CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SYSTEM

This chapter will cover the following topics:

Computer Hardware and Information Technology Infrastructure
The Computer System How Computers Represent Data The CPU and Primary Storage Microprocessors and Processing Power Multiple Processors and Parallel Processing

Storage Input, and Output Technology

Secondary Storage Technology Input and Output Devices

Categories of Computers and Computer Systems Computer Software Programming Languange

Computer Hardware and Information Technology Infrastructure

Components of IT infrastructure consist of software, data, and networks require computer hardware for their storage or operation.

The Computer System

Computer system consists of (see Figure 0.1):
central processing unit (CPU) primary storage secondary storage input devices output devices

Communications devices.

Figure 0.1: Hardware Component of Computer Systems

Communication Devices Secondary Storage - Magnetic disk Buses Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Primary Storage

Input Devices - Keyboard

Output Devices - Printers

The System Unit

What are common components inside the system unit?

Processor power supply Memory Adapter cards

Sound card Video card
ports

drive bays

processor

Ports Drive bays Power supply

memory

video card

sound card

The System Unit

What is the motherboard?

Main circuit board in system unit Contains adapter cards, processor chips, and memory chips Also called system board

 The CPU manipulates raw data into more useful form and controls the other parts of the computer system. Primary storage temporarily stores data and program instructions during processing. Secondary storage devices store data and programs when they are not being used in processing.

 Input devices convert data and instructions into electronic form for input into the computer. Output devices convert electronic data produced by the computer system and display them in a form that people can understand. Communication devices provide connections between the computer and communications networks.

 Buses
are circuitry paths for transmitting data and signals among the parts of the computer system.

How Computers Represent Data

All symbols, pictures or words must be reduced to a string of binary digits. A binary digit is called a bit and represents either a 0 or a 1. These are the only digits in the binary or base 2, number system used by computers. A string of eight bits used to store one number or character in a computer system is called a byte (see Figure 0.2).

One byte for character A

01000001

The computer representation in ASCII for the name Alice is 01000001 01001100 01001001 01000011 01000101 A L I C E

 To represent the numbers 0 through 9 and the letters a through z and A through Z, computer designers have created coding systems consisting of several hundred standard codes. In one code, for instance, the binary number 01000001 stands for the letter A.

 Two common coding systems are Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) and American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII). See Table 0.1. EBCDIC represents every number, alphabetic character, or special character with eight bits, used primarily in IBM and other mainframe computers. ASCII was originally designed as a seven-bit code, but most computers use eight-bit versions.

 ASCII is used in data transmission, PCs and some larger computers. The computers store a picture by creating a grid overlay of the picture. Each single point in this grid, or matrix is called a pixel (picture element) and consists of a number of bits.

Data Representation
How is a letter converted to binary form and back?
Step 1.
The user presses the capital letter D (shift+D key) on the keyboard.

Step 2.
An electronic signal for the capital letter D is sent to the system unit.

Step 4.
After processing, the binary code for the capital letter D is converted to an image, and displayed on the output device.

Step 3.
The signal for the capital letter D is converted to its ASCII binary code (01000100) and is stored in memory for processing.

The CPU and Primary Storage

The CPU is the part of the computer system where the manipulation of symbols, numbers, and letters occurs, and it controls the other parts of the computer system.

The CPU

Processor
What is the central processing unit (CPU)?
Interprets

and carries out basic instructions that operate a computer

Control unit directs and coordinates operations in computer Input Arithmetic logic unit Devices (ALU) performs arithmetic, comparison, and logical operations

Processor
Control Control Unit Unit Arithmetic Arithmetic Logic Logic Unit Unit (ALU) (ALU) Instructions Data Information

Data

Memory
Instructions Data Information

Information

Output Devices

Also

called the processor

Storage Devices

Processor
What is a machine cycle?

Four operations of the CPU comprise a machine cycle

Step 1. Fetch
Obtain program instruction or data item from memory

Memory

Step 4. Store
Write result to memory
Processor

Step 2. Decode
Translate instruction into commands

ALU

Step 3. Execute
Carry out command

Control Unit

The CPU and Primary Storage

Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) 22 + 11 = 33 Control Unit

Primary Storage

I 8 # U

Data Bus

Address Bus
Control Bus

 Three kinds of busses linked between the CPU, primary storage and the other devices in the computer system:
Data bus
Pass information in bi-directional.

