Completely Electronic Device (Part I)

There are many different kinds of computers in the world today. Computers are operating at the bank, in your car, and at the grocery store. Many of these computers are special purpose computers; that is they serve specific functions. There are also general purpose computers in the office, at home, and at school, versatile enough to handle all kinds of tasks. The existence of all these different types of computers raises an important question: what is a computer? Simply put, a computer is a device that processes raw data into useful information. But from that perspective, a typewriter, a calculator, or even an abacus could be called a computer. What distinguishes a computer from other information processing devices are three basic characteristics:

- A computer is completely electronic. That is, all its functions are carried out with electrical signals.

- A computer can remember information and hold it for future use. Computers do this on a temporary basis with memory circuits and permanently with storage devices such as magnetic disc and tape.

- A computer is programmable. Unlike other devices built to perform a single function or limited range of functions a computer can be instructed to do whatever task we tell it to do. This opens up a vast realm of possibilities for computers to solve problems for us in everyday life: at home, at school, or at work.

The most common kind of general purpose computer in use today is the personal computer or microcomputer. It gets the name microcomputer from the tiny electronic device, called the microprocessor, that does the actual processing. The use of personal computers has grown greatly during the last ten years. Only a few million personal computers were in use in 1980, so they were a relative novelty. Now there are almost a hundred million in this country alone.

Microcomputers form the most common of the four classes of general purpose computers; the other three classes are minicomputers, mainframe computers and supercomputers. Minicomputers, besides relying on a microprocessor, are the smallest and are generally designed for a single user. Minicomputers, mainframes and supercomputers all use processes built from a large number of components. Minicomputers, larger than microcomputers (up to the size of refrigerator) are generally intended for small – to medium sized groups of users in businesses and other organizations; their processing abilities are more robust than those of microcomputers.

Exercise 1. Fill in the gaps

1. Some of computers are … that is they serve specific functions.
2. A computer is a … that processes raw data into useful information.
3. A computer can remember … and hold it for future use.
4. The most common kind of … in use today is the personal computer.
5. … form the most common of the four classes of general purpose computers.
6. Computers solve … for us in our everyday life: at home, at school, or at work.
7. … does the actual processing.

Exercise 2. Find the Ukrainian equivalents for the given words and word-combinations.

1. special purpose computers 1. окремий користувач
2. general purpose computers 2. магнітна стрічка
3. existence 3. програмований
4. completely electronic 4. комп’ютери спеціального призначення
5. magnetic tape 5. здатності обробки
6. programmable 6. крихітний електронний пристрій
7. limited range of functions 7. комп’ютери загального призначення
8. the tiny electronic device 8. існування
9. single user 9. обмежений ряд функцій
10. processing abilities 10. повністю електронний

Exercise 3. Put 8 questions to the text.