Computer Concept

Lecturer : PRAGYA DIXIT

Textbook
E. Balagurusamy, Fundamentals of
Computers, Mc Graw Hill.
Whats a Computer?
A computer is an electronic machine
that takes input from the user,
processes the given input and
generates output in the form of useful
information.
Whats a Computer?
Input: data, programs, user reply
Data: the raw details that need to be processed to
generate some useful information.
Programs: the set of instructions that can be
executed by the computer in sequential or non-
sequential manner.
User reply: the input provided by the user in
response to a question asked by the computer.
Computers Have Two Main
Parts
1. Computer Hardware

2. Computer Software


What is Computer Hardware?
Computer Hardware is the physical part
of the computer system, the machinery
and equipment.

Parts of the computer you can see

Examples of Computer
Hardware
Monitor: T.V. like screen used to show pictures and words
CPU: Central Processing Unit this is where most of the
computers calculations take place. In terms of computing
power, the CPU is the most important element of a
computing system
Keyboard: This device is used to type information into
the computer and contains the numbers 0-9.
More Computer Hardware
Mouse: a small device, which you move across the top of the
desk to move the pointer or cursor on the screen.



Printer: used to make a paper copy of the information into the
computer.





Image Scanner: an electronic device that generates a digital
representation of an image for data input to a computer

What is Computer Software?
Computer Software are programs that tell the computer
what to do.


Examples
Microsoft Word-word processing program
Microsoft PowerPoint-presentation program
Microsoft Excel-work book program used to track,
calculate, and analyze numeric data

Computer Input Devices
Input is any data entered into the computers
memory.
Computer Devices that input information in the
computer


Examples
Key Board
Mouse
Scanner
Digital Camera

Computer Output Devices
Computer Devices that output information
from the computer.


Examples
Monitor
Printer
General Understanding of how
your computer works!
Motherboard

It is the main circuit board inside the CPU case. It holds
the microprocessor, memory and other crucial circuits and
components that control the operation of the Personal
Computer. Every device inside or connected to a Personal
Computer finds it's way to this board.

Memory
The mother board takes the input you give it like mouse clicks, and
produces output for you like displaying or printing a file.

It can't do this without memory. The PC operating system used by the
PC is copied from storage to memory at power up.The OS copy in
memory then runs the PC.

Memory is volatile which means that when your PC is turned off the
contents of memory are lost. It is completely blank and must reloaded
each time the PC is powered up.

Storage
Storage is non-volatile which means it retains information
even when it is powered off. It stores programs which run
the PC as well as data, which is a digital form of everything
you use like documents, music, pictures, etc

Input Devices
The keyboard and mouse are the main input devices you
use to control your PC.

Storage Devices

Primary storage: is the storage provided
by memory in a computer system
e.g. ROM/RAM.
Secondary storage: is storage provided
by peripheral devices other than memory
Secondary storage: is required in a computer
system for three reasons
Storage Devices
1. The content of memory is usually volatile, which means that if
power is disconnected the data is lost.
2. The capacity in megabytes of memory is limited.
3. Memory is more expensive than secondary
storage.
Storage Devices
Several types of disks may be used for Secondary storage.
Floppy disks

Hard disks

Optical disks (including CD-ROM, writeable CD,
DVD

Backup Storage Devices e.g. tape
Floppy Disk

A floppy disk is a low capacity disk which may be
removed from the computer.
Data may be written to and read from a floppy. A small notch
can be used to make the disk read-only
They are small lightweight and easy to transport.

Ideal for backups of small amounts of data or for
transfer of data from one machine to another.

Floppy Drives are common to most if not all
computers.

Hard Disk

A hard disk is a higher capacity medium, with up to
hundreds of gigabytes.
They are usually non-removable, but removable hard disks are becoming more
common.
They can be both read from and written to, and are the standard medium for
storage on computer systems today.
Hard disks are much faster than floppy disks and can store much larger
amounts of data.
Optical disks

CD ROM = Compact Disk Read Only Memory, is an ideal
device for storing large quantities of data and information
such as large software packages.
The CD drive uses laser technology to read the disk contents and
therefore both access and transfer are extremely fast.
CD ROM as the name suggests is Read Only
Writable CDs allow for large amounts of data to
be written to a CD as well as read from it. They
are sometimes know as CD-RW.

