ITEINC

Intro to Computing
Module 2

Prepared by:A RN EL C.M A G H IN A Y,RN ,PhD -TM

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Computer System
Part 1

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 What is a Computer?

• Computer is an electronic device that is designed to work

with Information.
• The term computer is derived from the Latin term
‘computare’, this means to calculate or programmable
machine.

A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information, or data. It has the ability to store, retrieve, and process
data. You may already know that you can use a computer to type documents, send email, play games, and browse the
Web. You can also use it to edit or create spreadsheets, presentations, and even videos.

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 What is a Computer?

• Computer can not do anything without a Program.

• It represents the decimal numbers through a string of binary
digits.
• The Word 'Computer' usually refers to the Center Processor
Unit plus Internal memory.

• Computer once meant a person who did computations, but now the term almost universally refers to automated
electronic machinery.
• The first computers were used primarily for numerical calculations. However, as any information can be numerically
encoded, people soon realized that computers are capable of general-purpose information processing. Their capacity
to handle large amounts of data has extended the range and accuracy of weather forecasting. Their speed has allowed
them to make decisions about routing telephone connections through a network and to control mechanical systems
such as automobiles, nuclear reactors, and robotic surgical tools. They are also cheap enough to be embedded in
everyday appliances and to make clothes dryers and rice cookers “smart.” Computers have allowed us to pose and
answer questions that could not be pursued before. These questions might be about DNA sequences in genes,
patterns of activity in a consumer market, or all the uses of a word in texts that have been stored in a database.
Increasingly, computers can also learn and adapt as they operate.

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 Basic Computer Architecture

Computer architectures represent the means of interconnectivity for a computer's hardware components as well as the
mode of data transfer and processing exhibited. Different computer architecture configurations have been developed to
speed up the movement of data, allowing for increased data processing. The basic architecture has the CPU at the core
with a main memory and input/output system on either side of the CPU

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 Hardware, Software, Information Technology

• Hardware - anything you can touch (monitors,printers, etc.)

• Software - programs with the instructions for how the
computer should operate.

Hardware represents the Tangible Parts and the software represents the Intangible Parts.

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 Types of computers

Supercomputers: powerful
computers designed to handle
billions of instructions very
quickly. They are very
expensive and are used for
complex operations such as
weather forecasting.

Supercomputer, any of a class of extremely powerful computers. The term is commonly applied to the fastest high-
performance systems available at any given time. Such computers have been used primarily for scientific and engineering
work requiring exceedingly high-speed computations. Common applications for supercomputers include testing
mathematical models for complex physical phenomena or designs, such as climate and weather, evolution of the
cosmos, nuclear weapons and reactors, new chemical compounds (especially for pharmaceutical purposes), and
cryptology. As the cost of supercomputing declined in the 1990s, more businesses began to use supercomputers for
market research and other business-related models.

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 Types of computers

Mainframe computers: large computers used by government

departments and companies. The term refers to the fact that
terminals (just monitors and keyboards) are attached to the
“main” frame where all the computing power is found. A smaller
version of the mainframe is the 'mini' computer. These
computers are being increasingly used as the storage and
processing units for complicated web sites such as Google.

Mainframes are a type of computer that generally are known for their large size, amount of storage, processing power
and high level of reliability. They are primarily used by large organizations for mission-critical applications requiring high
volumes of data processing. In general, there are a few characteristics of mainframes that are common among all
mainframe vendors: Nearly all mainframes have the ability to run (or host) multiple operating systems. Mainframes can
add or hot swap system capacity without disruption. Mainframes are designed to handle very high volume input and
output (I/O) and emphasize throughput computing. A single mainframe can replace dozens or even hundreds of smaller
servers.

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Mainframe

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 Types of computers

Personal computers: in 1981 IBM reacted to the introduction of

smaller computers designed to be used by individuals by
marketing a computer called the IBM-PC (Personal Computer).
Today the term PC is used to refer to any computer which can
be put on a desk for personal use, whether at home or in an
office.