Address bus
Transmits signals for locating a given address in primary storage, indicating where data should be placed.

Control bus
Transmits signal specifying whether to read or write data to or from primary storage address, input device or output device.

 The characteristics of the CPU and primary storage are very important in determining a computers speed and capabilities

The Arithmetic-Logic Unit and Control Unit

An arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and control unit is one of the core components of all central processing units. The ALU performs the computers principal logical and arithmetic operations. It adds, subtracts, multiples, and divides, determining whether a number is positive, negative, or zero.

 ALU must be able to determine when one quantity is greater than or less than another and when two quantities are equal. The control unit coordinates and controls the other parts of the computer system. It reads a stored program, one instruction at a time and directs other components of the computer system to perform the programs required tasks.

Processor
Which processor should you select?
Intel Processor
Itanium or Xeon

The faster the processor, the more expensive the computer

Desired Clock Speed
1.3 GHz and up

Pentium family

3.0 GHz and up 2.4 GHz to 3.0 GHz Up to 2.4 GHz

Celeron

2.2 GHz and up

Primary Storage
Primary storage is a category of computer storage, often called main memory. Has three functions:
Stores all or part of the program that is being executed. Stores the operating system programs that manage the operation of the computer. Holds data that the program is using.

Data and program are placed in primary storage before processing, between processing steps and after processing has ended prior to being returned to secondary storage or released as output.

 How is memory measured?

Memory

By number of bytes available for storage

Term Abbreviation Approximate Size

Kilobyte Megabyte Gigabyte Terabyte

KB or K MB GB TB

1 thousand bytes 1 million bytes 1 billion bytes 1 trillion bytes

 Modern primary storage devices include:

Random access memory (RAM)
is used for short-term storage of data or program instructions. RAM is volatile. Its contents will be lost when the computers electric supply is disrupted by a power outage or when the computer turned off.

Read-only memory (ROM)

can only be read from. It cannot be written to. ROM chips come from the manufacturer with programs already burned in, or stored. ROM is used in general-purpose computers to store important or frequently used programs, such as computing routine for calculating the square roots of numbers.

Memory
What is random access memory (RAM)?
Memory chips that can be read from and written to by processor
Also called main memory or primary storage Most RAM is volatile, it is lost when computers power is turned off

The more RAM a computer has, the faster it responds

Memory
How do program instructions transfer in and out of RAM? Step 1. When you start the computer, certain
RAM

Operating system instructions

Operating system interface

operating system files are loaded into RAM from the hard disk. The operating system displays the user interface on the screen.

Step 2. When you start a Web browser, the

Web browser instructions Web browser window
programs instructions are loaded into RAM from the hard disk. The Web browser window is displayed on the screen.

Step 3. When you start a word processing

Word processing program instructions Word processing program window
RAM

program, the programs instructions are loaded into RAM from the hard disk. The word processing program, along with the Web Browser and certain operating system instructions are in RAM. The word processing program window is displayed on the screen.

Step 4. When you quit a program, such as the

Web browser, its program instructions are removed from RAM. The Web browser is no longer displayed on the screen.

Web browser program instructions are removed from RAM

Web browser window is no longer displayed on desktop

Memory
What are two basic types of RAM chips?
Most common type Do not have to be re-energized as often as DRAM

Must be re-energized constantly

Static RAM Dynamic (SRAM) RAM (DRAM)

Faster and more reliable than DRAM chips

Newer Type: Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM)

Memory
Memory chips that store permanent data and instructions

What is read-only memory Nonvolatile (ROM)? memory, it is not

lost when computers power is turned off
EEPROM (electrically Three types: erasable programmable read-only memory) Firmware Type of PROM Manufactured with containing microcode PROM permanently written programmer data, instructions, (programmable can erase read-only or information memory) Blank ROM chip onto which a programmer can write permanently

Storage, Input, and Output Technology

Storage, input and output devices are called peripheral devices because they are outside the main computer system unit.

Secondary Storage Technology

Secondary storage is used for relatively long term storage of data outside the CPU. Secondary storage is nonvolatile and retains data even when the computer is turned off. The most technologies are magnetic disk, optical disk and magnetic tape.

