Introduction to IT

What is information technology (IT)?

Computer based system that input processing and outputting information.
IT includes hardware and software.
Components of IT
Information technology is divided into three primary components. These
are
Computers: Accept data in some prescribed form as an input
Communications networks: to send and receive data and information
over a communication network
Know-how: to solve problems and to take advantages of the
opportunities it creates.
Therefore IT requires or implies know-how, knowing how to do
something well.
Data Vs information
Data: data is row fact. It is also row material for data processing.
Information: data is processed into information.
Data processing/information
InputSorting (Arranging) ProcessingFilling (storing information)
outputControl (according to goal)
Form of data: data is found in many formats for example inform of text,
graphics, image, video and etc.
Mode of information dissemination
Information can be transmitted in many devises like Telephone, radio, E-
mail, TV, Mobil and etc.
What is Computer?
It is an electronic device that accepts data and process into information.
Characteristics of computer
 Speed: The most important characteristic of a computer is its speed. Computer
works only one step at a time.
 Accuracy: computers are hundred percent accuracy.
 Reliability: Once the circuit and design of a computer have been
perfected and tested, it becomes very reliable.
 storing : A computer is characterized for its greater capacity to hold larger
amount of information
 Versatility: Computer can be programmed and applied for different purposes.
 Generation of computer

1st Generation (1940-1959) 3rd Generation (1965-1970)

-Large size in computer. -Solid static circuitry
-Completed at Pennsylvania -Improved secondary storage.
University. -New input and output devices.
-Vacuum tubes. 4th Generation (1970)
-Storing data. -Introducing of microprocessors
2nd Generation (1959-1965) (CPU)
-It uses transistors in place of -Mach small, faster, reliable and
vacuum tubs. processing capacity.
-Much small, faster, reliable, 5th Generation (since)
processing capacity. -It is programmable and arterial
intelligence.

Type of computer
1. In terms of size, cost, power and prosing speed.
Micro Computer: Is called personal computer (PC) is small but
important and frequently used computer.
Laptop computer: smaller version of micro computer.
Limitation of laptop: - doesn’t expand easily.
Palmtop computer: pocket size micro computer.
Limitation of palm top: - doesn’t perform large application.
Desktop: mostly used micro computer type.
Limitation of desk top: - is not portable.
Mini computer: it is middle-range computer it is powerful than micro-
computer.
Mainframes computer: larger, powerful computer than micro and mini
computer.
Super computer: It is extremely powerful computer.

2. In terms of by purpose

 Special purpose computer: Special purpose computer performs one specific job
 General-purpose computers: A general-purpose computer is able to store different
programs of instructions and performs a variety of operation

Application of computer:
Information technology can be applied in varied spheres of economic and
social activities of human beings
 At Home:
 At office :
 At factory :
 Transport and communication:
 Education and training and etc
Components of a Computer
Computer system can be divided into two categories. These are hardware
and software.
Hardware
Computer hardware is the physical part of the computer system that can
be seen and felt. The hardware part of a computer system is composed of a
number of interacted physical parts.
Types of Computer Hardware
Based on information processing, we can divide computer hardware into
four:
1) Input Device: Input devices are used to enter information into computer.
 They convert the data we give them into the form that can be manipulated in
the computer (electronic format).
E.g. keyboard, mouse, light pen, scanner, etc
2) Output Device: Output devices are used to get data out of a computer so that it can
Be examined, analyzed or distributed to others.
 It converts information from machine-understandable form to a human
understandable form.
 The outputs are of two types: Softcopy: displayed on monitor, projector, or
similar devices and Hardcopy: printed on paper
E.g. monitor printer, speaker, etc
3) Storage device: It used to store data in the computer. Computer
Memory measured in Bit, Byte, KB, MB and etc.
Two types of storage devices:
 Primary storage device: is that stores data firstly.
1. RAM (Random access memory): is working area. Its also volatile
memory. Temporary storage device.
2. ROM (Read only Memory): is non volatile. It store basic information of
computer. Permanent storage.
 Secondary storage device: stores data permanently
1. Magnetic storage device: Magnetic disk is the most widely used storage
medium on all computers.
E.g. Hard disk, floppy Disk, flash disk, magnetic tape
2. Optical storage: Optical disks use laser light to read or write data from
 optical disk. Laser - Light Amplified Stimulated Emission of Rays.
E.g. CD(Compact disk),DVD(digital video disk)
4) Central Processing Unit (CPU): It is bran of computer.
Speed of CPU is measured in Hz, MHz, KHz, GHz and etc.
CPU has three sub-components:
 Control Unit (CU): control over all activity.
 Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU): processing the activity of pc.
 Register: small storage available on CPU. It stores before and after processing.
The system Unit: The system unit control and executes all pc
operation.
Front of system:
Power on/off
Rest button
Light
Floppy disk drive and CD ROM drive
Back of the system unit:
Power in and out sockets
Serial port
Video /monitor port
Parallel port (for printer)
PS2
Fan housing
USB
Expansion cards
Inside your system unit:
Mother board
CPU
Random access memory (RAM)
RAM chipset
Floppy disk drives and CD ROM drives
Hard disk drive
Power supply box
Expansion slot
ROM chips
The peripherals
A peripheral is any device connected to the system unit. These are keyboards, monitors,
mice, printers, scanners, microphones, speakers, cameras, to list just the most familiar ones.
Software
A “software” is a series of instructions given to a computer to solve any particular
problem. These instructions should be understandable to the computer.
Types of computer software
Computer software can be classified in to two broad categories:
 Application Software: is specific function software.
E.g. Word processor, spread sheet, database.etc
 System Software: system software divided in two.
1 Computer Programming Languages: human being is communicates with the
computer-programming languages understandable to the computer.
 Programming languages for computers are divided in to two:
I. Low level programming language :Low level programming languages
are further sub divided in to:
1. Machine Languages.
2. Assembly Languages.
a) Machine Languages: Machine language is the “Mother Tongue” of the computer.
In this language only 0s and 1s are used while communicating with the computer
b) Assembly Languages: In assembly language instead of using 0s and 1s, each code
is represented by a “mnemonic”. A mnemonic is an aid to the human memory

