CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTERS

The main characteristics of computers are:
a) Speed
b) Storage
c) Accuracy
d) Versatility
e) Automation
f) Diligence
g) Reliability
a) Speed :
Computers are capable of carrying out the task with enormous speed. Today’s computers,
according to their class, can perform from 4 MIPS (Millions of instructions per second) to 100
MIPS. What may take days for manual calculations may take only a few hours for computers to
perform. Inside the computer the information signal travels at incredible electronic speed.
b) Storage:
Computers can store enormous quantity of information. Which is expressed in terms of
Kilobytes (or) Mega Bytes (MB) or Gega Bytes (GB). It is achieved through its ‘Main memory’
or ‘Primary storage’ and through ‘auxiliary storage’ or ‘Secondary storage’. The Hard disks
Floppy disk, Compact Disc(CD) and Magnetic Tape storage are examples of secondary storages.
These large volumes of storage occupy much lesser space compared to paper documents and this
aspect of computers makes them more powerful.
c) Accuracy:
The accuracy of a Computer is consistently high. In fact, this quality of the computers
make them indispensable in various fields such as Scientific Research, Space Research, Weather
Predictions and many other areas where precision of a high order is required. The accuracy of the
computer is best achieved by programming them in the most efficient manner. When it comes to
very complex mathematical or scientific problem the computer’s accuracy has no substitute.
d) Versatility:
Computers are versatile in that they can perform almost any task, provided they are given
the appropriate logical steps. For example, they are capable of performing wide ranging tasks
such as construction of a payroll, inventory management in a factory, hotel billing, hospital
management, banking applications and any imaginable task in every walk of life.
e) Automation:
The biggest advantage of computers is that it is automatic in its operation. Once a programming
logic is initiated the computer performs repeated operations without human interventions until
program completion.
f) Diligence:
Computers are machines and that do not get tired or ‘lose concentration’ like human
beings. If a large number of calculations say million calculations are to be performed the
resultant output will remain exactly the same even if operations are repeated any number of
times. But when a human being is asked to do the same job this consistency cannot be achieved.
Thus for those who want consistent and continuous standard output, computer’s ‘diligence’ is of
great help.
g) Reliability:
The computers give very accurate results with predetermined values. They correct and
modify the parameters automatically, giving suitable signals. They give formatted results with
high degree of precisions.

HISTORY OF COMPUTERS

In the early days of mankind, man used to count the head of cattle by putting lines on
trees. Slowly these lines changed to numbers. To do calculation on numbers he started inventing
machines.
1. Abacus
Abacus was probably the earliest of counting devices. It consists of rectangular wooden
frame with two compartments and beads sliding along the steel wires for counting.
Multiplication and divisions are done using repeated additions and subtractions. Even today in
which cross strings are fixed. Beads are inserted on to the strings. There are a number of rows of
beads.
2. Napier’s logs and bones:
John Napier, a Scottish mathematician invented logarithms. The use of logarithms
enabled him to transform multiplications and division problems of addition and subtractions. In
the beginning he called logarithms as artificial numbers. But later he named them logarithms.
Napier also invented a computing device consisting of sticks with numbers carved on
them. These sticks are called bones as they were made of bones. These bones helped a lot in
multiplication involving large numbers.
3. Slide rule
As the name indicates, the slide rule has one scale sliding within the other. Suppose you
want to add two numbers 3 and 5, set 3 on the fixed scale and slide the moving scale. So that its
“0’ coincides with”5” of sliding scale. This is the sum of 3 and 5. The process of reading could
be quick if you are trained in the use of slide rule.
4. Calculating machines and Pascal’s calculator:
A French mathematician, Blaise Pascal invented a machine based on gear wheels. He was
the son of tax collector who had to do lot of calculations as part of his job. Blaise Pascal wanted
to make his job easier by inventing a calculator. You might be familiar with gear wheels in use in
your bicycle which meshes with a driving chain. He used similar gear wheels with ten teeth for
each digit position. He fixed them together so that one wheel drives the other. When the wheel
corresponding to units position rotated by ten teeth, it drove the wheel corresponding to the next
higher position by one tooth. Thus one could make calculations. Pascal provided dials, which
indicated numbers stored on each wheel. He also used suitable “dialing system” to operate the
gear wheels. Other people also made a number of such calculators. Computer scientists honored Pascal by naming a programming language Pascal after
him.
5. Babbage difference and analytical engines.
Babbage, a British National and the son of a wealthy banker wanted to correct the errors
in the logarithm tables being used during his time. In 1822, he made a machine which calculated
the successive difference of expressions (X2 + ax + b is an example of an expression) and
prepared table which helped him in his calculations. The royal Astronomical society awarded a
gold medal to him for his invention and granted a large sum of money to carry out further work.
He wanted to make an accurate calculating machine called “Babbage’s Analytical Engine”. The
analytical Engine was supposed to be very accurate. So it needed lot of parts made with
precision. Babbage could not make such parts. He conceived that his machine would use input
devices, would have a processing part called “mill” where you can perform calculations, would
also incorporate
It consists of rectangular frame in which cross strings are fixed. Beads are inserted on to
the strings. There are a number of rows of beads .Since he was about 100 years ahead in his
ideas, he could not get parts needed for his machine. This is because there were no tools to make
such precision parts. He did lot of work related to making precision parts and spend all the grants
(and lot of his money too) but failed in his attempt to make a machine. He ultimately died as a
frustrated man.
6. Lady Ada Lovelace
Lovelace is the daughter of the famous English poet Lord Byron. She was a
mathematician. She studied the works of Babbage and wrote about them. From her account only,
we can see the close resemblance of the modern day computers and Babbage’s work. Lady Ada
Lovelace’s contributions are very important. Since she predicted that computers can be
programmed, a language, Ada used widely in America’s Department of Defence Computers was
named after her.
7. Herman Hollerith’s Machine
Governments all over the world collect details about the number of people living in their
countries. This information helps the Government in planning for the future, Sometimes you find
enumerators (people taking such details) coming to your house with forms to collect such details.
This operation is called “census” which is normally done once in 10 years.
In the United States a census was carried out in 1880 and the U S Government was
processing the census data. Even as this was going on, the next census was due in 1890. To
process the census of 1890 fast, the Government announced a competition.
Dr. Herman Hollerith Produced cards out of special paper pulp, designed punching
machines to punch holes in the card to count census figures and invented sorting machines to
read such punched card and collect data. He could complete the job within three years, achieving
a speedup of about three times.
8. ABC Computer:
In 1937, Dr. John Atanstoff with the help of his assistant Berry designed the Atanstoff
Berry Computer (ABC). The machine laid the foundation for the development of electronic
digital computer.
9. ENIAC- Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator
In 1947 john Mauchly and Eckart completed the first large scale Electronic Digital
Computer, ENIAC. In this computer, each time a program was changed, the wiring had to be
completely rearranged. It weighed 30 tons, contained 18,000 vacuum tubes and occupied a
space of 30 50 feet.
10. EDSAC-Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator:
Maurice V.Wilkes of Cambridge University completed EDSAC in 1949. EDSAC was the
first computer to operate on the stored program concept.
11. UNIVAC-I – Universal Automatic Computers:
In 1947, after ENIAC became operational Mauchly and Eckart formed their own
Company- The Eckart-Mauchly Computer Corporation”. Immediately after this they started the
design of UNIVAC-I. This was purchased by US bureau of Census. UNIVAC was the first
computer dedicated to business applications.