Storage
What is storage?
Holds data, instructions, and information for future use
Also called secondary storage

Storage medium is physical material used for storage

Storage
How does volatility compare?
Storage medium is nonvolatilecontents retained when power is off Memory is volatileholds data and instructions temporarily ON OFF
Volatile
Screen Display

Display appears
Data and instructions available to user Contents available to user

Display disappears
Data and instructions erased Contents retained

Nonvolatile

Memory (most RAM) (chips on motherboard) Storage Medium (floppy disks, Zip disks, hard disks, CDs)

Magnetic disk
There are two kinds of magnetic disk:
floppy disks hard disks

Magnetic Disks permit direct access to individual records so that data stored on the disk can be directly accessed regardless of the order in which the data were originally recorded. Disk storage is often referred to as a direct access storage device (DASD).

Magnetic Disks
What is a floppy disk?
Portable, inexpensive storage medium (also called diskette)
Thin, circular, flexible film enclosed in 3.5 wide plastic shell magnetic coating metal hub flexible thin film

shutter shell liner

What is a floppy disk drive?

Device that reads from and writes to floppy disk

One floppy drive, named drive A

Also called secondary storage

 What is a hard disk?

Magnetic Disks hard disk installed

in system unit

High-capacity storage Consists of several inflexible, circular platters that store items electronically Components enclosed in airtight, sealed case for protection

Magnetic Disks
What are tracks and sectors?
Track is narrow recording band that forms full circle on disk

Sector stores up to 512 bytes of data

Formatting prepares disk for use and marks bad sectors as unusable

Magnetic Disks
How does a hard disk work?
Step 3.
When software requests a disk access, read/write heads determine current or new location of data.

Step 2.
Small motor spins platters while computer is running.

Step 4.

Step 1.
Circuit board controls movement of head actuator and a small motor.

Head actuator positions read/write head arms over correct location on platters to read or write data.

Optical Disk
Also called compact disks or laser optical disks, used laser technology to store data at densities many times greater than those of magnetic disks. The most common optical disk system used with PCs called CD-ROM (compact disk read only memory). CD-ROM is read-only storage.

Optical Discs
What are optical discs?

Push the button to slide out the tray.

Flat, round, portable metal discs made of metal, plastic, and lacquer Can be read only or read/write

Insert the disc, label side up.

Most PCs include an optical disc drive

Push the same button to close the tray.

Optical Discs
How does a laser read data on an optical disc?
disc label

lens

pit

Step 2.

land

lens

Step 3.
Reflected light is deflected to a light-sensing diode, which sends digital signals of 1 to computer. Absence of reflected light is read as digital signal of 0.

0
prism lightsensing diode

Step 1.
Laser diode shines a light beam toward disc.

If light strikes a pit, it scatters. If light strikes a land, it is reflected back toward diode.

1
prism lightsensing diode

laser diode

laser diode

Optical Discs
How is data stored on an optical disc?

Typically stored in single track Track divided into evenly sized sectors that store items
single track spirals to edge of disc disc sectors

 WORM (write once/read memory) or CD-R (compact disk-recordable) optical disk systems allow users to record data only once on an optical disk. New CD-RW (CD-Rewritable) technology has been developed to allow users to create rewritable optical disks. Digital-video disks (DVDs) also called digital versatile disks are optical disks the same size as CD-ROMs but of even higher capacity (minimum of 4.7 gigabytes of data).

Optical Discs
What is a CD-ROM?

Compact disc read-only memory Cannot erase or modify contents Typically holds 650 MB to 1 GB Commonly used to distribute multimedia and complex software

Optical Discs
What are CD-Rs and CD-RWs?
Must have CD recorder or CD-R drive

CD-R (compact disc-recordable) disc you can write on once

c

Cannot erase discs contents CD-RW (compact disc-rewritable) erasable disc you can write on multiple times
ce

Must have CD-RW software and CD-RW drive

Optical Discs
What is a DVD-ROM (digital versatile disc-ROM or digital video disc-ROM)?

High capacity disc capable of storing 4.7 GB to 17 GB Must have DVD-ROM drive or DVD player to read DVD-ROM Stores databases, music, complex software, and movies

Optical Discs
How does a DVD-ROM store data?

