Wollega University

College of Engineering & Technology

Department of Informatics
Course: Introduction to Computer Science

by: Ebisa B.
 Definition of Computer
 What is a computer?
 Computer is an electronic and electro-mechanical machine that is
programmable and capable of performing the following basic
computing functions:
accept data (input)
process data
generate output (information) and
store data/information
 Computer systems are designed, built and used by people for
entertainment, finance, defense, transportation, shopping, dating,
studying, etc.
 N B:The success of a system is determined by the community of
people who use it.
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 Definitions of ICT
It refers to a broad field encompassing computers,
communication equipments and the services associated
with them.
It is also a contemporary term that describes the
combination of computer technology (hardware and
software) with telecommunication technology (data,
image, and voice network).
Components of ICT/IT is divided into three (3);
Computers
Communication networks
Know-how
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 Generation of Computers
 The beginning of the commercial computer age began on June 14,
1951 with the delivery of UNIVAC--Universal Automatic
Computer to the U.S. Bureau of Census.
 However, prior to this Charles Babbage invented the Difference
Engine and conceived of another machine called the Analytical
Engine that had all the components of the computer: input, output,
processing and storage. Babbage is called the father of computers.
There are five generations of computers
 First generation (1951-1958): Vacuum tubes were used as the
internal computer components, punched cards and magnetic tapes
for storing data, and machine language for programming.
 Second generation (1959-1964): Transistors replaces vacuum
tubes, assembly language and high level languages replaced
machine language, and the removable disk replaced punched cards.
4 Transistors enabled manufacturers to produce smaller computers.
 Generation of Computers (cont’d)
• Third generation (1965-1970): Integrated circuits a
complete electronic circuits on a silicon chip were developed.
ICs led to the production of even smaller computers called
mini computers. Software became more sophisticated and
interactive processing possible
• Fourth generation (1971-present): The microprocessor or
computer on a chip was developed. This made PCs, and other
applications possible (calculators, banking, etc)
• Fifth generation (present and beyond): still difficult to define
since most of the technology is in its infancy - artificial
intelligence, neural systems, voice recognition - while others
are still at the experimental stage.
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 Types of computers
• Computers that occupy more physical space are more
powerful since their bigger sizes allow them to
accommodate more processors and other essential
devices.
• Computers are grouped according to physical size and
processing capabilities, accordingly there are four types
of computers. These are;
1. Supercomputer - is a computer that is at the frontline
of current processing capacity, particularly speed of
calculation. It is used for scientific and engineering
problems which are limited by processing speed and
memory size.
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 Types of computers (cont’d..)
2. Mainframe computer - are powerful computers used mainly
by large organizations for critical applications, typically bulk
data processing such as census, industry & consumer
statistics, enterprise resource planning, and
financial transaction processing.
3. Minicomputer – this is very powerful and expensive. The mini-
computers were used by mid-sized companies also known as
workstations mostly for scientific calculations.
4. Microcomputer – also called personal computer. It is the most
widely used: desktop, laptop and palmtop.

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 Computer System
A computer system is mainly composed of computer
hardware and computer software.

8 Figure: Parts of Computer

 Hardware Computer
• refers to the physical equipment / devices that we can touch, feel, etc
• It is categorized into four parts. These are:
1. Input unit/Devices:-are the physical components that the user uses to
capture and enter data and instructions into the computer system.
Input devices translate user data and instructions into a form that the
computer can understand.
• There are several types of input devices.
– Keyboard – usually for character input
– Pointing devices
– Mouse, touchpad, touch screen, light pen, etc.
– Scanner (for graphic input), barcode reader
– Sound, image and video input devices
– Microphone, Digital Video Camera, Web Cam, etc.
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 Hardware Computer (cont’d..)
2. Output Devices:-are the components that are used to present the
processed output or information in a form that is communicable
to the user.
• The most common output devices are:
I. Display Devices-are the components that are used to generate
output (texts, graphics and video output) in a visual form. Egs:
– Monitor which can be either;
CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) screens like ordinary TV screen or
LCD (Liquid Crystal Displays) -flat screen.
– Plasma Screens
– Data and video projectors

