Fundamentals

Updated as of SEP 2020

COMPUTER

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Functionalities of Computer
If we consider it in a very broad sense, any digital computer performs the following five
operations −
• Step 1 − Accepts data as input.
• Step 2 − Saves the data/instructions in its memory and utilizes them as
required.
• Step 3 − Execute the data and converts it into useful information.
• Step 4 − Provides the output.
• Step 5 − Have a control over all the above four steps.

Advantages of Computer
• High Speed
 Computer is a very fast device.
 It can perform calculation of very huge amount of data.
 The computer has units of speed in microsecond, nanosecond, and even the
picosecond.
 It can process millions of computational calculations in a fraction of seconds
unlike man who may spend many months to perform the same task.
• Accuracy
 In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate.
 The calculations are 100% error free.
 Computers perform all jobs with 100% accuracy provided that the input is
correct.
• Storage Capability
 Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.
 A computer has much more storage capacity than human beings.
 It can store large amount of data.
 It can store any type of data such as images, videos, text, audio, etc.
• Diligence
 Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness, and lack
of concentration.

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 It can work continuously without any error and boredom.

 It can perform repeated tasks with the same speed and accuracy.
• Versatility
 A computer is a very versatile machine.
 A computer is very flexible in performing the jobs to be done.
 This machine can be used to solve the problems related to various fields.
 At one moment, it may be processing and simplifying a complex scientific
problem and the very next moment it may be running a card game.
• Reliability
 A computer is a reliable machine.
 Modern electronic components have long lives.
 Computers are designed to make maintenance easy.
• Automation
 Computer is an automatic machine.
 Automation is the capability due to which a machine can perform its task
without need of human consideration. Once the program is fed to the
computer i.e., the program is held in the computer memory, then the program
and instruction can transfer the program execution in absence of human
consideration.
• Reduction in Paper Work and Cost
 With the help of computers for data processing in an organization, there is
reduction of paper work and results in speeding up the process, which in
return saves trees.
 Because data saved as electronic files can be retrieved whenever required,
the headache of maintaining of pile number of paper files gets reduced.
 While the investment at the beginning for installation of a computer is high, it
substantially reduces the cost of each of its transaction.

Disadvantages of Computer
• No I.Q.
 A computer is a machine that has no intelligence to perform any task.
 Each instruction has to be given to the computer.
 A computer is not capable enough to take any decision on its own.

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• Dependency
 It works according to the user’s instruction, thus it is entirely dependent on
humans.
• Environment
 The operating environment of the computer should be dust free and suitable.
• No Feeling
 Computers have no feelings or emotions.
 It is not smart enough make judgment based on experience, feeling, taste,
and knowledge just like humans.

Applications
Business
• Because a computer system has a very high calculation speed, diligence, accuracy,
reliability, or versatility, it became an integrated part in all business institutions.
• Computer is very helpful in business institutions in
terms of −
1. Payroll calculations
2. Budgeting
3. Sales analysis
4. Financial forecasting
5. Managing employee database
6. Maintenance of stocks, etc.

Banking
• In present time, banking is entirely based on computers.
• Banks provide the following facilities −
 Online accounting facility, which includes checking current balance, making
deposits and overdrafts, checking interest charges, shares, and trustee
records.
 ATM machines which are entirely automated are making this facility simpler
for customers to deal with banks.

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Insurance
• Insurance companies are handling all records and keeping them up-to-date using
computers. Entities like Insurance companies, finance houses, and stock broking
firms, etc., are using computers at very high scale for their concerns.
• Companies are keeping a database of all
customers with information showing −
1. Procedure to continue with policies
2. Starting date of the policies
3. Next due instalment of a policy
4. Maturity date
5. Interests due
6. Survival benefits
7. Bonus

Education
• The computer helps in providing a lot of facilities in the education system.
• There is a tool available on computer for the
education system known as CBE (Computer
Based Education).
• CBE has many features that can be used for the
purpose of control, delivery, and evaluation of
learning.
• Education based on computers is transforming
the way students study and in turn increasing the
graph of number of computer students.
• A lot of ways are there in which educational institutions can utilize a computer to
educate the students.
• It helps to create a centralized database which stores the performance of a student
and analysis is carried out on this basis.

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Marketing
• In advertising − Using computers,
professionals working in advertising make
art and graphics, write and revise copy, and
print and disseminate ads with the purpose of
selling more products.
• Home Shopping − It is possible to shop while
sitting at home through the use of
computerized catalogues that facilitate access
to product information and allow direct entry of
orders to be filled by the customers.

Healthcare

• The use of computers have become an integral part at hospitals, labs, and
dispensaries. They are being used in
hospitals to keep the record of patients and
medicines. It also aids in scanning and
diagnosing various diseases. ECG, EEG,
ultrasounds and CT scans, etc. are also
done by computerized machines.
• Computers are used in following major fields
of health care:
1. Diagnostic System − Computers are used to collect data and identify the
cause of illness.
2. Lab-diagnostic System − All tests can be done and the reports are
prepared by computer.
3. Patient Monitoring System − These are used to check the patient's signs
for abnormality such as in Cardiac Arrest, ECG, etc.
4. Pharma Information System − Computer is used to check drug labels,
expiry dates, harmful side effects, etc.
5. Surgery − In these days, computers are also used in conducting surgery.

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Engineering Design
• Computers are widely used for engineering
purpose.
• CAD (Computer Aided Design) is one of the
major areas that aids in creation and
modification of images. Some of the fields
are-
1. Structural Engineering − Needs
digital stress and strain recreation
and analysis for designing of ships, budgets, airplanes, buildings, etc.
2. Industrial Engineering − Computers deal with design, implementation, and
improvement of integrated systems of people, materials, and equipment.
3. Architectural Engineering − Systems based on computers aid in planning
towns, designing buildings, determination of a range of buildings on the sites
with the help of both 2D and 3D drawings.

Military
Computers are extensively used in defence in designing and controlling modern tanks,
missiles, weapons, etc. They also deploys computerized control systems that are used
for communication. Some areas in military where a computer has
been used are −
1. Missile Control
2. Military Communication
3. Military Operation and Planning
4. Smart Weapons

Communication
It is a process to convey a message, an idea, a picture, or speech that is received and
understood clearly and correctly by the person for whom it is meant. Some main areas
in this category are −

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1. E-mail
2. Chatting
3. Usenet
4. FTP
5. Telnet
6. Video-conferencing

Government
Computers performs a very important role in services related to the government. Some
major fields in this category are −
1. Budgets
2. Sales tax department
3. Income tax department
4. Computation of male/female ratio
5. Computerization of voters lists
6. Computerization of PAN card
7. Weather forecasting

Generations of Computer
• The generations in computer terminology describes a change in technology (on
which the computer system is designed) a computer is/was being used. Basically,
the generation word was used to differentiate between various hardware
technologies. Now a days, generation encapsulates both hardware and software,
which in combination make up an entire computer system.

• There exists 5 computer generations till date. In the following list, approximate dates
against each generation has been mentioned, which are normally accepted.

• There are five main generations of computers based on their processing hardware.

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1. First Generation: period: 1946-1959. Vacuum tube based.

2. Second Generation: period: 1959-1965; Transistor based.

3. Third Generation: period: 1965-1971; Integrated Circuit based.

4. Fourth Generation: period: 1971-1980; VLSI microprocessor based.

5. Fifth Generation: period: 1980-onwards; ULSI microprocessor based.

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