Computer Applications

BBA Ist Semester

Computer : An Introduction
Nowadays, computers are an integral part of our lives. They are used for the reservation of tickets for
airplanes and railways, payment of telephone and electricity bills, deposit and withdrawal of money
from banks, processing of business data, forecasting of weather conditions, diagnosis of diseases,
searching for information on the Internet, etc.

Computers are also used extensively in schools, universities, organizations, music industry, movie
industry, scientific research, law firms, fashion industry, etc.

The term computer is derived from the word compute. The word compute means to calculate. A
computer is an electronic machine that accepts data from the user, processes the data by performing
calculations and operations on it, and generates the desired output results. Computer performs both
simple and complex operations, with speed and accuracy.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTER

Speed, accuracy, diligence, storage capability and versatility are some of the key characteristics of a
computer. A brief overview of these characteristics are—

∙ Speed

The computer can process data very fast, at the rate of millions of instructions per second. Some
calculations that would have taken hours and days to complete otherwise, can be completed in a few
seconds using the computer. For example, calculation and generation of salary slips of thousands of
employees of an organization, weather forecasting that requires analysis of a large amount of data
related to temperature, pressure and humidity of various places, etc.

∙ Accuracy

Computer provides a high degree of accuracy. For example, the computer can accurately give the
result of division of any two numbers up to 10 decimal places.

∙ Diligence

When used for a longer period of time, the computer does not get tired or fatigued. It can perform
long and complex calculations with the same speed and accuracy from the start till the end.

∙ Storage Capability

Large volumes of data and information can be stored in the computer and also retrieved whenever
required. A limited amount of data can be stored, temporarily, in the primary memory. Secondary
storage devices like floppy disk and compact disk can store a large amount of data permanently.
∙ Versatility

Computer is versatile in nature. It can perform different types of tasks with the same ease. At one
moment you can use the computer to prepare a letter document and in the next moment you may
play music or print a document. Computers have several limitations too. Computer can only perform
tasks that it has been programmed to do. Computer cannot do any work without instructions from
the user. It executes instructions as specified by the user and does not take its own decisions.

HISTORY OF COMPUTER

Until the development of the first generation computers based on vacuum tubes, there had been
several developments in the computing technology related to the mechanical computing devices.

The key developments that took place till the first computer was developed are as follows—

∙ Calculating Machines

ABACUS was the first mechanical calculating device for counting of large numbers. The word ABACUS
means calculating board. It consists of bars in horizontal positions on which sets of beads are
inserted. The horizontal bars have 10 beads each, representing units, tens, hundreds, etc.

∙ Napier’s Bones was a mechanical device built for the purpose of multiplication in 1617 ad. by an
English mathematician John Napier.

∙ Slide Rule was developed by an English mathematician Edmund Gunter in the 16th century. Using
the slide rule, one could perform operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It
was used extensively till late 1970s.

∙ Pascal’s Adding and Subtraction Machine was developed by Blaise Pascal. It could add and
subtract. The machine consisted of wheels, gears and cylinders.

∙ Leibniz’s Multiplication and Dividing Machine was a mechanical device that could both multiply
and divide. The German philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Leibniz built it around 1673.

∙ Punch Card System was developed by Jacquard to control the power loom in 1801. He invented the
punched card reader that could recognize the presence of hole in the punched card as binary one
and the absence of the hole as binary zero. The Os and 1s are the basis of the modern digital
computer.

∙ Babbage’s Analytical Engine An English man Charles Babbage built a mechanical machine to do
complex mathematical calculations, in the year 1823. The machine was called as difference engine.
Later, Charles Babbage and Lady Ada Lovelace developed a general-purpose calculating machine, the
analytical engine. Charles Babbage is also called the father of computer.

∙ Hollerith’s Punched Card Tabulating Machine was invented by Herman Hollerith. The machine
could read the information from a punched card and process it electronically.

