A Typical Computer System

A Typical Computer System
1. Hardware is the physical equipment.

2. Software is a collection of programs that
instruct the hardware to do the intended jobs.
Ch 1-C Programming 1
Basic PC Hardware Components
RAM
Basic PC Hardware
• Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Executing instructions e.g. data movement,
arithmetic calculation, data comparison etc.
• Primary Storage
For temporary storage of programs & data
during processing (only when power is ON).
• Auxiliary Storage (Secondary)
For permanent storage of programs and data
(even when power is OFF, e.g. hard disk).
Types of Computer Software
System Software : Application Software :

1. Operating system 1. General-purpose
2. System support software 2. Application-
specific
3. System development
Ch 1-Cs/w
Programming 4
System Software
• System software consists of programs that
manage the hardware resources of a computer
and co-ordinate various computer operations.
• Operating system (OS) provides services

such as user interface, network
communication interface, file access and
organisation etc. Popular examples of
operating systems : DOS, Windows & Linux
etc.
System Software
• System support software provides system
utilities and other operating services, e.g. disk
format program, performance statistics services,
event logging and computer security
monitoring tools etc.
• System development software is for user
application or system utilities developments,
e.g. Compilers, debuggers
Application Software
• General-Purpose
word processor, spreadsheet (Excel) &
database management programs (Access).
• Application-Specific
Can only be used for its intended purpose.
Cannot be used for other generalised tasks,
e.g. a custom-made payroll system for a
particular firm.
Relationship between Various
Software and Hardware
Users normally work with
application software.
Application s/w in turn
interacts with system s/w.
System software interacts
with hardware
Users interacts
directly with
system software
Computer Language Evolution
Time-Line
The ONLY language understood by computers is machine

language. Different computers may have totally different
machine language.
What is a programming language?
• We use a programming language to write
a computer program.
• The only language understood directly by
a computer is machine language, which
consists of 0s and 1s only.
• Every computer has its own set of
machine language.
• Symbolic languages: very similar to
machine languages except that mnemonics
are used to replace the numbers.
What is a programming language?
• High-level languages: programming
languages that are relatively easy to be
understood by human.
• High-level languages are portable to many
different computers.
• Today the most popular high-level language
is C – the language to be learnt in this subject.
• Symbolic languages and high-level languages
must be translated into machine languages
before they can be executed by the computer.
Machine Languages (Codes)
• In the earliest days of computers, it is the
only programming languages available.
• Each computer (i.e. CPU inside) has its own
machine language - streams of 0s and 1s.
• An example of multiplying two numbers is
given in next slide.
Multiplication Program in Machine Code
00000000 00000100 0000000000000000
01011110 00001100 11000010 0000000000000010
11101111 00010110 0000000000000101
11101111 10011110 0000000000001011
11111000 10101101 11011111 0000000000010010
01100010 11011111 0000000000010101
11101111 00000010 11111011 0000000000010111
11111100 10101101 11011111 0000000000011110
00000011 10100010 11011111 0000000000100001
11101111 00000010 11111011 0000000000100100
01111110 11110100 10101101
11111000 10101110 11000101 0000000000101011
Symbolic Languages
• Machine Languages were not convenient to use.
• These early programming languages simply
mirrored the machine languages using symbols,
or mnemonics, to represent the various machine
language instructions.
• Mnemonics are more comprehensible to human
than machine codes.
• A symbolic language is not understood by a
computer, it must be translated to the machine
codes.
Symbolic Languages
• A special program called an assembler is used to
translate symbolic code into machine language.
• These symbolic languages are also known as assembly
languages.(symbolic languages = assembly languages)
• Different CPUs have different assembly languages.
• Assembly languages are still used in microprocessor-
or micro controller-based application developments.
• Advantage of assembly programs : can run faster than
high-level language programs.
• See the multiplication program in next slide.
Multiplication Program in Assembly
entry main,^m<r2>
sub12 #12, sp
jsb C$MAIN_ARGS
movab $CHAR_STRING_CON
push -8 (fp)
pushal (r2)
calls #2, SCANF
pushal -12 (fp)
pushal 3 (r2)
calls #2, SCANF
mull3 -8 (fp), -12 (fp), -
pusha 6 (r2)
calls #2, PRINTF
clrl r0
ret Ch 1-C Programming 16
High-level Languages
• Symbolic Languages require programmers to
concentrate on hardware.
• each machine instruction has to be individually
coded.
• High-level languages are written in plain English text
which is more readable and understandable.
• They are also portable to many different computers.
• Examples of high-level programming languages :
FORTRAN, COBOL, Pascal, C, C++, Visual Basic,
Ada, LISP & Prolog etc.
High-level Languages
• This allows the programmer to concentrate on the
application problem rather than the details of
manipulating computer hardware.
• They are designed to relieve the programmer from the
details of the assembly language.
• Similar to symbolic languages, high-level languages
must be converted to machine language (codes).
• The process of conversion is compilation. A special
program called compiler is used for such conversion.
Writing and Editing
• Visual Basic comes with an integrated development
environment (IDE) which is used to create and edit
programs source file.
• It helps to enter, change and store program information.
• Differences between text processing and program
writing : programs are oriented around lines of code
rather than characters and lines.
• It is usually provided together with the compiler.
• The program text is stored as a source file
• The IDE reads the source code , scans for Syntax errors
in the source program and reported to the programmer.
Program Execution
• Once the program is made to .EXE, it is ready for
execution.
• Getting the program into memory is the function of
an operating system program known as the loader.
• It locates the executable program and reads it into
memory.
• When everything is loaded, the program takes
control and it begins execution.
• When the program finishes its job, it informs the
operating system to remove it from memory, and
control is return to the operating system.
Executing Programs
System Development
• System Development is a critical process that
determines the overall quality and success of your
program.
• If you carefully design your program using good
structured development techniques, your programs
will be efficient, error free, and easy to maintain.
• Large-scale, modern programming projects are
built using a series of interrelated phases: system
development life cycle.
• One example is the waterfall model.
Waterfall Model for System Development
Forward
Development Path
Iteration at each step

