COMPUTER SCIENCE

Memory
Definition of a Computer Memory is where all the information is stored.
Computers are Electronic Machines that process Without information the computer would be useless.
(performs calculation and manipulation) Data under the
control of Set of Instructions. There are three main types of memory:
 Cache Memory
Computers have two kinds of components:  Random Access Memory (RAM)
Computer Hardware is the physical components that  Read Only Memory (ROM)
make up the computer system (CPU, memory, bus, storage
devices, etc). Cache Memory
Computer Software is instructions that tell computer  Temporary memory accessed by the CPU
hardware what to do (Operating system, applications,  Very fast used at initial startup of computer
utilities, etc).  Stores data and instructions
 Data is then sent to the other types of memory
Hardware Components can be viewed as  Stores frequently used instructions and data but quite
 Logical Components (Generic) small
 Physical Components (Actual Devices)  Temporary – is not kept once the computer is shut
down
A. Logical Hardware Components
1. Processor (CPU) Random Access Memory (RAM)
 Central  Stores instructions and data
Processing  Temporary memory – not kept once
Unit the computer is shut down
 Interprets  Size is dependent upon the computer
and executes  The more RAM memory the faster the
the computer.
instructions  It is fast, but volatile.
2. Main Memory  Analogous to a person’s short-term
 RAM, memory.
Temporarily
holds data and instructions Permanent Memory – Read Only Memory
 ROM, Permanently holds data and instructions (ROM)
3. Auxiliary Memory  Stores data forever on you Hard-
 Permanently holds data and instructions drive or data stick.
4. Input device(s)  Older computers store information
 feeds data from the outside world on magnetic or optical media. Permanent
 mouse, keyboard, etc. Stable storage using magnetic or optical media.
5. Output device(s)  Called Read Only Memory because it reads files and
 allows data to feed to the outside world saves them (permanently)
 Monitors, video display, printer, speakers, etc.  Analogous to a person’s long-term memory.
 Slower to access than RAM
B. Physical Hardware Components  Cannot execute instructions
1. Keyboard, Mouse
 Input devices, Memory Organization
Peripherals
2. Monitor bit (binary digit) refers to a single 0 or 1. Bit patterns
 Output device, represent both the computer instructions and computer data.
Peripherals They are stored in a memory address in groups of eight.
3. Chassis or Box 8 bits = 1 byte is the storage of one character
 CPU one byte is the smallest unit of information that a computer
 RAM , Main memory can process.
 Floppy & Hard disk drives, Auxiliary memory 1024 bytes = 1 kiloByte (kB)
 I/O connectors, to connect other Peripherals 1024 KB = 1 MegaByte (MB)
1024 MB = 1 GigaByte (GB)
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
It is the “brain” of the machine.
Peripherals & Connectors
It performs arithmetic and
logical statements.
Input & Output Devices
Measurement in speed is in
1. Input
MHz (megahertz) or MIPS (millions of
Keyboard, mouse, digital pen, modem,
clock-ticks per second)
wireless Internet connection, touch
Examples of CPU
screen, joy sticks, etc.
 Intel Pentium 2. Output
 AMD K6 Monitor, printer, speakers, modem,
 Motorola PowerPC wireless Internet connection, etc.
 Sun SPARC
  Third generation
Connector - The Bus  Fourth generation
 Connects CPU to other  Fifth generation
hardware devices.
 Speed measured in megahertz First computer was
(like the CPU), but typically the Abacus
much slower than the CPU. Invented by William
 The bottleneck in most of Oughtred in 1622
today’s PCs.

Software Components

Software is information that can be stored on the First generation (1940 - 1956)
computers. You cannot touch software. You can only see the
result of the information on an output device like a monitor. The first generation
Software is divided into two main categories of computers used vacuum
 System Software tubes as a major piece of
 Application Software technology. Vacuum tubes
were widely used in
1. System Software computers from 1940
System software is the software that allows you to through 1956. Vacuum tubes
run the computer. It controls and maintains the hardware. It were larger components and
is the interface between the hardware and the programs you resulted in first generation
use on the computer computers being quite large in size, taking up a lot of space in
Types of system software: a room. Some of the first generation computers took up an
 Operating system entire room.
 Networking system The ENIAC is a
 Programming language software great example of a first
 Web site server generation computer. It
 Data backup consisted of nearly 20,000
Examples of system software: vacuum tubes, as well as
Linux, Windows, MacOS 10,000 capacitors and
70,000 resistors. It
Operating System (OS) weighed over 30 tons and
The OS acts as the “manager” of the computer took up a lot of space,
system, making sure that each hardware device interacts with requiring a large room to house it. Other examples of first
the others. generation computers include the EDSAC, IBM 701, and
It enables the computer to Manchester Mark 1.
communicate with software applications
like Microsoft Word and you the user. Advantages:
Examples: MacOS, Windows,  That was the only electronic during those old days.
Linux  Those computers were very fast to calculate.
 Vacuum tube technology made possible the advent of
2. Application Software electronic digital computers.