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 Hardware Computer (cont’d..)
II. Printer-device that is used to generate hard copy –
printed, paper materials.
Printers can be categorized in to two depending on how
images are made (impact and non-impact printers)
• Impact printers are those that make physical contact with
the paper, like traditional typewriter.
Dot Matrix printer is an example of impact printer.
• Non-impact printers use a different technology (without
physical contact with the paper) to produce prints on
hardcopy. Inkjet and Laser printers are example of non-
impact printers.
III. Speaker- are used to generate sound output.
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 Hardware Computer (cont’d..)
3. Processing Unit:-is the core component of the computer
system where the major task of processing data
(converting data into information) is carried out.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)– it is the brain of the
computer that actually converts data into information. It
manages and controls the overall functionality of the
computer.
The main components of the processing unit are three:
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU):-performs the
mathematical (addition, subtraction, division and
multiplication), comparison (greater than, less than,
equal), and logical (and, or, not) operation.
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 Hardware Computer (cont’d..)
Control unit (CU):-responsible for directing the system
to carryout various internal tasks, like interpreting and
executing program instructions.
Controls the electronic flow of information, fetching and
storing data and instruction from/to registers & memory.
Registers:-registers are the high-speed storage area used
by the CPU. They are used to store data temporarily and
instruction that relate to the process being executed.

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 Hardware Computer (cont’d..)
4. Storage Devices
 Storage devices are grouped into two; primary and secondary
A. Primary Storage Devices (RAM & ROM)
 Memory is an internal primary data storage device that is used
by the computer system.
 Internal memory stores:
Whole or part of the program under execution
Data that is being processed
Operating system that is used to manage the operation of
the computer
 There are two major types of memory; they are
Read Only Memory (ROM) and
Random Access Memory (RAM).
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 Primary Storages (cont’d)
1. ROM provides start-up instruction when the computer starts.
Information stored in ROM is written only once by the
manufacturer and cannot be changed by the user.
 It can be read, but not modified in any way other than replacing the
memory chips themselves.
 The ROM on the computer's motherboard contains instructions that
tell the machine how to execute the "boot process".
 ROM is not volatile; data stored there are kept permanently.
2. RAM -is a temporary /volatile memory space used to store data and
instructions by the computer while performing operations. Data
stored in RAM exists as long as power is on.
 The performance of memory (RAM) is by the amount of bits it can
store and speed at which data can be accessed from the memory.
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 B. Secondary /External storage Devices
 are internal or external storage devices that are used to store
programs and user data for later access.
 Why Secondary Storage?
Convenience: data stored on a secondary storage can be accessed
at a latter time, unlike primary storage which stores data
temporarily
Economical: secondary storage media is less expensive and
hence users can store vast amount data that can be accessed at a
latter stage
Reliability: data on a secondary storage is usually physically safe
 There are three major categories of storage devices; these are:

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 Secondary Storage Devices (cont’d)
1. Magnetic Tape
Magnetic tapes are made of thin plastic material coated
with magnetic coding.
Magnetic tapes look like an audiocassette and used to
store data.
Data is expressed in terms of density, the number of
(bytes) or characters per inch
Sequential data storage and access
Very slow read/write operation
Example: Tape Cartridge

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 Secondary Storage Devices (cont’d)
2. Magnetic Disk
 Magnetic disk is made of thin metal (for hard disks) or plastic (for
floppy disks) platter coated with magnetic oxide.
 Disk performances can be measured in terms of data access time
and data transfer rate
 Magnetic disks have fast read/write operation
3. Optical disks: optical disks are newly introduced and
technologically developing storage devices that use laser technology
for writing/reading data to/from optical spots on disks.
 Examples are: Compact Disk (CD), CD-ROM, CD-R/W (Read and
write), Digital Video (Versatile) disks – DVD,
 Note: Data and instructions are moved around inside the computer
by means of a bus. The bus carries the data between RAM and the
1 CPU as well as within the CPU itself.
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 Communication Hardware
This are the hardware used for communication
purposes.
Eg: Network interface card (NIC), modem, router,
switch, etc.

