Caritas Business College COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SYSTEM 1
Module 1: COMPUTER CONCEPT
COMPUTER
Topic 1: HISTORY OF COMPUTER
USES OF COMPUTER
Objectives:
Define what is computer
Differentiate each type of computer
Get familiarize with the history of computers
Identify its basic functions
A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry
out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations automatically.
Modern computers can perform generic sets of operations
known as programs. These programs enable computers to
perform a wide range of tasks. A computer system is a
"complete" computer that includes the hardware, operating
system (main software), and peripheral equipment needed and
used for "full" operation. This term may also refer to a group of
computers that are linked and function together, such as
a computer network or computer cluster.
Uses of Computers
1. Business - Almost every business uses computers nowadays. They can be employed to store
and maintain accounts, personnel records, manage projects, track inventory, create
presentations and reports. They enable communication with people both within and outside
the business, using various technologies, including e-mail. They can be used to promote the
business and enable direct interaction with customers.
2. Education - Computers can be used to give learners audio-visual packages, interactive
exercises, and remote learning, including tutoring over the internet. They can be used to
access educational information from intranet and internet sources, or via e-books. They can
be used to maintain and monitor student performance, including through the use of online
examinations, as well as to create projects and assignments.
3. Healthcare - Healthcare continues to be revolutionized by computers. As well as digitized
medical information making it easier to store and access patient data, complex information
can also be analyzed by software to aid discovery of diagnoses, as well as search for risks of
diseases. Computers control lab equipment, heart rate monitors, and blood pressure
monitors. They enable doctors to have greater access to information on the latest drugs, as
well as the ability to share information on diseases with other medical specialists.
4. Retail and Trade - Computers can be used to buy and sell products online - this enables sellers
to reach a wider market with low overheads, and buyers to compare prices, read reviews, and
choose delivery preferences. They can be used for direct trading and advertising too, using
sites such as eBay, Craigslist, or local listings on social media or independent websites.
5. Government - Various government departments use computers to improve the quality and
efficiency of their services. Examples include city planning, law enforcement, traffic, and
tourism. Computers can be used to store information, promote services, communicate
internally and externally, as well as for routine administrative purposes.
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6. Marketing - Computers enable marketing campaigns to be more precise through the analysis
and manipulation of data. They facilitate the creation of websites and promotional materials.
They can be used to generate social media campaigns. They enable direct communication
with customers through email and online chat.
7. Science - Scientists were one of the first groups to adopt computers as a work tool. In science,
computers can be used for research, sharing information with other specialists both locally
and internationally, as well as collecting, categorizing, analyzing, and storing data. Computers
also play a vital role in launching, controlling, and maintaining space craft, as well as operating
other advanced technology.
8. Publishing - Computers can be used to design pretty much any type of publication. These
might include newsletters, marketing materials, fashion magazines, novels, or newspapers.
Computers are used in the publishing of both hard-copy and e-books. They are also used to
market publications and track sales.
9. Arts and Entertainment - Computers are now used in virtually every branch of the arts, as well
as in the wider entertainment industry. Computers can be used to create drawings, graphic
designs, and paintings. They can be used to edit, copy, send, and print photographs. They can
be used by writers to create and edit. They can be used to make, record, edit, play, and listen
to music. They can be used to capture, edit and watch videos. They can be used for playing
games.
10. Communication - Computers have made real-time communication over the internet easy,
thanks to software and videoconferencing services such as Skype. Families can connect with
audio and video, businesses can hold meetings between remote participants, and news
organizations can interview people without the need for a film crew. Modern computers usually
have microphones and webcams built-in nowadays to facilitate software like Skype. Older
communications technologies such as email are also still used widely.
11. Banking and Finance - Most banking in advanced countries now takes place online. You can
use computers to check your account balance, transfer money, or pay off credit cards. You
can also use computer technology to access information on stock markets, trade stocks, and
manage investments. Banks store customer account data, as well as detailed information on
customer behavior which is used to streamline marketing.
12. Transport - Road vehicles, trains, planes, and boats are increasingly automated with
computers being used to maintain safety and navigation systems, and increasingly to drive,
fly, or steer. They can also highlight problems that require attention, such as low fuel levels,
oil changes, or a failing mechanical part. Computers can be used to customize settings for
individuals, for example, seat setup, air-conditioning temperatures.
13. Navigation - Navigation has become increasingly computerized, especially since computer
technology has been combined with GPS technology. Computers combined with satellites
mean that it's now easy to pinpoint your exact location, know which way that you are moving
on a map, and have a good idea of amenities and places of interest around you.
14. Working From Home - Computers have made working from home and other forms of remote
working increasingly common. Workers can access necessary data, communicate, and share
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information without commuting to a traditional office. Managers are able to monitor workers'
productivity remotely.
15. Military - Computers are used extensively by the military. They are use for training purposes.
They are used for analyzing intelligence data. They are used to control smart technology, such
as guided missiles and drones, as well as for tracking incoming missiles and destroying them.
They work with other technologies such as satellites to provide geospatial information and
analysis. They aid communications. They help tanks and planes to target enemy forces.
