Computer Generations part2

Computer Hardware Question 6: What is a fourth generation computer?

Answer:   During the 1970s, The downsizing of mainframe and minicomputers continued. By the late 1970s, most businesses were using computers for at least part of their data-management needs.

However, the need for smaller and faster computers meant that even the integrated circuits of the third generation of computers had to be made more compact. Fourth generation computers are based on  large-scale integration (LSI) of circuits. New chip manufacturing methods meant that tens of thousands and later hundreds of thousands of circuits could be integrated into a single chip (known as  VLSI for  very large-scale integration).

Computer Hardware Question 3 - 5

Computer Hardware Question 3: What is a first generation computer?

Answer:   The first generation of computers is represented by the first commercial electronic computers that were based on the  vacuum tube. After the conclusion of the Second World War, the first commercially successful computer was produced by Mauchly and Eckert. They formed the Electronic Controls Company, expressly for the purpose of developing and selling electronic computers. One of their first projects, a new and more powerful computer named the UNIVAC 1, was delivered to the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.

Computers of the first generation were all very large, room-sized computers that used thousands of vacuum tubes (the same kind of glowing glass tubes that were used in radios of that era). Their design was functional for the time, but their role in business was limited by three factors - their size, the heat they generated, and their reliability problems. And, during this period, new methods

Computer Hardware Questions

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Computer Hardware Question 1: What is Computer  hardware?

Answer:   Computer  hardware refers to the computer's machinery, its electronic devices and its circuits. What we call a computer is actually a  system, a combination of components that work together. The hardware devices are the physical components of that system. The hardware is designed to work hand-in-hand with computer programs, referred to as  software. Software programs are usually designed specifically for use with one type of computer hardware.

What is the system development cycle?

General Computer Question 27: What is the  system development cycle?

Answer:   Today, the development of a computer system is generally based on a  systems development cycle model. In such a model, the systems development process is broken down into a number of manageable phases. By breaking the task down into smaller units, the systems analyst can receive feedback at each stage of development and can thus assure the effectiveness and success of the system. This systems development cycle approach also reduces the cost of systems development because the greatest expenditures are made during the later phases of the cycle (the earlier stages mostly involve planning). Although individual organizations may break the systems development process down differently, the best approach is to break the task down into small, manageable units. For example, we could break the systems development task down into the following five phases:

General Computer Question 21: Are there  health considerations when using computers?

Answer:   When new devices and new tasks are introduced into the workplace, there is bound to be concern about a person's prolonged exposure to these new conditions. With the growing computerization of businesses, there has been a great deal of concern about exposure to the types of screens that are commonly used in computers, screens based on the  cathode-ray tube ( CRT). There has been discussion that prolonged exposure to CRT screens might cause tumors, cataracts, or that they might cause problems for pregnant women. While the evidence related to the use of CRT screens is complicated and produces no clear-cut indications, it is a concern that should not be taken lightly. Today, new CRT screens have been designed to limit the emissions they give off and many are now purchasing these types of screens.