Computer

A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in

its own memory that can accept data (input), process the data according to specified
rules, produce information (output), and store the information for future use.

COMPUTER stands for Common Operating Machine Purposely Used for

Technological and Educational Research.

Most computers rely on a binary system, which uses two variables, 0 and 1, to complete
tasks such as storing data, calculating algorithms, and displaying information. Examples
of computer are laptops, PCs, mobile phones, desktops.

You may already know that you can use a computer to type documents, send email,
play games, and browse the Web. Modern digital electronic computers can perform
generic sets of operations known as programs. These programs enable computers to
perform a wide range of tasks.

Computers are a great source of entertainment and information for the modern world.
They help people save time, learn new things, make money, and accomplish their goals
faster than ever before

Functionalities of a Computer
There are four main equipment functions of a computer system: Input, storage,
processing and output.

Input: Take data as input through input devices

Storage: Store data and instruction its memory and use them when required

Processing: Process the data and convert it into useful information

Output: Generate the output

To help computer systems perform these functions, computer devices are be classified
as input devices, processing devices, output devices, and storage devices,
respectively.

Data processing is the core function of a computer. Processing involves the

manipulation of raw data before converting it into meaningful information.

Usage:
Home Users: Web Access, Communications, Entertainment, record keeping,
communication

Small Office/Home Office user: Look up Information, Send and Receive emails, Make
telephone calls, keep record

Mobile User: Connect to other computers on a network or the internet, Transfer

information, Play video games, Listen to music, Watch movies, communication

Power User: Work with multimedia (e.g. media production houses, news channels etc.),
Use industry-specific software (e.g. car Manufacturer Company, textile mill etc.)

Enterprise User: Communicate among employees, Process high volumes of

transactions, Blogs

Computer Components
Any kind of computers consists of HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE.

 Hardware:
Computer hardware is the collection of physical elements that constitutes a computer
system. Computer hardware refers to the physical parts or components of a computer
such as the monitor, mouse, keyboard, computer data storage, hard drive disk (HDD),
system unit (graphic cards, sound cards, memory, motherboard and chips), etc. all of
which are physical objects that can be touched.

Hardware refers to the external and internal devices and equipment that enable you to
perform major functions such as input, output, storage, communication, processing, and
more.

Computer hardware devices types are:

Input devices: For raw data input.

Processing devices: To process raw data instructions into information.

Output devices: To disseminate data and information.

Storage devices: For data and information retention.

1. Input Devices

Input device is any peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment to provide data
and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or other
information appliance.

Input device Translate data from form that humans understand to one that the computer
can work with. Most common are: Keyboard, Mouse (pointing device), Microphone,
Touch screen, Scanner, Webcam, Touchpads, Graphics Tablets, Cameras, Pen Input,
Video Capture Hardware, Microphone, Trackballs, Barcode reader, Digital camera,
Joystick

2. Processing Devices

Processing is the core function of a computer. It is the stage where raw data is
transformed into information. Once data has been processed, it can be used for useful
purposes. Components that manipulate data into information are categorized under
processing.

A Central Processing Unit (CPU) is brain of a computer. It is responsible for all functions
and processes. Regarding computing power, the CPU is the most important element of
a computer system. The central processing unit (CPU) reads instructions stored in this
memory and executes them as required.
 An AMD microprocessor is an example of a processing device

The microprocessor is the major device in this category. It works closely with primary
memory during its operations. Data is stored temporarily in the processor cache and
primary memory during the processing period.

3. Output devices

An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to communicate

the results of data processing carried out by an information processing system (such as
a computer) which converts the electronically generated information into human-
readable form.

Example on Output Devices: Monitor (any screen), LCD Projection Panels, Printers,
Plotters, Speaker, Projector, Memory/Storage Devices

4. Storage Devices

A storage device is an integral part of the computer hardware that stores

information/data to process the result of any computational work.

A storage device is any type of computing hardware that is used for storing, porting or
extracting data files and objects. Storage devices can hold and store information both
temporarily and permanently. They may be internal or external to a computer, server or
computing device

Components that retain/store data are classified under memory/storage devices.

Storage is subdivided into primary and secondary memory. Examples include optical
disks, flash disks, and external disk drives.
 Computer memory devices

 Software:
Software is a set of instructions, data or programs used to operate computers and
execute specific tasks. It is the opposite of hardware, which describes the physical
aspects of a computer. Software is a generic term used to refer to applications, scripts
and programs that run on a device.

Software is a generic term for organized collections of computer data and instructions,
often broken into two major categories: system software that provides the basic non-
task-specific functions of the computer, and application software, which is used by users
to accomplish specific tasks.

1. System software

System software is responsible for controlling, integrating, and managing the individual
hardware components of a computer system so that other software and the users of the
system see it as a functional unit without having to be concerned with the low-level
details such as transferring data from memory to disk, or rendering text onto a display.

Generally, system software consists of an operating system and some fundamental

utilities such as disk formatters, file managers, display managers, text editors, user
authentication (login), management tools, and networking and device control software.

2. Application software

Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software

designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. It is used to accomplish specific
tasks other than just running the computer system.
Application software may consist of a single program, such as an image viewer; a small
collection of programs (often called a software package) that work closely together to
accomplish a task, such as a spreadsheet or text processing system. a larger collection
of application software which are independent programs and packages such as
Microsoft Office provides some service to a variety of other independent applications.

Comparison between System software and Application software

System Software Application Software
Example: Example:
1) Microsoft Windows 1) Opera (Web Browser)
2) Linux 2) Microsoft Word (Word Processing)
3) Unix 3) Microsoft Excel (Spreadsheet)
4) Mac OSX 4) MySQL (Database Software)
5) DOS 5) Microsoft PowerPoint (Presentation)
6) Adobe Photoshop (Graphics Software)

Interaction: Interaction:
Generally, users do not interact with Users always interact with application
system software as it works in the software while doing different activities.
background.

Dependency: Dependency:
System software can run independently of Application software cannot run without
the application software. the presence of the system software.

Advantages of Computer
1. Speed
2. Reliable
3. Consistent
4. Communication
5. Storage

Disadvantages of Computer
1. Violation of Privacy
2. Impact on Labour Force
3. Health Risks
4. Impact on Environment
Computer Applications in Society
1. Education: teaching, tutorials, online learning
2. Finance: stock market, online business
3. Government: NADRA
4. Health Care: hospitals, robots, MRI machines, CT Scan machines
5. Science: NASA
6. Publishing: plotter, printing press
7. Travel: ticket booking
8. Manufacturing: textile mills, car manufacturing companies
9. Entertainment: movies, music, social applications