Q1.1. what is meant by low level language?
The languages which are close to the machine { Computer} called low level language. Low level languages provide the programmer with a high degree control over the computer but they require a detailed knowledge of the hardware. Machine language and Assembly language are low level language.
Q1.2. what you know about Machine language? Or Write a note on Machine language.
Machine language was the first type of programming language to be developed. Machine language is the binary language i.e., the language of 1 and 0. Therefore it is the only language that the computer understands directly. Machine languages are fine for computer but are difficult for human beings.
Advantages: 1. the execution of machine language programs is very fast.
2. Instructions in machine language are directly understood by the processor.
3. No translation of programs is needed.
4. Less memory is required.
Limitations: 1. Programs written in machine language are machine dependent.
2. Machine language is difficult to learn.
3. Machine language programs are difficult to modify.
4. Knowledge of hardware is needed.
Q1.3. what you know about Assembly language? Or Write a note on Assembly language.
Programming in machine language is too slow and difficult, So computer professionals started developing such languages which could be understood easily. In this effort Assembly Language was developed. In assembly language uses English like abbreviations to represent the computer operations. Assembly language uses understandable symbols.
Advantages: 1. Assembly language is easy to understand and use.
2. Assembly language program s are easy to develop and modify.
3. Debugging is very easy.
4. Less knowledge of hardware is needed.
5. Assembly language are efficient.
Limitations: 1. Programs written in assembly language are machine dependent.
2. Sufficient Knowledge of hardware is needed.
3. Assembly language programs are very long and thus occupy more memory space.
Q1.4. what is meant by high level language?
The computer languages which are close to human language called high level language. Programs in high level language are easy to write because the program instructions are in every day English. Fortran, Basic, Cobol , C etc are high level languages.
Q1.5. What are meant by Assembler, Compiler and Interpreter?
Assembler: The program, which translates assembly language program in to machine language, is called Assembler. Assembler works as an interpreter between the user and the Computer.
Compiler: A compiler is a computer program which translates any high level language program to a machine language program. This process of translation is called “ compilation”. In this process the whole program is translated before executing. For example Cobol, Pascal and Fortran etc all use different compilers for translation.
Interpreter: A interpreter is a computer program which translates any high level language program to a machine language program. It takes one instruction, translate it into machine language and execute it. The computer using interpreters are much slower in speed as compared to compiler. Basic language used interpreters.
Note: 1. Compiler and interpreters both are used for translation of high-level languages.
2. Compiler translates the whole program but Interpreter translate the program line by line.
Q1.6. differentiate between a digital and an analog computer?
Analog Computer: Analog computers are used to process analog data. Analog data is one which is of continuous nature. Such type of data includes temperature, pressure, speed, weight etc. Examples of analog devices are, watch or clock and speed mater of a car.
Digital Computer: Digital computer operates on inputs which are of ON-OFF type and its outputs are also in the form of ON-OFF signals. So, we can say that digital computer works on binary system. Examples of digital devices are calculator, digital watches etc.
Q1.7. What are hybrid computers?
A Hybrid computer is combination of digital and analog computers. It has the speed of analog computers and memory and accuracy of digital computers. Examples are flight radar system.
Q1.8. Explain the Napier's Bones.
Napier's bones is a manual calculating device, which was developed by John Napier. It consists of a set of eleven rods with numbers marked on them in such a way that by simply placing the rods side-by-side product, addition etc. of large numbers can be obtained.
Q1.9. Define Pascaline, difference engine and analytical engine.
Pascaline: The first mechanical adding machine was invented by Blaise Pascal in 1642 and was named as Pascaline.It is base on the concept of gear-driven counter wheels. The numbers could be read by rotating the wheel gear by on to ten.
Difference Engine: In 1822, a British scientist Charles Babbage invented a huge mechanical machine called Difference Engine. It is based on the principle of difference of the squares of numbers.
Analytical Engine: In 1833, Babbage introduced a ideal of fully automatic machine, which is called analytical engine. Analytical engine have punched-card input, storage unit, printing unit and arithmetic unit but Babbage could not produce a working model of this machine.
Q1.10. Discuss the different generations of computer.
First Generation: Computers of this generation used vacuum tubes. ENIAC, EDVAC, UNIVAC and Mark-1 belong to the 1st generation of computers.
Advantages: 1) These computers were the fastest calculating devices of their time. 2) The technology of vacuum tubes lead to the development of digital computers. 3) Magnetic tapes, Drums and Punched card were developed.
Disadvantages: 1) Their memory size was very limited. 2) These computers were unreliable. 3) Vacuum tubes emitted large amount of heat and burn out. 4) air conditioning required. 5) Very expensive. 6) Slow operating speed.
Second Generation: In the second generation of computers, transistors were used in place of vacuum tubes. The use of transistors reduced the size of computer. It also increased the speed of computer. The second generation computers are: UNIAC III, IBM-1401,IBM 7070,7080,1400 series etc.
Advantages: 1) Smaller in size. 2) More reliable. 3) Less heat generated 4) Magnetic core used as primary memory 5) Use of high level language. 6) Reduce the speed of computation. 7) Less use of power.
Disadvantages: 1) Air conditioning required. 2) Commercial production was costly.
Third Generation: The computers designed with the use of ICs were called third generation computers. It increases the speed of computers. Third generation computers contained secondary storage devices for large number of data. At the same time faster input output devices made possible multiprocessing. The third generation computers are: IBM-360 series, PDP-8 series etc.
Advantages: 1) Smaller in size than the previous generation computers. 2) Even more reliable. 3) Lesser heat generated 4) Primary storage capabilities up to 4 mega bits. 5) Use of high level language. 6) Reduce the speed of computation. 7) Lesser use of power. 8) Commercial production was cheaper.
Disadvantages: 1) Air conditioning required. 2) High class technology required for the manufacture of IC chips.
Fourth Generation: Fourth generation of computers started with the invention of microprocessors. Computer of this generation used semiconductor memory, which increased the internal storage of computer.
Advantages: 1) Smallest in size because of high component density. 2) Very much reliable. 3) Easily portable. 4) Primary storage capabilities up to 4 mega bits. 5) Use of high level language. 6) Reduce the speed of computation. 7) Lesser use of power. 8) Commercial production was cheaper.
Disadvantages: 1) Air conditioning required. 2) Technology required for the manufacture of IC chips.
Fifth Generation: Scientists are now working on the fifth generation computers. They aim to bring us machines with genuine I.Q. These computers will have the following capabilities:
1) These computers will be equipped with, thinking power. 2) These machines will be equipped with VLSI. 3) These computers will depend in Artificial intelligence. 4) Introduction of parallel processing. 5) Super speed. 6) Robotics.
Q1.11. Define the term “ terminal”.
A terminal is a monitor and a keyboard connected to a mainframe computer. In traditional mainframe environment, each user works at a computer terminal.