Computers In Business
Just about every business you can think of uses computers in one way or another to carry
out its functions. From generating reports to communicating with clients, computers do a lot
for the efficiency with which a business is run. The computer has brought the business a
long way from the age of pen and paper, and folders stored in dusty storage compartments.
The uses of a computer are simply endless. Not only do businesses use computers to carry
out different functions, they also use many different types of computers to carry out those
functions. These functions include laptops, PCs, servers, and even smartphones. Because of
computers, concepts such as flexible working schedules and remote work forces have
become possible – enabling employees to work from wherever they want and at whatever
times they wish.

Computers Are Used for Communication

When it comes to establishing contact with clients, computers are a vital tool; they are also
vital when it comes to maintaining that contact. This is a very important computer
application in business, enabling a business to communicate with its clients via email, IM,
Skype, collaboration software, and via various other communication solutions that a
business might wish to use.

When a business can keep in touch with its clients, it becomes easier for the clients to make
inquiries of the business or to ask for more information about the services and products the
business offers. It also becomes easier for the business to offer customer support to its
clients in a timely, efficient manner. The business will also be able to keep the clients
updated about any new developments concerning the business.
Communication goes beyond a business' clients. A business also needs to communicate with
its employees, and computers play an important role. Rather than have time-wasting
one-on-one meetings with employees, managers can simply email their employees or they
can message them on any other acceptable communication platform. This saves time, and it
also improves the internal communication of the business.
Computers Are Used for Marketing
Computers allow a business to perform a variety of tasks. For starters, with the help of the
internet, computers help put a business on the map. With a computer, a business’s team of
IT developers can create a professional website complete with enticing graphics and content
with different forms of media, such as text, images, and videos. They can do search engine
optimization – SEO – for the website so that it appears prominently in Google’s search
results, which then attracts traffic, which, ultimately, will enable the business to sell those
products to website visitors.
With a computer, a business can create and execute entire marketing campaigns that span
across every social media platform on the internet. The business can create ads to run on
websites and social media platforms, using special software, and it can also buy marketing
services from other businesses – all connected to the internet. The computer is likely the
greatest marketing device ever built!
Computers Are Used for Accounting
Accounting is a function in which accuracy is of the utmost importance. When you perform
accounting functions – and you have nothing nothing except pen and paper - and you're
relying solely on brain power, you expose yourself to errors. Accounting software helps
prevent that from happening.
Accounting software enables a business to quickly and accurately obtain large- and
small-scale pictures of the company's financial situation. All the employees need to do is to
input his financial information into the software and – with a few clicks – the employees
understand everything about the financial health of the business' operations.
Computers are also critical for tasks such as invoicing clients; maintaining data about debtors
and creditors; calculating payroll, calculating and filing tax forms, as well as for a lot of other
functions.
With the computer, accountants can now focus on the higher level picture of a business’s
finances, leaving the lower level stuff to the machines.
Computers Are Used for Storage
Businesses have come a long way from the era of filing cabinets thanks to computers.
Although a filing cabinet will occupy a very large space but will store only a small amount of
information, a computer will occupy only a fraction of that space but it will store thousands
of times the amount of information. With computers and servers, businesses are able to
store and sort millions of files, to enable the business to access at any time.
Computers also enable a business to store its data in different ways. The business could
store the data in a central location, and it could have other computers on the network access
the data whenever the business needs to; when the business has the permission to; or,
when the business could store the data locally on individual computers.
Not only is digital storage much larger than physical storage in terms of capacity, but it is also
much more efficient because of the level of sorting that takes place, which is one of the
greatest benefits of the computer. Digital storage is also more secure, as it is more difficult to
lose or steal files from a well-protected database.
Computers Are Used to Produce Documents
Most businesses will need to produce numerous documents, either in the form of written
documents or spreadsheets. Computers provide word processors and spreadsheet software
to help with this.
With these two types of software, a business can generate virtually everything, from memos
to letters to tutorials to reports to ads for the company’s services and products or company
events.
With spreadsheet applications, a business has the power to manipulate alphanumeric data
and organize it into tables, charts, graphs, and reports. Another kind of software that
businesses make use of is presentation software. With presentation software, a business can
make slides for presentations, either internal ones or external ones meant for clients.
Businesses can also make letters, memos, and reports, using word processing software,
either for disbursement to the client or for internal use.
In general, a computer has plenty of productivity software that a business can use to make
its functions easier; this is software that enables a business to be much faster and more
efficient that it was only 20 or 30 years ago.
Computers Are Used for Educational Purposes
Computers can be used to educate employees. A business can use a computer to educate
the employees on such things as the company policy, software use, as well as standard
procedures and safety.
Rather than hire teachers to teach its employees, a business can let employees learn what
the employee needs, by learning at their own pace via webinars and live Q&A sessions. With
the internet, a business' employees will have access to a world of information, and the
business will not need to create all of its own educational content.
Computers also enable employees to learn in a way that they enjoy. Employees can learn via
different media, such as videos, text, and even games, enabling them to better understand
the subject matter.
Computers Are Used for Research
Computers allow a business to do a variety of things, including research about the
competition, as well as what its customers want. With modern data-mining techniques, a
business can acquire insightful information about its customers and competition from all
kinds of places, including forums, search engines, industry-specific websites and even from
social networks.

