Lecture 1 Flashcards
What is the definition of a computer?
A computer accepts input in the form of instructions and data, processes the data according to a set of instructions (program), and produces output in the form of information or actions.
What is a computer system?
A computer system is a combination of hardware, software, and network components that work together to perform data processing, transfer, and storage tasks. It includes processing units, memory storage, and input/output devices.
What are the different types of computers?
There are various types of computers, including tablets/phablets/mobile phones, embedded/network computers, microcomputers (e.g., PCs), network-accessible storage/servers, mainframes, and supercomputers.
What are mechanical computers?
Mechanical computers, such as Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine, used gears, wheels, and other mechanical movements to perform calculations. They were operated by turning a crank handle.
What are electromechanical and electrical computers?
Electromechanical computers were initially built using relays, which were slow and noisy. The ENIAC was the first fully electrical computer, using vacuum tubes. It was designed for calculating bombing trajectories. Electronic computers replaced relays with vacuum tubes, which generated a lot of heat and consumed a significant amount of power.
What is Amdahl’s Law?
Amdahl’s Law states that the overall performance improvement of a system is limited by the fraction of time that the improved component can be used. It highlights the interaction of different components in determining the system’s performance.
What is Moore’s Law?
Moore’s Law states that the number of transistors integrated on a chip doubles approximately every two years. This observation, made by Gordon Moore in 1965, has been a guiding principle for the rapid advancement of computer processors.
What are quantum, optical, and nano-computing?
Quantum computing is based on the laws of quantum mechanics and uses qubits to perform computations. Optical computing relies on light instead of electronic signals for processing. Nano-computing refers to technology assembled at the nanoscale, where components are built atom-by-atom or molecule-by-molecule.
What are computer system abstractions?
Computer system abstractions are different ways of viewing and understanding computer systems. They can be hardware models, software models, or conceptual models that simplify the complexity of computer systems.
