Lecture the role and importance of computer technology in modern society. The role of computers in human life The role and importance of computers in construction

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1. Introduction. The role and importance of VT in modern society. Areas of use personal computers. There are many definitions of the scientific discipline "informatics". One of them is: Informatics is the science of methods of representation, accumulation, transmission and processing of information using a computer. This is the science of information activity, information processes. The existence of the science of "Informatics" is impossible without the study of the computer, since this science is associated with the time of its occurrence. Informatics is a scientific discipline with the widest range of applications. Its main directions are: development of computer systems and software; information theory, which studies the processes associated with the transmission, reception, transformation and storage of information; methods artificial intelligence, allowing you to create programs for solving problems that require certain intellectual efforts when they are performed by a person (logical inference, learning, speech understanding, visual perception, games, etc.); system analysis, which consists in analyzing the purpose of the system being designed and in establishing the requirements that it must meet; methods of computer graphics, animation, multimedia tools; means of telecommunications, including global computer networks; a variety of applications covering manufacturing, science, education, medicine, trade, agriculture and all other activities. The term informatics denotes a set of disciplines that study the properties of information, as well as ways of representing, accumulating, processing and transmitting information using technical means. The theoretical basis of computer science is formed by a group of fundamental sciences: information theory, theory of algorithms, mathematical logic, theory of formal languages and grammars, combinatorial analysis, etc. Computer science includes the following sections: computer architecture, operating systems, database theory, programming technology and others. The modern era is characterized as the era of global information technologies: Previously accumulated information is gradually converted into digital form and stored in the global information networks. New information is produced in digital form by means of a computer. There are information networks covering workplaces and home computers. The field of study of informatics includes information systems designed to assist specialists, managers, decision-making and artificial intelligence systems. To use new information technologies it is necessary to: 1. introduce computers, office equipment; 2. participation of users in the information process; 3. accessible interface; 4. using application software packages; 5. access to databases using networks; 6. use of telecommunications. In computer technology, there is a periodization of the development of electronic computers. Computers are referred to one or another generation depending on the type of the main elements used in it or on the technology of their manufacture. It is clear that the boundaries of generations in terms of time are very blurred, since computers were actually produced at the same time. various types; for an individual machine, the question of whether it belongs to one or another generation is solved quite simply.

2 In 1833, the English scientist Charles Babbage, who compiled tables for navigation, developed a project for an “analytical engine”. According to his plan, this machine was to become a giant computer-controlled adding machine. Babbage's machine also provided for arithmetic and memory devices. His machine became the prototype of future computers. But far from perfect nodes were used in it, for example, gears were used in it to memorize the digits of a decimal number. Babbage failed to carry out his project due to the insufficient development of technology, and “ analytical engine” was forgotten for a while. After 100 years, Babbage's machine attracted the attention of engineers. In the late 30s of the 20th century, a German engineer developed the first binary digital machine Z1. It made extensive use of electromechanical relays, that is, mechanical switches actuated by electric current. In 1941, Zuse created the Z3 machine, completely controlled by the program. In 1944, the American Howard Aiken, at one of the enterprises of IBM, built the Mark-1 machine, which was powerful for those times. In this machine, mechanical elements - counting wheels - were used to represent numbers, and electromechanical relays were used for control. Generations of computers It is convenient to describe the history of the development of computers using the concept of generations of computers. Each generation of computers is characterized by design features and opportunities. The division of computers into generations is conditional, since machines of different levels were produced at the same time. First generation Sharp leap in development computer science occurred in the 40s, after the Second World War, and it was associated with the emergence of qualitatively new electronic devices - electron vacuum tubes, which worked much faster than circuits on an electromechanical relay, and relay machines were quickly replaced by more productive and reliable electronic computers. machines (computers). The use of computers has significantly expanded the range of tasks to be solved. Tasks that were simply not set before became available: calculations of engineering structures, calculations of planetary motion, ballistic calculations, etc. The first computer was built in in the USA it was called ENIAC. This machine contained about 18,000 vacuum tubes, many electromechanical relays, and about 2,000 tubes failed every month. The ENIAC machine, as well as other early computers, had a serious drawback - the executable program was not stored in the machine's memory, but was typed in a complex way with the help of external jumpers. In 1945, the famous mathematician and theoretical physicist von Neumann formulated the general principles of operation of universal computing devices. According to von Neumann, the computer was to be controlled by a program with sequential execution of commands, and the program itself was to be stored in the machine's memory. The first computer with a program stored in memory was built in England in 1949. In 1951, a computer was created in the USSR under the guidance of SA Lebedev, the largest designer of computer technology. Computers were constantly improved, thanks to which, by the mid-50s, their speed could be increased from several hundred to several tens of thousands of operations per second. However, the vacuum tube remained the most reliable element of the computer. The use of lamps began to slow down the further progress of computer technology. Subsequently, semiconductor devices came to replace the lamps, thus completing the first stage in the development of computers. Computing machines of this stage are usually called computers of the first generation. Indeed, the first generation of computers were located in large computer rooms, consumed a lot of electricity and required cooling with powerful fans. Programs for these computers had to be compiled in machine codes, and only specialists who knew the details of the computer could do this.

3 Second generation Computer developers have always followed the progress in electronic technology. When electronic tubes were replaced by semiconductor devices in the mid-1950s, the transfer of computers to semiconductors began. Semiconductor devices (transistors, diodes) were, firstly, much more compact than their lamp predecessors. Secondly, they had a significantly longer service life. Thirdly, the energy consumption of computers based on semiconductors was significantly lower. With the introduction of digital elements on semiconductor devices, the creation of second-generation computers began. Thanks to the use of a more advanced element base, relatively small computers began to be created, and there was a natural division of computers into large, medium and small. In the USSR, a series of small computers "Rozdan", "Nairi" were developed and widely used. Unique in its architecture was the machine "Mir", developed in 1965 at the Institute of Cybernetics of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR. It was intended for engineering calculations that were performed on a computer by the user himself without the help of an operator. Medium computers included domestic machines of the Ural, M - 20 and Minsk series. But the record among domestic machines of this generation and one of the best in the world was BESM - 6 ("large electronic calculating machine", 6th model), which was created by the team of Academician S. A. Lebedev. The performance of BESM-6 was two to three orders of magnitude higher than that of small and medium-sized computers, and amounted to more than 1 million operations per second. Abroad, the most common cars of the second generation were Eliot (England), Siemens (Germany). The third generation The next change of computer generations took place at the end of the 60s when semiconductor devices in computer devices were replaced by integrated circuits. An integrated circuit (microcircuit) is a small plate of a silicon crystal, on which hundreds and thousands of elements are placed: diodes, transistors, capacitors, resistors, etc. Application integrated circuits made it possible to increase the number of electronic elements in a computer without increasing their actual size. The speed of the computer has increased to 10 million operations per second. In addition, it became possible for ordinary users to compose computer programs, and not only for specialists - electronics engineers. In the third generation, large series of computers appeared, differing in their performance and purpose. This is a family of large and medium IBM360/370 machines developed in the USA. In the Soviet Union and in the CMEA countries, similar series of machines were created: ES EVM (Unified Computer System, large and medium machines), SM EVM (Small Computer System) and "Electronics" (micro-computer system). Fourth generation In the process of improving microcircuits, their reliability and the density of the elements placed in them increased. This led to the emergence of large integrated circuits (LSI), in which there were several tens of thousands of elements per square centimeter. On the basis of LSI, computers of the next - the fourth generation were developed. Thanks to the LSI on one tiny silicon crystal, it became possible to place such a large electronic circuit like a computer processor. Single-chip processors subsequently became known as microprocessors. The first microprocessor was created by Intel (USA) in 1971. It was a 4-bit microprocessor Intel 4004, which contained 2250 transistors and performed 60 operations per second. Microprocessors marked the beginning of minicomputers, and then personal computers, that is, computers oriented to one user. The era of personal computers (PC) has begun. In addition to personal computers, there are other, much more powerful computer systems. The influence of personal computers on people's understanding of computer technology turned out to be so great that the term "computer" gradually disappeared from everyday life, and the word "computer" firmly took its place.

4 Fifth generation Beginning in the mid-1990s, super-scale LSIs began to be used in high-performance computers, which contained hundreds of thousands of elements per square centimeter. Many experts began to talk about computers of the fifth generation. A characteristic feature of fifth generation computers should be the use of artificial intelligence and natural languages of communication. It is assumed that fifth generation computers will be easily manageable. The user will be able to give the machine a command by voice. The transition to fifth-generation computers meant a transition to new architectures focused on the creation of artificial intelligence. It was believed that the architecture of fifth generation computers would contain two main blocks. One of them is the computer itself, in which communication with the user is carried out by a unit called the “intelligent interface”. The task of the interface is to understand the text written in natural language or speech, and to translate the condition of the task stated in this way into a working program. Basic requirements for computers of the 5th generation: creation of a developed human-machine interface (recognition of speech, images); development of logic programming to create knowledge bases and artificial intelligence systems; creation of new technologies in the production of computer technology; creation of new architectures of computers and computing systems. Classification of WTs There are many different types of computers, including: supercomputers, mainframes, servers, desktops, workstations, laptops, ultraportables. Supercomputers Nowadays, supercomputers are called computers with huge computing power. Supercomputers are different from servers, which are necessary for online processing of requests. They are also different from mainframes, which also have high performance, but serve to work with many users at the same time. Supercomputers can also be used to work with a single program. Which requires powerful resources. This is weather modeling, calculation of the manufacturing process, nuclear tests. The most "advanced" processors in Russia today are the MCST R1000 models (four cores, frequency 1 GHz) and the hybrid six-core Elbrus-2C +. Both microcircuits are manufactured using 90-nm technology. By the end of 2012, the company is expected to release a quad-core Elbrus-4S processor manufactured using 65-nm technology, and in 2015, MCST plans to complete the development of an eight-core processor under a government contract with the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Now the main market for processors is the defense sector. One of the largest projects where they are used is air defense systems. Servers

