Summary
Summary COS1521 summaries for chapter 1 to 8
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- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
COS1521 prescribed book summaries for chapter 1 to 8.
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CHAPTER 1Introduction
,Objectives
After studying this chapter, the student should be able to:
Define the Turing model of a computer.
Define the von Neumann model of a computer.
Describe the three components of a computer: hardware,
data, and software.
List topics related to computer hardware.
List topics related to data.
List topics related to software.
Give a short history of computers.
,1-1 TURING MODEL
The idea of a universal computational device was first
described by Alan Turing in 1937. He proposed that all
computation could be performed by a special kind of a
machine, now called a Turing machine. He based the
model on the actions that people perform when involved
in computation. He abstracted these actions into a model
for a computational machine that has really changed the
world.
, 1.1.1 Data processors
Before discussing the Turing model, let us define a
computer as a data processor. Using this definition, a
computer acts as a black box that accepts input data,
processes the data, and creates output data (Figure 1.1).
Although this model can define the functionality of a
computer today, it is too general. In this model, a pocket
calculator is also a computer (which it is, in a literal sense).
Figure 1.1 A single purpose computing machine
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