Unit-1, Introduction to Computer

System Presented by
BADAL BHUSHAN
Department of
MCA
WHAT IS A
COMPUTER ?
COMPUTER

C Completely
O Obedient
M Machine
P Provided
U User
T Type
E Everything
R Right
 WHAT IS A COMPUTER ?

Definition
Computer is an electronic device that can accept,
store and process data under the control of a set
instructions. The instructions, called a program,
are store in the computer when in use, so they
can be executed automatically.
WHAT IS A COMPUTER ?
Processing: A computer performs operations on
the data
and transforms it in some-way.

Output: A computer gives an output on a

device, such as
a printer, a monitor or a plotter.

Storage: A computer stores the results of

processing
operations for future use, such as floppy disk,
hard disk,
optical disk, cartridge tape.
 Characteristics of
computer
The important factors that lead a person to
use a computer
are:-
Speed
Accuracy
Storage
Versatility
Diligence
Reliability
Memory capability
 Elements of Computer

It is necessary to know the architecture

i.e., the internal structure of a computer to
understand the functioning of a
computer.A computer, as we have learnt, is
an electronic device which accepts
instructions and data, stores it as long as
required, processes the given data
according to the instructions programs)
given to it and gives the output as and
when required.
 Elements of Computer
If we analyse the above information,
we find computer system to essentially
perform the following functions:-
Accepts the information (Input).

Manipulates the information

(Processing).
Stores the information (Storage)

Displays

The result (Output)

 Elements of Computer

Equipment and program are two essential

parts of a working computer system. In
computer terminology, all computer programs
are known as software and all computer
peripherals are called hardware.
 Elements of Computer
HARDWARE
The term hardware refers to the physical
parts of the computer. Computer
hardware is versatile and it depends
upon the computer program you use.
Hardware is a general term use to
represent the physical and the tangible
components of the computer itself i.e.,
those components, which can be seen
and touched. It includes:
(a) Input devices (b) Output devices.
(c) Memory (d) Processor.
(e) Storage devices
 Elements of Computer

INPUT DEVICES
Key board, Mouse, Readers of
punched cards, Paper and magnetic
tapes, Light pen, Joystick, Optical
image scanners ,MICR (Magnetic Ink
Character Recognition),OCR (Optical
Character Recognition), OMR (Optical
Mark Reader), Audio sensors,
Temperature sensors ,Output Devices
 Elements of Computer

OUTPUT DEVICES
There are two types of outputs produced by
output devices:
(a) Soft copy (b) Hard copy
The most common type of output devices are:
Monitors
Printers
 Elements of Computer
MEMORY DEVICES
Memory is electronic holding place for
instructions and data that your computers
microprocessor can reach quickly. When your
computer system is in normal operation, its
memory usually contains the main parts of the
operating and some or all of the application
programs and related data in use. Memory is often
used as a shorter synonym for random access
memory (RAM). The primary memory section of
memory is a part of CPU and usually consists of
mixture of RAM and ROM. As secondary memory
the computer may also have floppy disks,
magnetic hard disk, or laser optical disks.
 Elements of Computer
The Purpose of Memory
Memory has two purposes:-
(a)To store the binary codes for the
sequence of instructions to be
carried out by the computer
according to the program written.
(b)To store the binary-coded data
with which the computer is going to
be working. For example, inventory
record of a company or a market.
 Elements of Computer

Processor
It is also referred as the brain of the
system. It is that part of the process the
data which contains electronic circuit to
process the data. Depending on the
instructions of input devices it performs
operations on the data. It also controls
the flow of data through the system,
directing the data to enter the system,
placing it in memory and retrieving it
when required and directing the output.
 Elements of Computer
The CPU consists of:
ALU (Arithmetical Logic Unit)
Control unit
Memory unit
 History of Computers
Year Computing device and Usefulness and Remark
inventor

3000 ABACUS Developed in China. It was used as a

B.C. counting device and later on for
mathematical calculations.