5 Servers are high performance computers used by businesses and other organizations. Servers serve many end users or clients. Desktop computers There are different types of desktop computers with different capabilities. Desktop computers support a variety of connection types, video options, and a wide variety of peripherals. Workstations Workstations are high power commercial computers. They are designed for specialized professional applications, such as running design programs such as CAD (computer-aided design). Workstations are used to create 3D graphics, animation, and virtual reality simulations. In addition, they can be used as control stations for telecommunications or medical equipment. Like servers, workstations typically come with multiple CPUs, plenty of RAM, and a few fast, high-capacity drives. Typically, workstations have very powerful graphics capabilities and a large monitor, or multiple monitors. Portable devices In addition to desktop computers of various types, there are many more portable electronic devices. They vary in size, power, and graphics capabilities. This category includes: portable PC or laptop; tablet PC; pocket PC; personal digital secretary. Personal computers The appearance of the PC was prepared by the entire previous history of the development of computers. In the beginning, computers occupied huge halls, consumed a lot of energy and created a lot of noise. Then the computers became smaller and began to work more efficiently, but still required separate rooms for themselves. The most powerful computers were located in separate complexes, which were called computer centers (CC). In those not very distant times (70s), few people imagined a compact computer that could fit on a desktop. Engineers and scientists could only dream of such a machine, and it would be difficult for ordinary people to explain why such a computer is needed at all. The first sign was a computer designed in 1971. Outwardly, it looked more like a car radio with indicator lights and switches than a familiar personal computer. From 1971 to 1974, different companies created different models of PCs. But due to the limited capabilities of these computers, there was little interest in them. Users and manufacturers really became interested in personal computers in 1974, when the American company MITS developed the Altair computer based on the Intel 8080 microprocessor. This personal computer was much more convenient than its predecessors and had more features. A much more advanced model of the personal computer was developed in 1976 by two young Americans, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. They called their computer Apple and quickly expanded its production and sale. Due to the low price (about $500), they sold about 100 computers in the first year. The following year, they released the Apple II, which had a motherboard, display, keyboard, and looked like a TV. The number of customers on the PC began to number in the hundreds and thousands. Personal computers improved rapidly, in 1978 a flexible magnetic disk with a diameter of 5.25 inches (1 inch \u003d 2.45 cm) was designed for them, designed to store information. In 1979, MOTOROLA created the motorola 68000 microprocessor, which surpassed its competitors in terms of speed, performance, and ability to work with graphic programs. IN

On 6 1980, a hard magnetic disk appeared in personal computers, however, it contained only 5 MB of data. The first PCs were 8-bit and looked more like an expensive toy than a serious computer. This continued until the computer giant appeared in the industry of individual computers - IBM, which specialized in the manufacture of large computers. In 1982, IBM released a very successful bit computer. It was built on the basis of the Intel 8088 microprocessor, worked with clock frequency 4.77 MHz and used the MS DOS operating system. This computer model was called the IBM PC. Further, the development of the PC took place at a very high pace: every year IBM created a new model. In 1983, the PC XT model appeared, and in a more advanced and productive PC AT computer. They quickly conquered the PC market and became a kind of standard that competing firms tried to imitate. IBM did not create its personal computer from scratch, but using components from other manufacturers (primarily the Intel microprocessor). However, she did not make a secret of how the nodes of the computer should connect and interact with each other. As a result, other firms could be involved in the creation and improvement of the computer - the architecture of IBM PC computers turned out to be "open". IBM computers have numerous "clones", that is, various families of computers similar to the IBM PC. In the future, computers supporting the IBM PC standard were simply called "personal computers". Over time, PCs have lived up to their name, as for many people they have become an indispensable part of leisure, a tool for business and research. In addition to IBM - compatible PCs, there is another family of personal computers called Macintosh. These computers trace their lineage from the already mentioned Apple model, they were produced by Apple Computer. The architecture of Macintosh computers, unlike the IBM PC, was not open. Therefore, despite their more advanced graphics capabilities than the IBM PC, Macs were unable to conquer such a vast market. The number of "Poppies" is ten times less than the number of IBM PC - compatible computers. The main trend in the development of computer technology at present is the further expansion of the scope of computers and, as a result, the transition from individual machines to their systems - computer systems and complexes of various configurations with a wide range functionality and characteristics. The most promising computer networks- focus not so much on the computational processing of information, but on communication information services: e-mail, teleconferencing systems and information and reference systems. In recent years, heavy-duty computers - supercomputers and miniature and subminiature PCs - have had a significant and stable priority in the development and creation of computers proper. As already mentioned, search work is underway to create computers of the 6th generation based on a distributed neural architecture - neurocomputers. In particular, already existing specialized network MPs - transputers - network microprocessors with built-in communication facilities, can be used in neurocomputers. The widespread introduction of multimedia, primarily audio and video input and output of information, will allow you to communicate with a computer in natural language. The new technical capabilities of computer technology were supposed to expand the range of tasks to be solved and make it possible to move on to the tasks of creating artificial intelligence. As one of the components necessary for the creation of artificial intelligence are knowledge bases (databases) in various areas of science and technology. The creation and use of databases requires a high-speed computing system and a large amount of memory. Mainframe computers are capable of high-speed calculations, but are not suitable for high-speed comparison and sorting operations of large amounts of records, usually stored on magnetic disks. To create programs that provide filling, updating databases

7 data and work with them, special object-oriented and logical programming languages were created that provide the greatest opportunities compared to conventional ones. procedural languages. The structure of these languages requires a transition from the traditional von Neumann computer architecture to architectures that take into account the requirements of the tasks of creating artificial intelligence. Test questions 1. Expand the basic concepts of computer science. 2. On what principles are new information technologies based? 3. What device is called a computer? 4. List the signs by which computers are classified. 5. What is the classification of computers by purpose?

8 Section 1. General composition and structure of PCs and computing systems. Principles of building a computer and VS. Trunk-modular principle, general functional scheme Modern computers were preceded by a half-century period, which is divided into generations of computers. If the list of functional blocks itself has not changed for more than half a century, then the methods of their connection and interaction have undergone some evolutionary development. Computer architecture - a description of the device and principles of operation of a computer, its technical device. The basic principles of building a universal computer were outlined by John von Neumann in 1946, according to which a universal computer was built in 1949. The diagram shows the functional structure of a 1-2 generation computer. Functional scheme according to the von Neumann principle Computer devices: 1. ALU arithmetic logic unit for performing arithmetic and logical operations. 2. CU control device for executing programs. 3. RAM for storing programs and commands. 4. VU external input-output devices. The operation of the computer is as follows: with the help of the VU, a program is entered into the RAM; The CU reads the contents of the memory cell and executes the command, then the contents of the next one are read. The order of execution can be changed forcibly using jump commands. Two blocks ALU and CU are combined into common processor. From the above diagram, it is clearly seen that the processor is the center of such a design. Firstly, it controls all devices, and secondly, all information flows pass through it. The described system, by definition, has a fundamental drawback: the processor is excessively overloaded. By fully regulating the exchange between all devices, it is often forced to passively wait for the end of input from slow (usually containing mechanical parts) devices, which significantly reduces the efficiency of the entire system as a whole. Computers with a channel organization The emerging contradiction between the ever-increasing performance of the processor and the relatively low speed of exchange with external devices became clearly visible already during the heyday of second-generation computing technology. Therefore, when designing the next, third, generation, engineers began to take special measures to "unload" the processor and free it from detailed I/O control. Computers of the 3rd generation had a functional diagram with a channel organization. In addition to the already familiar set of devices (central processor, memory, input-output devices), computers with a channel organization include devices called channels. The channel is a specialized processor that does all the work of controlling the controllers external devices and data exchange between the main memory and external devices. Devices are grouped by characteristic speed and connected to the corresponding channels. "Fast" devices (for example, magnetic disk drives) are connected to selector channels. Such a device receives

9 selector channel in exclusive use for the entire duration of the data exchange operation. "Slow" devices are connected to multiplex channels. The multiplex channel is divided (multiplexed) between several devices, while simultaneous data exchange with several devices is possible. Access to random access memory can receive both the central processor and one of the channels. To control the order of access, there is a RAM controller. It determines the priority access discipline when multiple devices access memory at the same time. The CPU has the lowest priority. Among channels, slow channels have higher priority. Thus, priority is inversely proportional to the frequency with which devices access memory. Due to the significant complication of computer organization, the input-output architecture is simplified. Data exchange operations become simpler. The channel, in fact, is a specialized "smart" DMA controller. The channel can inform the processor about its state using interrupts. All controllers of external devices are connected to "their" channels using a standard interface. The freedom to connect external devices is maintained thanks to the standard interface protocol, while it becomes possible to group devices according to their characteristics. In a computer with a channel organization, the processor is almost completely freed from the routine work of organizing input-output. The control of controllers of external devices and data exchange takes over the channel. The presence of several data transmission paths removes the difficulties associated with blocking a single data transmission path (system bus), which increases the exchange rate. All this makes it possible to exchange data with external devices in parallel with the main computational work of the central processor. As a result, the overall performance of the system increases significantly. The increased cost of the scheme pays off. One of the first machines with channels was the second-generation computer IBM-704. A striking example of computers with channels are machines of the IBM-360/370 family. The appearance of these computers revolutionized computer technology, and for many years they became a role model for the creators of computers. Although these machines are now a thing of the past, they left a rich legacy in the form of interesting architectural solutions, software and algorithmic developments. Currently, circuits with specialized input-output processors are often found in computers of various types. Computers with a bus organization The transition to the fourth generation of computers was not only accompanied by a multiple increase in the density of assembly in microcircuits, but also by a change in the general strategy for the use of computer technology. The bulky computers for collective use were replaced by personal computers, designed primarily for the individual work of individual users. At the same time, the architecture continued its development and improvement in the direction of freeing the processor from the leadership