Indian Computing Environment

Definition:
Computing environment is a collection of computers/machines, software and networks that
support the processing and exchange of electronic information.
Different types of computing environments
There are four types of computing environments. They are:

1.​ Personal computing environment

2.​ Time-Sharing environment
3.​ Client -Server environment
4.​ Distributed environment

Personal Computing Environment:

●​ A personal computer(PC) is a general purpose computer. The size and capabilities of

a personal computer makes it useful for end-users.
●​ In a personal computer, all the hardware components are tied together, so that it can
be used as per our need.
Time Sharing Environment

●​ Employees in large companies often work in a time sharing environment. In this

environment, many users are connected to one or more computers.
●​ These are minicomputers or central mainframes.
●​ The terminals used are not programmable, but now we see more microcomputers
that are used to simulate the environments terminals.
●​ In the time sharing environment, the output devices and auxiliary storage are shared
by all the users.
●​ In time sharing environment, each computer must be operated by the central
computer.
●​ In this type of environment, computing is operated by central computer. This central
computer has many duties which keeps the computer busy.

Client Server Environment

●​ Client/Server is a distribute computing model, in which the client requests services

from the server.
●​ Client/Server usually run on separate computers connected by a network.
 ●​ A client is a process or an application that sends messages to a server through the
network.
●​ These messages ask the server to perform a specific task, like finding a customer
record in a database.
●​ Severs usually run on powerful computers, workstations or mainframes
●​ The administration of the installed equipment is more expensive than maintaining a
centralized system

Distributed Computing Environment

●​ A distributed computing environment allows smooth integration of computing

functions between different internet server's clients and provides the connection to
different servers around the world.
●​ Distributed Computing is used by distributed systems to solve computational
problems
●​ In Distributed Computing, each problem is divided into several tasks, which are
solved by one or more computers.

Management of data processing systems in business

organizations
Data processing systems comprise the interaction of people, processes, and equipment to
generate usable information from raw data. Thus, data processing system management
involves the administration of the people and equipment aspects of the system including all
the processes outlined as follows:

Data conversion—changing the data into the required format that can be processed.

Data cleanup—removing irregularities in the data before processing.

Organizing—categorizing the data into sets/groups.

Analysis—discovering and generating valuable information from the data.

Reporting—presenting the information.

Management of the different aspects of the data processing system involves planning where
resources necessary in the system are allocated to the different functions. Management also
includes the process of organizing all the functions to ensure seamless operation of the
system. Control is an oversight role of management and ensures that the data processing
system works as expected and delivers the output required. Control also ensures that any
issues affecting the system are realized and addressed.

