Module 1

Topic 1: Introduction – What is a computer?

 The word computer is derived from the word compute.
 Compute means to calculate.
 defined as a super-fast calculator.
 The information provided by the user to the computer is data.
 The information in one form which is presented to the computer is the input information or
input data.
 The set of instructions given to the computer to perform various operations is called the
computer program.
 The process of converting the input data into the required output form with the help of the
computer program is called data processing.
 Computers are therefore also referred to as data processors.

Functionalities of a Computer
 Takes data as an input.
 Stores the data/instructions in its memory.
 Processes the data and converts it into useful information.
 Generates the output.

Computer hardware refers to the physical parts or components of a computer.

A Computer program is the one that controls the processing activities of the computer.
Software is a collection of programs that utilize and enhance the capability of the hardware. Five
categories of Software

1. Operating System (OS)

 manages the resources of a computer system and schedules its operation.
 acts as an interface between the hardware and the user programs and facilitates the execution
of programs.
 It is a bridge between the user and the Hardware.
2. Translators
 Computers can understand instructions only when they are written in their language – the
machine language.
 Languages are known as translators.
 A Compiler checks the entire user-written program,
 An Interpreter translates one statement at a time.
 Programming Languages

 A. Machine Languages- This language is in terms of binary codes (0,1). i.e. first-generation
languages.
 B. Assembly Languages- uses mnemonic codes. second-generation languages.
 C. High-Level Languages (HLL)- referred to as problem-oriented languages (POL). third-
generation languages.

3. Utility Programs
 pre-written programs supplied by the manufacturer for maintaining the day-to-day
activities of a computer system.
 designed to help you monitor and configure settings for your computer system
equipment.

4. Application Programs
 user-written programs to do a specific job that can be changed to meet individual needs.
5. General Purpose Packages
 Data Analysis, Word Processing, Spread Sheet, Graphics, Databases.

Topic 2: Evolution of Computer

First Generation

 Vacuum tube technology, Punched cards for data input, Punched cards and paper tape
for output, Machine Language for writing programs, Magnetic tapes and drums for
external storage.
 The Abacus, which emerged about 5000 years ago in Asia Minor and is still in use today,
allows users to make computations.
 Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician invented the first mechanical machine, a
rectangular brass box, called Pascaline which could perform addition and subtraction on
whole numbers.
 Colmar’s mechanical calculator, “Arithmometer”, presented a more practical approach to
computing.
 Charles Babbage a British mathematician at Cambridge University invented the first
analytical engine or difference engine. ‘the father of the modern digital computer”.
 Mark I This was the first fully automatic calculating machine. It was designed by Howard
Aiken of Harvard University in collaboration with IBM.
  Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC) was the world’s first general-purpose electronic digital
computer.
 ENIAC (Electronic Numeric Integrator and Calculator) The first all-electronic computer
was produced by a partnership between the US Government and the University of
Pennsylvania.
 Dr. John von Neumann designed the Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer
(EDVAC) with a memory to store both program and data.
 UNIVAC I, Remington Rand designed this computer specifically for business data
processing applications.

The Second Generation

 transistorized technology,
 The size of the computers started reducing.
 Assembly language started being used in place of machine language.
 The concept of the stored program emerged.
 High-level languages were invented.
 The first transistorized computer was TX-0.
 The stored program concept implied that the instructions to run a computer for a
specific task were held inside the computer’s memory and could quickly be modified or
replaced by a different set of instructions for a different function.
 The entire software industry began with second-generation computers.

Third Generation

 invention of Integrated Circuits (ICs). made from quartz.

 components were fitted onto a single chip, called a semiconductor.
 The third-generation computers made use of ‘Integrated Circuits that had 10-20
components on each chip, this was Small Scale Integration (SSI).

Fourth Generation

 The invention of microcomputers.

 Introduction to Personal Computers.
 Networking

Fifth Generation

 The computers of tomorrow would be characterized by Artificial Intelligence (At).

  There is voice recognition.

Six Generation

 Use of nanotechnology
Seventh Generation Processors

 Powered by the latest 7th generation Core I processors, the IC range enables
applications to function as never before.

Eighth Generation (64-Bit Register) Processors

 Intel referred to the eighth-generation Core laptop processors as the revised editions of
the seventhgeneration Kaby Lake models (known as Kaby Lake-R), which were built on
the same 14+nm node. Unlike those, the eighth-generation desktop chips are a proper
step forward, moving to the 14++nm node, known as Coffee Lake

Ninth Generation

 Introducing the NEW 9th Gen Intel® Core™ desktop processors - the most powerful
generation of Intel® Core™ desktop processors.

Intel's Tenth Generation Nanometer Ice Lake CPU

 intel has released its 10th Gen Intel Core processors, codenamed “Ice Lake” after rough
12 months for the company. 2018 marked the chip makers' 50th anniversary, but the
company has struggled to make a significant mark on the market. Even Apple, a longtime
supporter suggested they will go the direction of creating their chips in the future.

Topic 3: Classification of Computer

Small Computers

 Notebook and Laptop Computers -These are portable and are battery operated.
Storage devices like CDs, floppies, etc. and output devices like printers can be connected
to these computers.
 Hand-Held Computers- These types of computers are mainly used in applications like
the collection of field data. They are even smaller than notebook computers.