1615 NAPIERS BONES (JOHN Ten strips of bones, so numbered that when
NAPIER, Scottish placed next to each other multiplication
Mathematician) could be carried out by addition of adjacent
numbers
1620 First SLIDE RULE It was based on the principle of Napiers
(EDMUND GUNTUR) bones. It could be used for rapid
calculations.
1623 BINARY CODE (Francis Decimal numbers could be changed to
Bacon) binary numbers using only 2 digits, 0 and 1.
It became the basis of modern computer
number system.
 History of Computers
Year Computing device and Usefulness and Remark
inventor
1642 PASCALS ARITHMETIC The first mechanical adding machine was
MACHINE (BLAISE invented by Blaise Pascal in 1642. A device
PASCAL) French with eight counter wheels, linked by
Mathematician and ratchets for carry-over. He exhibited it in
Philosopher 1645. It was made for tedious mathematical
calculations. It did not become successful
due to difficult operation and higher cost.
1673 LEIBNEZS STEPPED The machine used to change complex
RECKONER (GOTTFRIED arithmetic operations into a series of simple
LEIBNEZ, German calculations. Largely used for calculating
Mathematician) tables of common calculations.
1801 JACQUARDS LOOM It was used by weavers to create a
(Joseph Marie Jacquard, particular pattern by using punched cards.
French Craftsman)
1834 BABBAGES ANALYTICAL Todays modern computer organizations
ENGINE (Charles correspond very closely to Analytical
Babbage Professor of Engine.
Mathematics at
Cambridge University)
 History of Computers
Year Computing device and
inventor
1842 First Computer Programmer
(Lady Augusta ADA Byron)
1946 ENIAC (Electronic Numerical
Integrator and Calculator)
(Constructed by a team led
by professors John W.
Mauchly & J Presper Eckert
USA, at Moore school of
Engineering, the university
of Pennsylvania)
Usefulness and Remark
She translated a paper on Babbages
Analytical Engine from French to English,
describing steps to follow. She is considered
to be the first programmer of the world.
One of the programming languages is
named after her (i.e. ADA)
It was a full-fledged electronic computer. It
used the Cathode Ray Tube (storage type)
for storage purpose. Developed as a result
of military need. It used 18000 vacuum
tubes and occupied space of 20 x 40 square
feet. This machine was much faster than
MarkI computer. It had limitations of limited
amount of information and it was difficult to
detect errors and change the programmes.
 History of Computers
Year Computing device and Usefulness and Remark
inventor
1946 Concept of STORING DATA He gave the design principle of digital
as PROGRAM in computers computers, which is important for the concept
(Dr. VON NEUMANN, of stored program to make computers fully
Mathematician, automatic.
Philadelphia, USA)
1949 EDSAC (Electronic Delay It was the first computer to utilize stored
Storage Automatic program concept. Mercury delay lines were
Calculator) (M.V. WILLKES used for storage and paper tape for input and
Cambridge University) output.
1950 ACE (Automatic Computer It was the first computer to use two address
Engine) (National Physical codes (one to signify the location of the data
Laboratory Teddington) to be operated and the other for the address
of the next instruction)
1951 LEO (LYONS ELECTRONIC It was worlds first commercial computer. It
OFFICE) (M.V. WILLKES) made the concept of Office Automation a
reality.
 History of Computers
Year Computing device and Usefulness and Remark
inventor

1951 UNIVAC-1 (by University It was developed for commercial data

Accounting Co. set up by processing. It was used by Columbia
ECKERT and MAUCHLY). In Broadcasting System (CBS) for forecasting
1952, the IBM corporation Presidential election results in USA in 1952. It
introduced the 701 was in use at Bureau of Census, USA till
commercial computer. In 1963.
rapid succession improved
models of UNIVAC I and
other 700 series machines
were developed.

1854 BOOLEAN LOGIC (GEORGE He published the (ALGEBRA) principle of

BOOLE, the British Boolean Logic, the mathematical variables,
Mathematician) the values of which can be true or false. It
was an important development in the field of
digital computers as it becomes easy to build
reliable electronic circuits for representing
binary digits (1 and 0; ON and OFF)
 History of Computers
Year Computing device and Usefulness and Remark
inventor
1855 DIFFERENCE ENGINE It was based on Babbages idea. He made a
(GEORGE SCHEUTZ, working Difference Engine for doing
Printer form Sweden) calculations.

1884 PUNCHED CARD It was used for the census of American (1890
TABULATING MACHINE census). The work of approx. eight years was
(HERMAN HOLLERITH) perfomed by this machine within three years.
Instructor at
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (M.I.)
1909 First ACCOUNTING It was capable of sorting, recording and
MACHINE (CHARLES calculating the data.
KATTERING National Cash
Register Company NCR)
1938 ZI (K.ZUSE, Germany) He designed the first program controlled
computer. It was supposed to be the first
computer of the world. It was destroyed in
the second world war bombing.
 History of Computers
Year Computing device and
inventor
1942 ATANASOF-BERRY COMPUTER (ABC)
(JOHN VINCET ATANASOF of lowa State
and CLIFFORD BERRY)
1944 The Mark1 computer (also known as
Automatic Sequence Control Calculator).
It was an electromechanical device since
both mechanical and electronic
components were used in the design.
Usefulness and Remark
It was the first successful general purpose digital
computer. It used 45 vacuum tubes for internal
logic and capacitors for storage.
This was the first fully automatic calculating
machine designed by Howard A. Aiken of Harvard
University in collaboration with IBM (International
Business Machine) corporation. Based on
techniques already developed for punched card
machinery. It was a decimal machine. One day
when a program did not run properly due to a
moth short-circuiting the computer, the error in
the program occurred. Since then, the moth or
the bug has been linked with the errors or
problems in computer programming. Machine was
50 feet long and eight feet high. Five basic
arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division and table-reference) could
be performed very well. But machine was very
slow.
 Generation of computer