indicated by backward
arrows
System Development Phases
1. System requirements : defines requirements that
specify what the proposed system intends to do.
2. Analysis : looks at different alternatives from a
system point of view.
3. Design : determines how the system will be built.
4. Code : actual process of program text writing.
5. System Test : all of the programs are test together.
6. Maintenance : keeps the system working.
Program Development
• An example for Program Design is given below.
Example: To calculate the square footage of your house
1st step: Understand the Problem:
• What is the definition of square footage ?
• How is the square footage going to be used ?
– For insurance purposes ?
– To paint the inside or outside of the house ?
– To carpet the whole house ?
• Is the garage included ?
• Are closets and hallways included ?
Program Development
2nd step: Develop the solution :
• Three tools will help
– 1. Structured Charts
– 2. Pseudocode
– 3. Flowcharts
• A structure (or hierarchy) chart shows the functional
flow through the program.
• It shows how you are going to break the program
into logical steps or modules.
• It also shows the interaction between all parts of the
program.
1. Structure/Hierarchy Chart
2. Pseudocode
• Pseudocode is part English, part program logic, the
purpose is to describe what the program being designed
is to do.
• Pseudocode requires defining the steps to accomplish
the task in sufficient detail so that they can be converted
into a computer program.
• Most of the statements in the pseudocode are easily
understood plain-English text and simple mathematical
symbols.
Pseudocode: a basic design tool
• Pseudocode is a more practical way to show how your
program will work.
• Pseudocode is a mixture of:
– English (or Cantonese!) and
– structured C programming statements, such as if,
while, do.
• Pseudocode should be simpler and easier to
understand than the final program source code
• Pseudocode should be written before you type in your
new program!
Flowchart
Flowchart symbols
Terminal box
signify the start and

stop
Flowchart
Flowchart symbols
Process box
represent the execution

of operation
Flowchart
Flowchart symbols
Decision box
use whenever there is

selection
Flowchart
Flowchart symbols
Input/output box
input or output of data
Flowchart
Flowchart symbols
Predefined process box
represent a sequence of
processes given in
another separate
flowchart
Flowchart
Flowchart symbols
Connector circle
link up different parts

