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What is a computer? Flashcards

1
Q

What is a computer?

A

A general-purpose machine that processes data according to a set of instructions stored internally.

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2
Q

According to Patterson and Hennessy what are the five basic components of a computer system?

A

Input, Output, Memory, Datapath, Control

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3
Q

What is the classic number of computer generations?

A

4

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4
Q

Who came up with the idea of the classic number of computer generations and what year did he do this?

A

Tanenbaum, 1999

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5
Q

1st generation computer dates:

A

1945?-1955

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6
Q

1st generation computer circuitry:

A

Vacuum tubes

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7
Q

1st generation computer memory:

A

Magnetic drums

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8
Q

1st generation computer input:

A

Paper tape and punch cards

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9
Q

1st generation computer output:

A

Printouts

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10
Q

What drove computer invention?

A

Allied code-breaking efforts in WW2

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11
Q

What are two examples of early computers that drove the first generation of computers?

A

British COLOSSUS, American ENIAC

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12
Q

What language did 1st generation computers use for software?

A

Machine code

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13
Q

What was the computation time for 1st generation computers?

A

Milliseconds

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14
Q

How large were 1st generation computers?

A

Room-sized

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15
Q

What was built in 1948 at Manchester University?

A

1st stored program machine

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16
Q

What was LEO initially?

A

Bakery

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17
Q

What was famous about LEO?

A

First computer in the world to run an office job

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18
Q

What job did LEO’s computer do?

A

Calculated the valuation of the output from its Bakeries

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19
Q

What was the circuitry in 2nd generation computers?

A

Transistors

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20
Q

What five advantages over the previous generation of computers did the transistor bring?

A

Smaller, faster, cheaper, more reliable, more efficient

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21
Q

What was the main memory of 2nd generation computers?

A

Magnetic core

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22
Q

What was the secondary memory of 2nd generation computers?

A

Magnetic tapes and disks

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23
Q

What language were 2nd generation programs written in?

A

Assembly Language

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24
Q

What are two examples of high level languages that were first introduced during the 2nd generation of computers?

A

COBOL - COmmon Business Orientated Language

FORTRAN - FORmula TRANslator

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25
Q

What was the computation time for second generation computers?

A

Microseconds

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26
Q

2nd generation computer dates?

A

1955-1965

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27
Q

What generation of computers was the software industry said to be born in?

A

2nd

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28
Q

What 3 pins does a transistor have?

A
  1. Emitter
  2. Base
  3. Collecter
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29
Q

Which pin in the transistor acts as a switch?

A

Base

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30
Q

What direction does current flow in a transistor?

A

Collecter -> Emitter if voltage applied to base

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31
Q

What voltage generally needs to be applied to the base pin to allow a current to flow from Collecter -> Emitter?

A

0.7V

32
Q

3rd generation computer dates?

A

1965-1980

33
Q

3rd generation computer circuitry?

A

Integrated circuits

34
Q

3rd generation computer circuitry benefits?

A

Increased computer speed and efficiency

35
Q

3rd generation input norm?

A

Keyboards

36
Q

3rd generation output norm?

A

Monitors

37
Q

3rd generation notable introductions?

A

Operating systems

38
Q

What generation of computers saw the introduction of operating systems?

A

3rd

39
Q

What language are 3rd generation programs written in?

A

High level languages

40
Q

What is 3rd generation computation time?

A

Nanoseconds

41
Q

4th generation computer dates?

A

1980 - ?

42
Q

What method of integration is used for computer circuitry?

A

Large scale integration (LSI) and very large scale integration (VLSI) is used to implement transistors

43
Q

What are the benefits of 4th generation circuity?

A

Computer performance is increasing and size is decreasing

44
Q

What is the 4th generation CPU?

A

A single chip - the microprocessor

45
Q

What is the 4th generation main memory?

A

Semiconductor memory

46
Q

What other storage improvements are made in the 4th generation of computers?

A

Magnetic disks get larger and a number of other peripherals and storage media are introduced

47
Q

What modern day OSs are introduced in the 4th generation of computers?

A

DOS, Windows, Macintosh

48
Q

What is happening to programming languages in the 4th generation of computers?

A

They continue to arise and evolve

49
Q

What type of user interface predominates the 4th generation of computers?

A

Graphical user interfaces

50
Q

What revolution is made around connectivity in the 4th generation of computers?

A

Computers become linked through networks and then the internet emerges

51
Q

What are 4th generation computation times?

A

Picoseconds

52
Q

What is an example of an early 4th generation computer?

A

Commodore PET (Personal electric translator)

53
Q

What are some discernible features of the Commodore PET?

A 
Green text on black background
Command line interface
No mouse
4-96kb memory
1 Mhz CPU
54
Q

What inspiration for the computer did Charles Babbage conceptualise in 1840s?

A

Analytical engine

55
Q

What were the 8 components of the analytical engine?

A
  1. The store (Hard disk or memory)
  2. The mill (CPU)
  3. Steam engine (Power)
  4. Printer (Output)
  5. Operation cards (program)
  6. Variable cards (addressing system)
  7. Number cards (input)
  8. Barrel controllers (microprograms)
56
Q

What is the quote used by Ada Lovelace when she suggests that the analytical machine might be able to do more than just calculate?

A

“the engine might compose elaborate and scientific pieces of music”

57
Q

What did Herman Hollerith create in the late 1880s

A

Punched cards that could be read and stored by machine

58
Q

What had only been stored on machine readable mediums prior to Herman Hollerith’s invention?

A

Instructions (on punched cards)

59
Q

What did Alan Turing conceive at Cambridge University in 1935?

A

The Universal Turing machine

60
Q

What was the idea of the universal Turing machine?

A

It was an abstract computing machine with limitless memory, a scanner that moves back and forth to read symbols and write further symbols.

61
Q

What concept did Claude Shannon create in 1936?

A

The closed and open circuit - suggesting use of binary in computers. Hence the general concept of logic gates

62
Q

What is the first specific part of a computer Von Neumann describes?

A

CA - the central arithmetic part

63
Q

What is the second specific part of a computer Von Neumann describes?

A

CC - the central control part

64
Q

What do the CA and CC parts combined make up in the Von Neumann model?

A

the C

65
Q

What is the third specific part of a computer Von Neumann describes?

A

M - the total memory

66
Q

What is the fourth specific part of a computer Von Neumann describes?

A

I input. It will be seen that it is best to make all transfers from R (by I) into M, and never directly into C

67
Q

What is the fifth specific part of a computer the Von Neumann describes?

A

O - output. It will be seen that it is again best to make all transfers from M (by O) into R, and never directly from C

68
Q

What does R represent in the Von Neumann model?

A

Recording medium outside the device

69
Q

What is the role of the processor (including 6 duties) as a major hardware subsystem?

A 
Does simple calculations
Makes comparions
Makes decisions
Transforms data
Manages storage of data
Manages retrieval of data
  • Follows instructions stored in program
70
Q

What two things do subsystems need to be in order for the hardware to function?

A

Controlled: by the operating system and the drivers
Interconnected: To allow communication - done by buses and defined external interfaces

71
Q

What are examples of microcomputers?

A

Tablets, handhelds, desktops, laptops etc…

72
Q

What is a minicomputer?

A

A multi-user server

73
Q

What are the properties of a mainframe computer?

A

Very high numbers of users and processing
Used by big companies and banks
Other systems are connecting as clients

74
Q

What are the properties of supercomputers?

A

Calculation intensive
Big data applications
Used by major universities and science labs

75
Q

When rounded to the nearest integer, what percentage of microprocessors are in embedded devices?

A

100%

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