A COMPUTER SYSTEM

A computer system is a combination of various components. It performs the system
functions such as input, processing, output, storage and control. A computer system consists of
the following components:
1. Hardware
2. Software
3. Human ware
4. Firmware
5. Bridge ware
1. Hardware
The physical components of the computer, such as electrical, electronics and mechanical
unit are known as the hardware of the computer. That is, the input units, output units and CPU
are called hardware. Thus hardware is the equipment involved in the function of a computer. It
consists of the components that can be physically handled. The function of these components is
typically divided into three main categories: input, output, and storage. Components in these
categories connect to microprocessors, output and storage. Components in these categories
connect to microprocessors, specifically, the computer's central processing unit (CPU), the
electronic circuitry that provides the computational ability and control of the computer, via wires
or circuitry called a bus.
2. Software
The computer performs operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
only when the user instructs it to do so. The user issues instructions and the CPU acts in
accordance with the instructions. The sets of instructions, which control the sequence of
operations, are known as programs, and collectively programs are called software. The software
can be broadly classified into two types. They are:
a. System Software
b. Application software
3. Human ware:
The man-machine interface is called a human ware. The people who work with the
computer are collectively called the human ware or livewire.
4. Firmware:
The computer programs permanently stored in ROM or PROM are called firmware.
These programs are provided by hardware manufacturer along with the computers. Generally
these are booting programs which help in the starting of a computer. Such programs cannot be
erased or overwritten.
5. Bridge ware:
The computer components and programs used to translate instructions and information
written for one type of computer into a format that another type of computer can understand is
called bridge ware. This is necessary because different computers are made by different
manufacturers.

IMPORTANCE OF COMPUTERS IN BUSINESS

Computer plays an important role in business environment as every organization adopts it
in some form or the other to perform the tasks in effective manner. In the past few years’ rapid
development in IT, particularly in communications, electronic service networks, and multimedia
have opened up new opportunities for corporates. All these are contributing towards new and
effective ways of processing business transactions, integrating business processes, transferring
payments and delivering services electronically. It has affected the business in the following ways:
1. Office Automation
Computers have helped automation of many industrial and business systems. They are
used extensively in manufacturing and processing industries, power distribution systems, airline
reservation systems, transportation systems, banking systems, and so on. Computer aided design
(CAP) and computer-aided manufacture (CAM) are becoming popular among the large industrial
establishment.
2. Stores large amount of date and information
Business and commercial organizations need to store and maintain voluminous records
and use them for various purposes such as inventory control, sales analysis, payroll accounting,
resources scheduling and generation of management reports. Computers can store and maintain
files and can sort, merge or update as and when necessary.
3. Improves Productivity
With the introduction of word processing software, Computers have recently been
applied to the automation of office tasks and procedures. This is aimed at improving the
productivity of both clerical & managerial staff.
4. Sharing of data and information
Due to networking of computers, where a number of computers are connected together to
share the data and information, use of e-mail and internet has changed the ways of business
operations.
5. Competitiveness
Computers offer a reliable and cost-effective means of doing business electronically.
Routine tasks can be automated. The customers can be provided support round the clock, which
is 24 hours a day. With advancement in IT sector, corporates are spreading business around the
world thus, increasing their presence and entering new markets.
6. Security
To provide security to data and important computer programs, almost every organisation
has some security programs to avoid the illegal access of the company’s information by
unauthorized persons. The three fundamental attributor of a security program are confidentially,
integrity and availability which allow access to only authorized persons in an organization.
7. Cost Benefits
The extensive availability of internet based information means that companies have a wider
choice of suppliers which leads to a more competitive pricing. Due to the presence of internet the
role of the middleman becomes less important as companies can sell their product or services
directly to the customer.
8. Marketing
Corporates engaged in e-business can take help of their respective websites to create brand
awareness of their products, thus, creating new avenues of promotion of their products. In
addition, companies’ websites can also provide better services such as after sales service to the
customer.