10 I/O processes. As a result, a modern PC has acquired the structure shown in the diagram. The main feature of such a scheme is the presence of a dedicated bus (highway) for transferring information between the functional units of the computer. It consists of three parts: the address bus, which determines exactly where information is sent on the bus; data bus through which information is transmitted; a control bus that determines the features of the exchange and synchronizes it. All computer devices are connected to the bus, starting from the processor and ending with input and output devices. An essential feature of the PC architecture is the presence of specialized input / output processors, which are called controllers. Their role is to support the exchange of information for this device, as well as in accordance with the standard bus of various external devices from different manufacturers. To communicate with the memory, it is necessary to transfer the addresses of the necessary cells from the CPU and read the corresponding data from them, and to ensure communication between the nodes, a control bus is introduced. Information is exchanged between blocks via SD, SHA is designed to transfer addresses of memory cells or input-output ports that are accessed, SHU for transmission of control signals. These buses are called the system bus or backbone. Functional diagram of a computer with a bus organization Consider the operation of a computer. When turned on, read-only memory (ROM) transmits raw data. The CPU is brought online and connects all nodes to the buses. Programs permanently stored in ROM chips are referred to as hardware. Random Access Memory (RAM) reserves space for programs, instructions, and data. During operation, the processor performs the following operations: determines the addresses of the required cells; reads data or instructions from them; follow instructions (count); sends data to specific memory cells; specifies the display port address; using the controller sends data to the display. In this scheme, all devices are symmetrically connected to one channel of the common bus. This makes it possible to connect new devices. Thanks to the bus architecture, it is easy to make any changes required by a particular user in the computer configuration. The described scheme also has a "bottleneck", it requires a high bandwidth tires. To overcome this difficulty, modern designs use multiple buses, each of which connects the processor to a specific device or group of devices. The architecture of modern computers The operation of modern computers is determined by the chipset - a set of control chips installed on the motherboard. Previously, chipsets were used that consisted of many controllers, and the first chipsets appeared in the mid-80s of the last century. The transition to chipsets has reduced the cost of motherboards and increased the mutual compatibility of components, which facilitated the task of designing motherboards. The common architecture of modern chipsets is based on

11 using two chips that form the basis, the so-called north bridge and south bridge. The northbridge chip provides work with the fastest PC subsystems. Contains a system bus controller, a memory controller, a graphics bus controller, a southbridge communication bus controller that provides support for slower system components and peripherals. The south bridge chip usually includes: a two-channel IDE (SATA) controller, a USB controller, and an integrated audio system (audio codec). The southbridge is responsible for working with slower devices and provides data transfer from hard drive, optical drive, printer, scanner, as well as to them. These devices transmit information via wires to the southbridge, which forwards it to the northbridge. The northbridge sends information to RAM, after which it can go to the processor or video card for processing. The chipset is a kind of intermediary in the communication of the processor with other devices. computer system. The tasks of the chipset include managing the operation of computer components and ensuring the transfer of data between them. At the same time, each chipset serves only the architecture of the processor for which it was designed. Since 2005, chipsets from different manufacturers have focused on the use of multi-core microprocessors. The names of the bridges were given by analogy with a geographical map, on which the North Pole is located at the top, and the South Pole at the bottom. Test questions 1. Expand the concept of computer architecture. 2. Features functional diagram by von Neumann. 3. Features of a functional diagram with a channel organization. 4. Features of the functional scheme with a channel organization. 5. Features of the scheme of modern computers.

12 Section 1. General composition and structure of PCs and computing systems. The internal architecture of a computer: processor, memory. Peripherals. Assigning computer devices. For most computers normal operation three elements working together are needed. 1. Hardware - the internal and external physical components that make up a computer. 2. Operating system - set computer programs controlling computer hardware. 3. Application software (applications) - programs that are downloaded to perform specific tasks using the capabilities of a computer. A modern personal computer consists of the following components 1. The motherboard is a large printed circuit board to which all the electronics and circuits that make up the computer system are connected. This board has connectors that connect the main components of the system, such as the CPU and RAM. The motherboard provides communication between various connectors and system components. In addition, the motherboard has slots for a network card, a video card, and a sound card. in many motherboards these components are embedded. The difference is in the update method. When using a motherboard with connectors, system components can be easily removed and replaced with more modern ones.

13 The selected motherboard must: support the type and speed of the selected CPU; support the type and amount of RAM required to run applications; have enough slots for all required interface boards; have a sufficient number of interfaces of the required type. This board, with the help of which the remaining components (parts) of the computer are combined and function together. 1. PCI slot- used to connect various boards such as a modem, sound card. 2. Video card input. 3. Slot for the processor. 4. Input for powering the processor from the power supply 5. Connector for connecting a hard drive or drive (CD-DVD) with an IDE ATA interface 6. Connectors for connection of rigid disks or drives (CD-DVD) with SATA interface 7. Slots for RAM 8. Input for connection (driver for floppy disks). 9. Connector for connecting power to the motherboard from the power supply, in this image 24 pin (number of pins) or 20 pin.

14 Back panel 1. PS/2 - Mouse input (Always green). 2. PS/2 - Keyboard input (always Purple). 3. Digital input. 4. Digital output. 5.USB universal ports for connection various devices. 6. Input for a network cable (local network, dedicated Internet). 7. Outputs for connecting an audio system (speakers.) 2. Processor. The processor performs all calculations, operations and gives commands to other components. The frequency of the processor is measured in megahertz, the higher the frequency, the more operations per second it can perform. The processor also has its own small cache memory, in which it stores the most frequently performed operations, which increases its speed. Processor cache is measured in megabytes and its capacity is typically this moment from about 8 megabytes to 32, the larger the cache, the more expensive the processor. Modern processors have several cores, it turns out, as it were, several processors in one. Which makes it much more productive and increases the speed of its calculations. Most modern processors are implemented as a single semiconductor chip containing millions, and more recently even billions of transistors. The microprocessor includes: control unit (CU) - generates and delivers to all machine blocks at the right time certain control signals (control pulses) due to the specifics of the operation being performed and the results of previous operations; generates the addresses of the memory cells used by the operation being performed, and transfers these addresses to the corresponding blocks of the computer, the control device receives the reference pulse sequence from the clock pulse generator; arithmetic logic unit (ALU) - designed to perform all arithmetic and logical operations on numerical and symbolic information (in some PC models, an additional mathematical coprocessor is connected to the ALU to speed up the execution of operations); microprocessor memory (MPM) - serves for short-term storage, recording and issuance of information directly used in calculations in the next cycles of the machine. MPP is built on registers and is used to ensure high machine performance, because the main memory (OP) does not always provide the speed of writing, searching and reading information necessary for the efficient operation of a high-speed microprocessor. Registers are high-speed memory cells of various lengths (unlike OP cells, which have a standard length of 1 byte and lower speed); microprocessor interface system - implements interfacing and communication with other PC devices; includes an internal MP interface, buffer storage registers and control circuits for input-output ports (IOP) and the system bus.

15 3. RAM in a computer plays the role of a temporary buffer for storing information, that is, when you start an application, it is partially loaded into RAM, therefore, the more such memory you have, the more you can open and work in several programs at the same time, for example, playing a computer game and listening to music at the same time. A large amount of RAM is required in modern games. RAM has two main characteristics - its volume and the frequency at which it operates. 4. The video card is designed to display the image on the monitor, it is responsible for graphics processing. If a weak video card is installed, then it cannot cope with graphics processing. Modern video cards have their own built-in processor (core), the power of which is also calculated, like that of the central processor in megahertz. Its task is to remove the load of graphics processing from the central processor and take over this task, that is, the higher the frequency, megahertz at the core of the video card, the faster it processes graphics, therefore, games run faster. The video card also has memory, video memory, with the help of which it stores textures, processed parts of graphics, video memory is again calculated in megabytes, gigabytes. 5. Adapter cards expand the capabilities of a computer system. They are inserted into the motherboard connectors and become part of the system. Many motherboards have built-in adapter card functionality, eliminating the need for additional components. Embedded boards support basic functionality, but specialized adapter boards often improve system performance. The most common are the following boards: video boards; sound cards; network interface cards; modems; interface boards; controller boards. 6. The power supply supplies electricity to all components of the computer, and allows it to work. A cable from the mains goes into it, and then they distribute the voltage throughout

16 computer. The power of the power supply is calculated in watts, the more powerful your computer, the more powerful block it requires power, modern video cards are very demanding on power supplies, which sometimes need a power supply up to a kilowatt. Power cables run from the power supply to the motherboard, hard drives, coolers, and drives. High-quality power supplies are more resistant to voltage fluctuations in the network, which prevents the failure of the unit itself and all computer components. 7. Hard drive. The hard drive stores programs, games, documents. Like any storage, it has a maximum capacity, which is measured in gigabytes. The larger the hard drive, the more information you can store on it. The hard drive is a mechanical device. It spins several layers of disks, on which information is written and read using a magnetic head. The hard drive also has its own temporary high-speed buffer, cache, it is arranged in the form of a small chip, with the help of it HDD reduces the number of physical accesses directly to disks, thereby increasing the speed of work and its service life. 8. Peripherals. A peripheral is a device that connects to a computer and expands its capabilities. These devices are optional in nature and are not required for basic functionality. They only provide some additional functionality. Peripherals are connected from the outside of the computer, using special cables or wireless communication. They fall into one of four categories: input, output, storage, or network devices. Examples of peripheral devices are: input devices trackball, joystick, scanner, digital camera, encoder, barcode reader, microphone; output devices printer, plotter, speakers, headphones; storage devices optional hard drive, external CD/DVD drives, flash drives; network devices - external modems, external network adapters. 9. Permanent memory. ROM (English ROM, read-only memory) is used to store immutable (permanent) program and reference information. In the first personal computers, the BIOS code was written to a ROM chip that was created at the factory. Later, rewritable chips began to be used to store the BIOS code.