• Personal computer (PC), a digital computer designed for use by only one person at a time. A typical personal computer
assemblage consists of a central processing unit (CPU), which contains the computer’s arithmetic, logic, and control
circuitry on an integrated circuit;
• There are two types of computer memory, main memory, such as digital random-access memory (RAM), and auxiliary
memory, such as magnetic hard disks and special optical compact discs, or read-only memory (ROM) discs (CD-ROMs
and DVD-ROMs); and various input/output devices, including a display screen, keyboard and mouse, modem, and
printer.

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 Types of computers

Portable computers: a computer which is easily carried and

powered by a battery. Laptops and notebooks are portable
computers and can be used anywhere.

• A Portable computer is a computer that comes with a keyboard and display and one which can be easily relocated or
transported
• They have lower specifications and are not well suited for full-time usage as they are less ergonomic. However, they
take less space than desktop computers and come with most features found on a desktop.
• Laptops, Notebooks, & Netbooks are Basically, a fully loaded portable computer.

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 Main Parts of a Personal Computer

Personal computers have four basic components:

1. input devices
2. central processor
3. output devices
4. storage

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 RAM vs ROM

• RAM memory is where you temporarily put your work such

as words or numbers. You can read from it and write to it
(use or create files). It is available only when the computer is
turn on.
• ROM is memory that is not accessible by you. It is used for
things like storing the information for starting (booting up) a
computer. Material in ROM stays even when the computer is
turned off.

A ROM chip is used primarily in the startup process of a computer, whereas a RAM chip is used in the normal operations
after the operating system is loaded. For example, a ROM chip is often used to store the BIOS program on the
motherboard. A RAM chip temporarily stores files in use on a computer, like a document you're writing, an image you're
editing, or data for a game you're playing.

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 RAM vs ROM

• RAM is Random Access Memory. It is the computer's main

memory. The more of it you have, the faster your programs
will run.
• RAM is known as volatile memory. That means it is available
only when the computer is turned on.

A ROM chip is a non-volatile storage medium, which means it does not require a constant source of power to retain the
information stored on it. By contrast, a RAM chip is volatile, which means it loses any information it is holding when the
power is turned off. Essentially, ROM is used for permanent storage, and RAM is for temporary storage.

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 RAM vs ROM

• ROM is Read Only Memory. It's the permanent memory

which is not lost when the computer is turned off (non-volatile
memory).
• It is used for storing essential operating information, such as
starting ("booting up") the computer.

• A ROM chip stores several MB (megabytes) of data, usually 4 to 8 MB per chip, whereas a RAM chip can store multiple
GB (gigabytes) of data, ranging from 1 to 256 GB per chip.
• A good example of ROM is the computer BIOS, which is a PROM chip that stores the programming needed to begin
the initial computer startup process. Using a non-volatile storage medium is the only way to begin this process for
computers and other devices. ROM chips were also used in gaming system cartridges, like the original Nintendo,
Gameboy, Sega Genesis, and others.
• RAM chips are used in computers and other devices to store temporary information produced by programs quickly.
RAM is one of the fastest types of memory, allowing it to switch quickly between tasks. For example, the Internet
browser you are using to read this page is loaded into RAM and is running from it.

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 Hardware

• CPU – the Central Processing

Unit – is the most important part
of the computer. It acts as a
'brain', performing calculations
and controlling the various
components of the system. A
computer works on three basic
functions: input, process and
output. The CPU controls the
processing of information.

The CPU is the primary component of a computer that processes instructions. It runs the operating system and
applications, constantly receiving input from the user or active software programs. It processes the data and produces
output, which may stored by an application or displayed on the screen.

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 Hardware

• "Microprocessor" is another name for the Central Processing

Unit of the computer, the CPU. When the microcomputer was
first introduced the microprocessor was referred to by
numbers such as : 286, 386, 486. Today they are given
names such as Pentium and Athlon. A Pentium 4
microprocessor (which is produced by a company called Intel)
is equivalent to the Athlon microprocessor (created by another
company called AMD).

The CPU contains at least one processor, which is the actual chip inside the CPU that performs calculations. For many
years, most CPUs only had one processor, but now it is common for a single CPU to have at least two processors or
"processing cores." A CPU with two processing cores is called a dual-core CPU and models with four cores are called
quad-core CPUs. High-end CPUs may have six (hexa-core) or even eight (octo-core) processors. A computer may also
have more than one CPU, which each have multiple cores. For example, a server with two hexa-core CPUs has a total of
12 processors.