II. High level programming language: High-level languages use complete

words taken from the English language. They are therefore relatively
easy to learn. It is relatively easy to understand and It is easy to modify

2 Operating system software: The operating system is the link between the hardware
and the software.
E.g. win xp, win2000, vista, UNIX

Functions of an Operating system

-resource management,
-data management,
-job (task) management, and
-standard means of communication between user and computer.
Types of an of an operating system

1. Single User Operating System: A single user OS as the name suggests is designed
for one user to effectively use a computer at a time.
2. Multi-Tasking Operating System: In this type of OS several applications maybe
simultaneously loaded and used in the memory
3. Multi-User Operating System: This type of OS allows multiple users to
simultaneously use the system

Virus
Virus is a malicious (destructive) program/software that damages computer. It copies itself
on to other programs and spreads through multiple computer system.
Some of actions performed by virus include:
  Duplicating themselves
 Delete or modify your files(documents)
 Damage your software
 Damage your hardware, etc.
Worm
Worm is a malicious program like virus. But it does not need help to move from one
computer to another which viruses can’t do.
Trojan horse
Trojan horses are software that seems to perform useful activity but which has malicious
programs in it. It may damage files, and perform other harmful actions on your computer.

Unit two
Data representation
2.1. Units of data representation

 When data is stored, processed or communicated within the computer system, it is

packed in units;
 Arranged from the smallest to the largest, the units are called bit, byte and word;
 These units are based on the binary number system;
Bit
 Bit (derived from binary digit) is the basic unit of data storage
 Bits are the smallest units and can convey only two possible states 0 or 1;
 In the computer “ON” is represented by the existence of current and “OFF” is
represented by the non existence of current.

Byte
 Bits can be organized into large units to make them represent more and meaningful
information;
 This large unit is called a byte and is the basic “unit of data representation” in a
computer system;
 The commonly used byte contains 8 bits;
 Since each bit has two states and there are 8 bits in a byte, the total amount of data that
can be represented is 28 or 256 possible combinations;
 Each byte can represent a character(a character is either a letter, a number or a special
symbol such as +,-,?,*, $, etc
Word
 A word can contain one, two, three or four bytes based on the capacity of the computer;
 Word length is usually given in bits
 We say that a computer is an 8-bits, a 16 bit, a 32 bit or a 64 bit computer to indicate
that the amount of data it can process at a time;
Kilobyte
1 Kilobyte (1KB) is 210 or 1024 bytes
Megabyte
1 Megabyte (MB) is 220 bytes or 210 kilobytes
Giga byte
1 Gigabyte (GB) is 230 bytes or 220 kilobytes or 210 megabytes
2.2. The number system: A number system is a set of symbols used for counting. There
are various number systems
E.g.
Decimal, binary, octal, hexadecimal etc.

1. Decimal Number System: The number system that we use in our day-to-day life is
called decimal number system. Starting from (0-9) used in the system.
2. Binary Number System: The binary numeral system (base 2 numerals) represents
numeric values using two symbols, typically 0 and 1.

Example

The decimal equivalent of the binary number 10101 (written as 10101 2) is

1*24+ 0*23 +1*22+0*21+1*20

=16+0+4+0+1=2

Octal Number System

In octal number system the base is 8. so, in this system there are only eight symbols or
digits(0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7).
Hexadecimal Number System

The hexadecimal system uses base 16. Thus, it has 16 possible digit symbols. It
uses the digits 0 through 9 plus the letters A, B, C, D, E, and F as the 16 digit
symbols. Numbers in base 16 need 16 symbols. The letters A-F are used to give 16
symbols.

Decimal 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Hexadecimal 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F