DVD
DVD or Digital Versatile Disk is a higher capacity version of
a CD and DVD drives have a higher transfer rate.
DVD disks provide high quality playback of films and audio and are
increasingly found as standard on the home PC.
DVDs may be read only or read/write. They are sometimes know as
DVD-ROM and DVD-RAM.
Evolution of Computers
Manual Computing Devices: Sand table,
Abacus,
Automated Computing Devices: difference
engine, analytical engine, Colossus,
Charles Babbage: A professor of
mathematics a the Cambridge University is
considered to be the father of modern
computer.
Generations of Computers
First Generation Computers
Employed during the period 1940-1956
Used the vacuum tubes technology for calculation as
well as for storage and control purpose.
Advantages: (1) Fastest computing devices of their
time; (2) These computers were able to execute
complex mathematical problems in an efficient
manner.
Generations of Computers
Disadvantages:
(1) The functioning of these computers depended on the machine
language.
(2) There were generally designed as special-purpose computers.
(3) The use of vacuum tube technology make these computers
very large and bulky.
(4) They were not easily transferable from one place to another
due to their huge size and also required to be placed in cool places.
(5) They were single tasking because they could execute only one
program at a time.
(6) The generated huge amount of heat and hence were prone to
hardware faults.
Generations of Computers
Second Generation Computers
Employed during the period 1956-1963
Use transistors in place of vacuum tubes in building
the basic logic circuits.
Advantages: (1) Fastest computing devices of their
time; (2) Easy to program because of the use
assembly language; (3) Could be transferred from
one place to other very easily because they were
small and light; (4) Require very less power in
carrying out their operations; (5) More reliable, did
not require maintenance at regular intervals of time.
Generations of Computers
Disadvantages:
(1)The input and output media were not
improved to a considerable extent
(2) Required to be placed in air-conditioned
places
(3) The cost of these computers was very high
and they were beyond the reach of home users
(4) Special-purpose computers and could
execute only specific applications
Generations of Computers
Third Generation Computers
Employed during the period 1964-1975
Use of Integrated Circuits
Advantages: (1) Fastest computing devices; (2) Very
productive; (3) Easily transportable from one place to
another because of their small size; (4) Use high-
level languages; (5) Could be installed very easily
and required less space; (6) Can execute any type of
application. (7) More reliable and require less
frequent maintenance schedules.
Generations of Computers
Disadvantages:
(1)The storage capacity of these computers was still
very small;
(2) The performance of these computers degraded
while executing large applications, involving complex
computations because of the small storage capacity;
(3) The cost of these computers was very high;
(4) They were still required to be placed in air-
conditioned places.
Generations of Computers
Fourth Generation Computers
Employed during 1975-1989
Use of Large Scale Integration technology
and Very Large Scale Integration technology
The term Personal Computer (PC) became
known to the people during this era.
Generations of Computers
Advantages:
(1) Very powerful in terms of their processing speed
and access time;
(2) Storage capacity was very large and faster;
(3) Highly reliable and required very less maintenance;
(4) User-friendly environment;
(5) Programs written on these computers were highly
portable;
(6) Versatile and suitable for every type of applications;
(7) Require very less power to operate.
Generations of Computers
Disadvantages:
(1) The soldering of LSI and VLSI chips on the
wiring board was not an easy task and required
complicated technologies to bind these chips on
the wiring board;
(2) The working of these computers is still
dependent on the instructions given by the
programmer.
Generations of Computers
Fifth Generation Computers
The different types of modern digital
computers come under this category.
Use Ultra Large Scale Integration technology
that allows almost ten million electronic
components to be fabricated on one small
chip.
Generations of Computers
Advantages:
(1) Fastest and powerful computers till date;
(2) Being able to execute a large number of applications
at the same time and that too at a very high speed;
(3) Decreasing the size of these computers to a large
extent;
(4)The users of these computers find it very
comfortable to use them because of the several
additional multimedia features;
(5) They are versatile for communications and resource
sharing.
Classification of Computers
We can classify the computers
according to the following three criteria:
(1) Based on operating principles
(2) Based on applications
(3) Based on size and capability
Classification of Computers
(1) Based on operating principles:
Analog computers: represent data in the
form of continuous electrical signals having a
specific magnitude
Digital computers: store and process data in
the digital form.
Hybrid computers: a combination of analog
computer and digital computer because it
encompasses the best features of both.
Classification of Computers
(2) Based on applications:
General purpose computers: can work
in all environments.

Special purpose computers: can
perform only a specified task.
Classification of Computers
(3) Based on size and capability
Microcomputers: Designed to be used by
individuals.
Mini Computers: Can handle more data and
more input and output than micro computers.
Mainframe Computers: A very large
computer
Super Computers: The fastest type of
computer that can perform complex operations
at a very high speed.