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 Input devices

• Mouse – a pointing device used to control the pointer or

cursor on the screen, or to make selections in a program. It is
hand shaped and operates on a flat surface.
• Keyboard – similar to an electric typewriter, a keyboard
consists of alpha-numeric keys, as well as extra 'function'
keys that interact with various applications.

• An input device is a term for a physical piece of hardware that connects to a primary device, such as a computer, in
order to provide user input.
• Input devices are generally a class of peripheral devices that connect to the primary device.

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 Input devices

• Trackball – similar to a mouse, but with a ball on the top of

the device. The ball controls the movement of the pointer on
the screen. It is commonly used with games and laptop
computers.
• Scanner – a piece of equipment which can be used to put
text, pictures and graphics into the computer. Text that is
scanned is a picture of text on the page. It can't be edited
unless you use OCR (optical character recognition) software
which lets you edit the text just as you would with a word
processing file.

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 Input devices

• Bar Code Reader/Scanner – bar codes are thin black

machine-readable lines, also called a UPC (Universal
Product Code). They are used on a wide variety of consumer
products, including food packaging labels, clothing labels,
books, identification cards and other items. A bar code reader
translates the marks into data and can be used for many
purposes, such as product prices and inventory control. The
bars and spaces are arranged in a specific way defined by
international standards and the scanner translates the codes
to letters, numbers and symbols.

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 Input devices

• Touchpad – an input device which is sensitive to the pressure

or motion of the user's fingers. They are used to control the
cursor/pointer, and are often found on laptop computers.
• Touchscreen – similar to a touchpad, the touchscreen lets the
user make selections by putting pressure on a selection on a
computer screen.
• Lightpen – a device which uses a light-sensitive detector to
select objects on a screen. With a lightpen you select objects
by pointing directly at them.

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 Input devices

• Joystick – like a mouse with a small arm attached to the top.

These are commonly used as game controllers.
• Digital camera – a camera which stores images digitally and
does not require film. The images can be downloaded to the
computer and used with a graphics program.

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 Input devices

• WebCam – a video camera which attaches to a computer

and sends live images via the Internet.
• Microphone – a device which converts sound waves (voices)
to an electronic signal. It can be used for various purposes
with a computer, including: dictating documents when a
computer has voice recognition software and video
conferencing. (While they can be used for dictation, many
people prefer to type a document rather than using this
feature, as they find it far easier than trying to remember
where to put punctuation, etc., in the dictated text.)

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Input devices

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Input devices

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 Output devices

Monitors – there are two types of monitors in use today:

Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT) and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).
CRTs contain electronic guns which shoot electrons at
phosphor dots painted on the back of the screen. The dots
light up in different combinations (such as letters) when they
are hit with the electrons. LCDs have liquids in them which
reflect light differently when electric voltages are applied.
Monitors are measured diagonally from the top left corner of
the screen to the bottom right. Common sizes are 15 ", 17" ,
19“ and 21".

An output device is any peripheral that receives data from a computer, usually for display, projection, or physical
reproduction.

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 Output devices

• Screen – the part of the monitor that displays information.

• Plotters – used primarily for engineering or architecture
software applications such as CAD (computer assisted
drawing) programs. It is a type of printer which produces line
drawings using vector graphics files or commands.
• Speakers – a device which converts electronic signals from a
computer sound card to speech or music. Headphones will
also perform the same function. Most newer home computers
have sound cards and many newer monitors have built-in
speakers.

Plotters are large scale printers

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 Output devices

• Printers – can be divided into two types: impact (which

means "to hit") and non-impact. Impact printers have ribbons
which have ink on them that is pressed to the paper by a
device inside the printer. A dot matrix printer, for example,
has a square of little pins which extend in different
combinations to hit the ribbon and create characters or
pictures. Non-impact printers include laser printers and ink-jet
printers. Laser printers work like photocopiers: fine powder is
attracted to paper in different combinations by electric
charges. Ink-jet printers spray fast-drying ink on to the paper.

