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 01. What are the main computer generations? (With a brief description)

First Generation (1940s - 1950s)

These early computers has used vacuum tubes for circuits and magnetic
drums for memory. The first-generation computers were based on
"machine language" (the most basic programming language that
computers can understand). These computers are limited to solving one
problem at a time. The input is based on punch cards and paper strips.
The output is output on the printout. Two machines from this era were
the UNIVAC and the ENIAC - UNIVAC was the first commercial
computer purchased in 1951 by one company.
Reasons why these computers can no longer be used:
• The large scale of the settings of the computer
• The high cost of maintaining
• The large amount of electricity generated during operation
• The subsequent generation of large amounts of heat

Second Generation (1950s - 1960s)

It was first discovered in 1947, transistor computers were not used until
the late 1950s. The replacement of vacuum tube transistors by the
advent of second-generation computing took place. 2nd generation
computers used magnetic disks, tape drives, printers and other
terminals. Language evolved from cryptic binary to symbolic
(assembly) languages. Machines powered by transistors move from the
magnetic drum to the magnetic core 'technology' - that is, they can store
instructions in their memory. Accordingly, this was the first computer
to store encrypted instructions. Today, the earliest versions of these
machines were developed for the atomic power industry.

Special improvements compared to the first generation:

• It was a big improvement over the vacuum tube

• Was small compared to the size of the computer
• Electricity consumption was reduced
• Provided better speed and were widely used commercially
• Improved accuracy and offered better portability

But here too the punch card is used for input / output

The difficulties that led to the withdrawal from the use of these computers:

• The computer room needed air conditioning, although it generated less heat
• These computers were used for specific purposes only and required frequent
maintenance
 • These computers were not easy to manufacture commercially and required a manual
functional component
• They are not multifunctional

Third Generation (1960s - 1970s)

At this stage, the transistors are minimized and relied on silicon chips
(known as semiconductors). This led to a tremendous increase in the
speed and efficiency of these machines. These were the first computers
to interact with users using keyboards and monitors interconnected
with an operating system. These machines were able to run several
applications simultaneously using a central program that was activated
to monitor memory.
Special improvements compared with the first and second generations:

• These computers required less space as they were smaller in

size
• As the integrated circuit technology used to make these
computers made computers more reliable
• Did not need much energy during operations
• Produced less heat
• Widely used due to its better speed
• Due to rare hardware failure, the maintenance cost was low
• Have a high storage capacity to hold information
• 3rd generation computers more accurate
• Third generation of computers changed the process to take
input as used a mouse and keyboard rather than punch cards

The difficulties that led to the withdrawal from the use of these computers:

• Required air conditioning even if they produced less heat

• The production of the IC chip has to be done with the help of latest technology
• Formal training was needed to use
• Maintaining integrated circuit chips is not easy

Fourth Generation (1970s – present)

The fourth generation computers were based on the microprocessor and
were an extensive version of the third generation computers. These
computers used VLSI circuits. On one chip, a microprocessor contains
VLSI and LSI technologies for packaging millions of transistors. The
features of the fourth generation computers were related to the process
of creating an integrated circuit (IC). The first computer (IBM) was
designed specifically for home use in 1981, and in 1984 Apple
introduced the Maclntosh. This generation PCs include five
independent units: input, arithmetic, and logic, memory, output, and
control.
Special improvements compared with the first, second and third generations:

• Size decreased because of the high density of components

• Development was intended for completely general-purpose
use
• More reliable, and the heat generation of these computers was
negligible
• Do not require air condition in many cases
• Need minimum maintenance.
• Inexpensive and portable as compared to previous versions
• In terms of speed, computers were much faster among all
generations
• All kinds of High-level languages can be used

The difficulties when use of these computers:

• The manufacturing of VLSI (Very Large-Scale Integration) Chip need very advanced
technology
• Highly sophisticate
• Require a fan for cooling the system
• Manufacturing of Microprocessors need high technical knowledge

Fifth Generation (The present and the future)

Artificial intelligence computer devices are still being developed. In

1982, Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry launched
the fifth generation computer system. In this generation, VLSI
technology has evolved into ULSI technology.

The fifth generation computer was created with the help of logical
programming and massive parallel computing. This generation of
computers is based on parallel processing hardware and AI (AI)
software. The essence of the fifth generation is to use these
technologies to process natural language and to create machines that
can respond to them and learn and organize.