17 EEPROM chip. Main parameters: Memory capacity - 16 Mbit, Sample time - 65 ns. General description: Supply voltage range: 3.0-3.6V; Technological process 0.25 microns, Ability to erase any combination of sectors and all memory; Guaranteed number of erasing cycles; Data retention time 13 years at 125 C; Temperature range: C. Location of the motherboard BIOS. In most cases, flash-memory is installed on the motherboard panel, which allows you to replace the chip if necessary, but in some cases it is soldered directly on the motherboard. Flash memory chips for BIOS storage vary in capacity, older computers use 1-2 Mbit (KB) chips, and modern systems x 4-8 Mbps or more (512 KB-1 Mb or more). The BIOS uses configuration settings that are stored in a special CMOS memory. It got its name from the chip manufacturing technology, where a complementary metal oxide semiconductor was used. The CMOS memory is powered by a special battery on the motherboard, which is also used to power the real time clock. The life of such a battery is usually 10 years. As a rule, during this time, the computer (in particular, the motherboard) becomes morally obsolete, and the need to replace the power element becomes meaningless. With some technologies for the production of CMOS chips, the battery is built right into the chip. In this case, when the battery is discharged, it must be replaced entirely. Computer startup procedure Programs written to ROM chips are available to the computer immediately after being turned on. Programs in ROM are divided into: machine startup program, basic input-output system (BIOS). The role of the BIOS is twofold: on the one hand, it is an integral element of the hardware, and on the other hand, it is an important module of any operating system. These programs are executed every time you turn it on. The launch consists of several phases: checking the machine's performance, initializing programmable microcircuits, peripheral devices, checking for the presence of additional equipment, loading the operating system. Test programs are short and fast. The last operation is the loading of the operating system, performed by the program loader. After the OS is loaded from the disk, control is transferred to it. The BIOS is part of the ROM is actively used during the entire time the computer is running to control devices (contains their drivers) display, keyboard, drive, handles interrupts, provides energy saving, automatic configuration. Interrupts are signals from the outside world that inform the processor about the occurrence of an event (pressing a key, serving a floppy disk). The BIOS uses software interrupts to call and execute special service programs.

18 During startup, messages about the operation of scan programs appear on the screen, a shell program or operating system prompt appears, further work is under OS control. Computer diagnostics 1. The computer does not turn on - does not respond to pressing the power button, the computer turns on, but nothing is displayed on the monitor - in system unit coolers work. Option number one - when turned on, the speaker emits a single sound (beep), that is, it reports that everything is in order in this case, the main probability is that the video card has burned out. Option number two, the speaker is silent (does not beep), from this we conclude that either the motherboard or the power supply has broken, this also applies to the case when the computer does not respond in any way to pressing the power button. Speaker is a small speaker in the system unit, connected to the motherboard, which informs the user when starting the computer about the status of the components and the general operation of your computer. Deciphering (basic) sound combinations Speaker a 1 short beep everything works properly. There are no signals - there are problems with the power supply, it may not be connected to the motherboard, there is also a small percentage of the possibility that the motherboard itself is faulty. Continuous signal - a problem with the power supply. 2 beeps, minor errors. 1 long recurring RAM issue. 2. Every time you start the computer, you have to press the F1 key, and until this is done, the computer does not start loading. If every time you turn on your computer, your system time and date, the reason for this is a dead battery on the motherboard. In this case, you need to replace the battery on the system board and then go in and out with saving the BIOS settings. Control questions 1. What is the simplest PC configuration. 2. What is included in the system unit. 3. What is the motherboard? 4. Purpose of the microprocessor. 5. List the types of memory. 6. What does the term "periphery" mean?

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Processors compatible with the x86 family are produced not only by Intel. The traditional competitor - AMD - releases compatible processors of the usual one somewhat later, but noticeably cheaper, sometimes they are even ahead of similar ones in a number of technical properties. Intel processors. Cyrix is famous for its fast coprocessors.

On June 7, 1998, Intel introduced the 300 MHz Celeron processor and reduced the price of the previously released 266 MHz model. The company, however, prefers not to advertise that these frequencies are far from the limit of Celeron's capabilities, and without any modifications, the processor is capable of something more.

The Celeron core is manufactured using the latest 0.25 micron technology and is codenamed Deschutes. It is the same as for Pentium II processors designed to operate at 333, 350 and 400 MHz (younger Pentium II models use the Klamath core with 0.35 micron technology).

July 25, 1998 Microsoft releases Windows 98 - latest version Windows based on an old kernel that functions on a DOS foundation. Windows system 98 is integrated with the Internet Explorer 4 web browser and is compatible with everything from USB to ACPI power management specifications. Subsequent Windows versions for the average user will be built on the basis of the NT kernel.

On October 6, 1998, Intel announced the fastest 450 MHz version of the Pentium® II Xeon™ processor for dual-processor (dual-channel) servers and workstations. The new 450 MHz model delivers industry-leading performance with increased capacity and faster Level 2 (L2) cache, multi-processor capability, and a 100 MHz system bus. The combination of the high performance of the Pentium II Xeon processor with system scalability brings the performance/price ratio to a level unparalleled in the dual-channel server and workstation market. The 440GX AGPset chipset for servers and workstations, with single or dual processor options, supports up to 2GB of system memory and a fast AGP graphics bus.

The role of computing in human life

The personal computer has quickly become part of our lives. A few years ago it was rare to see any personal computer - they were, but they were very expensive, and not even every company could have a computer in their office. Now, every third house has a computer, which has already entered deeply into a person's life.

Modern computers represent one of the most significant achievements of human thought, the impact of which on the development of scientific and technological progress can hardly be overestimated. The field of application of computers is huge and is constantly expanding.

Even 30 years ago there were only about 2000 different applications of microprocessor technology. These are production management (16%), transport and communications (17%), information and computing technology (12%), military equipment (9%), Appliances(3%), education (2%), aviation and space (15%), medicine (4%), scientific research, utilities and municipal services, banking, metrology, and other areas.

Computers in institutions. Computers have literally revolutionized the business world. The secretary of almost any institution, when preparing reports and letters, processes texts. The office staff uses a personal computer to display spreadsheets and graphics. Accountants use computers to manage the institution's finances and enter records.

Manufacturing computers. Computers are used in a wide range of production tasks. So, for example, a dispatcher at a large plant has at his disposal an automated control system that ensures the smooth operation of various units. Computers are also used to control temperature and pressure in various manufacturing processes. There are also computer-controlled robots in factories, say, on car assembly lines, involving repetitive tasks such as tightening bolts or painting body parts.

Computer - assistant designer. Aircraft, bridge or building construction projects require a lot of time and effort. They represent one of the most time-consuming types of work. Today, in the age of the computer, designers have the opportunity to devote their time entirely to the design process, since the machine “takes over” the calculations and preparation of drawings. Example: A car designer uses a computer to investigate how body shape affects the performance of a car. With the help of devices such as an electronic pen and a tablet, the designer can quickly and easily make any changes to the project and immediately see the result on the display screen.

Computer in a self-service store. Imagine it's 1979 and you're working part-time as a cashier at a large department store. When customers place their selected items on the counter, you must read the price of each item and enter it into cash machine. Now let's go back to our days. You still work as cashiers in the same department store. But how much has changed here. When customers now put their purchases on the counter, you run each one through an optical scanner that reads the universal code stamped on the purchase, from which the computer determines the price of that item stored in the computer's memory, and displays it on a small screen to the buyer could see the cost of their purchase. Once all selected items have passed through the optical scanner, the computer immediately outputs the total value of the items purchased.

Computer in banking. Performing financial calculations using a home personal computer is just one of its possible applications in banking. Powerful computing systems allow you to perform a large number of operations, including the processing of checks, the registration of changes in each deposit, the acceptance and disbursement of deposits, the processing of loans and the transfer of deposits from one account to another or from bank to bank. In addition, the largest banks have automatic devices located outside the bank. ATMs allow customers not to stand in long queues at the bank, to take money from the account when the bank is closed. All that is required is to insert a plastic bank card into the automatic device. Once this is done, the necessary operations will be performed.

Computer in medicine. How often do you get sick? Probably you had a cold, chickenpox, stomachache? If in these cases you went to the doctor, most likely he performed the examination quickly and efficiently enough. However, medicine is a very complex science. There are many diseases, each of which has its own unique symptoms. In addition, there are dozens of diseases with the same and even very similar symptoms. In such cases, it can be difficult for a doctor to make an accurate diagnosis. And here the computer comes to the rescue. Nowadays, many physicians use the computer as a diagnostic aid, ie. to clarify what exactly hurts the patient. To do this, the patient is carefully examined, the results of the examination are reported to the computer. After a few minutes, the computer reports which of the analyzes done gave an abnormal result. In this case, he can name a possible diagnosis.

Computer in education. Today many educational establishments cannot do without computers. Suffice it to say that with the help of computers: three-year-olds learn to distinguish objects by their shape; six- and seven-year-olds learn to read and write; school graduates are preparing for entrance exams to higher educational institutions; students investigate what will happen if the temperature of a nuclear reactor exceeds an acceptable limit. "Machine learning" is a term that refers to the process of learning with the help of a computer. The latter in this case acts as a "teacher". In this capacity, a microcomputer or a terminal that is part of an electronic data transmission network can be used. The process of assimilation of educational material is gradually controlled by the teacher, but if the educational material is given in the form of a package of appropriate computer programs, then its assimilation can be controlled by the student himself.

