1ST LECTURE

computer :
It is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions
stored in its own memory, that can accept data, process the data
according to specified rules.
Information Processing Cycle:

INPUT Processing OUTPUT

→ →
+store

Computers process data into information.

Data is a collection of unprocessed items, which can include text,
numbers, images, audio, and video.

Information conveys meaning and is useful to people.

Detail Example

Name: Ali, Ayesha, Ahmad,

Munir
Marks:10,5,2,8

Merit calculation
If marks >=5
candidate is eligible

Merit List
Sr Name Marks
No
1 Ali 10
2 Ayesha 05
3 Munir 08
 The Components of a Computer
A computer contains many electric, electronic, and mechanical
components known as hardware.
Examples: Mic, Keyboard,Hard Disk, Scanner, Printer etc
Components
 Input devices
 Output devices
 System unit
 Storage devices
 Communication devices.

Input Devices
An input device is any hardware component that allows you to enter
data and instructions into a computer.
Example: keyboard, mouse, microphone, scanner, and Web cam.
Output Devices
An output device is any hardware component that conveys
information to one or more people.
Example: printer, a monitor, and speakers.

System Unit
The system unit is a case that contains the electronic components of
the computer that are used to process data .
The main components of system unit are :
 Mother Board
 CPU
 Primary Memory
 Ports & connectors
 Expansion slots & Adaptor Cards
 Buses
 Power supply
Storage Devices
Storage holds data, instructions, and information for future use.
For example, computers can store hundreds or millions of customer
names and addresses.
A computer keeps data, instructions, and information on storage
media .
Examples of storage media are USB flash drives, hard disks, optical
discs, and memory cards.
A storage device records (writes) and/or retrieves (reads) items to
and from storage media.
Storage devices often function as a source of input because they
transfer items from storage to memory.
Communications Devices
A communications device is a hardware component that enables a
computer to send (transmit) and receive data, instructions, and
information to and from one or more computers or mobile devices.
Example: modem .
Communications occur over cables, telephone lines, cellular radio
networks, satellites, and other transmission media.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages of Using Computers
• Speed: When data, instructions, and information flow along
electronic circuits in a computer, they travel at incredibly fast speeds.
Many computers process billions or trillions of operations in a single
second. Processing involves computing organizing, displaying
images, recording audio, playing music, and showing a movie or
video.
• Reliability: The electronic components in modern computers are
dependable and reliable because they rarely break or fail.
• Consistency: Given the same input and processes, a computer will
produce the same results — consistently.
• Storage: A computer can transfer data quickly from storage to
memory, process it, and then store it again for future use.
• Communications: Most computers today can communicate with
other computers, often wirelessly. Computers with this capa bility
can share any of the four information processing cycle operations —
input, process, output, and storage — with another computer.
Disadvantages of Using Computers
• Health Risks: Prolonged or improper computer use can lead to
injuries or disorders of the hands, wrists, elbows, eyes, neck, and
back.
Two behavioral health risks are:
Computer addiction occurs when someone becomes obsessed with
using a computer.
Individuals suffering from technology overload feel distressed when
deprived of computers and mobile devices.
• Violation of Privacy:Nearly every life event is stored in a computer
somewhere . . . in medical records, credit reports, tax records, etc. In
many instances, where personal and confidential records were not
protected properly.
• Public Safety: Adults, teens, and children around the world are using
computers to share publicly their photos, videos, journals, music, and
other personal information. Some of these unsuspecting, innocent
computer users have fallen victim to crimes committed by dangerous
strangers.
• Impact on Labor Force: Although computers have improved
productivity in many ways and created an entire industry with
hundreds of thousands of new jobs, the skills of millions of
employees have been replaced by computers. A separate impact on
the labor force is that some companies are outsourcing jobs to
foreign countries instead of keeping their homeland labor force
employed.
• Impact on Environment: Computer manufacturing processes and
computer waste are depleting natural resources and polluting the
environment. When computers are discarded in landfills, they can
release toxic materials and potentially dangerous levels of lead,
mercury, and flame retardants.
Green computing
It involves reducing the electricity consumed and environmental
waste generated when using a computer.
Strategies that support green computing include
recycling
regulating
manufacturing processes
extending the life of computers and
immediately donating or properly disposing of replaced computers.
Network
A network is a collection of computers and devices connected
together, often wirelessly, via communications devices and
transmission media. When a computer connects to a network, it is
online.
Networks allow computers to share resources, such as hardware,
software, data, and information.
Sharing resources saves time and money. In many networks, one or
more computers act as a server. The server controls access to the
resources on a network.
Internet
The Internet is a worldwide collection of networks that connects
millions of businesses, government agencies, educational
institutions, and individuals.
Uses of internet
• Communicate with and meet other people
• Conduct research and access a wealth of information and news
• Shop for goods and services
• Bank and invest
• Participate in online training
• Engage in entertaining activities, such as planning vacations,
playing online games, listening to music, watching or editing videos,
and reading books and magazines
• Download music and videos
• Share information, photos, and videos
• Access and interact with Web applications.
The Web, short for World Wide Web, is one often more popular
services on the Internet.
Social Networking Web site or an online social network:
It encourages members to share their interests, ideas, stories, photos, music,
and videos with other registered users .
A photo sharing community is a specific type of social networking Web site that
allows users to create an online photo album and store and share their digital
photos.
A video sharing community is a type of social networking Web site that allows
users to store and share their personal videos.
Hundreds of thousands of people today also use blogs to publish their
thoughts on the Web.
A blog is an informal Web site consisting of timestamped articles in a diary or
journal format, usually listed in reverse chronological order.
Blog that contains video clips is called a video blog.
Computer Software
Software, also called a program, consists of a series of related instructions,
organized for a common purpose, that tells the computer what tasks to
perform and how to perform them.
The user interface controls how you enter data and instructions and how
information is displayed on the screen. Software today often has a graphical
user interface.
Graphical user interface (GUI), you interact with the software using text, graphics,
and visual images such as icons. An icon is a miniature image that represents a
program, an instruction, or some other object. You can use the mouse to select
icons that perform operations such as starting a program.
The two categories of software are
 System software
 Application software