Artificial intelligence has the ability to illustrate methods and

techniques that make computers think alike. In this generation, C and
C ++, .Net, Java and many more advanced languages are used. Some
of these technologies are beginning to emerge and are being used, such
as voice recognition.
Characteristics and improvements of fifth generation of computers:

• Use of Artificial Intelligence

✓ Which helps to make computers more powerful. The applications of AI are
everywhere, from navigating to browsing. Also, it is applied for video
analyzing, image processing, and more
• The huge development of storage
✓ Its available SSD storage that is faster as compared to HDD. Development is
running on a few other technologies
• Multi-processor-based system
✓ Special computers are already available that are used with parallel computing
systems
• Use of optical fiber in circuits
• Development of the elements of programs and Natural language processing (NLP)
• Used ULSI (Ultra Large-Scale Integration) technology
• Advancement in Superconductor technology and Parallel Processing
• These computers have user-friendly interfaces including multimedia features
• Use AI (artificial intelligence) technology that includes: Development of expert
systems, Game Playing, Robotics, Natural language understanding, and Neural
Networks
• Easy to take these computers from one place to another and to repair them

Challenges when use this computers:

• Fear of Unemployment
✓ Many people who feel fear about their job and think AI will replace their jobs in
the future. But it is completely dependent on how the world works
• Taking over the world
✓ Artificial intelligence is not healthy for the world. AI is very close to handle all
the world, like the science fiction movie
 02. Compare five (05) main types of computers
A computer is an electronic device that can process data (input), process data according to specific rules, produce information (output), and store
information for future use. Any type of computer is made up of hardware and software. Due to various factors such as ease of use of computers
and technological advancements, the user friendly computers that we use today have evolved over time.

Accordingly, we can identify a few classification of a computer compare with its sizes and features, cost, usage and its power as follows:

Type of
Size and features Cost Usage Power
computer
• It produces excellent results in animations

• Used for virtual testing of nuclear weapons and critical medical

• tests

• It can run in NOAA's system that can execute any type of simple
• Biggest and fastest computer and logical data
Most Supercomputer channels all
1. Super
expensive its power into executing a few
Computer • These are specially made to • It helps in extracting usefulinformation fromdata storage centres
computers programs as fast as possible
perform multi-specific tasks or cloud system. For example, in insurance companies

• It has played a vital role in managing the online currency world

such as stock market and bitcoin

• It helps in the diagnosis of various critical diseases and in

producing accurate results in brain injuries, strokes, etc.
• large computer • There are fewer chances of error or bugs during processing in
mainframe computers. If any error occurs it can fix it quickly Mainframe uses its power to
• Multi-programming, high- without affecting execute many programs. In
performance computers • the performance some ways, mainframes are
2. Mainframe Very more powerful than
Computer expensive
• The storage capacity of the • It has the ability to protect the stored data and other ongoing supercomputers because they
mainframe is enormous, with a exchange of information and data Support more simultaneous
high-speed data process programs
• Ideal for big organizations like banking, telecom sectors, etc.
 • handling hundreds of input and
output devices at a time
• Mid-size computer and it is
• It mainly performs two primary functions that are collecting data
smaller than the mainframe
and feedback
• Digital and multi-user computer Multiprocessing system
• It is an excellent device for small organizations to collect, store
3. Mini system with the connection of Much capable of supporting from
and share data
computer more than one CPU Expensive up to 200 users
simultaneously
• use in places like institutes or departments for different work like
• performing multiple computing
billing, accounting, inventory management
tasks at a single point of time

• It is a high- performance
computer system designed for a
single users
• It can handle animation, data analysis, CAD, audio and video
creation and editing
• Comes with a large, Typically linked together to
Inexpensive form a local-area network,
4. Workstation high-resolution graphics screen, • Engineering applications (CAD/CAM), desktop publishing,
computer although they can also be used
at large amount software development, and other types of applications that
as stand- alone systems
of RAM, built-in require a moderate amount of computing power and relatively
network support, and a high quality graphics capabilities
graphical user
• interface
• Minimal in size and storage
• It is capable of multitasking such as printing, scanning,
capacity
browsing,watching videos, etc.

• Consist of many parts like Input Designed as single-user

5. Micro
Inexpensive • Suitable for personal work such as making an assignment, systems, it is common to link
Computer and Output devices, Software, watching a movie, playing games and recently for surfing the
computer them together to form a
operating systems, networks, Internet. Or at office for office work, Businesses use personal network
and Servers all these need to computers for word processing, accounting, desktop publishing,
connect to form a complete and for running spreadsheet and database management
applications
Personal Digital Computer
 03. Describe how the data is processed to a meaningful output?

Data is raw material that does not make much sense to the user and can include numbers,
letters, symbols, sounds, or images. Data processing is the process of converting raw data into
meaningful output. The meaningful output obtained after processing the data is called
information.

In general, there are five main steps in a data processing cycle:

1. Data collection
Collecting raw data is the first step in the data processing cycle.
The raw data collected has a huge impact on the final output.
Therefore, raw data from well-defined and accurate sources
must be collected so that subsequent findings are valid and
usable.