Application software is all the software that allows Disadvantages:

you to work or play on the computer. It is because of this  It is not really a reliable device.
software that we have to use computers.  No portable
You know this type of software as “program”.  It is required to be air conditioned.
Types of programs that are commonly used:
 Word processors and spreadsheets (Word, Second generation (1956 - 1963)
Excel)
 Game programs The second generation of
 Web browsers computers saw the use of
 Photo Editors transistors instead of vacuum tubes.
 Email Transistors were widely used in
 Graphics and Drawing computers from 1956 to 1963.
Transistors were smaller than
Computer Generation vacuum tubes and allowed
Computer generations are based on when major computers to be smaller in size,
technological changes in computers occurred, like the use of faster in speed, and cheaper to build.
vacuum tubes, transistors, and the microprocessor. As of The first computer to use
2018, there are five generations of the computer. transistors was the TX-0 and was
introduced in 1956. Other
 First generation computers that used transistors
 Second generation include the IBM 7070, Philco
Transac S-1000, and RCA 501.
 integrated circuits, helped make it possible for computers to
Advantages: fit easily on a desk and for the introduction of the laptop.
 Smaller in size compared to the first generation of Some of the earliest computers to use a microprocessor
computer include the Altair 8800, IBM 5100, and Micral. Today's
 The second generations computers were more computers still use a microprocessor, despite the fourth
reliable. generation being considered to have ended in 2010.
 Used less energy and were not heated as much as the
first one. Advantages:
 Wider commercial use.  Air conditioning is not
 Better portability as compared to the first generation. required in most
 Better speed and could calculate data in cases.
microseconds.  Faster in computation
 Used faster peripherals. than the last
 Used assembly language as well. generations
 Accuracy improved.  Totally general
purpose.
Disadvantages  Heat generated is negligible
 Cooling system was required.  Smallest in size it's because of the high component
 Constant maintenance was require. density.
 Costly and not versatile.
 Commercial production was difficult. Disadvantages:
 Only used for specific purposes.  Highly sophisticated technology required for the
 Punch cards were used for input. manufacture of LSI chips.

Third generation (1964 - 1971) Fifth generation (2010 to present)

The third generation of The fifth generation of

computers introduced the use of computers is beginning to use AI
IC (integrated circuits) in (artificial intelligence), an exciting
computers. Using IC's in technology that has many potential
computers helped reduce the size applications around the world. Leaps
of computers even more have been made in AI technology
compared to second-generation and computers, but there is still
computers, as well as make them much room for improvement.
faster. One of the more well-known
Nearly all examples of AI in computers is IBM's
computers since the mid to Watson, which has been featured on
late 1960s have utilized the TV show Jeopardy as a
IC's. While the third contestant. Other better-known
generation is considered examples include Apple's Siri on the
by many people to have
spanned from 1964 to
iPhone and Microsoft's
1971, IC's are still used in
Cortana on Windows 8 and
computers today. Over 45
Windows 10 computers.
years later, today's
The Google search engine
computers have deep roots going back to the third
also utilizes AI to process
generation.
user searches.
Advantages:
Advantages:
 Less energy
 It is more reliable
 Easily portable
and works faster.
 Maintenance cost is low because hardware failures
 Available in different sizes with unique features.
are rare.
Disadvantages:
Disadvantages:
 The disadvantages of fifth generation computers have
 There are a lot of cases required for air conditioning.
yet to be agreed upon, but many feel that they are
 Highly sophisticated production was easier and
two of its advantages: AI and the overall advanced
cheaper.
technology. The addition of AI worries many due to
the computers possibly becoming smart enough to
Fourth generation (1972 - 2010)
replace humans altogether, and many people are
becoming reliant on the advanced technology for
The fourth generation of
tasks that they can do without computers.
computers took advantage of the
invention of the microprocessor,
more commonly known as a CPU.
Microprocessors, along with