1. COMPUTER
Commonly Operated Machine Particularly Used for Trade/Technology, Education, and Research.
A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information, or data. It has the ability to store, retrieve, and process data.
What Can a Computer Do?
- Type documents
- Send email
- Play games
- Browse the Web
- Edit or create spreadsheets
- Create presentations
- Edit or create videos
Computer Components
2. Computer History
The first computer that resembled the modern machines we see today was invented by Charles Babbage between 1833 and 1871.
He developed a device, the Analytical Engine, and worked on it for nearly 40 years. It was a mechanical computer that was powerful enough to perform simple calculations.
Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage is identified in the source as the inventor associated with the first computer resembling modern machines.
3. Hardware
Hardware is any part of your computer that has a physical structure, such as the keyboard or mouse.
| Hardware Component | Description / Role |
|---|---|
| Central Processing Unit (CPU) | Main processing component. |
| Motherboard | Core board connecting computer components. |
| Random Access Memory (RAM) | Computer memory used while programs are running. |
| Video Graphics Array Port | Display connection port. |
| Power Supply | Provides electrical power to the computer. |
| Cooling Fan | Helps cool computer components. |
| Hard Drive | Storage device. |
| Monitor | Display device. |
| Printer | Output device. |
| Scanner | Input device. |
4. Software
Software is any set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do and how to do it.
Examples of software include web browsers, games, and word processors.
5. Laptop
Adam Osborne invented the laptop in 1981. Though Osborne 1 was recognized as the first laptop, the concept of a portable computer was given in 1968 by Alan Kay.
LAPTOP — Light Weight Analytical With Total Optimized Power.
6. Types of Computers
1. Digital Computer
A machine that stores data in a numerical format and performs operations on that data using mathematical manipulation. Digital computers are almost always electronic.
2. Analog Computer
Uses some physical phenomenon, such as electrical voltage, to model a different phenomenon, and performs operations by directly modifying the stored data.
3. Hybrid Computer
Computers that exhibit features of analog computers and digital computers.
Digital Computer
A digital computer typically includes some sort of device to store information, some method for input and output of data, and components that allow mathematical operations to be performed on stored data.
7. Language
Language is used to express communications that can be performed by a machine, particularly for a computer.
8. Types of Language
- High Level
- Low Level
- Middle Level
High Level
- Procedural Programming Language or Structural Programming Language
- Object Oriented Programming Language
- Generic Programming Language — Ada, Eiffel, Java, C#, VB.net & Maskel
- Scripting Language — Java Script, VB Script
- Markup Language — HTML, DHTML, XHTML, XML
9. History of Language
Algol was the first language to use “Begin And End” pairs for delimiting. Algol syntax are used as annotation for algorithms.
1958 — A language introduced initially called IAL (International Algorithmic Language) was renamed as Algol.
| Language | Description | Invented by | Lab | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BCPL | Basic Combined Programming Language | Martin Richards | Bell Labs | 1966 |
| B | B | Ken Thompson | Bell Labs | 1969 |
| C | C | Dennis Ritchie | AT & T Bell Labs | 1972 |
| C with Classes | C with Classes | Bjarne Stroustrup | AT & T Bell Labs | 1979 |
| C++ | C++ | Bjarne StrouStrap | AT & T Bell Labs | 1983 |
| OAK | OAK | James Gosling | Green Team | 1991 |
| JAVA | JAVA | James Gosling | Green Team | 1995 |
10. Java
The Java programming language was originally called Oak and was designed for use in embedded consumer-electronic applications by James Gosling.
After several years of experience with the language, and significant contributions by Ed Frank, Patrick Naughton, Jonathan Payne, and Chris Warth, it was retargeted to the Internet, renamed, and substantially revised.
The final form of the language was defined by James Gosling, Bill Joy, Guy Steele, Richard Tuck, Frank Yellin, and Arthur van Hoff, with help from Graham Hamilton, Tim Lindholm, and many other friends and colleagues.
Java Characteristics from the Source
- General-purpose programming language
- Concurrent
- Class-based
- Object-oriented
- Designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible
- Allows developers to write a program once and run it everywhere on the Internet
Java was developed specifically for World Wide Web, and the Java programming language evolved from a language named Oak.
11. Java History
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1990 | A group of disgruntled engineers and programmers and Sun is created. |
| 1990s | James Gosling is described as the master programmer who created the Java language. |
| 1990s | Patrick Naughton designed the virtual interface to promote the Java environment. |
| 1992 | Sun names this team “GREEN”. |
| Initial Step | Gosling tried to implement the environment by extending C++, but C++ could not meet his needs. |
Reasons for Creating a New Language
- Direct memory management
- Fragile relationships among the components of C++ programs
- C++ does not enforce object-oriented programming
Gosling developed a new language by eliminating pointers and address arithmetic entirely and resolving references among classes at runtime instead of compile time.
For this new language, Gosling named it Oak Language.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Green Team is incorporated as First Person, Inc. (subsidiary of Sun). |
| 1995 | Oak is adapted for Internet use and renamed to Java. |
| 1995 | Naughton develops a web browser with a built-in Java interpreter and names it HotJava. |
12. Quick Revision
| Topic | Key Point |
|---|---|
| Computer | Electronic device that stores, retrieves and processes data. |
| Computer History | Charles Babbage developed the Analytical Engine between 1833 and 1871. |
| Hardware | Physical parts of a computer such as CPU, RAM, hard drive, monitor, keyboard and mouse. |
| Software | Instructions that tell hardware what to do. |
| Laptop | Osborne 1 is identified as the first laptop; Alan Kay proposed the portable-computer concept. |
| Digital Computer | Stores data numerically and performs mathematical operations. |
| Analog Computer | Uses physical phenomena to model another phenomenon. |
| Hybrid Computer | Combines features of analog and digital computers. |
| High-Level Language | Includes procedural, object-oriented, generic, scripting and markup languages. |
| Oak | Original name associated with the Java language. |
| Java | Developed by James Gosling and adapted for Internet use in 1995. |
| Father of Java | James Gosling. |