• The Impact printers use an electromechanical component to impact on the paper in order to print the letters over the
paper sheet. It is analogous to a mechanical typewriter. The mechanism used in these printers is known as the electro-
mechanical mechanism. It works at a slower speed as compared to the non-impact printers due to the involvement of
a mechanical device. (example: Dot Matrix Printer)
• The non-impact printers produce images or text without the use of the impact hammer or ink ribbon. It produces
negligible or no noises while printing as it does not use any electro-mechanical mechanism like impact printers. These
printers are capable of generating black & white and colour printouts. Furthermore, the quality of the printed material
is extremely better than the impact printers. However, it is incapable of producing multiple copies of the same
document simultaneously. (example: inkjet and laser printers)

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 Storage Devices

• Floppy disks – at one time computers used to store data on

big 8" squares of magnetic tape sandwiched between light
cardboard. These disks were portable and they were so soft
that they could flop around; so they were called "floppies".

• 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.
• A storage device may also be known as a storage medium or storage media depending on whether it is seen as
discrete in nature (for example, “a hard drive” versus “some hard drive space.”)

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 Storage Devices

• Diskettes – today the magnetic tape is encased in 3.5"

squares of hard plastic. You can still see the tape if you move
the metal door (which is what the computer does when it
wants to read the data on the disk). They are called diskettes
because they are smaller than the original floppy disks,
although they are also commonly called floppy disks. It can
hold about one and a half megabytes of data (1.44 MB).

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 Storage Devices

• Zip disk – this is similar to the floppy disk but slightly larger. It
usually uses an external zip drive, and can hold from 100 to
250 MB.
• Data cartridge – similar to a cassette cartridge. This is
usually used for servers in network situations. It can hold up
to 70 GB. Newer versions also use magnetic or optical disks
or memory chips.

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 Storage Devices

• USB Memory Stick – this is a small, portable data storage

device that plugs into a computer's USB port. It can be used
to store data, music, pictures, etc.
• Compact Disks (CDs) – these are a type of high-density
storage media and can hold far more data than a diskette. A
typical CD can hold 700 MB.
• Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs) – DVDs are just CDs which
can hold much more data. Some store as much as 17 GB of
data.

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 Storage Devices

• Internal Hard Disks – a hard disk, also called a hard drive, is

the device on which most computer data is stored. It's called
a hard disk because it is a hard non-removable disk-shaped
piece of metal. They are usually built into the computer
system unit. The computer takes part of programs from the
hard disk and puts them into RAM so they can be used
quickly. Hard disks are much slower to access (use) than
RAM. Some programs, such as Windows, create temporary
files on hard disks while the programs are running and delete
them when the program is closed.

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 Storage Devices

• External Hard Disks – an external hard drive is a separate

device which is attached to the computer by a cable. It has its
own 'box' or casing, and is used to back up information from
the main hard drive.

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Computer System
Part 2

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 Software

• Software is any set of instructions or programs which can be

operated on a computer.
• There are two categories of software: system software and
application software. System software tells the computer how
to operate its software and work with its equipment (the
hardware). Application software is any program which tells
the computer to do a particular task, such as manipulating
text or calculating membership dues.

• Software, in its most general sense, is a set of instructions or programs instructing a computer to do specific tasks.
• Software is a generic term used to describe computer programs that run on PCs, mobile phones, tablets, or other
smart devices.
• Software is often used to describe all the functional aspects of a computer that do not refer to its physical
components (hardware). Scripts, applications, programs and a set of instructions are all terms often used to describe
software.
• Everything that “runs” on a computer, from an operating system, to a diagnostic tool, video game, or app can be
defined as software.

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 Operating System Software

• The most crucial type of system software is the operating

system (OS). The OS tells the computer how to coordinate all
its hardware and software. It is the interface between the
user and the computer.

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 Operating System Software

• MS-DOS - developed in the early 1980s as a command line

OS . The computer gave you a line to type on and you typed
a command. MS-DOS is still around but rarely used.
• Windows 3.1 - the first popular version of the Windows
operating system.
• Windows 95 - a major upgrade (improvement) to Windows
3.1.
• Windows 98 - a major upgrade (improvement) to Windows 95

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 Operating System Software

• Windows 2000 - a major upgrade (improvement) to Windows

98.
• Windows XP - a major upgrade which comes in two versions:
home and professional. The difference is that the
professional version allows more sophisticated connections
between computers (networking).
• Windows NT - used by organizations for their computer
networks.
• Windows Vista – released in early 2007. A major update of
Windows XP

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 Operating System Software

• Unix - a complicated command-line OS much loved by

computer techies.
• OS/2 - IBM's answer to Windows which unfortunately did not
get popular acceptance.

