Page 19 - Viva ICSE Computer Studies 6 : E-book

Embedded system: A combination of hardware and software where the software is embedded into
the hardware
Language processor/Language translator: The software used to convert a high-level language
into machine language
Assembler: A language translator that translates the assembly language code into the machine
language code
Interpreter: A language processor that converts high-level language coded statements into
machine code
Compiler: A language processor that translates the entire program into machine code

Quick Recall

• Diff erent types of computers are used at various places for diff erent purposes.
• Computers are classifi ed into four types on the basis of size: microcomputers, minicomputers,
mainframe computers and supercomputers
• Microcomputers are the most commonly used computers, small in size and cost less. They are
also known as personal computers (PCs) and used in places such as schools, offi ces, shops and
homes.
• Minicomputers are bigger than microcomputers, more powerful than microcomputers, faster
and have more memory.
• Mainframe computers are large computers and have many terminals connected with a network.
They are used in big organisations. They have faster speed and larger storage capacity. They
are mostly used for business and scientifi c research purposes, and in large organisations like
science laboratories, business organisations and stock exchange markets.
• Supercomputers are the most powerful computers and have a very high processing speed.
They are used for weather forecasting and defence purposes.
• In order to instruct a computer to perform a particular task, a computer programmer has to
type a program.
• First generation language (1GL) is essentially a machine language. Instructions are given in
machine codes, i.e., in the form of a long string of 0s and 1s.
• Second generation language (2GL) usually refers to the assembly language. The assembly
language is an improvement over 1GL. It uses mnemonics (simple abbreviated codes) to
represent operators, memory locations of data, etc.
• Third generation language (3GL) is a programming language that is simple to learn, write and
understand.
• Fourth generation language (4GL) have further refi ned high-level languages to make them
similar to a natural language.
• A program written in any other language needs to be converted into machine language which
the computer can understand.
• Language translators are of three types: assembler, interpreter and compiler.

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