Chapter 2 :- History and Evolution of Computers
Summary
The earliest known device for calculation is Abacus.
In 1642, Blaise Pascal developed the first basic calculator
In 1690 Leibnitz developed a machine that could perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and calculate square roots.
Charles Babbage in 1822 designed and built a model called difference engine.
Generations of Computers
1. First Generation Computers (1945-55) :-
The first generation of computers started with ENIAC. It was then followed by the IBM UNIVAC I. The first generation computers used vacuum tubes. Because of vacuum tubes, the first generation computers were very large, required lot of energy, slow in input/output, and suffered with heat and maintenance problems.
2. Second Generation Computers (1955-65) :-
Transistors were used in the second generation computers. Transistor is a small component made of semiconductor material.The computers now could perform operations comparatively faster. An example of a second generation computer is IBM 1620.
3. Third Generation Computers (1965-80) :-
Third generation computers used Integrated Circuits (ICs) instead of transistors. These circuits are fixed on silicon chip. A silicon chip consumes less than one-eighth of an inch square on which
many electronic components like diodes, transistors, capacitors etc. can be fixed.
4. Fourth Generation Computers (1980-89) :-
Fourth generation computers used large scale ICs called VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration). these computers were faster, smaller, and reliable. These generation computers became more user-friendly. The fourth generation computers also include super computers such as CRAY .
5.Fifth Generation Computers (1989-till date) :-
Fifth generation computers are processing speed, user friendliness and connectivity to network. These computers are portable and sophisticated. Powerful desktops, notebooks.
Choose the most appropriate option from those given below :
(1) Who of the following is known as father of modern day computers ?
(a) Charles Babbage
(b) Blaise Pascal
(c) Jon Von Neumann
(d) Jon Von Pascal
(2) Which of the following is full form of ENIAC ?
(a) Electrical Number Integrator and Converter
(b) Electrical Numerical Integrator and Calculator
(c) Electrical Numerical Inverter and Calculator
(d) Electrical Number Inverter and Converter
(3) Which of the following are bulky, slow and suffered with heat and maintenance problems?
(a) Transistors
(b) Radios
(c) Vacuum tubes
(d) Integrated circuits
(4) Third generation computers used which of the following technologies ?
(a) Transistors
(b) Integrated circuits
(c) Vacuum tubes
(d) Very large Integrated circuits
(5) Which of the following computers are costly and can process billions of instructions per second ?
(a) Super computers
(b) Laptop computers
(c) Hybrid computers
(d) Any of these
(6) In which of the programming language mnemonic codes are used ?
(a) Assembly
(b) Higher level
(c) Machine level
(d) User level
(7) Java, C and COBOL are examples of which of the levels of languages ?
(a) Assembly
(b) Higher level
(c) Machine level
(d) User level
(8) Which of the following generations of programming languages reduce programming effort by just specifying what to do instead of how to do ?
(a) First
(b) Second
(c) Third
(d) Fourth
(9) Which of the following language generations use artificial intelligence techniques for problem solving and meeting their goal ?
(a) Second
(b) Third
(c) Fourth
(d) Fifth
(10) Operating system is an example of which of the following type of software.
(a) Applications
(b) System
(c) Business
(d) User created
(11) In which category of the software does the payroll application fit ?
(a) Applications
(b) System
(c) Control
(d) Any of these
(12) Which of the following software manage computer hardware and act as an interface between computer hardware and software developed for business application ?
(a) Applications
(b) System
(c) Control
(d) Any of these
(13) What do you call a computer that operates on binary digits 0 and 1 ?
(a) Digital
(b) Analog
(c) Hybrid
(d) Any of these
(14) What do you call a computer that uses linear combinations of voltage amplitude (or currents or frequencies or phases) instead of digits ?
(a) Digital
(b) Analog
(c) Hybrid
(d) Any of these
(15) Which of the following is also referred to as a handheld computer ?
(a) Portable Digital Assistants (PDAs)
(b) Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs).
(c) Personal Digital Applications (PDAs)
(d) All of these