2. Data Preparation
The raw data sorting and filtering process is the second step in the data processing cycle to
remove unwanted and inaccurate data. The purpose of this phase is to ensure that only the
highest quality data is delivered to the processing unit by checking for errors, miscalculations
or lost data in the data and converting it to be suitable for further analysis and processing

3. Input
In this step, the raw data is converted to machine readable and fed to the processing unit. This
can be done via a keyboard, scanner, or other input source. Here too, when entering data, care
must be taken to enter the data correctly. Otherwise the final output will be displayed
incorrectly.

4. Data processing
In this step, the raw database learns and submits to various data processing methods using
artificial intelligence algorithms to generate the desired output.

Depending on the input data one or more of the following functions can be performed.

• Classifying: Data are organized by characteristics meaningful to the user

• Sorting: In this step, the data may be arranged in a particular sequence to facilitate
processing
• Calculating: Calculations may be required to determine a patient's account balance or a
student's grade point average

5. Output
The data is finally transmitted and displayed in a way that the user can read such as charts,
tables, vector files, audio, video, documents. The most significant and important output of all
the above steps is the meaningful output.

Accordingly, all the above 1, 2, 3 and 4 steps should be followed in order to get the correct
information as a meaningful output.
 04. Compare CRT, LCD and LED Monitors
A monitor is a display device, such as a television screen, that interprets and displays the graphical output signal from a computer's graphics card
and displays it on the screen.

A following comparison table shows how it evolved and its characteristics into the monitor that we use today.

Basis of Comparison CRT LCD LED

Cathode Ray Tube Liquid Crystal Display Light Emitting Diode

Vacuum glass tube, electron gun, Glass plates, internal light source; nematic Post and anvil, semiconductor die, reflect
1. Major Components
phosphor screen, deflection plates liquid crystal cavity, epoxy lens

2. Size CRT is bulky, heavy, and large LCD is thin, light, and compact LED is light, compact, and Thinner

3. Weight Heavier Lighter Thinner

4. Power
High power Low power Lower power
Consumption

5. Color Black White True black

6. Image Retention CRT lacks image retention LCD have image retention It retains images

7. Cost Less expensive More expensive Most expensive

8. Image Forming Used electron gun Used liquid crystals Used light emitting diode

9. Response Good response Slow response Sufficiently fast response

Panels are lighter than plasma; more Sleek design; image quality is brighter and
10. Benefits Easy to move; picture quality is Good; wide
energy efficient; emits sharper; flicker
Film-like picture; slow refresh rate;
narrow field of view; blacks and Heavy, small displays; outdated technology; Temperature and age affect the color; LED is
11. Limitations
bright; image persistence is possible; easily burnt in much thinner; LED cost also more
pixel death is also possible
12. Used in Old computer monitors and Televisions Flat screens Flat panels display

05. Compare Dot Matrix, Inkjet and Laser Printers according to their key characteristics
A printer is an external hardware output device that takes the electronic data stored on a computer or other device and generates a hard copy.
We can compare the printers according to their key characteristics as follows:

Key Dot-Matrix Laser Printers

Characteristics of Introduced by Inkjet 1969 by Gary Stark
Comparison Digital Equipment
Developed in the weather
Corporation in early 1950s
1970
Size ranges dependingon usage. New Smaller is available but is more common in
1. Size Smaller and morecompact
compact ones are also available larger sizes

2. Printing speed 30-550 characters persecond 6 pages a minute 20 pages a minute

 Dots per inch Dots per inch Dots per inch
3. Quality
Printing quality is bad ifprinting images. Printing quality is good, especially for smaller Printing quality is adequate. Best for black
In terms of text, printing is fine fonts and white
4. Resolution Low/Draft Quality Near letter quality Letter Quality
Having pins pushed against an ink Use fine ink powder and heat the powder on
Spray liquid ink on paper through
soaked ribbon to paper the paper
microscopic nozzles
5. How it works
Used to be used for office uses, but Most commonly used for commercial
More commonly used forhomes as the unit is
now only used by select places suchas purposes and places that requires black and
smallerand ink is cheaper
banks white printing
Can be used for wider range of papers (photo Offers scanners and faxingmachines built in.
6. Features Can print on various types of papers paper, vinyl, self-adhesive papers), accurate Has biggerinput trays, direct connecting
photographic images, ink isnot waterproof facilities (wireless)
7. Noise Level Noisy Quiet Silence

8. Popularity Less dependent Very Popular Slightly Popular

9. Quality Printing quality is bad ifprinting Printing quality is good, especially for smaller Printing quality is adequate. Best for black
Measurement images. In terms of text, printing is fine fonts and white

10. Maintenance Expensive, parts are hard to come by Cheaper Expensive