Two layers of pits are used, lower layer is semitransparent so laser can read through Some are double-sided Blu-Ray discs currently have a storage capacity of up to 27 GB

Magnetic Tape
Magnetic tape is an older storage technology that still used for secondary storage of large volumes of information. The principle advantages
its inexpensiveness, its relative stability and its ability to store very large quantities of information.

The disadvantages
its sequentially stored data and its relative slowness compared to the speed of secondary storage media.

Tape
What is tape?
Magnetically coated plastic ribbon capable of storing large amounts of data at low cost Primarily used for backup

PC Cards
What is a PC Card?

Adds capabilities to computer Credit-card-sized device commonly used in notebook computers

Input and Output Devices

Input devices
Input devices gather data and convert them into electronic form for use by the computer. Keyboard
The principal method of data entry for entering text and numerical data into a computer

Pointing Devices
A computer mouse is handheld device with point-and-click capabilities that is usually connected to the computer by a cable. Touch screens allows users to enter limited amounts of data by touching the surface of a sensitized video display monitor with finger or a pointer.

 Source Data Automation

Captures data in computer-readable form at the time and place they are created. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) devices translate specially designed mark, characters, and codes into digital form. Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) technology is used primarily in check processing for the banking industry, which the bottom of typical check contains characters identifying the bank, checking account, and check number that are preprinted using a special magnetic ink.

 A MICR reader translates these characters into digital form for the computer. Handwriting-recognition devices such as pen-based tablets, notebooks, and notepad are promising new input technologies. These pen-based input devices convert the motion made by an electronic stylus pressing on a touchsensitive tablet screen into digital form. Digital scanners translate image such as pictures or documents into digital form. Voice input devices convert spoken words into digital form for processing by the computer. Sensors are devices collect data directly from the environment for input into a computer system.

What Is Input?
What is input?

Data or instructions entered into memory of computer Input device is any hardware component that allows users to enter data and instructions

 What are the two types of input?

What Is Input?

Data
Unprocessed text, numbers, images, audio, and video Programs Commands User responses

Instructions

 How is the keyboard divided?

The Keyboard

Typing area Numeric keypad

Function keys, special keys that issue commands

Pointing Devices
What is a mouse?

Pointing device that fits under palm of hand

Pointing device controls movement of pointer, also called mouse pointer
mouse buttons

wheel button

Mechanical mouse has rubber or metal ball on underside

ball

mouse pad

Other Pointing Devices

What is a trackball?

Stationary pointing device with a ball on its top or side To move pointer, rotate ball with thumb, fingers, or palm of hand

Other Pointing Devices

What are a touchpad and a pointing stick?

Touchpad is small, flat, rectangular pointing device sensitive to pressure and motion Pointing stick is pointing device shaped like pencil eraser positioned between keys on keyboard

Other Pointing Devices

What are a joystick and a wheel?

Joystick is vertical lever mounted on a base Wheel is steering-wheel-type input device

Pedal simulates car brakes and accelerator

Other Pointing Devices

What is a light pen?

Handheld input device that can detect light

Press light pen against screen surface and then press button on pen

Other Pointing Devices

What is a touch screen?

Often used with kiosks

Touch areas of screen with finger

Keyboard and Pointing Devices

What is a stylus and a digital pen?

Looks like a ballpoint pen, but uses pressure to write text and draw lines Used with graphics tablets, flat electronic boards

Voice Input
How does voice recognition work?
Step 1. A user dictates text into a microphone. Step 2. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) translates

sound waves into digital measurements computer can process. Measurements include pitch, volume, silences, and phonemes. Phonemes are sound units such as aw and guh.

10010111010110101100001101

Step 4. To narrow a list down, software presents user with

a list of choices or uses a natural language component to predict most likely match. User may correct any selection made by software.
Natural Language Engine

Step 3. Software compares

spoken measurements with those in its database to find a match or list of possible matches.

Matches

What is a MIDI (musical instrument digital interface)?

Voice Input

External device, such as electronic piano keyboard, to input music and sound effects

 How does a digital camera work?

Step 3. CCD generates an analog Step 1. Point to the image to Step 2. Image is focused on a

Digital Cameras
chip called a charge-coupled device (CCD).

signal that represents the image.

Step 4. Analog signal is converted

photograph and take picture. Light passes into the lens of the camera.

to digital signal by analog-todigital converter (ADC).