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 Computer Software
In order to process data, a computer requires instructions.
These instructions are called software.
Software is a program or a set of programs, which is loaded
and run by a computer system.
Software generally remains in storage (on a hard disk) until
the computer needs to use it, the computer then loads the
software into memory, where it can access the software much
more quickly than when it is in storage.
Computer software is categorized into two: system and
application software.

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 Computer Software (cont’d…)
I. Application Software
Application software is designed to assist users in
completing a specific task.
It makes a computer one of the most versatile tools
available;
Allowing the user to write letters and books,
Draw pictures,
Manipulate numbers,
Access data from all over the world,
Play games alone or with others and much more.

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 II. System Software
 System software is the essential software to a computer.
 It performs all the basic operations of the computer, such as input and
output, as well as allocating resources such as RAM, storage,
processing, etc. Typical system software is operating system software.
 Operating systems / operating software is a program or a set of
programs that serves as an Interface between the users, application
programs and the hardware of a computer system.
 Operating System (OS) is the basic software that controls a computer.
It coordinates and manipulates computer hardware, such as computer
memory, printers, disks, keyboard, mouse, and monitor; it organizes
files on a variety of storage media, such as floppy disk, hard drive,
compact disc, digital video disc, and tape; and it manages hardware
errors and the loss of data.
 Operating systems control different (all) computer processes.
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 Types of Operating System
Based on the interface provided by the operating system
1. Command Line Interface (CLI) - users have to enter instruction
one by one using the keyboard.
 Example: Microsoft Disk Operating System – MS-DOS

2. Graphical User Interface (GUI) – these operating systems offer an

easy to use graphical interface where users can use mouse to enter
instruction to the system. With a GUI, a computer user can easily
execute commands by clicking on pictures, words, or icons with a
pointing device known as a mouse
 Example: Windows 95, 98, 2000…, Unix, Linux, etc

Note: GUI OS generally have the disadvantage of requiring

more hardware (like faster CPUs, more memory, and higher-
quality monitors) than do CLI operating systems.
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 Types of Operating System
 Based on the process that they can run at a time
1. Single-tasking OS- the more primitive single-tasking operating
systems can run only one process at a time. For instance, when the
computer is printing a document, it cannot start another process or
respond to new commands until the printing is completed.
2. Multi-tasking OS - all modern OS are multitasking and can run
several processes simultaneously. In most computers, however, there is
only one central processing unit, so a multitasking OS creates the
illusion of several processes running simultaneously on the CPU. The
most common mechanism used to create this illusion is time-slice
multitasking, whereby each process is run individually for a fixed
period of time. If the process is not completed within the allotted time,
it is suspended and another process is run. The processes appear to
run simultaneously because the user's sense of time is much slower
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 Characteristics of Computer
There are nine major characteristics of computer;
Speed: invented as a high speed calculator, electrical pulses travel at
an incredible speed.
Accuracy: computer accuracy is consistently high; it has increased
efficiency in error-detecting techniques.
Storage: a computer has a capacity of accommodating large files.
Versatility: computers are capable of doing almost every basic
exchange information, transfer data, perform basic
arithmetic operation, etc.

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 Characteristics of Computer (cont’d)
Automation: once a program is done, individual instructions
are transferred one after the other to control unit
of execution.
Diligence: computer doesn’t suffer from human traits.
Reliability: computer can perform different complex tasks in
much more reliable way.
Using computers is much more convenient
than the manual operations.
Flexibility: computer perform different tasks at a time
(multipurpose).
Communication: easy to communicate using computer
technology through e-mail, website, etc.
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 Importance of Computer
Making learning more interesting especially for hard-to-
understand issues
Bridging distances – e.g. using e-mails, phone, video
conferencing etc.
Breaking literacy barriers in communication – e.g using
video and radio.
Research and information sharing – e.g. using Internet
Access information on jobs/internships.
Creation of new employment opportunities.