Data are organized in a hierarchy that begins with the smallest piece of data used by a
computer—for purposes of this discussion, a single character such as a letter or number.
Characters form fields such as names, telephone numbers, addresses, and purchases. A
collection of fields makes up a record. A collection of records is referred to as a file.
Integrated and related files make up a database.
An entity is a class of people, objects, or places for which data are stored or collected.
Examples include employees and customers. Consequently, data are stored as entities, such
as an employee database and a customer database. An attribute is a characteristic of an
entity. For example, the name of a customer is an attribute of a customer. A specific value of
an attribute is referred to as a data item. That is, data items are found in fields.
The traditional approach to data management consists of maintaining separate data files for
each application. For example, an employee file would be maintained for payroll purposes,
while an additional employee file might be maintained for newsletter purposes. One or
more data files are created for each application. However, duplicated files results in data
redundancy. The problem with data redundancy is the possibility that updates are
accomplished in one file but not in another, resulting in a lack of data integrity. Likewise,
maintaining separate files is generally inefficient because the work of updating and
managing the files is duplicated for each separate file that exists. To overcome potential
problems with traditional data management, the database approach was developed.
The database approach is such that multiple business applications access the same
database. Consequently, file updates are not required of multiple files. Updates can be
accomplished in the common database, thus improving data integrity and eliminating
redundancy. The database approach provides the opportunity to share data, as well as
information sources. Additional software is required to implement the database approach to
data management. A database management system (DBMS) is needed. A DBMS consists of a
group of programs that are used in an interface between a database and the user, or
between the database and the application program.

What Is Data Processing Management?

Data processing management involves managing data on a digital platform. You'll need both
business and technical skills as well as the ability to lead a team in a demanding
environment.

Data Processing Management Job Duties

A data processing manager is responsible for the storage and organization of information
and data in a workplace. In this career choice, both business and technical acumen play vital
roles. The everyday duties of this position include communicating and working closely with
members of other departments, coordinating Internet operations, managing data safety, and
taking charge of a group of computer programmers or analysts.

Important Facts About Computer and Information Systems Managers

(Includes Data Processing)

Work Environment Managers usually work in an on-site office setting, bu

may need to manage employees who work from hom
Forty-hour weeks with some overtime are typical.

Key Skills Problem solving, decision making, communication,

leadership, and organizational skills

Similar Occupations Computer programming, database administration, w

development, network administration

On The Job Training These management positions often require previous

experience in a related IT field. More experience may
required depending on the level of management bein
performed.

Programmes Development Cycle

Program Development Life Cycle (PDLC) is a systematic way of developing quality software.
It provides an organized plan for breaking down the task of program development into
manageable chunks, each of which must be successfully completed before moving on to the
next phase.
The program development process is divided into the steps discussed below:

Defining the Problem –​

The first step is to define the problem. In major software projects, this is a job for system
analyst, who provides the results of their work to programmers in the form of a program
specification. The program specification defines the data used in program, the processing
that should take place while finding a solution, the format of the output and the user
interface.

Designing the Program –​

Program design starts by focusing on the main goal that the program is trying to achieve and
then breaking the program into manageable components, each of which contributes to this
goal. This approach of program design is called top-bottom program design or modular
programming. The first step involve identifying main routine, which is the one of program’s
major activity. From that point, programmers try to divide the various components of the
main routine into smaller parts called modules. For each module, programmer draws a
conceptual plan using an appropriate program design tool to visualize how the module will
do its assign job.

Program Design Tools:​

The various program design tools are described below:

Structure Charts – A structure chart, also called Hierarchy chart, show top-down design of
program. Each box in the structure chart indicates a task that program must accomplish. The
Top module, called the Main module or Control module. For example:

Algorithms –​
An algorithm is a step-by-step description of how to arrive at a solution in the most easiest
way. Algorithms are not restricted to computer world only. In fact, we use them in everyday
life.
Flowcharts –​
A flowchart is a diagram that shows the logic of the program. For example:
Decision tables –​
A Decision table is a special kind of table, which is divided into four parts by a pair of
horizontal and vertical lines.

