SSEBAGALA RONALD

22/U/6890
BECON
COURSE WORK
Question. Write short notes about the following
a)Computer generation
b)Grid computing
c)Information system
d)Classification of Computer

COMPUTER GENERATION.
Computer generation terminology is a change in technology acomputer is/was being used. Initially, the
generation term was used to distinguish between varying hardware technologies. Nowadays, generation
includes both hard ware and software, which together makes up an entire computer system.
There are five computer generations known till date.Each generation has been discussed in detail
along with their time period and characteristics.
The following are the main five generation of computers.

First Generation.
The period of first generation 1946-1959, It is vacuum based.
Second Generation.
The period of second generation 1959-1965, transistor based.
Third generation.
The period of third generation 1965-1971, Integrated Circuit based.
Fourth Generation.
The period of Fourth generation, 1971-1980, VLSI microprocessor based
The fifth generation.
The period of fifth generation 1980 on wards, ULSI microprocessor based.

characteristics of first generation includes.

main electronic component vacuum tube.
They use machine language as programming language.
Consumer alot of electricity.
Input and out put devices are punched cards and paper tape. Examples include ENIAC, UNIVACI, IBM 650,
IBM 701 etc.
Characteristics of Second generation includes.
Main electronic component is a transistor, memory is magnetic core and magnetic tape /Disk, use
assembly language, low consumption electricity and use punched cards and magnetic tape as input /
output devices.

Characteristics of Fourth Generation includes

Main electronic component is integration(VLSI) and microprocessor, memory is semi conductor
memory(such as RAM,ROM etc ), use high level languages etc.

Characteristics of third generation includes,

Main electronic component is integrated circuits (ICS), memory is large magnetic core, magnetic tape /
disk, use high level language, input/output devices use magnetic tape, keyboard, monitor, printer etc.
Characteristics of fifth generation.
Main electronic component based on artificial intelligence, uses the Ultra large scale integration (ULSI)
technology and parallel processing method, Understand natural language (Human language), Consumes
less power and generate less heat, input / output devices include
keyboard,monitor,mouse,trackpad(ortouchpad), touch screen, pen,speech input etc examples include
desktops, laptops, tablets etc.

Basic terms associated with computer generation includes.

Vacuum tube, an electronic device that controls the flow of electrons in a vacuum. It is used as switch,
amplifier, or display screen in old radios, computers,television etc.

Transistor. Electronic device that can be used as an amplifier. It is used to control the flow of electricity in
radios, television, computers etc.

Integrated Circuit. Small electronic circuit printed on a chip made of silicon that contains many its own
circuit elements
Microprocessor, an electronic component held on an integrated circuits that contains, a computer central
processing unit CPU and other circuits.

GRID COMPUTING.
Grid computing is a distributed architecture of multiple computers connected by networks that work
together to accomplish a joint task. This system operates on data grid where computers interact to
coordinate jobs at hand. The tasks are compute intensive and difficult for asingle machine on a network
collaborate under a common protocol and works as a single virtual super computer to get complex tasks
done.

Control node /server. Acontrol node is a server or a group of servers that administers the entire network
and maintains the record for resources in a network resource pod.

User. Refers to the computer that uses the resources on the computer that uses on the network to
complete the task.
Provider/grid node. Aprovider or grid node is acomputer that contrast its resources to the network
resources pool.

Grid computing operates by running specialized software on every computer involved in the grid network.
The software coordinates and manages all the task of the grid.

In grid computing, each computing task is broken into small fragments and distributed across computing
modes for efficient execution.
Each fragment is processed in parallel, and as a result, a computer task is accomplished in less time, let's
consider this equation
x= 4×7+3×9+2×5
= 28+3×9+2×5
= 28+27+10
x=65
key components of grid computing include the following,
User interface
Security. this includes authentication, authorization, data encryption and others.
Scheduler.
Data management. is crucial for grid environments.
Work load and resource management, enables actual launch of job on a particular resource.

Types of grid computing includes the following.

Computation grid computing. Comes into picture when you have a task longer to execute than expected.
Data grid computing.refers to grid that split data into multiple computers.

Collaborative grid computing. Solves problems by offering seamless collaboration.

Manuscript grid computing relates to dis aggregating computing resources in the a system or chassis

some of grid computing applications includes.

Life science
Engineering oriented applications.
Data oriented applications.
Scientific research collaboration.
Commercial applications.

Advantages of grid computing.

Disadvantages of grid computing.

Computer Classification.
Computers were classified according to processor types because development in processor and processing
speeds were the development bench marks. Earliest computers used vacuum tube for processing, were
huge and broken down frequently.

All modern computers and computing devices use microprocessor whose speeds and storage capacities
are skyrocketing day by day. The development benchmark for computers is now their size. Computers are
now classified on the basis of their use and size.

Desktops
laptops
Tablet
Server
Mainframe
Super computer.

DESKTOPS. Computers are personal computers (CPU)

designed for use by an individual at a fixed location.IBM was the first computer to introduce and
popularize use of desktop. Adesktop unit typically has a CPU, monitor, keyboard and mouse. Introduction
of desktop popularized use of computers among common people as it was Compact and affordable.

LAPTOPS. Despite its huge popularity, desktops gave way to a more compact and portable personal
computer called laptops in 2000s. Laptops are called notebook computers or simply notebooks.Laptops
run using batteries and connect to networks using wifi chips.
Tablet. After laptops computers were further miniaturized to develope machines that have processing
power of a desktop but are small enough to be held in ones palm. Tablets have touch sensitive screen,
keyboard is also displayed virtually whenever required and used with touch strokes.

Server. Servers are computers with high processing speeds that provides one or more services to other
systems on the network. They may or may not have screens attached to them.
Servers have high processing powers and can handle multiple requests simultaneously. Most commonly
found Servers on networks file server, Game server,application server, Database server, Mail server, print
server.

Main frame.
Are computers used by organizations like banks, airlines and railways to handle millions and trillions of
online transactions per second important features of Mainframes are.
Big in size
Very expensive
Use proprietary OS provided by the manufacturers.

Super Computer
Super computers are the fastest computers on earth.They are used for carrying out complex, fast and time
intensive calculations for scientific and engineering applications. Super computer speed or performance is
measured in teraflops ie 1012 floating point operations per second.

Chinese super computer sunway Taichung light is the world's fastest Super computer with rating of 93
petaflops per second ie 93 quadrillion floating point operations per second.

Most common uses of supercomputers include.

Molecular mapping and research.
Weather forecasting.
Environmental research
Oli and gas exploration.