Computers on guard of the law. Here is news that will not please the criminal: Long hands law” are now provided with computers. The "intellectual" power and high speed of the computer, its ability to process a huge amount of information, are now put at the service of law enforcement agencies to increase work efficiency. The ability of computers to store large amounts of information is used by law enforcement to create a file of criminal activity. Electronic databanks with relevant information are readily available to state and regional investigative agencies throughout the country. For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains a nationwide data bank known as national center forensic information. Computers are used by law enforcement agencies not only in computer information networks, but also in the process of search work. For example, in forensic laboratories, computers help analyze substances found at crime scenes. The conclusions of a computer expert are often decisive in the evidence in a case.

The computer as a means of communication between people. If at least two people work on the same computer, they already have a desire to use this computer to exchange information with each other. On large machines, which are used simultaneously by tens or even hundreds of people, for this special programs, allowing users to send messages to each other. Needless to say, as soon as it became possible to connect several machines into a network, users seized on this opportunity not only to use the resources of remote machines, but also to expand their circle of communication. Programs are created for exchanging messages between users located on different machines. The most universal means of computer communication is e-mail. It allows you to send messages from almost any machine to any, since most known machines running on different systems support it. Email is the most common service Internet networks. Approximately 20 million people currently have their email address. Sending a letter by e-mail is much cheaper than sending a regular letter. In addition, a message sent by e-mail will reach the addressee in a few hours, while a regular letter can reach the addressee for several days or even weeks.

Internet - global computer network covering the entire world. Today, the Internet has about 15 million subscribers in more than 150 countries around the world. The size of the network increases by 7-10% monthly. The Internet forms, as it were, the core that provides communication between various information networks belonging to various institutions around the world, one with another.

The Internet provides a unique opportunity for cheap, secure, and private global communications around the world. This turns out to be very convenient for firms with their branches around the world, multinational corporations and management structures. Usually, the use of the Internet infrastructure for international communications is much cheaper than direct computer communications via satellite or telephone.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, it is impossible to cover the entire history of computers within the framework of the abstract. One could talk for a long time about how in the small town of Palo Alto (California) in the Xerox PARK research and development center, the color of programmers of the time gathered to develop revolutionary concepts, at the root changed the image of machines, and pave the way for computers of the late XX century. As a talented high schooler, Bill Gates and his friend Paul Allen met Ed Roberts and created an amazing BASIC language for the Altair computer, which allowed him to develop application programs. As the appearance of the personal computer gradually changed, a monitor and keyboard, a floppy disk drive, the so-called floppy disks, and then a hard disk appeared. A printer and a mouse became essential accessories. One could also talk about the invisible war in the computer markets for the right to set standards between the huge IBM corporation and the young Apple, which dared to compete with it, forcing the whole world to decide what is better Macintosh or PC? And about many other interesting things that happened quite recently, but have already become history.

For many, a world without a computer is a distant history, about as distant as the discovery of America or the October Revolution. But every time, turning on the computer, it is impossible to stop being amazed at the human genius that created this miracle.

Modern personal IBM PC-compatible computers are the most widely used type of computers, their power is constantly increasing, and the scope is expanding. These computers can be networked, allowing tens or hundreds of users to easily exchange information and access common databases at the same time. E-mail facilities allow computer users to send text and fax messages to other cities and countries and receive information from large data banks using the ordinary telephone network. global system electronic communications The Internet provides for an extremely low price the ability to quickly obtain information from all corners of the globe, provides voice and facsimile communication, facilitates the creation of intracorporate information transmission networks for companies with branches in different cities and countries.

However, the capabilities of IBM PC-compatible personal computers for processing information are still limited, and their use is not justified in all situations.

To understand the history of computer technology, the reviewed abstract has at least two aspects: first, all activities related to automatic calculations, before the creation of the ENIAC computer, were considered as prehistory; the second - the development of computer technology is defined only in terms of hardware technology and microprocessor circuits.

Bibliography

1. Ozertsovsky S. “Intel microprocessors: from 4004 to Pentium Pro”, Computer Week # 41 magazine - 1996.

2. Frolov A.V., Frolov G.V. "Hardware IBM PC" - M.: DIALOG-MEPhI, 1992.

3. Figurnov V.E. "IBM PC for the user" - M .: "Infra-M", 1995.

4. Figurnov V.E. "IBM PC for the user. Short course "- M .: 1999.

5. Guk M. "Hardware IBM PC" - St. Petersburg: "Peter", 1997

As well as materials and technical documentation from a variety of Internet resources.

Computing: the meaning of the word

The meaning of this term can be interpreted in completely different ways, especially since different dictionaries can interpret it in different interpretations.

However, if we approach the issue as if with a certain generalization, we can safely say that computer technology is technical devices with a set of certain mathematical tools, techniques and methods for automating (or even mechanizing) the processing of any information and calculation processes or describing a particular phenomenon (physical, mechanical, etc.).

what is it in the broadest sense?

Computer technology has been known to mankind for a long time. The most primitive devices that appeared hundreds of years before our era can be called, for example, the same Chinese abacus or the Roman abacus. Already in the second half of this millennium, such devices as the Knepper scale, Shikkard adding machine, counting machine, etc. appeared. Judge for yourself, today's analogues in the form of calculators can also be safely attributed to one of the varieties of computer technology.

Nevertheless, the interpretation of this term acquired a more extended meaning with the advent of the first computers. This happened in 1946, when the first computer was created in the USA, designated by the abbreviation ENIAC (in the USSR, such a device was created in 1950 and was called MESM).

To date, the interpretation has expanded even more. Thus, at the present stage of technology development, it can be determined that computer technology is:

computer systems and network management tools;
automated control and data (information) processing systems;
automated means of design, modeling and forecasting;
software development systems, etc.

Computing tools

Now let's see what the means of computer technology are. At the heart of any process is information or, as they say now, data. But the concept of information is considered to be quite subjective, since for one person a process can carry a semantic load, but for another it does not. Thus, for the unification of data, it was developed which is perceived by any machine and is used for data processing most widely.

Among the tools themselves, one can single out technical devices (processors, memory, input / output devices) and software, without which all this “hardware” is completely useless. Here it is worth noting separately that the computing system has a number of characteristic features, for example, integrity, organization, connectivity and interactivity. There are also so-called computer systems, which are classified as multiprocessor systems, providing reliability and increased levels of performance that are not available with conventional single-processor systems. And only in a common combination of hardware and software can we say that they are the main means of computing. Naturally, one can add here the methods by which mathematical description this or that process, but it can take quite a long time.

The device of modern computers

Based on all these definitions, it is possible to describe the operation of modern computers. As mentioned above, they combine hardware and software parts, and one cannot function without the other.

Thus, modern computer(computer technology) is a set of technical devices that ensure the functioning of the software environment to perform certain tasks, and vice versa (a set of programs for the operation of hardware). The most correct is the first statement, and not the second, because in the end this set is needed precisely for processing the incoming information and outputting the result.

(computer technology) includes several main components, without which no system can do. This includes motherboards, processors, hard drives, RAM, monitors, keyboards, mice, peripherals (printers, scanners, etc.), disk drives, etc. In terms of software, operating systems and drivers take the first place. Application programs run in operating systems, and drivers ensure the correct functioning of all hardware devices.

A few words about classification

Modern computing systems can be classified according to several criteria:

operating principle (digital, analog, hybrid);
generations (stages of creation);
purpose (problem-oriented, basic, household, dedicated, specialized, universal);
capabilities and sizes (super large, super small, single or multi-user);
conditions of use (home, office, industrial);
other features (number of processors, architecture, performance, consumer properties).

As is already clear, clear boundaries in the definition of classes cannot be drawn. In principle, any division of modern systems into groups still looks purely arbitrary.

Lecture 1. The role and importance of computer technology in modern society.
Computers have penetrated into all spheres of human activity, from primary education to the study of the latest technologies, the study of new types of matter that are still unknown to mankind. The use of computer technology facilitates the process of education in secondary and higher educational institutions, both for the students themselves, and for the working staff.

Due to the variety of software and hardware today it is possible to use all the potential of computer technology. This allows you to store a huge amount of information, while taking up minimal space. Also, computer technology allows you to quickly process this information and keep it in a protected form.

The widespread use of the PC has played a huge role in the development of the labor market. Automation of information processing allows in a matter of seconds to do the work that used to take weeks, informing managers about the state of enterprises and jobs occurs instantly. The economic potential in the field of insurance and financial services is increasing due to the increased exchange of services. Introduction of computer technologies for the introduction of new forms of employment and labor organization.

Much less time is spent on the development of new projects, because there is no need to spend a lot of time on computational processes and you can fully devote time to the process itself. Computer technologies play an important role in medicine, various virtual models of the development of diseases are created, huge databases of information are created, on the basis of which new drugs for treatment are invented.

The computer today is a means of communication, and communication itself is currently the cheapest. For people with disabilities, sometimes this is the only way not only to communicate, but also thanks to modern computer technologies, such people can realize themselves and get a job.

Computer technologies have a positive effect on the development of children when used correctly. It has been noticed that with the proper selection of programs and games, children develop logical thinking better, and eye-hand coordination improves. The child develops self-confidence and self-esteem, children are more focused compared to children who do not have experience using a computer.

On the other hand, unlimited access to huge amounts of information sometimes leads to excessive use of the computer, mainly Internet addiction or addiction to computer games. And this causes both psychological and physical harm. People who are overly involved computer games, more irritable, quick-tempered in normal communication. Some develop addiction to games, and if they cannot satisfy their need in the ordinary world, their mood worsens, states of increased anxiety and sometimes depression appear.