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 Operating System Software

• Linux - based partly on the Unix model this OS was created

by thousands of volunteer programmers who continually work
to improve its source code (its basic instructions). Because
its source code is open to anybody to see and change it is
known as open source.
• Mac OS - the first OS to use a graphical user interface (GUI)
- little pictures - to make the use of a computer easier.
Adored especially by graphic artists.

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One of the advantages of operating systems is that all of the
programs which are written for them have to operate in
common ways: for example, the PRINT command is always in
the same place. The programs have the same look and feel
about them, and because they do, users can move more
easily to other programs which use the same OS. Users
develop what is known as transferable skills.

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The dominant operating system is Microsoft Windows. It has
about 90 per cent of the market. Mac OS has approximately
nine percent, leaving Linux with about one per cent. However,
because Linux is free of charge, and many companies and
open source developers are now producing good GUIs
(Graphical User Interface) for it, Linux may eventually replace
Windows.

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 Application Software

• Application software is a term which is used for software

created for a specific purpose.
• It is generally a program or collection of programs used by
end users.
• It can be called an application or simply an app.
• In fact all the software other than system software and
programming software are application software.

• Application software (app for short) is a program or group of programs designed for end users. Examples of an
application include a word processor, a spreadsheet, an accounting application, a web browser, an email client, a
media player, a file viewer, simulators, a console game or a photo editor.

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 Application Software

• A software which is developed to help the user to perform

specific tasks
Word processing software
Database programs
Entertainment software
Business software
Educational software
Computer-aided design (CAD) software
Spreadsheet software

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 Utility Software

• Utility software is system software designed to help analyze,

configure, optimize or maintain a computer.
• Utility software usually focuses on how the computer
infrastructure (including the computer hardware, operating
system, software and data storage) operates.
• Utility software, along with operating system software, is a
type of system software, distinguishing it from application
software.

Utility programs, commonly referred to as just "utilities," are software programs that add functionality to your computer
or help your computer perform better. These include antivirus, backup, disk repair, file management, security, and
networking programs. Utilities can also be applications such as screensavers, font and icon tools, and desktop
enhancements. Some utility programs help keep your computer free from unwanted software such as viruses or
spyware, while others add functionality that allows you to customize your desktop and user interface. In general,
programs that help make your computer better are considered utilities.

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 Utility Software

• Anti-virus
utilities scan for computer viruses.
• Archivers
output a stream or a single file when provided with a directory or a
set of files. Archive utilities, unlike archive suites, usually do not
include compression or encryption capabilities. Some archive
utilities may even have a separate un-archive utility for the reverse
operation.
• Backup software
can make copies of all information stored on a disk and restore
either the entire disk (e.g. in an event of disk failure) or selected
files (e.g. in an event of accidental deletion).

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 Utility Software

• Clipboard managers
expand the clipboard functionality of an operating system .
• Cryptographic utilities
encrypt and decrypt streams and files.
• Data compression utilities
output a shorter stream or a smaller file when provided with a
stream or file.

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 Utility Software

• Debuggers
are used to test and “debug” other programs, mainly to solve
programming errors. Also utilized for reverse engineering of
software or systems.
• Disk checkers
can scan operating hard drive.
• Disk cleaners
can find files that are unnecessary to computer operation, or
take up considerable amounts of space. Disk cleaner helps the
user to decide what to delete when their hard disk is full.

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 Utility Software

• Disk compression
utilities can transparently compress/uncompress the contents
of a disk, increasing the capacity of the disk.
• Disk defragmenters
can detect computer files whose contents are scattered
across several locations on the hard disk, and move the
fragments to one location to increase efficiency.

