In this post we will be looking at the Meaning of Computer, History of Computer, what is modern Computer, Types and examples, Uses, advantages and disadvantages of computer.
INTRODUCTION.
A computer might be described with deceptive simplicity as “an apparatus that performs routine calculations automatically.” such a definition would owe its deceptiveness to a naïve and narrow view of calculation as a strictly mathematical process. in fact, calculation underlies many activities that are not normally thought of as mathematical. walking across a room, for instance, requires many complexes, albeit subconscious, calculations. computers, too, have proved capable of solving a vast array of problems, from balancing a checkbook to even—in the form of guidance systems for robots—walking across a room. Before the true power of computing could be realized, therefore, the naive view of calculation had to be overcome. the inventors who labored to bring the computer into the world had to learn that the thing they were inventing was not just a number cruncher, not merely a calculator. for example, they had to learn that it was not necessary to invent a new computer for every new calculation and that a computer could be designed to solve numerous problems, even problems not yet imagined when the computer was built. they also had to learn how to tell such a general problem-solving computer what problem to solve. in other words, they had to invent programming. They had to solve all the heady problems of developing such a device, of implementing the design, of actually building the thing. The history of the solving of these problems is the history of the computer. That history is covered in this section, and links are provided to entries on many of the individuals and companies. A broad range of industrial and consumer products use computers as control systems. Simple special-purpose devices like microwave ovens and remote controls are included, as are factory devices like industrial robots and computer-aided design, as well as general-purpose devices like personal computers and mobile devices like smartphones. Computers power the Internet, which links billions of other computers and users.
MEANING OF COMPUTER.
The term computer has been borrowed from compute that means to calculate. A computer is a digital electronic machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Is a programmable machine that performs high-speed processing of numbers, as well as of text, graphics, symbols, and sound. All computers contain a central processing unit that interprets and executes instructions; input devices, such as a keyboard and a mouse, through which data and commands enter the computer; memory that enables the computer to store programs and data; and output devices, such as printers and display screens, that show the results after the computer has processed data. Computer is an electronic device which is capable of receiving information (data) in a particular form and of performing a sequence of operations in accordance with a predetermined but variable set of procedural instructions (program) to produce a result in the form of information or signals. Whereas initially computers were used to perform arithmetic calculations at fast speed, now they are used in nearly every field.
HISTORY OF COMPUTER.
The history of computers starts out about 2000 years ago in Babylonia (Mesopotamia), It dates back at least to 1100 BCE at the birth of the abacus. Abacus is the earliest known calculating device, a wooden rack holding two horizontal wires with beads strung on them. Long before any systematic positional notation was adopted for the writing of numbers, the abacus assigned different units, or weights, to each rod. This scheme allowed a wide range of numbers to be represented by just a few beads and, together with the invention. Blaise Pascal is usually credited for building the first digital computer in 1642. It added numbers entered with dials and was made to help his father, a tax collector. The basic principle of his calculator is still used today in water meters and modern-day odometers. Instead of having a carriage wheel turn the gear, he made each ten-teeth wheel accessible to be turned directly by a person’s hand (later inventors added keys and a crank), with the result that when the wheels were turned in the proper sequences, a series of numbers was entered and a cumulative sum was obtained. The gear train supplied a mechanical answer equal to the answer that is obtained by using arithmetic. This first mechanical calculator, called the Pascaline, had several disadvantages. Although it did offer a substantial improvement over manual calculations, only Pascal himself could repair the device and it cost more than the people it replaced! In addition, the first signs of technophobia emerged with mathematicians fearing the loss of their jobs due to progress. Contrary to Pascal, Leibniz (1646-1716) successfully introduced a calculator onto the market. It is designed in 1673 but it takes until 1694 to complete. The calculator can add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Wheels are placed at right angles which could be displaced by a special stepping mechanism. The speed of calculation for multiplication or division was acceptable. But like the Pascaline, this calculator required that the operator using the device had to understand how to turn the wheels and know the way of performing calculations with the calculator. Charles Babbage, an English mechanical engineer and polymath, originated the concept of a programmable computer. Considered the “father of the computer”, he conceptualized and invented the first mechanical computer in the early 19th century. After working on his revolutionary difference engine, designed to aid in navigational calculations, in 1833 he realized that a much more general design, an Analytical Engine, was possible. A step towards automated computing was the development of punched cards, which were first successfully used with computers in 1890 by Herman Hollerith and James Powers, who worked for the US. Census Bureau. They developed devices that could read the information that had been punched into the cards automatically, without human help. Because of this, reading errors were reduced dramatically, work flow increased, and, most importantly, stacks of punched cards could be used as easily accessible memory of almost unlimited size. Furthermore, different problems could be stored on different stacks of cards and accessed when needed.
