systematic manner for further processing.

The following are some of the commonly used input devices to

perform the activities of an input unit:

• Keyboard:

The keyboard is an essential input device that consists of several

keys. By pressing the keys, we can enter or input data like letters,

numbers, signs, and other information on the computer. Like a

mouse, it can also be wired and wireless.

 • Microphone:

It enables us to give voice input to the computer system. • The

mics are designed to read sounds from the surroundings and

convert this sound (analog waves) into electrical signals.

• Other examples of input devices include a webcam, scanner,

touch screen, barcode reader, etc.

b. Central Processing Unit::

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is an essential electronic

hardware component that controls and processes all functions in a

computer system, including arithmetic and logical operations. The

computer's processor (CPU) also handles the operation of many

other units within the computer system, such as the control unit,

arithmetic logic unit, and memory unit.

c. Output Unit:

This unit is an essential component of a computer because without

it we cannot obtain or see information or desired results. Like the

input unit, the output unit also establishes a link between the user

and the computer. The output unit retrieves processed data from

the computer's primary memory (main memory), which is

converted into a human-understandable form before being

displayed by the corresponding output device.

The following are some of the commonly used output devices to

perform the activities of an output unit:

• Monitor: A monitor, often called a visual display unit, is one of

the primary output devices used on computers these days. It is

connected to a computer to digitally view the output (such as text,

images, videos, etc.) on the screen.

4. A computer is an electronic device that processes data by

storing, retrieving, and manipulating it. Computers can perform a

wide range of tasks, including:

Typing documents, sending emails, playing games, browsing the

web, creating spreadsheets, making presentations, and editing

videos.

The basic functions of a computer are: input, storage, processing,

output, and control.

Some basic components of a computer include:

• Central processing unit (CPU)

• Motherboard

• Random Access Memory (RAM)

• Video graphics array port

• Power supply

• Cooling fan
 • Hard drive

• Monitor

5.i. One key component of any computing device is its ability to

process data into information

Processing device: are the components responsible for the

processing of information within the computer system. This

includes devices such as the CPU, memory, and motherboard.

Storage devices are components that allow data to be stored

within a computer system.

5.ii. What is data and information

Data is a collection of raw facts and figures, while information is

data that has been processed, organized, and given context.

5. iii. what are the key difference between data and information

* Form: Data is raw and unorganized, while information is

organized and refined.

* Meaning: Data doesn't have meaning on its own, but information

does because it has context.

* Presentation: Data is usually presented numerically, while

information is often presented through words.