General Awareness (Computer) - 2

The abacus is one of the oldest known calculating devices, dating back to ancient civilizations around 3000 BCE. It consists of beads on rods used for arithmetic calculations. The arithmometer came much later (19th century), and 'ready reckoner' refers to printed calculation tables, not a physical device.

Microcomputers became possible due to the invention of integrated circuits (ICs), which miniaturized electronic components onto tiny silicon chips. ICs replaced bulky transistors and vacuum tubes, making small, affordable personal computers possible. Without IC technology, computers would have remained large, expensive mainframes.

A computer is fundamentally an electronic device that processes data using electronic components like integrated circuits, transistors, and circuits. While computers can perform calculations, 'calculating device' is too narrow - they do much more. They're not merely 'electrical' devices (which use electricity but aren't digital), they're specifically electronic devices using electronic components for data processing.

Memory (RAM) is volatile - it loses data when power is turned off, making it temporary. Storage devices like hard drives and SSDs retain data without power, making them permanent. This is a fundamental distinction in computer architecture.

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) specifically refers to moving money between accounts, which can be within the same bank or across different banks. While 'place to place' and 'bank to bank' are partially correct, 'account to account' is the most precise and technically accurate definition.

A dedicated line is a telecommunications connection reserved for specific use, also known as a leased line. It's not shared with other users and provides consistent bandwidth and reliability. This is different from standard broadband which is shared among multiple users.

SONET (Synchronous Optical Networking) is a standard for transmitting data over fiber-optic cables. It provides a standardized framework for synchronous data transmission at high speeds using optical fiber. SONET is not used for twisted-pair, coaxial cables, or Ethernet.

1 KB (kilobyte) equals 1024 bytes in binary systems. This is because computers use binary (base-2), and 2^10 = 1024. While decimal prefixes (kilo = 1000) exist in some contexts, in traditional computing, KB = 1024 bytes. 1 KB is NOT equal to bits - it's a unit of digital storage information.

Transistors were first used in 2nd generation computers (roughly 1959-1964). 1st generation used vacuum tubes (1946-1959). 3rd generation used integrated circuits (1964-1971), and 4th generation used microprocessors (1971-present). The transistor revolutionized computing by replacing bulky, unreliable vacuum tubes with smaller, more reliable solid-state components.

A front-end processor is a specialized computer that handles communication tasks and offloads routine processing from the host computer. This allows the main computer to focus on core processing tasks while the front-end processor manages data transmission and protocol handling. Remote concentrators and demux devices have different purposes, and 'Massage switcher' appears to be a nonsensical option.

The Internet began as ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), created by the U.S. Department of Defense's DARPA agency in 1969. Its primary purpose was to establish a decentralized communication network for military and defense purposes. The other options incorrectly attribute its origins to TCP/IP experiments, Bell Labs, or claim all institutions contributed equally.

Simplex transmission allows data to flow in only one direction, like a radio broadcast or television signal. Half-duplex permits two-way communication but not simultaneously (walkie-talkies), while full-duplex enables simultaneous two-way communication (telephone). Multiplexing is about combining signals, not directionality.

The trend of decreased cost and increased performance has been a consistent feature across ALL generations of computers, from vacuum tubes to integrated circuits to microprocessors. Each generation brought both lower costs AND better performance compared to its predecessor. This continuous improvement characterizes the entire history of computer hardware development.

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is designed to exchange business documents in standardized electronic formats, including both monetary transactions AND non-monetary documents like purchase orders, invoices, and shipping notices. SWIFT focuses on financial messaging, EFTS handles electronic funds transfers, and EBTS is not a standard e-commerce system.

Traditional mechanical computer mice use TWO rollers to track movement - one for the X-axis (horizontal) and one for the Y-axis (vertical). These rollers detect the ball's rotation and convert it into digital signals that determine cursor position. Optical and laser mice eliminated this mechanical system entirely.

Mainframe computers are specifically designed for reliability, robustness, and high-volume transaction processing in networked environments like banking and airline reservation systems. While supercomputers have higher raw processing power, they're specialized for scientific calculations. 'Macro computer' is not a standard computer classification.