Computing Concepts

Lecture 3: Overview of Computers and

Programming

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 Electronic Computers Then..
• ENIAC: Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer
• Was unveiled publicly on February, 1946.
• In 2011, to honor of the 65th anniversary of the ENIAC‘s unveiling,
the city of Philadelphia declared February 15 as the ENIAC‘s day.
• Weighed 30 tons
• Occupied 30-by-50 foot space.
• Used to compute ballistics
tables, predict the weather, and
make atomic energy
calculations.
• Was in continuous operation
untill October 2, 1955.

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 Electronic Computers Today

(a) Desktop Computer

(b) Hewlett Packard Laptop
(c) iPad
(a) (b) (d) Android phone, LG Thrill
4G

(c) (d)

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 Elements of Computer Systems

• Two major categories:

1. Hardware
2. Software

• Hardware: Hardware is the equipment used to perform

the necessary computations and includes the central
processing unit (CPU), monitor, keyboard, mouse,
printer, and speakers.

• Software: Software consists of the programs that

enables us to solve problems with a computer by
providing it with lists of instructions to perform.

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 Computer Hardware (contd.)

• Main memory:
– stores programs, data, and results.
– Has two types: RAM and ROM
– RAM: Random Access Memory, offers temporary storage of
programs and data, usually volatile memory which means that
everything in RAM will be lost when the computer is switched off.
– ROM: Read-Only Memory, stores programs or data permanently,
not volatile. Start.up instructions and other critical instructions
are burned into ROM chips at the factory.
• Secondary Storage Devices:
– Reason: First, need for permanent or semipermanent storage for
information
– Second, systems typically store more information than will fit in
main memory.

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 Computer Hardware

• Main memory
• Secondary memory:
CDs, DVDs, Hard
drives, flash drives,
etc.
• Central Processing
Unit
• Input devices:
keyboards, mouses,
touch pads,
scaanners, joysticks,
etc.
• Output devices:
monitors, printers,
Components of a PC speakers, etc.

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 Anatomy of Memory
Memory Cells
• Ordered sequence of storage locations
• Each cell has a unique address that indicates its relative
position in memory.
• The data stored in a memory cell are called the contents of
the cell.

Bits
• Derived from the words binary digit
• Smallest element a computer can deal with

Bytes
• The amount of storage required to
store a single character (usually 8 bits)
such as the letter H stored in memory
cell 4 in figure.

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 Computer Software

• Operating System (OS):

– Software that controls interaction of user and
computer hardware and that manages
allocation of computer resources.
• Application Software:
– software used for a specific task such as word
processing, accounting, or database
management.

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 Computer Languages

• Machine Language:
– Binary number codes understood be a
specific CPU
• Assembly Language:
– Mnemonic codes that correspond to machine
language instructions
• High-level language:
– Machine-independent programming language
that combines algebraic expressions and
English symbols
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