The First generation Computers

The term generation was initially used to distinguish between
changing hardware technologies but these days this term
includes both the hardware and the software. Both hardware
and software make up an entire computer system. The first
truly general purpose computer was designed to meet the
defense need of world war II. It is important to mention that all
scientific inventions of great importance and significance have
often been linked with supporting a very undesirable,
unhealthy and un-glorifying aspect of civilization i.e., war
between several nations have resulted into huge destruction.
The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator) was
designed in 1945 at the Moore School of Engineering of the
University of Pennsylvania, USA to calculate figures for
thousands of gunnery tables required by US army for accuracy
in artillery fire. This invention of electronic computer ushered
in the era of what is known as first generation computers.
 Generation of computer
ENIAC used decimal arithmetic rather than binary arithmetic.
It had two
Major-shortcomings: It could store and manipulate only a very
limited amount of information Its programs were wired on
boards.ENIAC needed to be programmed manually by setting
switches and plugging or unplugging. Thus, passing
instructions to the computer was cumbersome and time-
consuming. This was considered a major limitation of ENIAC.

Due to these limitations, it was difficult to detect errors and

change the programs.EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable
Automatic Computer) was designed on stored program
concept. The concept of stored program was developed by
Dr. John Van Neumann. This new concept solved the problem
of ENIAC. The instructions and the data were stored in the
binary form instead of decimal numbers. EDSAC (Electronic
Delay Storage Automatic Calculator) was developed by
Britishers during 1947-1949. Addition was completed in
 Generation of computer

Advantages
Vacuum tubes were used for internal logic and capacitors for
storage. The advent of electronic digital computers was possible due
to vacuum tube technology. The stored program feature of EDVAC
and EDSAC influenced the development of modern digital
computers. First generation computers could accomplish
mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division, table reference etc., at a good speed and these computers
were the fastest calculating machines of their time.

Disadvantages
Machines were non-portable due to their huge size.
Large number of vacuum tubes of the order of 18,000 were used.
Excessive heat was produced and chances of burning of machines
were quite large.
Frequent hardware failure was a big problem.
Maintenance was required quite frequently.
Commercial production was difficult and costly.
Commercial use of machines was limited.
 Generation of computer
The Second generation computers
The transistor, an electronic device, was invented by Bardeen,
Bratain and Shockley in 1951. A transistor is a device having
three parts, which are called emitter, base and collector. Semi-
conducting materials like silicon are used in manufacturing
transistors. Pure silicon is heavily doped with materials like
aluminum, indium, phosphorus, arsenic but these materials
must be either trivalent or pentavalent. These devices are more
reliable, cheaper and much smaller in size than vacuum tubes.
Very less amount of heat is required for operating such devices.
However, computers using transistors in place of vacuum tubes
took about a decade to develop. These transistors were the
important part of the brain of the computer. Several thousands
of individual components had to be assembled by hand into a
functioning circuit
 History of Computers
The manual assembly of the hardware components
involved a huge amount of labour and money. That is
why the commercial production of these computers was
not so easy a task. But, the second generation
computers had greater speed, larger memory, capacity
and smaller size than their counter parts of first
generation. These machines were more advanced in
terms of arithmetic and logic unit and control unit. At
this time a high level language was started and there
were enough provisions for system software. IBM 700
series started during this time. There was consistent
growth of technology with each successful number of
this series. The cost of production also underwent a
huge change. In IBM series two main concepts of input
output channels, an independent processor and a useful
routing device called Multiplexor were also used.
 History of Computers
Advantages
Greater speed.
Larger memory capacity.
Less heat dissipation.
Smaller in size.
Better portability.
Less prompt to hardware failure.
More advanced in terms of arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and
control unit (CU).
Computational time reduced from milliseconds to
microseconds.
Disadvantages
Manual assembly of individual components into a functioning
unit required. Regular maintenance required. Commercial
production was difficult but less costlier than the first
generation computers. Chances of damage of the machine
due to heat were more than the first generation computers.
 Generation of computer
The Third generation computers
The continued technological advancement during 1960 led to
the making of electronic equipments from discrete
components such as transistors, capacitors, resistors and so
on. These components were manufactured separately and
used to be soldered on circuit boards. These boards are used
for making electronic devices like computers. But, this
mechanism of making computers was cumbersome and time-
consuming. The advances in electronics technology continued
and the advent of micro-electronics technology started the
method of integrating large number of circuit elements into
very small (less than 5mm square) surface of silicon known as
chips. This new invention of integrated circuits (ICs) defines
the third generation of computers. Circuit elements such as
transistors, resistors, capacitors are fabricated n semi-
conducting material such as silicon. Thus, a desired circuit can
be fabricated in a small piece of silicon rather than assembling
several discrete components into the same circuit. Thousands
of transistors could be fabricated on a single wafer of silicon.
Generation of computer
 Generation of computer
An integrated circuit is constructed on a thin wafer of silicon,
which is divided into a large number of small areas of the
order of few millimeters square. On each area an identical
circuit pattern is fabricated. Now the wafer is broken into
chips. Each of these chips consists of a number of gates
(useful logic component) and a number of input and output
connection points. The protective packaging of these chips is
done very carefully. For connecting a chip with other devices
or circuits, a number of pins are provided on the packages.
There are two methods for providing the pins:

Advantages
Lesser amount of heat generated than the second generation
computers.
Computing time reduced from microseconds to nanoseconds.
Low cost of maintenance.
Low cost of manufacturing. The production cost of a chip
remains almost constant irrespective of the increasing density
 Generation of computer
Greater operating speed. The more is the density, the closer are
the logic or memory elements, which means shorter electrical
paths and hence the higher operating speed.
Smaller the computer better the portability.
Reduced cooling requirements.
Reliability is more: The ICs interconnections are much more
reliable than soldered connections. In addition, densely packed
integrated circuits enable fewer inter-chip connections. Thus, the
computers are more reliable.
Totally general purpose computers. Widely used for various
commercial applications.
Compatibility of various models that is a program written on a
lower model can be executed on a higher model without any
change. But, the reverse may or may not be true.

Disadvantages Highly sophisticated technology required for the

manufacture of ICs. Temperature control is required but this
requirement is less than that in second generation computers.
 Generation of computer
The Fourth generation computers
With the rapid advancement of IC technology, it became
possible to integrate 30,000 components on a single chip. This
technology was known as Large Scale Integration (LSI).
Efforts are still on for integrating more than 1 million
components on a single chip. This technology is known as Very
Large Scale Integration (VLSI). The future projections
indicate that about 10,000, 000, 000 will be integrated on a
single chip. The fourth generation computers LSI chips as their
brain. The LSI technology has produced powerful computers of
small size. With this revolution it was possible to have complete
circuit of a computer on a single chip of the size of a postage
stamp. The compactness of computers became possible with
this technology and the cost of production came down heavily. It
was really the beginning of a social revolution because it
became possible for anyone to own a computer. The mass
production of CPU, memory etc is done at a very low cost. The
VLSI-based computer architecture has led to the production of
 Generation of computer

Advantages
High density of packaging of components on chips reduces the size of
computers.
Reliability is high.
Heat production is negligible.
The speed of computation is much more than that of previous
generations.
Chances of hardware failure are very low and hence, minimal
maintenance is required.
Easily portable because of their small size.
Totally general purpose machines.
Mass production is not difficult and is cheap.

Disadvantages

Technological requirements are high for the manufacture of LSI

chips.
 Generation of computer

The Fifth generation computers

Unlike the human brain a computer cannot think on its own, but has
to be given a very explicit, step-by-step, instructions to make it
perform a task. There is a lack of creativity and imagination and the
ability to reason logically. It does not have intuition and cannot draw
conclusion without going through all the intermediate steps. The
experience of a computer does not give it any advantage in
performing task. These are some of the limitations of fourth
generation computers. Scientists are working on the fifth generation
computers. The important breakthroughs of previous technologies
specially the LSI and VLSI have led to the manufacturing of high-
speed computers at fairly low cost but limitations are still there in
their functioning.
The area of stress in the development of fifth generation
computers will be to bring about machines with genuine I.Q
i.e. the ability to reason logically, and the real knowledge of
the world. These machines will have parallel structure instead
of series structure. Simultaneously, the machines will perform
multi functions but will not be algorithmic (step-by-step, with
one step at a time). Today, people have started calling
computers as data processor because data processing is
fundamental to computers. But fifth generation computers will
not do only data processing but knowledge processing too. It
will not only deduce inferences from the information fed to it
but also behave in a inductive fashion. It will be expert
enough to interact with humans in ordinary languages unlike
the scientific languages (Cobol, Fortran etc.). Architectural
projection will be knowledge based (KIPS - Knowledge
Information Processing System) instead of data or information
based (DIPS/LIPS - Data/Logic Information Processing
system).Japan has taken a lead in initiating the work in this
direction by using programming in logic (PROLOG language)
as the operating system and may be that the fifth generation
Presenter name : BADAL BHUSHAN
Specialization : Computer Science &
Engineering
Email Id : bhushan_badal@yahoo.com
Contact No . : +91-9911519500