Step 5. Digital signal processor

(DSP) adjusts quality of image and usually stores digital image on miniature mobile storage media in the camera.
Step 7. Using software Step 6. Images are transferred to a

supplied with the camera, images are viewed on screen, incorporated into documents, edited, and printed.

computers hard disk by plugging one end of the cable into a camera and the other end into a computer; or images are copied to hard disk from storage media used in the camera.

Digital Cameras
What is resolution?

Sharpness and clarity of image The higher the resolution, the better the image quality, but the more expensive the camera Pixel (picture element) is single point in electronic image
Greater the number of pixels, the better the image quality

Video Input
What is video input?

Process of entering full-motion images into computer

Video capture card is adapter card that converts analog video signal into digital signal that computer can use Digital video (DV) camera records video as digital signals

Video Input
What are a PC video camera and a Web cam?

PC video camera DV camera used to capture video and still images, and to make video telephone calls on Internet
c c

Also called PC camera

c c

Web cam video camera whose output displays on a Web page

Scanners and Reading Devices

Flatbed

What is a scanner?

Light-sensing device that reads printed text and graphics

Used for image processing, converting paper documents into electronic images

Pen or Handheld

Sheet-fed

Drum

Scanners and Reading Devices

How does a flatbed scanner work?
Step 1. Document to be scanned is

placed face down on the glass window.

Step 2. Bright light moves underneath

scanned document.
Step 3. Image of the document is

reflected into a series of mirrors.

Step 4. Light is

converted to analog electrical current that is converted to digital signal by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC).
Step 5. Digital information is sent to

Step 6. Users can print image,

e-mail it, include it in a document, or place it on a Web page. memory in the computer to be used by illustration, desktop publishing, or other software; or it is stored on disk.

Scanners and Reading Devices

What is an optical reader?

Device that uses light source to read characters, marks, and codes and then converts them into digital data
Optical character recognition (OCR) reads characters in OCR font Optical mark recognition (OMR) reads hand-drawn pencil marks, such as small circles

Scanners and Reading Devices

What is a bar code reader?

Uses laser beams to read bar codes

Scanners and Reading Devices

What is a magnetic-ink character recognition (MICR) reader?

Can read text printed with magnetized ink Banking industry almost exclusively uses MICR for check processing

Biometric Input
What is biometrics?

Authenticates persons identity by verifying personal characteristic

Fingerprint scanner captures curves and indentations of fingerprint Hand geometry system measures shape and size of persons hand

Biometric Input
What are examples of biometric technology?

Voice verification system compares live speech with stored voice pattern Signature verification system recognizes shape of signature
Iris recognition system reads patterns in blood vessels in back of eye
Biometric data is sometimes stored on smart card, which stores personal data on microprocessor embedded in card

 Output Devices
Display data after they have been processed. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
The most popular form of information output. It works much like a television picture tube, with an electronic gun shooting a beam of electrons to illuminate the pixels on the screen.

Printers
Produce a printed hard copy of information output. Include impact printers ( dot-matrix printer), and non-impact printers (laser, inkjet, and thermal transfer printers).

 Plotters
To created high-quality graphics documents with multicolored pens to draw computer output. Slower than printers but are useful for outputting large-size charts, maps or drawing.

Voice output devices

Converts digital output data into intelligible speech.

Speakers
To deliver an audio output such as music, that is connected to the computer.

 What is output?

What is Output?

Data that has been processed into a useful form,

Output device is any hardware component that can convey information to user

p. 300 Fig. 6-1

Next

Display Devices
What is a display device?

Output device that visually conveys information

Information on display device sometimes called soft copy

Monitor houses display device as separate peripheral

p. 302

CRT Monitors
What is a CRT monitor?

Contains cathode-ray tube (CRT) Screen coated with tiny dots of phosphor material
Each dot consists of a red, blue, and green phosphor

Common sizes are 15, 17, 19, 21, and 22 inches

Viewable size is diagonal measurement of actual viewing area

CRT Monitors
How does video travel from the processor to a CRT monitor?

Video card (also called a graphics card) converts digital output from computer into analog video signal
Step 5. Electron guns Step 3. The
analog signal is sent through a cable to the CRT monitor. fire the three color signals to the front of the CRT.

Step 1. The
processor sends digital video data to the video card.

Step 4. The
CRT monitor separates the analog signal into red, green, and blue signals.