Internet addiction occurs in people who communicate excessively in in social networks, and, as a rule, occurs in those who in ordinary life are not very sociable, could not realize themselves. But we will not go into the essence of these problems, as these are mostly exceptions to the rule. And with the proper use of computer technology, the benefits are incommensurably greater, and we feel it more and more every day.

Information Technology - This is a class of areas of activity related to technologies for managing and processing a huge flow of information using computer technology.

Information technology, like any other, must meet the following requirements:

provide a high degree dismemberment of the entire information processing process into stages (phases), operations, actions;
include the entire set of elements necessary to achieve the goal;
be regular. Stages, actions, operations of the technological process can be standardized and unified, which will allow more efficient targeted management of information processes.

Modern information technologies with their rapidly growing potential and rapidly decreasing costs open up great opportunities for new forms of labor organization and employment within both individual corporations and society as a whole. The range of such opportunities is expanding significantly - innovations affect all spheres of people's lives, family, education, work, geographical boundaries of human communities, etc. Today, information technology can make a decisive contribution to strengthening the relationship between the growth of labor productivity, production volumes, investment and employment .

Informatization of society is a global social process, the peculiarity of which is that the dominant type of activity in the sphere of social production is the collection, accumulation, processing, storage, transfer, use, production of information, carried out on the basis of modern means of microprocessor and computer technology, as well as various means of information interaction and exchange.

Information Technology can be considered as an element and function of the information society, aimed at regulating, maintaining, maintaining and improving the management system of the new network society. If for centuries information and knowledge were transferred on the basis of rules and regulations, traditions and customs, cultural patterns and stereotypes, today the main role is given to technologies.

Information technologies streamline information flows at the global, regional and local levels. They play a key role in shaping the technostructure, in enhancing the role of education, and are being actively introduced into all areas of socio-political and cultural life, including home life, entertainment and leisure.

Properties of information technology:

Information technologies make it possible to activate and effectively use the information resources of society, which today are the most important strategic factor in its development.
Information technologies make it possible to optimize and in many cases automate information processes, which in recent years have taken an increasing place in the life of human society.
Information processes are important elements of other more complex production or social processes.

The ability to apply modern information technologies in their activities is becoming one of the main components of the professional training of any specialist, including a specialist in the social sphere.

Information technology has entered all spheres of our life. The computer is a means of increasing the efficiency of the learning process, is involved in all types of human activity, is indispensable for the social sphere.

The development of human society requires material, instrumental, energy and other resources, including information. The present time is characterized by an unprecedented growth in the volume of information flows. This applies to almost every field of human activity. The greatest growth in the volume of information is observed in industry, trade, financial and banking and educational spheres.

Information is one of the main, decisive factors that determines the development of technology and resources in general. In this regard, it is very important to understand not only the relationship between the development of the information industry, computerization, information technology and the informatization process, but also to determine the level and degree of influence of the informatization process on the sphere of management and intellectual activity of a person.

Much attention is paid to the problems of information in general and management as an information process, due to the following objective processes:

Humanity is experiencing an information explosion. The growth of information circulating and stored in society came into conflict with the individual capabilities of a person to assimilate it;

Development of mass - communication processes;

The need to develop a general theory of information;

Development of cybernetics as a science of control;

Penetration of information technologies into the spheres of social life;

Research in the field of natural sciences confirms the role of information in the processes of self-organization of animate and inanimate nature;

Actualization of the problem of sustainable development, formation information economy, the main driving force of which is the information potential, information resources;

The problem of the prospects for the development of mankind as an integrity makes it necessary to raise the question of the criteria for progress in modern conditions.

Information has become a subject of purchase and sale, i.e. information product, which, along with information constituting the public domain, forms information resource society.

As a commodity, information cannot be alienated like material products. Its sale and purchase has a conditional meaning. Passing to the buyer, it remains with the seller. It does not disappear in the process of consumption.

The formation and development of the information sector, the movement of many types of information as a commodity influenced the formation of a special market - the information market.

The use of modern information technologies provides an almost instantaneous connection to any electronic information arrays (such as databases, electronic directories and encyclopedias, various operational reports, analytical reviews, legislative and regulatory acts, etc.) coming from international, regional and national information systems and use them in the interests of successful business.

Thanks to the rapid development of the latest information technologies, at present, not only has there been open access to the global flow of political, financial, scientific and technical information, but it has also become a real opportunity to build a global business on the Internet.
In the modern world, the role of informatics, the means of processing, transmitting, and accumulating information has increased immeasurably. The means of informatics and computer technology now largely determine the scientific and technical potential of the country, the level of development of its national economy, the way of life and human activity.

For the purposeful use of information, it must be collected, transformed, transmitted, accumulated and systematized. All these processes associated with certain operations on information will be called information processes. Obtaining and transforming information is a necessary condition for the life of any organism. Even the simplest unicellular organisms constantly perceive and use information, for example, about the temperature and chemical composition of the environment to select the most favorable conditions for existence. Living beings are able not only to perceive information from the environment with the help of the senses, but also to exchange it among themselves.

A person also perceives information through the senses, and languages are used to exchange information between people. During the development of human society, there were a lot of such languages. First of all, these are native languages (Russian, Tatar, English, etc.), which are spoken by numerous peoples of the world. The role of language for humanity is exceptionally great. Without it, without the exchange of information between people, the emergence and development of society would be impossible.

Information processes are characteristic not only for wildlife, man, society. Mankind has created technical devices - automata, the work of which is also associated with the processes of receiving, transmitting and storing information. For example, an automatic device called a thermostat receives information about the temperature of the room and, depending on the temperature regime turns heaters on or off.

Human activity associated with the processes of obtaining, transforming, accumulating and transmitting information is called information activity.

The development of science and education has led to a rapid increase in the volume of information and human knowledge. If at the beginning of the last century the total amount of human knowledge doubled approximately every fifty years, then in subsequent years - every five years.

The way out of this situation was the creation of computers, which greatly accelerated and automated the process of processing information.

Computers are used in production at all stages: from the design of individual parts of the product, its design to assembly and sale. The computer-aided production system (CAD) allows you to create drawings, immediately getting a general view of the object, to control machines for the manufacture of parts. A flexible manufacturing system (FPS) allows you to quickly respond to changing market conditions, quickly expand or curtail the production of a product or replace it with another one. The ease of transferring the conveyor to the production of new products makes it possible to produce a variety of various models products. Computers allow you to quickly process information from various sensors, including automated security, from temperature sensors for regulating energy consumption for heating, from ATMs that record customer spending, from a complex tomograph system that allows you to "see" the internal structure of human organs and correctly place diagnosis.

The computer is located on the desktop of a specialist of any profession. It allows you to contact by special computer mail anywhere in the world, connect to the collections of large libraries without leaving your home, use powerful information systems - encyclopedias, study new sciences and acquire various skills with the help of training programs and simulators. He helps a fashion designer to develop patterns, a publisher to compose text and illustrations, an artist to create new paintings, and a composer to music. An expensive experiment can be completely calculated and simulated on a computer.

The development of ways and methods for presenting information, technology for solving problems using computers, has become an important aspect of the activities of people of many professions.
There are four intrinsically related fundamental features of the emerging information society:

The change in the role of information and knowledge in the life of society, expressed primarily in an unprecedented increase in the information saturation of economic, managerial and other areas of activity, in the transformation of information and knowledge into the most important resource for socio-economic development.
The transformation of the information industry into the most dynamic, profitable and prestigious sphere of production, which ensures the leading role of individual countries and cities in the global economy.
The emergence of a developed market infrastructure for the consumption of information and information services and, in particular, the widespread introduction of ICT in various spheres of life, not only in professional, but also in everyday life.
Deep changes in models social organization and cooperation, when in all spheres of society there is a replacement of centralized hierarchical structures with flexible network types of organization adapted to rapid changes and innovative development.

In the information society, “telework” is becoming commonplace, which is able to radically solve the problem of employment, including for people with disabilities, which can help solve one of the most difficult social problems.

The use of satellites, live radio and television to transmit information has a massive impact on the formation public opinion Worldwide. The emergence and improvement of multimedia, video conferencing and artificial intelligence greatly expand the possibilities of information transfer, and, therefore, the dissemination and exchange of knowledge.

* this work is not a scientific work, is not a graduation qualifying work and is the result of processing, structuring and formatting the collected information, intended to be used as a source of material for self-preparation of study papers.

Introduction.

Manual period of the pre-computer era.

mechanical stage.

electromechanical stage.

Stage of modern computers.

The role of computers in human life.

Conclusion.

Bibliography.

Introduction

The word "computer" means "computer", i.e. computing device. The need to automate data processing, including calculations, arose a very long time ago. More than 1500 years ago, counting sticks, pebbles, etc. were used for counting.

Nowadays it is difficult to imagine that one can do without computers. But not so long ago, until the beginning of the 70s, computers were available to a very limited circle of specialists, and their use, as a rule, remained shrouded in a veil of secrecy and little known to the general public. However, in 1971, an event occurred that radically changed the situation and with fantastic speed turned the computer into a daily working tool for tens of millions of people. In that, no doubt significant year, still almost unknown to anyone Intel from a small American town with the beautiful name of Santa Clara (California), released the first microprocessor. It is to him that we owe the emergence of a new class of computing systems - personal computers, which are now used by virtually everyone, from elementary school students and accountants to scientists and engineers.

At the end of the 20th century, it is impossible to imagine life without a personal computer. The computer has firmly entered our lives, becoming the main assistant to man. Today in the world there are many computers of different companies, different complexity groups, purpose and generations.