Hybrid Computers are a combination of Analog and Digital computers. They combine the speed
of analog computers and the accuracy of digital computers.

 Special Purpose Computers- These are developed with a specific purpose.

  General Purpose Computers- These are developed to meet the requirements of
several areas such as simulation.

Classifications of general-purpose computer

 Super Computers - These have extremely large storage capacities and

computing speeds which are at least 10 times faster than other computers. CRAY
Computers.
 Mainframe Computers- used in applications like weather forecasting, space
applications.
 Minicomputers- It is a medium-sized computer with moderate cost, available
indigenously, and used for large volume applications.
 Micro Computers- as personal computers.
1. (PC). PC: Personal Computer
2. PC-XT: PC with Extended Technology
3. PC-AT: PC with Advanced Technology
Topic 4: Application of Computers

 Scientific, Engineering, and Research

 Business, medicine, education, games and entertainment,
Topic 5: Advantages and Disadvantages of Computer
Advantages

 Speed, accuracy, efficiency, storage, automation

 it can process data faster than any digital machine.
 it can perform instructions millions of times.
 it can communicate with other computers.
 it can be used to access information from all over the globe.
 it is capable of storing and recalling information.
Disadvantages

 Spread of porn
 Hacking and virus
The computer cannot think on its own since it does not have its brain. It can only do what it
has been programmed to do.
Topic 6: Similarities Differences between Computer and Human

Topic 7: Components of Computer System

The basic parts of the computer system are:
 Input Unit
 The Central Processing Unit
 Output Unit
Central Processing Unit It is the part of the computer that carries out the instructions of a
computer program. It is the unit that reads and executes program instructions.

The Control Unit controls the operations of the entire computer system.
The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) executes the instructions and performs all the calculations and
decisions.
The Primary Storage Unit This is also called as Main Memory. Before the actual processing starts
the data and the instructions fed to the computer through the input units are stored in this primary
storage unit.

The output devices give the results of the process and computations to the outside world.

Module 2
Topic 1: Introduction
The devices which are a means of communicatio n between the computer and the outside world
are called peripheral devices.

 supply information i.e. data and program from the outside world to the computer are the input
devices.
 store them in secondary storage devices, like floppy disks or tapes for future use are called
output devices.

 Online Data Input: Here data is directly transferred to the computer

 Off-line Data Input: - Here the data is not immediately transferred to the computer

Topic 2: Input Devices

 Punch Cards- Data is recorded onto punch cards or punch tapes using standard codes, like the
Hollerith code
 Keyboard - is one of the most commonly used input devices
 The mouse - is a pointing device. The mouse is used to control and manipulate cursor
movement on the monitor.
 The light pen- is a picking device. The light pen contains a photocell placed in a small tube.
 The position and speed with which the joystick is moved are converted into digital signals by
the use of a lever.
 Trackball - a hard-sphere to control cursor movement. The bail can be rotated in any direction
by hand and this is translated into a digital signal
 Touchscreen- A touch panel is a transparent plate which is fitted over the CRT. Input is
registered when a finger or any other object comes in contact with the plate.
 Digitizer - converts graphical or pictorial data into digital form which can be directly entered
and stored on a computer.
 Scanner can directly enter text and images into the computer .
 Optical scanner uses a light source and sensor for reading the information on the paper. The
Optical Mark Reader (OMR) and Optical Character Reader.
 Magnetic ink is used to encode the characters to be read.
 Voice Recognition System consists of a microphone or telephone into which the operator
speaks.

Topic 3: Output Devices

 Printer produces the output from the computer on the paper. It is the most commonly used
output device. a) Impact Printer b) Non-Impact Printer
 A. Impact printers are similar to typewriters. They use a hammer to strike a character.
 1. Dot-matrix printer prints each character as a pattern of dots
 2. Daisy Wheel Printer: These printers are also called as letter-quality printers.
 3. Line printers are very fast printers that print at speed of 200-2500 lines per minute.
 4. Drum printers This consists of a metallic cylinder.
 5. chain printers, there is one print hammer for each print position on a line.
 B. Non-Impact Printer They use thermal, chemical, electrostatic, and inkjet technologies for
printing as against the hammer.
 An inkjet printer is a non-impact printer. It prints characters by spraying ink from tiny nozzles
onto the paper.
 Laser Printers: These printers are used where a very superior quality output is desired. T
 A plotter is an output device used in applications where printouts of graphs and drawings are
required.
 Video Display Terminal
 CRT: An electron beam is moved across a phosphor-coated screen to produce the image.
 Flat Panel Display: The most common flat panel display is the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).

The most popular output device for indirect access processing is the Video Display
Terminal.
The monitor and the keyboard together are called a terminal. The types of terminals are:

Dumb Terminal: which can send or receive data but cannot process the data.
Smart Terminal: inbuilt microprocessor. It can perform arithmetic, logic, and control functions.

Intelligent Terminal: inbuilt microprocessor which can be programmed by the user.

Computer Output Microfilm (COM): This technology is used to record the computer output as
microscopic, filmed images. Information is recorded on a roll of microfilm. n. COM devices are
normally used in applications where there are large volumes of data. COM devices are much faster
than normal printers.