Step 6. An image is Step 2. The video cards

digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converts the digital video data to an analog signal. displayed on the screen when the electrons hit phosphor dots on the back of the screen.

Printers
What is a printer?

portrait

Output device that produces text and graphics on paper Result is hard copy, or printout Two orientations: portrait and landscape
landscape

Speakers and Headsets

What is an audio output device?

Computer component that produces music, speech, or other sounds Speakers and headsets are common devices

Speakers and Headsets

What is voice output?

Computer talks to you through speakers on computer Internet telephony allows you to have conversation over Web

Categories of Computers and Computer Systems

Computers are classified into two:
A special-purpose computer A general-purpose computer

Special-Purpose Computers
Is a computer designed for a particular function, executing the same stored set of instructions whenever requested. For example
microwave ovens washing machine medical diagnostic equipment

General-Purpose Computers

Is a computer that can be used for solving many different types of problems. Available in many sizes and a wide range of capabilities. Can be classified as follows:
1. Microcomputers a. Laptop computers

b. Desktop computers c. Workstations

2. Minicomputers 3. Mainframe computers 4. Supercomputers

Microcomputers

Sometimes referred to as a personal computer (PC), is one that can be placed on a desktop or carried from room to room. The smallest microcomputers are known as laptop computers or notebook computers. Desktop computers are compact microcomputer systems that fit on a desk and are designed for use by individuals. A workstation is the largest type of microcomputer and is generally used in scientific and engineering applications.

Minicomputers
More powerful and more expensive than microcomputers. Are smaller and cheaper compared to mainframes. Also can be server, which is used for managing internal company networks or Web sites. Server computers are specifically optimized to support a computer network enabling users to share files, software, peripheral devices (such as printers), or other network resources.

Mainframe Computer
The largest computer, a powerhouse with massive memory and e extremely rapid processing power. It is used for very large business, scientific or military application where a computer must handle massive amounts of data or many complicated processes.

Supercomputer
Is highly sophisticated and powerful computer that is used for tasks requiring extremely rapid and complex calculations with hundreds of thousands of variable factors. Used in many areas of scientific research, weather prediction, aircraft design, nuclear weapon and so on.

Computer Software

Application Software
Refers to programs that are developed to solve some specific problems. There are two types of application software:

application program to solve special classes of problems Application programs that you can write to solve your own problems.
word processing database programs spreadsheets graphic programs

Examples of application software:

System Software
Refers to programs that make the computer usable and accessible to the developers and programmers of applications software. Examples of system software:
Operating systems Language translator Linker Loader Preprocessors

Programming Languages
Programming Language is an agreed upon format of symbols that allow a programmer to instruct a computer to perform certain predefined tasks. Provide features to support the data processing activities, which include declaring variables, evaluating numeric expressions, assigning values to variables, reading and writing data to devices, looping and making decisions.

 a. Machine Languages
Is the natural language of a computer. Does not need to translate and is ready for immediate execution. Machine language instruction is a binary string of 0s and 1s.
010 1 1000 0001 0000 1100 0000 0001 0000

Are machine-dependent - each computer type has its own machine language. Programs written in machine languages are not portable because programs written in for one type of computer cannot be run on another type

Assembly Languages
Consists of English-like abbreviations. Easier to understand.
L 1, GROSSPAY S 1, TAX ST 1, NETPAY

Program written in assembly languages cannot be directly processed by a computer. Must use language translators, called assemblers, to convert them to machine code. Disadvantages:
In general, each assembly language instruction corresponds to one machine language instruction. Therefore, the programs written in them are lengthy.

Because of variations in assembly languages, programs written using them are not portable.

High-Level languages

Instructions are quite English-like, and a single instruction can be written to correspond to many operations at the machine level. For example, the assembly language program can be written in high-level languages as follows:
Netpay = gross pay tax

Are easier to learn than machine or assembly languages. Have to be converted to machine languages before they can be executed using compilers, system software that translates a source program into an almost executable object program

 For example:
COBOL developed in the 1960s for business transactions. FORTRAN developed for mathematic calculations. Pascal - is a structured high-level language. C is designed to support only procedure-oriented programming. Popular language for developing system applications such as operating system and compilers. Java is an object-oriented language. C++ - is extension of C programming language that support object oriented programming and procedureoriented approach.