of a flowchart
Flowchart
Flowchart symbols
Flow line
join the boxes together

in a sequence
Flowchart Example :
Start 1
Read R
Define Print out

variables false the area
if
R>0 A
Ask for true

End
radius R area
A
2
=3.1416*R
1
Problem 1
Determine Water Status
• Write a program to determine whether you
get water, steam or ice with a certain input
º C.
• Sample Input/Output:
– This program will evaluate a temperature
– and determine if water, ice or steam will return.
– ----------------------------------------------------------
– Please enter a temperature in degree Celsius : 120
– You will get STEAM.
Problem 1
Pseudocode
• 1. Write a program description message
• 2. Write a user prompt to enter the
Temperature
• 3. Read (Temperature)
• 4. Determine the status
• 5. Write the result
Which step(s) may need further refinement ?
Problem 1
Refinement
• 4. Determine the status
– If Temperature > 0 then
– If Temperature >= 100 then
– Status is “Steam”
– Else
– Status is “Water”
– Else
– Status is “Ice”
Problem 2
Determine Water Status 2
• Refine the question of problem 1 if we are at the
mountain top, 95 degree Celsius can turn water
into steam. Therefore the sample input/output
will be
– This program will evaluate a temperature
– and determine if water, ice or steam will return.
– ----------------------------------------------------------
– Please enter a temperature in degree Celsius : 95
– Are you at the mountain top (Y/N) : Y
– You will get STEAM.
Problem 2
Pseudocode
• Step 4 pseudocode will be refined as
– If Temperature > 0 then
– If ((Temperature >= 95) and At Mountain Top) or
– Temperature >= 100 then
– Status is “Steam”
– Else
– Status is “Water”
– Else
– Status is “Ice”
Problem 3
Number Guessing Game
• We need to design a Guessing Game the
most easy one is number guessing.
– the game will ask the player to guess a hidden
number from a pre-defined range
– if the guess is wrong the program will indicate
whether the guess is higher or lower than the
target value
– the game will repeatedly ask the player to enter
guess until a correct one is entered
Problem 3
Example Input/Output
• Number Guessing Game
• ------------------------------
• The range of number to guess : 1 - 100
• Please enter first guess : 50
• -> higher than that next guess : 75
• -> higher than that next guess : 87
• -> lower than that next guess : 81
• -> Bingo ! Total guess 4 times !
Problem 3
Pseudocode
• 1. Generate a random number within 1 to 100
• 2. Write the program description message
• 3. Enter the first guess
• 4. Repeatedly ask for guess until a correct one is
entered
• 5. Write a message to inform the player about the
right guess
Which line need further refinement ?

Problem 3
Refinement
• 4. Repeatedly ask for guess until a correct one is
entered
– While guess not equal to the hidden no.
– if guess small than hidden no.
– Display hint : “higher”
– else
– Display hint : “lower”
– read next guess
– increase the try counter by 1
Problem 4
Numerical Data Processing
• Write a program to calculate the sum
average largest and smallest values of a
series of number.
• To further control the input process a
interim running subtotal will be printed
whenever the user have inputted 3 values
• The program will stop whenever a zero is
inputted, and a summary will be printed
Problem 4
Pseudocode
• 1. Write a program description message
• 2. Repeatedly prompt for input values until a
zero is entered
– 2.1 Try to read 3 values from user
– 2.2 Write the interim subtotal line
• 3. Write the Summary line
In which Step should the calculation take place ?

Pseudocode Examples
• Problem 1 • Problem 3
Determine Water Status Number Guessing Game
– – Example Input/Output
Pseudocode
– Pseudocode
– Refinement
– Refinement
– Coding
– Coding
– Coding (case)
• Problem 4
• Problem 2 Numerical Data Processing
Determine Water Status 2 – Sample Input/Output
– Pseudocode – Pseudocode
– Coding – Define Variable
– Coding

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A Typical Computer System

1. Hardware is the physical equipment.

System Software : Application Software :

• Operating system (OS) provides services

The ONLY language understood by computers is machine

Iteration at each step

signify the start and

represent the execution

use whenever there is

input or output of data

Predefined process box

link up different parts

join the boxes together

Define Print out

Ask for true

Which line need further refinement ?

In which Step should the calculation take place ?

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