WHAT IS MODERN COMPUTER.
The principle of the modern computer was proposed by Alan Turing in his seminal 1936 paper, On Computable Numbers. Turing proposed a simple device that he called “Universal Computing machine” and that is now known as a universal Turing machine. He proved that such a machine is capable of computing anything that is computable by executing instructions (program) stored on tape, allowing the machine to be programmable. The fundamental concept of Turing’s design is the stored program, where all the instructions for computing are stored in memory. Von Neumann acknowledged that the central concept of the modern computer was due to this paper. Turing machines are to this day a central object of study in theory of computation. Except for the limitations imposed by their finite memory stores, modern computers are said to be Turing-complete, which is to say, they have algorithm execution capability equivalent to a universal Turing machine. Modern computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs; these programs enable computers to perform a wide range of tasks. a computer system is a “complete” computer that includes the hardware, operating system (main software), and peripheral equipment needed and used for “full” operation. This term may also refer to a group of computers that are linked and function together, such as a computer network or computer cluster. There are various elements of modern computers which are as follows:
- Computing Problems
- Algorithms and Data Structures
- Hardware Resources
- Operating System
- System Software Support
- Compiler Support
- Stored programs
- Transistors
- Integrated circuits
TYPES OF COMPUTERS
- Supercomputers: Supercomputers are used for areas related to:
- Science
- Engineering
- Education
- Defense
- Aerospace
- Mainframe computers: Mainframe computers are primarily used in:
- Institutions
- Research
- Academics
- Health care
- Libraries
- Large businesses
- Financial institutions
- Stock brokerage firms
- Insurance agencies
- Minicomputers: Minicomputers are used by small organizations. “Minicomputer” is a term that is no longer used much. In recent years, minicomputers are often referred to as small or midsize servers (a server is a central computer that provides information to other computers).
- Personal computers (PCs) or microcomputers consist of:
- Desktop computer
- Laptop computer (or notebook)
- Tablet
- Smartphone
USES OF COMPUTER
1. Business 2. Education 3. Healthcare 4. Retail and Trade 5. Government 6.Marketing 7. Science 8. Publishing 9. Arts and Entertainment 10. Communication 11. Banking and Finance 12. Transport 13. Navigation 14. Working from Home 15. Military 16. Social and Romance 17. Booking Vacations 18. Security and Surveillance 19. Weather Forecasting 20. Robotics
ADVANTAGES OF COMPUTER
Nowadays computers are used in almost every field of human society either it is our home, school, colleges, factories or at business work. But, at the same time, there are some important advantages and disadvantages of computers also there. A computer is a small, powerful, helpful, and complete automated machine for humankind. Although the computer today is a great convenience for many of us and brings many advantages Such as:
- High Speed in Work
- Mass Knowledge
- Storage Capability
- Communication
- Online Earning
- Online Learning
- Saves Time and Money
DISADVANTAGES OF COMPUTER
The following are the harms that you need to be aware of. Perhaps, suppose a person knows the information of benefits and disadvantages of a computer. In that case, they will begin to spend less time and use it only for productive work on the computer.
- Time Consuming
- Lack of Intelligence
- Eyes Vision
- Addiction
- Cyber Security Problems
- Health Problems