Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is the use of computers, communication devices and software applications for processing, storing, retrieving, protecting and transmitting from anywhere at anytime.
THE BRIEF EVOLUTION OF COMPUTERS
First Generation ( 1940-1956 ) : Vacuum Tubes
First generation computers used vacuum tubes for circuity and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. these computers were expensive and bulky. they used machine language for computing and could solve just one problem at a time. they did not support multitasking. Their input was based on punched cards and paper tape.
Examples :
- ABC - (1937-1942) by John V.Atanasoff and Clifford Benry.
- ENIAC - (1945-1946) by John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eskert
- EDVAC, EDSAC and UNIVAC 1, IBM 709 - (1951) by John Von Neumann, Mauchly and Eskert.
- IBM 701 and IBM 702 (1953)
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Second Generation (1956-1963) : The Transistor Revolution
Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and lead in an exciting new development of the computer. Transistors made computers smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy efficient and more reliable than the first generation models. But transistors were responsible for the emission of large amount of heat from the computer. Due to this computers were subject to damage. Computers belonging to this generation used punched cards for input and printouts for output. They used assembly language. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN.
Examples :
- IBM 1400 - by John Bardeen, William Shockley and Walter Brattain.
- UNIVAC M460, IBM 7090, NCR315 and BURROUGHS
- ERMA - (1959) by General Electric Corporation.
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Third Generation (1964 - 1971) : Integrated Circuits
The use of Intergrated Circuits ushered in the third generation of computers. Small transistors placed on silicon chips, called semi conductors. this increased the speed and efficiency of computers. Operating system were the human interface to computing operations and keyboards and monitors became the input-output devices. High-level programming languages developed at this time, such as BASIC and Pascal.
Examples :
- IBM 360 - (1964)
- PDP-8-(1965)
- ICL 1900 ( International Computer Limited ) and VAC 9000
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Fourth Generation (1971-Present ) : Microprocessor based
Thousands of Intergrated circuits placed onto a silicon chip made up a microprocessor. the Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer - from the central processing unit and memory to input-output controls - on a single chip. It was this new microprocessor that led the way for modern-day computer technology. Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.
Examples :
- MITS (Altair 8800)-(1975)
- Apple I and Apple II- (1977) by Steven Mozniak and Steve Jobs
- VisiCalc ( Visible Calculator ) - by Dan Brickland
- CRAY I. ( Super Computers )
Credit to tecnomec.tradeindia.com
Fifth Generation ( Present & Beyond ) : Artificial Intelligence
Fifth generation computing devices, based on AI ( Artificial Intelligence , are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use of parallel processing and superconductors in helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum computation, molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of computers in years to come. The aspiration of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.
For the most part of fifth generation of computers is yet to be written. we are fortunate to live and experience a very exciting time in the midst of a technological revolution.
Artificial intelligence is the branch of computer science concerned with making computers behave like humans.
Artificial intelligence includes:
- Games Playing: programming computers to play games such as chess and checkers
- Expert Systems: programming computers to make decisions in real-life situations (for example, some expert systems help doctors diagnose diseases based on symptoms)
- natural Language : programming computers to understand natural human languages
- Neural Networks: Systems that stimulate intelligence by attempting to reproduce the types of physical connections that occur in animal brains
- Robotics: programming computers to see and hear and react to other sensory stimuli
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Credit to en.wikipedia.org
Example: HAL9000 - (2001) by Arthur C. Clarke's
ICT in Everyday Life : Education, banking, Industry and Commerce
The usage of ICT in everyday life.
- Education - online
- Banking
- Industry
- E-Commerce
- Other sector - Architecture, Arts Career, Government, Healthcare, Home, Law, Enforcement, Transportation,
The Differences between Computerised and Non-Computerised Systems
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Non-Computerised
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Computerised
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Banking
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Banking was done manually by taking deposits
directly
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Transactions can only be made during working
hours
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Takes time to approve any loan applications
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All transactions are done by computers
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Transactions can be done at anytime and place
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Online services, phone banking system, credit
cards are available
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Industry
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Production was slow because everything was done manually and totally
depended on human labour
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Computers and communications industry became very popular and
profitable since production can be increased through an all day operation.
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E-Commerce
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Trading was made using the barter system and
it was then later developed into currency.
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Advertisement was in the form of word of
mouth, billboards and printed flyers.
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Trading globally was extremely slow, late and
expensive. Trader had to find ways to market local products in the global
market
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E-commerce play an important role in the economic scene. It includes
distributions, buying, selling and servicing products that are done
electronically.
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