In this essay, we will consider the history of the development of computer technology, as well as short review about the possibilities of using modern computing systems and further trends in the development of personal computers.

Throughout its existence, people have used various kinds and designs of computing devices. Some of them are still used in everyday life, and some have been lost in the alleys of time.

Knowledge of the history of the development of computer technology as the basis of computer informatics is a necessary component of computer culture.

Therefore, we will briefly consider the history of its formation from the point of view of today.

The main stages in the development of BT can be tied to the following chronological scale:

Manual - before the 17th century

Mechanical - from the middle of the 17th century

Electromechanical - since the 90s of the 19th century

Electronic - from the 40s of the 20th century

These stages differed from each other in a more perfect structure of computing devices. Let us consider in more detail each of these stages in the development of computer technology.

Manual period of the pre-computer era

The manual period began at the dawn of human civilization. Fixing the results of counting among different peoples on different continents was carried out different ways: finger counting, serifing, counting sticks, knots, etc. Finally, the appearance of devices using calculation by digits, as it were, suggested the presence of some positional number system, decimal, quinary, ternary, etc. Such devices include abacus, Russian, Japanese, Chinese abacus.

The history of digital devices should start with the bills. Such an instrument was known to all peoples. The ancient Greek abacus (board or "Salamis board" after the island of Salamis in the Aegean Sea) was a board sprinkled with sea sand. There were grooves in the sand, on which numbers were indicated with pebbles. One groove corresponded to ones, another to tens, and so on. If more than 10 pebbles were accumulated in a groove during counting, they were removed and one pebble was added in the next category. The Romans perfected the abacus, moving from wooden boards, sand and pebbles to marble boards with chiseled grooves and marble balls. Chinese abacus suan - pan consisted of a wooden frame, divided into upper and lower sections. The sticks correspond to the columns, and the beads correspond to the numbers. For the Chinese, the basis of the account was not a dozen, but a five.

Suan - pan are divided into two parts: in the lower part on each row there are 5 bones, in the upper part - 2 each. one bone in the units place.

Among the Japanese, the same counting device was called Serobyan.

In Rus', for a long time, they counted by bones, laid out in piles. From about the 15th century, the "board count" became widespread, apparently brought by Western merchants with blubber and textiles. The “plank account” did not differ much from ordinary accounts and was a frame with reinforced horizontal ropes, on which drilled plum or cherry pits were strung.

In the 9th century, Indian scientists made one of the greatest discoveries in mathematics. They invented the positional number system, which is now used by the whole world.

When writing a number in which there is no digit (for example, 110 or 16004), the Indians said the word “empty” instead of the name of the number. When recording, a dot was put in place of the “empty” discharge, and later a circle was drawn. Such a circle is called "sunya".

Arab mathematicians translated this word into their own language - they said "sifr". The modern word "zero" comes from the Latin.

At the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century, Leonardo da Vinci created a 13-bit adding device with ten-toothed rings. According to the description, the basis of the machine was rods, on which two gear wheels were attached, a larger one on one side of the rod, and a smaller one on the other. These rods had to be positioned so that the smaller wheel on one rod would mesh with the larger wheel on the other rod. In this case, the smaller wheel of the second rod meshed with the large wheel of the third, and so on. Ten revolutions of the first wheel, according to the author's intention, should have led to one complete revolution of the second, and ten revolutions of the second - to a complete revolution of the third, and so on. The entire system, consisting of 13 rods with gears, was supposed to be set in motion by a set of weights.

mechanical stage

The development of mechanics in the 17th century became a prerequisite for computing devices and instruments that use the mechanical principle of computing, which ensures the transfer of the highest order. The use of such machines contributed to the "automation of mental labor."

The increase in computational work in the second half of the 19th century in a number of areas of human activity put forward an urgent need for CT and an increase in requirements for it.

During this period, the English mathematician Charles Babbage put forward the idea of creating a program-controlled calculating machine with an arithmetic device, a control device, input and printing.

The first machine designed by Babbage, the Difference Engine, was powered by a steam engine. The working model was a six-digit calculator capable of making calculations and printing numerical tables.

The main achievement of this era can be considered the invention of the adding machine by a scientist named Odner. main feature Odner's brainchild is to use gears with a variable number of teeth instead of stepped rollers. It is structurally simpler than a roller and has smaller dimensions.

Initially, the appearance of computers during this period did not greatly affect the production of adding machines, primarily because of the difference in purpose, as well as in cost and prevalence. However, since the 1960s, electronic keyboard computers, produced at first on lamps, and since 1964 on transistors, have been increasingly penetrating into mass use. The leadership in this direction was immediately taken by Japan, which was distinguished by the miniaturization of electronic equipment, including VT.

Electromechanical Stage

The electromechanical stage in the development of VT was the shortest and spanned about 60 years - from G. Hollerith's first tabulator to the first ENIAK computer (1945). The prerequisites for the creation of projects of this type were both the need for mass calculations and the development of applied electrical engineering. The classical type of means of the electromechanical stage was a counting and analytical complex designed to process information on punched card media.

The significance of Hollerith's work for the development of BT is determined by two factors. Firstly, he became the founder of a new direction in computer technology - counting and perforation with the corresponding equipment for a wide range of economic and scientific and technical calculations. This direction led to the creation of machine counting stations, which served as a prototype of modern computing centers. Secondly, even in our time, the use of a large number of various input / output devices has not completely canceled the use of punched card technology.

The final period of the electromechanical stage in the development of computer technology is characterized by the creation of a number of complex relay and relay-mechanical systems with program control, characterized by algorithmic versatility and capable of performing complex scientific and technical calculations in automatic mode with speeds an order of magnitude higher than the speed of adding machines with an electric wire. These devices can be considered as direct predecessors of mainframe computers.

Generation of modern computers

And now I would like to talk about modern computers, their history and development.

The history of the development of modern computers is divided into 4 generations. But the division of computer technology into generations is a very conditional, non-strict classification according to the degree of development of hardware and software tools, as well as ways to communicate with the computer.

The idea of dividing machines into generations was brought to life by the fact that during the short history of its development, computer technology has undergone a great evolution, both in terms of the element base (lamps, transistors, microcircuits, etc.), and in terms of changing its structure, the emergence of new opportunities. , expanding areas of application and nature of use.

All computers of the first generation were made on the basis of vacuum tubes, which made them unreliable - the tubes had to be changed frequently. These computers were huge, cumbersome, and overpriced machines that only large corporations and governments could purchase. Lamps consumed a huge amount of electricity and generated a lot of heat.

Moreover, each machine used its own programming language. The set of instructions was small, the scheme of the arithmetic logic unit and the control unit is quite simple, the software was practically absent. The RAM and performance scores were low. Punch tapes, punched cards, magnetic tapes and printing devices were used for input-output, random access memory devices were implemented on the basis of mercury delay lines of cathode ray tubes.

These inconveniences began to be overcome through the intensive development of means for automating programming, the creation of systems of service programs that simplify work on the machine and increase the efficiency of its use. This, in turn, required significant changes in the structure of computers, aimed at bringing it closer to the requirements that arose from the experience of operating computers.

Main computers of the first generation:

1946 ENIAC

In 1946, American electronics engineer J. P. Eckert and physicist J. W. Mauchli at the University of Pennsylvania designed, by order of the US military department, the first electronic computer - "Eniak" (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). Which was intended to solve problems of ballistics. It worked a thousand times faster than Mark-1, performing 300 multiplications or 5000 additions of multi-digit numbers in one second. Dimensions: 30 m long, volume - 85 m3, weight - 30 tons. Approximately 20,000 vacuum tubes and 1,500 relays were used. Its power was up to 150 kW.

1949 EDSAC.

The first machine with a stored program - "Edsak" - was created at the University of Cambridge (England) in 1949. It had a storage device with 512 mercury delay lines. The addition time was 0.07 ms, the multiplication time was 8.5 ms.

1951 MESM

In 1948 In 1998, Academician Sergei Alekseevich Lebedev proposed a project for the first computer on the European continent - a Small Electronic Computing Machine (MEMS). In 1951 The MESM is officially put into operation, and computational tasks are regularly solved on it. The machine operated with 20-bit binary codes with a speed of 50 operations per second, had a RAM of 100 cells on vacuum tubes.

1951 UNIVAC-1. (England)

In 1951, the UNIVAC machine was created - the first serial computer with a stored program. This machine was the first to use magnetic tape for recording and storing information.

1952-1953 BESM-2

BESM-2 (large electronic calculating machine) is put into operation with a speed of about 10 thousand operations per second over 39-bit binary numbers. RAM on electron-acoustic delay lines - 1024 words, then on cathode-ray tubes and later on ferrite cores. The VZU consisted of two magnetic drums and a magnetic tape with a capacity of over 100,000 words.

II generation

In 1958, semiconductor transistors, invented in 1948 by William Shockley, were used in computers; they were more reliable, durable, small, could perform much more complex calculations, and had a large RAM. 1 transistor was able to replace ~ 40 vacuum tubes and worked at a higher speed.

In the second generation of computers, discrete transistorized logic elements replaced vacuum tubes. Magnetic tapes ("BESM-6", "Minsk-2", "Ural-14") and magnetic cores were used as information carriers, high-performance devices for working with magnetic tapes, magnetic drums and the first magnetic disks appeared.

Programming languages began to be used as software high level, special translators were written from these languages into the language of machine instructions. To speed up the calculations, some instruction overlap was implemented in these machines: the next instruction began to be executed before the end of the previous one.

There is a wide range library programs for solving various mathematical problems. Monitor systems appeared that controlled the mode of broadcasting and program execution. From monitor systems, modern operating systems later grew.

