Computer Elements



Computer Fundamentals



C - Common

O - Oriented

M - Machine

P - Powerful

U - Useful

T - Technology

E - Environmental

R Research



What is a Computer?

A computer is an electronic machine that processes all the information which provided to it and produces the desired output. Like any other system, computer system also needs an input which is then processed to get the output required. It has internal and stored programs for the same.

Types of Computer –

1) Micro Computer

2) Mini Computer

3) Mainframe Computer

4) Super Computer

1) Micro Computers – The First micro computers were made with 8 bit microprocessor chips and were designed to be used by only one person at one point of time.

2) Mini Computers – The First Mini Computer was made by DEC ( Digital Equipment Corporation), which also happened to be the largest manufactures of the minis and launched the super mini in October 1977.

3) Main Frame Computers – Libraries of Application programs developed in mainframe computers are quite greater than those of the micro and mini computers.

4) Super Computers – India recently has made up a super computer and termed it PARAM 10000.

History of Computers: -

In 1822, Charles Babbage, a mathematics professor at Cambridge University, made up a machine which termed “difference engine” and was often used for simple computations related mostly for logarithmic and trigonometric tables.

Next Generations: -

ENIAC – Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator was made up in 1946 and was the first ever electronic calculator. Per second, the ENIAC did about 5000 additions, for which it took up 150 KW power and had to be always cooled by water.

EDVAC – Between 1947 and 1950 the More School personnel and the Ballistics Research Lab of the U.S. Army made up a computer which was called EDVAC – Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer which was based on ideas of John Von Neumann and also this was the first ever effort to bring to computers the concept of stored programs.