Pseudocode –​
A pseudocode is another tool to describe the way to arrive at a solution. They are different
from algorithm by the fact that they are expressed in program language like constructs.

Coding the Program –​

Coding the program means translating an algorithm into specific programming language.
The technique of programming using only well defined control structures is known
as Structured programming. Programmer must follow the language rules, violation of any
rule causes error. These errors must be eliminated before going to the next step.

Testing and Debugging the Program –​

After removal of syntax errors, the program will execute. However, the output of the
program may not be correct. This is because of logical error in the program. A logical error is
a mistake that the programmer made while designing the solution to a problem. So the
programmer must find and correct logical errors by carefully examining the program output
using Test data. Syntax error and Logical error are collectively known as Bugs. The process of
identifying errors and eliminating them is known as Debugging.

Documenting the Program –​

After testing, the software project is almost complete. The structure charts, pseudocodes,
flowcharts and decision tables developed during the design phase become documentation
for others who are associated with the software project. This phase ends by writing a
manual that provides an overview of the program’s functionality, tutorials for the beginner,
in-depth explanations of major program features, reference documentation of all program
commands and a thorough description of the error messages generated by the program.

Deploying and Maintaining the Program –​

In the final phase, the program is deployed (installed) at the user’s site. Here also, the
program is kept under watch till the user gives a green signal to it.​
Even after the software is completed, it needs to be maintained and evaluated regularly. In
software maintenance, the programming team fixes program errors and updates the
software.

Flow Charting
What is a Flowchart?

Flowchart is a graphical representation of an algorithm. Programmers often use it as a

program-planning tool to solve a problem. It makes use of symbols which are connected
among them to indicate the flow of information and processing. ​
The process of drawing a flowchart for an algorithm is known as “flowcharting”.

Basic Symbols used in Flowchart Designs

Terminal: The oval symbol indicates Start, Stop and Halt in a program’s logic flow. A
pause/halt is generally used in a program logic under some error conditions. Terminal is the
first and last symbols in the flowchart. ​

Input/Output: A parallelogram denotes any function of input/output type. Program

instructions that take input from input devices and display output on output devices are
indicated with parallelogram in a flowchart. ​

Processing: A box represents arithmetic instructions. All arithmetic processes such as

adding, subtracting, multiplication and division are indicated by action or process symbol. ​

Decision Diamond symbol represents a decision point. Decision based operations such as
yes/no question or true/false are indicated by diamond in flowchart. ​
Connectors: Whenever flowchart becomes complex or it spreads over more than one page,
it is useful to use connectors to avoid any confusions. It is represented by a circle. ​

Flow lines: Flow lines indicate the exact sequence in which instructions are executed. Arrows
represent the direction of flow of control and relationship among different symbols of
flowchart.

Rules For Creating Flowchart :

A flowchart is a graphical representation of an algorithm.it should follow some rules while
creating a flowchart​
Rule 1: Flowchart opening statement must be ‘start’ keyword.​
Rule 2: Flowchart ending statement must be ‘end’ keyword.​
Rule 3: All symbols in the flowchart must be connected with an arrow line.​
Rule 4: The decision symbol in the flowchart cannot be associated with the arrow line.​

Advantages of Flowchart:
Flowcharts are a better way of communicating the logic of the system.
Flowcharts act as a guide for blueprint during program designed.
Flowcharts help in debugging process.
With the help of flowcharts programs can be easily analyzed.
It provides better documentation.
Flowcharts serve as a good proper documentation.
Easy to trace errors in the software.
Easy to understand.
The flowchart can be reused for inconvenience in the future.
It helps to provide correct logic.​

Disadvantages of Flowchart:
It is difficult to draw flowcharts for large and complex programs.
There is no standard to determine the amount of detail.
Difficult to reproduce the flowcharts.
It is very difficult to modify the Flowchart.
Making a flowchart is costly.
Some developer thinks that it is waste of time.
It makes software processes low.
If changes are done in software, then the flowchart must be redrawn​

Example : Draw a flowchart to input two numbers from the user and display the largest of
two numbers ​