Machines of the second generation were characterized by software incompatibility, which made it difficult to organize large information systems. Therefore, in the mid-60s, there was a transition to the creation of computers that are software compatible and built on a microelectronic technological base.

III generation

In 1960, the first integrated systems (IS) appeared, which became widespread due to their small size, but huge capabilities. An IC is a silicon chip with an area of approximately 10 mm2. 1 IC can replace tens of thousands of transistors. 1 crystal does the same job as a 30-ton Eniac. A computer using an IC achieves a performance of 10 million operations per second.

In 1964, IBM announced the creation of six models of the IBM 360 (System 360) family, which became the first computers of the third generation.

Third generation machines are families of machines with a single architecture, i.e. software compatible. As an element base, they use integrated circuits, which are also called microcircuits.

Third generation machines have advanced operating systems. They have multi-programming capabilities, i.e. simultaneous execution of several programs. Many of the tasks of managing memory, devices and resources began to be taken over by the operating system or directly by the machine itself.

Examples of third-generation machines are the IBM-360, IBM-370 families, ES computers (Unified Computer System), SM computers (Small Computers Family), etc. The speed of machines within the family varies from several tens of thousands to millions of operations per second. The capacity of RAM reaches several hundred thousand words.

IV generation

(from 1972 to present)

The fourth generation is the current generation of computer technology developed after 1970.

For the first time, large integrated circuits (LSI) began to be used, which roughly corresponded in power to 1000 ICs. This led to a reduction in the cost of manufacturing computers. In 1980, it was possible to place the central processing unit of a small computer on a 1/4 inch (0.635 cm2) chip. BISs were already used in such computers as Illiac, Elbrus, Mackintosh. The speed of such machines is thousands of millions of operations per second. The RAM capacity has increased to 500 million bits. In such machines, several instructions are simultaneously executed on several sets of operands.

From the point of view of the structure, the machines of this generation are multiprocessor and multimachine complexes operating on a common memory and a common field of external devices. The capacity of RAM is about 1 - 64 MB.

The spread of personal computers by the end of the 70s led to some decrease in demand for main computers and minicomputers. This became a matter of serious concern to IBM (International Business Machines Corporation), a leading company in the production of mainframe computers, and in 1979 IBM decided to try its hand at the personal computer market by creating the first personal computers, the IBM PC.

Personal Computer.

Personal Computer, a computer specially designed to operate in single-user mode. The emergence of the personal computer is directly related to the birth of the microcomputer. Very often, the terms "personal computer" and "microcomputer" are used interchangeably.

PC - desktop or laptop, which uses the microprocessor as a single central processing unit, performing all logical and arithmetic operations. These computers are computers fourth and fifth generations. In addition to laptops, palmtop computers are also referred to as portable microcomputers. The main features of a PC are the bus organization of the system, high standardization of hardware and software, and orientation to a wide range of consumers.

Anatomy of a personal computer:

With the development of semiconductor technology, the personal computer, having received compact electronic components, increased its ability to calculate and memorize. And the improvement of software has made it easier to work with computers for people with a very poor understanding of computer technology. Main components: memory board and optional random access memory (RAM); main panel with microprocessor (central processing unit) and space for RAM; interface printed circuit board; drive board interface; a disk drive device (with a cord) that allows you to read and write data on magnetic disks; removable magnetic or floppy disks for storing information outside the computer; panel for entering text and data.

What should be the computers of the fifth generation.

Currently, intensive development of computers of the fifth generation is underway. The development of subsequent generations of computers is based on large integrated circuits with a high degree of integration, the use of optoelectronic principles (lasers, holography).

Completely different tasks are set than in the development of all previous computers. If the developers of computers from generations I to IV faced such tasks as increasing productivity in the field of numerical calculations, achieving a large memory capacity, then the main task of computer developers of the fifth generation is to create artificial intelligence of the machine (the ability to draw logical conclusions from the facts presented), development " intellectualization" of computers - removing the barrier between man and computer. Computers will be able to perceive information from handwritten or printed text, from forms, from a human voice, recognize the user by voice, and translate from one language to another. This will allow all users to communicate with computers, even those who do not have special knowledge in this area. The computer will be an assistant to man in all areas.

The role of computing in human life

Even 30 years ago there were only about 2000 different applications of microprocessor technology. These are production management (16%), transport and communications (17%), information and computing technology (12%), military equipment (9%), household appliances (3%), education (2%), aviation and space (15%). %), medicine (4%), scientific research, municipal and municipal services, banking accounting, metrology, and other areas.

Computer in a self-service store. Imagine it's 1979 and you're working part-time as a cashier at a large department store. As customers place their selected items on the counter, you must read the price of each item and enter it into the cash register. Now let's go back to our days. You still work as cashiers in the same department store. But how much has changed here. When customers now put their purchases on the counter, you run each one through an optical scanner that reads the universal code stamped on the purchase, from which the computer determines the price of that item stored in the computer's memory, and displays it on a small screen to the buyer could see the cost of their purchase. Once all selected items have passed through the optical scanner, the computer immediately outputs the total value of the items purchased.

Computer in banking. Performing financial calculations using a home personal computer is just one of its possible applications in banking. Powerful computing systems allow a large number of operations, including the processing of checks, the registration of changes in each deposit, the acceptance and disbursement of deposits, the processing of loans and the transfer of deposits from one account to another or from bank to bank. In addition, the largest banks have automatic devices located outside the bank. ATMs allow customers not to stand in long queues at the bank, to take money from the account when the bank is closed. All that is required is to insert a plastic bank card into the automatic device. Once this is done, the necessary operations will be performed.

Computer in education. Today, many educational institutions cannot do without computers. Suffice it to say that with the help of computers: three-year-olds learn to distinguish objects by their shape; six- and seven-year-olds learn to read and write; school graduates are preparing for entrance exams to higher educational institutions; students investigate what will happen if the temperature of a nuclear reactor exceeds an acceptable limit. "Machine learning" is a term that refers to the process of learning with the help of a computer. The latter in this case acts as a "teacher". In this capacity, a microcomputer or a terminal that is part of an electronic data transmission network can be used. The process of assimilation of educational material is gradually controlled by the teacher, but if the educational material is given in the form of a package of appropriate computer programs, then its assimilation can be controlled by the student himself.

Computers on guard of the law. Here is the news that will not please the criminal: the "long arms of the law" are now provided with computers. The "intellectual" power and high speed of the computer, its ability to process a huge amount of information, are now put at the service of law enforcement agencies to increase work efficiency. The ability of computers to store large amounts of information is used by law enforcement to create a file of criminal activity. Electronic databanks with relevant information are readily available to state and regional investigative agencies throughout the country. For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains a nationwide data bank known as the National Forensic Information Center. Computers are used by law enforcement agencies not only in computer information networks, but also in the process of search work. For example, in forensic laboratories, computers help analyze substances found at crime scenes. The conclusions of a computer expert are often decisive in the evidence in a case.

The computer as a means of communication between people. If at least two people work on the same computer, they already have a desire to use this computer to exchange information with each other. On large machines that are used by dozens or even hundreds of people at the same time, special programs are provided for this, allowing users to send messages to each other. Needless to say, as soon as it became possible to connect several machines into a network, users seized on this opportunity not only to use the resources of remote machines, but also to expand their circle of communication. Programs are created for exchanging messages between users located on different machines. The most universal means of computer communication is e-mail. It allows you to send messages from almost any machine to any, since most known machines running on different systems support it. E-mail is the most common service on the Internet. Approximately 20 million people currently have their email address. Sending a letter by e-mail is much cheaper than sending a regular letter. In addition, a message sent by e-mail will reach the addressee in a few hours, while a regular letter can reach the addressee for several days or even weeks.

The Internet is a global computer network covering the whole world. Today, the Internet has about 15 million subscribers in more than 150 countries around the world. The size of the network increases by 7-10% monthly. The Internet forms, as it were, the core that provides communication between various information networks belonging to various institutions around the world, one with another.

Prospects for the development of computer technology

Above, we examined the history and current state of computer technology. Already, computing technology has reached simply amazing heights. So in 2002, for the Institute of Geosciences in Yokohama (Japan), NEC Corporation created the most powerful Eerth Simulator supercomputer to date. The productivity of the new machine, determined using standard tests Linpack, is 35.6 TELOPS (trillion floating point operations per second). If we compare the results obtained with the indicators given in the Top 500 list (the ranking of the 500 most powerful computers world), it becomes clear that the Earth Simulator is faster than the 18 best machines in the previous rating combined.

What are the prospects for improving personal computers, and what awaits us in the future in this area?

Employees of Bell Labs managed to create a transistor the size of 60 atoms! They believe that transistors by the day of their sixtieth anniversary (2007) will reach physical limits in a number of parameters. So, the size of the transistor should become slightly less than 0.01 microns (the size of 0.05 microns has already been reached). This means that on a chip with an area of 10 sq. cm can accommodate 20,000,000 transistors.

Describing the currently rapidly developing technology for the production of plastic transistors, scientists come to a fairly logical conclusion that the sum of all the improvements will lead to the creation of a “final computer”, more powerful than modern workstations. This computer will have the size of a postage stamp and, accordingly, the price will not exceed the price of a postage stamp.

Imagine, finally, a flexible TV screen or computer monitor that will not break if you throw it on the ground. And what about a plate the size of an ordinary credit card, filled with mass essential information, including the one that is normally kept in a credit card, but made of such material that it will never need to be replaced?

Recently, there have been thoughts that it is high time to part with electrons as the main actors on the scenes of microelectronics and turn to photons. The use of photons will allegedly make it possible to manufacture a computer processor the size of an atom. The fact that the advent of the era of such computers is just around the corner is evidenced by the fact that American scientists managed to stop a photon beam (beam of light) for a fraction of a second ...

Bibliography

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