16. Social and Romance - Computers have opened up many ways of socializing that didn't
previously exist. Social media enables people to chat in text or audio in real time across large
distances, as well as exchange photographs, videos, and memes. Dating sites and apps help
people to find romance. Online groups help people to connect with others who have similar
interests. Blogs enable people to post a variety of views, updates, and experiences. Online
forums enable discussions between people on specialist or general topics.
17. Booking Vacations - Computers can be used by travelers to study timetables, examine route
options, and buy plane, train, or bus tickets. They can be used to explore and book
accommodation, whether traditional hotels, or through newer services, such as Air BnB.
Guided tours, excursions, events, and trips can also be explored and booked online using
computers.
18. Security and Surveillance - Computers are increasingly being combined with other
technologies to monitor people and goods. Computers combined with biometric passports
make it harder for people to fraudulently enter a country or gain access to a passenger
airplane. Face-recognition technology makes it easier to identify terrorists or criminals in
public places. Driver plates can be auto-scanned by speed cameras or police cars. Private
security systems have also become much more sophisticated with the introduction of
computer technology and internet technology.
19. Weather Forecasting - The world's weather is complex and depends upon a multitude of
factors that are constantly changing. It's impossible for human beings to monitor and process
all the information coming in from satellite and other technologies, never mind perform the
complex calculations that are needed to predict what is likely to happen in the future.
Computers can process the large amounts of meteorological information.
20. Robotics - Robotics is an expanding area of technology which combines computers with
science and engineering to produce machines that can either replace humans, or do specific
jobs that humans are unable to do. One of the first use of robotics was in manufacturing to
build cars. Since then, robots have been developed to explore areas where conditions are too
harsh for humans, to help law enforcement, to help the military, and to assist healthcare
professionals.
During the early years…
People during Stone Age lived in caves; men hunted animals using tools
they made out of rocks and sticks tied together by twines they got from
branches. To take note of how much they had, they used their fingers
and toes in counting. But soon they discovered that they just didn’t have
enough fingers and toes to count everything they owned.
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They then used sticks and stones because those things
were readily available everywhere. The only problem was
that they could not bring it with them when it was time for
them to move to another place. People during the Stone
Age were mostly nomads, people who didn’t have
permanent homes. So they had to move from time to time.
Then they thought of making marks on the ground or on
the cave walls. This was the start of the use of the tally
system.
The Abacus
When Chinese merchants needed to compute their sales and change needed, the tally
system seemed tedious. So they came up with a device that could help them compute,
they called it Abacus. It is a counting tool that could perform adding and subtracting
numbers by moving the beads back and forth on rods.
Napier’s Bones:
John Napier, a Scottish mathematician,
developed a faster way to compute things; he
invented the Napier’s Bones which could
perform multiplication.
The Slide Rule:
It was invented by William Oughtred, an English
mathematician from Cambridge University. The Slide
Rule can perform calculations faster.
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The Pascaline:
Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician who
invented the Pascal’s calculator or Pascaline in 1642
to help his father in his tax computation. The
machine is credited as one of the earliest
calculators.
Leibniz’s Calculator:
Gottfried von Leibniz a German
mathematician invented the very first
calculator that could perform the basic
operations. His calculator could add,
subtract, multiply, and divide. It was
operated using its hand crank.
Jacquard’s Loom:
Joseph Marie Jacquard a Frenchman,
invented a loom that could automatically
come up with a weaving pattern based on
the punch card inserted in it. Although it was
not really a computer, it was the first
automated machine which run based on
punch card patterns. Punch cards are
commonly used today as special keys to
unlock doors in hotel rooms.
The Difference Engine and Analytical Machine
Charles Babbage is the Father of Modern Computer. He was an English
mathematician and a mechanical engineer. He built the Difference Engine
and the Analytical Engine. He used punched cards as a storage device. His
work has lasting impact on computing technology.
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The difference machine was designed to do calculations and to produce
hardcopies of the work done.
The analytical engine was design in
coordination with Lady Ada Augusta Byron, the first computer
programmer. She programmed punch cards to control the
calculation done by the machine.
The Light Bulb was perfected by Thomas Edison. Making
electric power available led to discovery of the Vacuum Tube by Sir
Ambrose Fleming. The Vacuum Tube is the building block for the
early computers.
Hollerith’s Tabulator
Herman Hollerith invented a large scale automated
data processing machine that made use of punch cards.
It was used to get the national census in the United
States.
The history of Computer development occurs in
generations. Each generation of computer is
characterized by a major breakthrough in the field of
technology. It is designed to improve the computer
functions, increase its capacity while decreasing its size
and weight. Ideally, breakthroughs are also supposed to
make computers more efficient and reliable. The cost of
technology advancement is usually expensive but, in the
long run, since units function better and are capable of
better work, it would be worth each cent.
GENERATIONS OF COMPUTERS
1ST GENERATION 1946 – 1956 Vacuum Tubes
2ND GENERATION 1959 – 1965 Transistors
3RD GENERATION 1965 – 1971 Integrated Circuits
4TH GENERATION 1971 – 1980 Microprocessor
5TH GENERATION 1981 – Present Artificial Intelligence
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