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 Utility Software

• Disk partitions
can divide an individual drive into multiple logical drives, each
with its own file system which can be mounted by the
operating system and treated as an individual drive.
• Disk space
analyzers for the visualization of disk space usage by getting
the size for each folder (including sub folders) & files in folder
or drive. showing the distribution of the used space.

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 Utility Software

• File managers
provide a convenient method of performing routine data
management tasks, such as deleting, renaming, cataloging,
uncataloging, moving, copying, merging, generating and
modifying data sets.
• Registry cleaners
clean and optimize the Windows Registry by removing old
registry keys that are no longer in use.

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 Units of Data

• Bit
• Nibble
• Byte

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 Bit

• A bit is a binary digit, the smallest increment of data on a

computer.
• A bit can hold only one of two values: 0 or 1, corresponding
to the electrical values of off or on, respectively.

The smallest unit of data in a computer is called Bit (Binary Digit). A bit has a single binary value, either 0 or 1. In most
computer systems, there are eight bits in a byte. The value of a bit is usually stored as either above or below a
designated level of electrical charge in a single capacitor within a memory device.

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 Nibble

• Half a byte (four bits) is called a nibble.

• This unit is most often used in the context of hexadecimal
number representations, since a nibble has the same amount
of information as one hexadecimal digit.

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 Byte/Octet

• Because bits are so small, you rarely work with information

one bit at a time.
• Bits are usually assembled into a group of eight to form a
byte.
• A byte contains enough information to store a single ASCII
character, like "h".

• In most computer systems, a byte is a unit of data that is eight binary digits long. A byte is the unit most computers
use to represent a character such as a letter, number or typographic symbol (for example, “g”, “5”, or “?”). A byte can
also hold a string of bits that need to be used in some larger unit of application purposes (for example, the stream of
bits that constitute a visual image for a program that displays images or the string of bits that constitutes the machine
code of a computer program).
• In some systems, the term octet is used for an eight-bit unit instead of byte. In many systems, four eight-bit bytes or
octets form a 32-bit word. In such systems, instructions lengths are sometimes expressed as full-word (32 bits in
length) or half-word (16 bits in length).

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Units of Data

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 Number System

• Number systems are used to describe the quantity of

something or represent certain information.
Decimal
Binary
Octal
Hexadecimal

• The number system is a way to represent or express numbers. You have heard of various types of number systems
such as the whole numbers and the real numbers. But in the context of computers, we define other types of number
systems. They are:
• The decimal number system
• The binary number system
• The octal number system and
• The hexadecimal number system

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 Decimal

• A number system that uses ten symbols.

• Decimal is said to be Base Ten
• When we count in Base Ten, we count starting with zero and
going up to nine in order.
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

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 Binary

• Binary is another way of saying Base Two.

• In a binary number system, there are only two symbols used
to represent numbers: 0 and 1.

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 Octal

• Octal is another number system with less symbols to use

than our conventional number system.
• Octal is fancy for Base Eight meaning eight symbols are
used to represent all the quantities.
• They are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

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 Hexadecimal

• The hexadecimal system is Base Sixteen. As its base

implies, this number system uses sixteen symbols to
represent numbers.
• In hexadecimal, the total list of symbols to use is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, and F

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 ASCII

• ASCII stands for American Standard Code for Information

Interchange.
• It is an encoding standard that represents digits, letters, and
symbols using numbers.
• The digits can be 1, 2, 3, etc. while the letters are a, b, c, A,
B, C, etc.

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 ASCII

• The symbols are characters like !, $, and #.

• Therefore, it is possible to convert any piece of text to the
corresponding set of numbers using ASCII.
• This conversion makes it easier to store them in the
computer memory.

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68
 EBCDIC

• EBCDIC stands for Extended Binary Coded Decimal

Interchange Code.
• It is mainly used on IBM mainframe and IBM midrange
computer operating systems.
• It is also supported by some platforms other than IBM.
EBCDIC uses 8 bits to represent a single character, and it
represents a 256 (28) alphanumeric and special characters.

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 UNICODE

• Unicode is an alternative. It is maintained by Unicode

Consortium.
• It covers a wide range of characters.
• It contains representations for letters in languages such as
English, Greek, Arabic etc., mathematical symbols, emoji and
many more.

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End of Module 2

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