Computer Fundamentals: Basic, Types and More!
A computer is an electronic device that accepts data/inputs from its user and processes it into useful information as per the processing instructions to generate the output.
Computer fundamentals are an important part of the syllabus for several government exams, particularly the Banking exams, Railways, SSC, and more, conducted throughout the year.
Through this article, learn about the basic fundamentals of computers, their applications in various domains, advantages, and disadvantages, followed by generations and types of computers.
Fundamental of Computer: Basic
As per our basic knowledge, an electronic device that accepts input/data and processes it into valuable information i.e output is named a Computer.
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 and when required.
Step 3 − Execute the data and convert it into useful information.
Step 4 − Provides the output.
Step 5 − Have control over all the above four steps
Generations of Computer
There exist 5 computer generations till date. In the following list, approximate dates against each generation have been mentioned, which are normally accepted. These five generations of computers are based on their processing hardware.
|First Generation||1946-1959||Vacuum tube-based|
|Third Generation||1965-1971||Integrated Circuit based|
|Fourth Generation||1971-1980||VLSI microprocessor-based|
|Fifth Generation||1980-onwards||ULSI microprocessor-based|
Types of computers
These are single-user computer systems having small, relatively reasonable computers designed for an individual user. This type of computer can easily be moved from one place to the other comprising a personal storage unit, input & output unit, and a Central Processing Unit.
Regularly a single user system is named a workstation. Workstations usually come with a high-resolution graphics screen, inbuilt network support, a large amount of RAM, and a graphical user interface. They are often designed for self-use by an individual and can be used for multiple purposes. This type of system is not convenient for carrying from one place to another.
These come under multiple user computer systems that are capable of holding hundreds of users simultaneously.
Mainframe computers are also multi-user computer systems, capable of supporting hundreds of users simultaneously; designed to be used in large firms and organizations where a lot of people have to work on the same database. Software technology is different from minicomputers.
These are extremely fast computers, which can execute hundreds of millions of instructions per second. Supercomputers are mostly used in scientific and engineering operations where processing is difficult. They are costly and complex to work on.
Learn more about other Types of Computers.
Advantages of Computer
- The computer is a very fast device.
- It can perform the calculation of a very huge amount of data.
- The computer has units of speed in a microsecond, nanosecond, and even the picosecond.
- It can process millions of computational calculations in a fraction of seconds, unlike the man who may spend many months performing the same task.
- 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.
- Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.
- A computer has much more storage capacity than human beings.
- It can store a large amount of data.
- It can store any type of data such as images, videos, text, audio, etc.
- Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness, and lack of concentration.
- It can work continuously without any error and boredom.
- It can perform repetitive tasks with the same speed and accuracy.
- 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 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.
- A computer is a reliable machine.
- Modern electronic components have long lives.
- Computers are designed to make maintenance easy.
- A computer is an automatic machine.
- Automation is the capability due to which a machine can perform its task without the need for 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 be executed in absence of human consideration.
Reduction in Paperwork and Cost
- With the help of computers for data processing in an organization, there is a reduction of paperwork 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 piles of paper files gets reduced.
- While the investment at the beginning for the installation of a computer is high, it substantially reduces the cost of each of its transactions.
Know more about the Different Versions of Windows here.
Disadvantages of Computer
- 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 make any decision on its own.
- It works according to the user’s instruction, thus it is entirely dependent on humans.
- The operating environment of the computer should be dust-free and suitable.
- Computers have no feelings or emotions.
- It is not smart enough to make a judgment based on experience, feeling, taste, and knowledge just like humans.
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Computer Fundamentals FAQs
The two main aspects of computers are:
Input: The data that is inserted into the computer is termed the input. Input primarily is the raw data for which the system gives a meaningful outcome.
Output: The response that the computer produces in return for the raw data entered, is termed output.
Questions related to the background of computers, networking, the Internet, and other computer-associated terms are commonly asked in competitive exams.
There are a total of five Generations of Computer, wherein each generation something different was discovered to improvise the functioning and the performance of computer systems.
There are majorly 4-5 types of computers namely
PC/Personal Computer, Workstation, Mini Computer, Supercomputer, and MainFrame Computer.
Computer devices can be divided into: Hardware and Software.