Page 21 - Viva ICSE Computer Studies 5 : E-book

• Computers cannot decide on their own as they don’t possess key elements required
to take decisions like intelligence, knowledge, information, wisdom and ability to
judge.

• Computers are dependent on electricity for their working which increases the cost.

• Computers have no learning power. They need to be instructed for every task. They
cannot solve the problems on their own and cannot implement reasoning.

Computer Etiquette

When not in use, keep the computer covered to protect it from dust and dirt. Do not expose it to
sunlight as well. It is better to keep the computer in a cool place as it gets heated when operated
for a considerable period of time.

Tech Terms
Integrated circuit: Tiny square chips with thousands of transistors

Microprocessor: Integration of circuits into a small unit
Artifi cial intelligence: Ability of computers to think and act like humans

Quick Recall

• Present day computer is a product of many improvements over a period of time.
• Early man used stones, sticks, fi ngers, pebbles and cowries to count.
• The limitations of the human body’s ten fi ngers and ten toes apparently caused early man to
construct a tool to help him with calculations.

• Abacus was the fi rst calculating machine invented in China to count large numbers.
• Napier’s Bones was meant for simple calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication
and division of numbers. Later, it was improved to fi nd the square root of numbers.
• Blaise Pascal invented the fi rst mechanical calculator in 1642. It was named Pascaline.
• Mathematician Gottfried Leibniz built a calculator in 1671 that could add, subtract, multiply
and divide numbers and also fi nd square roots.
• In 1801, J. M. Jacquard invented a powered loom that used punched wooden cards.
• Charles Babbage, a mathematics professor, designed an automatic calculating machine in
1822. He called it Diff erence Engine. Charles Babbage is rightly called the Father of Computers.
• George Boole designed the Boolean Logic, which became the fundamental principle for
designing computer circuits.

• Herman Hollerith was the founder of the company that became famous as IBM.
• Atanasoff –Berry Computer used the binary number system like a modern computer.
• Harvard Mark I was the fi rst programmable digital computer made in the US.

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