Computer Science - IT MCQs
Topic Notes: Computer Science - IT
<p>MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.</p>
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
1
What website, launched in 1997, is largely considered the very first recognizable social media networking site?
Answer:
SixDegrees.com
SixDegrees.com, launched in 1997, is widely regarded as the first recognizable social media site. It allowed users to create profiles, list their friends, and browse connections, establishing the template for future social networking platforms.
2
Which device is widely considered the world's first smartphone, introduced in 1994?
Answer:
IBM Simon
The IBM Simon Personal Communicator, released in 1994, is considered the first smartphone. It featured a touchscreen interface and combined mobile phone capabilities with PDA features like an address book, calendar, calculator, and email.
3
What was the name of the program generally considered the world's first computer virus, created in 1971?
Answer:
Creeper
The Creeper program, written by Bob Thomas at BBN in 1971, is generally recognized as the first computer virus or worm. It spread through the ARPANET and displayed the message: 'I'm the creeper, catch me if you can!'
4
Who invented the concept of 'packet switching', the fundamental data transmission technology underlying the Internet?
Answer:
Paul Baran and Donald Davies
Paul Baran in the US and Donald Davies in the UK independently invented the concept of packet switching in the early 1960s. This method of breaking data into distinct blocks (packets) for network routing is the foundation of modern internet architecture.
5
What is the name of the first electronic digital computing device, although it was not programmable or general-purpose?
Answer:
Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC)
The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), built by John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry in 1942, is considered the first electronic digital computing device. It used vacuum tubes for computation but was hard-wired solely to solve linear equations.
6
Which research facility is famous for developing the graphical user interface, ethernet, and laser printing in the 1970s?
Answer:
Xerox PARC
Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) was a hub of computer innovation. In the 1970s, their researchers developed the first true GUI, bitmapped screens, Ethernet networking, object-oriented programming environments, and laser printing.
7
Which language, developed in the 1960s, is recognized as the first object-oriented programming language?
Answer:
Simula
Simula, developed in the 1960s at the Norwegian Computing Center by Ole-Johan Dahl and Kristen Nygaard, introduced core object-oriented concepts such as classes, objects, inheritance, and dynamic binding.
8
Who was the primary designer of the Harvard Mark I, an early electromechanical computer used during WWII?
Answer:
Howard Aiken
Howard Aiken, a Harvard physics graduate student, proposed and designed the ASCC (Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator), commonly known as the Harvard Mark I. It was built by IBM and used by the US Navy for ballistics and design calculations.
9
The first floppy disk, invented in 1971, had a diameter of what size?
Answer:
8 inches
The first floppy disk, developed by a team at IBM led by Alan Shugart in 1971, was an 8-inch flexible magnetic disk. It was initially designed as a read-only medium to load microcode into mainframe systems.
10
Which company developed the first commercial hard disk drive, the RAMAC 305, in 1956?
Answer:
IBM
IBM introduced the RAMAC (Random Access Method of Accounting and Control) 305 in 1956. It was the world's first commercial computer to feature a moving-head hard disk drive, capable of storing 5 megabytes of data on fifty 24-inch platters.