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 Importance of Computer
Enhance interaction with peers over long distances.

Create entertainment opportunities (games, music, video).

Provide more realistic information on life elsewhere.

Provide educational information (e-learning).

Provide health information, including on sensitive issues.

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 Data Processing
It involves the selection and combination of facts in

order to convey a meaningful message.

It has an objective of getting the right information to

the right person at the right time.

It should meet the criteria of accuracy, timeliness,

reliability, availability, consistency, subjectivity,

format, completeness, etc.
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 Data Processing (cont’d..)
Data processing involves the following operations;

Verification

Validation

Sorting

Merging

Computing

Comparing

Updating, etc…
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 Information Processing
Information processing includes all those activities

which turn a set of uncorrelated facts into a meaningful

correlated whole for use in the management processes of
planning, decision-making and control.
The relation of data to information is that of raw

materials to finished products.

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 Information Processing
Information Processing involves 4 stages;
o Information acquisition,
o Organization /integration,
o Utilization, and
o Evaluation from different sources.
The following can be used in information processing
Word processing: creation of text-based documents

Image processing: converting visual information

(graphics & photos) into a format that can be
managed by computer
Voice processing: the processing of spoken
information.
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 Information Processing (cont’d..)
Process of generation of information are;
Data acquisition
o Capturing data initially.
Data transformation
o Rearranging/sorting
o Classifying
o Calculating
o Summarizing
Management of information
o The format for the reporting must be selected and
appropriate channels of communication need to be
selected and used.
o Deciding what mass storage medium is appropriate.
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 Units of Data Representation
Computers represent data as two-state systems. This means
computer recognizes only two numbers; 0 and 1.
Larger numbers, letters and special characters are formed
using combinations of 0 and 1. Each of these two numbers
is called a bit (from the words binary digit).
The combination of bits to form meaningful characters or
numbers is called a byte.
When data is processed or communicated within the
computer system, it is "packed" in unit. Arranged from the
smallest to the largest, the units are called bits and bytes.

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 Data Representation (cont’d)
The smallest unit is the bit.
A bit is a single element in the computer or on a disc, that
is either "ON" (1) or "OFF"(0).
Combination of 0’s and 1’s (bit) in-groups of 8 forms one
byte.
Practically one byte is the space needed to store a
character (a single letter, a number, or symbols such as +,
space, ~, etc).

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 Data Representation (cont’d)
Bit is the smallest storage unit.
For this reason we use;
Kilobytes (KB),
Megabytes (MB) and
Gigabytes (GB)
8 bit  1 byte  1 character
1 KB  210 bytes ~ 1,024 bytes
1 MB  220bytes ~ 1,048.546 bytes
1GB  230 bytes ~ 1,073,741,824 byte

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 Coding Schemes of Data
 There are usually 8 bits in a byte.
 Computer interpret words, statements and paragraphs formed by
these characters as a string or combination of bytes.
 Octal Number System
 The octal number system consists of eight digits (0 to 7).
 All octal numbers are represented using these eight digits. For
example, 273, 103, 2375, etc.
 The position value and quantity of a digit at different positions in a
number are as follows;
 Position: 3 2 1 0 . –1 –2 –3
Position Value: 83 82 81 80 8–1 8–2 8–3
Quantity: 512 64 8 1 1/8 1/64 1/51 2

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 Hexadecimal Number System
The hexadecimal number system consists of ten digits (0
to 9) and (A-F).
The position value and quantity of a digit at different
positions in a number are as follows;
Position: 3 2 1 0 . –1 –2 –3
Position Value: 163 162 161 160 16–1 16–2 16–3
Quantity: 4096 256 16 1 1/16 1/256 1/4096

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 Hexadecimal Number System
Base Digits Largest Digits

Binary 2 0,1 1

Octal 8 0-7 7

Decimal 10 0-9 9

Hexadecimal 16 0-9,A,B,C,D,E,F F(15)

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 Course Status
Section one ends here;

Section two is practical activities while

Section three will come up with

Chapter four to Six.

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