System Software
System software consists of the programs that control or maintain the
operations of the computer and its devices. System software serves as the
interface between the user, the application software, and the computer’s
hardware.
Two types of system software
Operating System An operating system is a set of programs that coordinates all
the activities among computer hardware devices. It provides a means for users
to communicate with the computer and other software.
EXAMPLE Microsoft’s Windows, o Mac OS, Apple’s operating syatem.
Utility Program A utility program allows a user to perform maintenance-type
tasks usually related to managing a computer, its devices, or its programs.
EXAMPLE you can use a utility program to transfer digital photos to an
optical disc.

Application Software
Application software consists of programs designed to make users more
productive and assist them with personal tasks.
Types of Application software
Word processing software
Spreadsheet software
Database software
Presentation software
Multimedia software etc.
These softwares include personal information management, note taking,
project management, accounting, document management, desktop
publishing, paint/image editing, photo editing, audio and video editing,
multimedia authoring, Web page authoring, personal finance, legal, tax
preparation, home design/landscaping, travel and mapping, education,
reference, and entertainment (e.g., games or simulations, etc.).

Installing
It is the process of setting up software to work with the computer, printer, and
other hardware.
When you buy a computer, it usually has some software pre installed on its
hard disk. This enables you to use the computer the first time you turn it on. To
begin installing additional software, To install downloaded software, the Web
site typically provides instructions for how to install the program on your hard
disk.

Software Development
A programmer, sometimes called a computer programmer or developer, is
someone who develops software or writes the instructions that direct the
computer to process data into information.
Complex programs can require thousands to millions of instructions.
Programmers use a programming language or program development tool to
create computer programs. Popular programming languages include C++, Java,
JavaScript, Visual C#, and Visual Basic.

Categories of Computers
> Personal computers (desktop)
>Mobile computers and mobile devices
> Game consoles
>Servers
>Mainframes
>Supercomputers
>Embedded computers.

Personal Computers
A personal computer is a computer that can perform all of its input,
processing, output, and storage activities by itself. A personal computer
contains a processor, memory, and one or more input, output, and storage
devices. Personal computers also often contain a communications device.
Two types of personal computers are desktop computers and notebook
computer.
Desktop Computers A desktop computer is designed so that the systemunit, input
devices, output devices, and any other devices fit entirely on or under a desk
or table .

Mobile Computers and Mobile Devices

A mobile computer is a personal computer you can carry from place to place.
Similarly, a mobile device is a computing device small enough to hold in your
hand.
The most popular type of mobile computer is the notebook computer.
Notebook Computers A notebook computer, also called a laptop computer, is a
portable, personal computer often designed to fit on your lap. Notebook
computers are thin and lightweight, yet they can be as powerful as the average
desktop computer.
A netbook, which is a type of notebook computer, is smaller, lighter, and
often not as powerful as a traditional notebook computer.
An ultra-thin is another type of notebook computer that is lightweight and
usually less than one-inch thick.
A Mobile devices, which are small enough to carry in a pocket, usually do not
have disk drives. These devices store programs and data permanently on
special memory inside the system unit or on small storage media such as
memory cards.
.Some mobile devices are Internet-enabled, meaning they can connect to the
Internet wirelessly. With an Internet-enabled device, users can chat, send e-
mail and instant messages, and access the Web.
Popular types of mobile devices are smart phones and PDAs, e-book readers,
handheld computers, portable media players, and digital cameras.

Game Consoles
A game console is a mobile computing device designed for single-player or
multiplayer video games . Standard game consoles use a handheld controller(s)
as an input device(s); a television screen as an output device; and hard disks,
optical discs, and/or memory cards for storage.
Three popular models are Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Nintendo’s Wii (pronounced
wee), and Sony’s PlayStation 3.

Servers
A server controls access to the hardware, software, and other resources on a
network and provides a centralized storage area for programs, data, and
information.
Servers can support from two to several thousand connected computers at the
same time. In many cases, one server accesses data, information, and
programs on another server. In other cases, people use personal computers or
terminals to access data, information, and programs on a server.

Mainframes
A mainframe is a large, expensive, powerful computer that can handle
hundreds or thousands of connected users simultaneously.
Mainframes store tremendous amounts of data, instructions, and information.
Most major corporations use mainframes for business activities. With
mainframes, enterprises are able to bill millions of customers, prepare payroll
for thousands of employees, and manage thousands of items in inventory.
Mainframes also can act as servers in a network environment.

Supercomputers
A supercomputer is the fastest, most powerful computer — and the most
expensive.
The fastest supercomputers are capable of processing more than one
quadrillion instructions in a single second. With weights that exceed 100 tons,
these computers can store more than 20,000 times the data and information
of an average desktop computer.
Applications requiring complex mathematical calculations use supercomputers.
Large-scale simulations and applications in medicine, aerospace, automotive
design, online banking, weather forecasting, nuclear energy research, and
petroleum exploration use a supercomputer.

Embedded Computers
An embedded computer is a special-purpose computer that functions as a
component in a larger product. Embedded computers are everywhere — at
home, in your car, and at work.
The following list identifies a variety of everyday products that contain
embedded computers.
• Consumer Electronics: mobile and digital telephones, digital televisions,
cameras, video recorders, DVD players and recorders, answering machines
• Home Automation Devices: thermostats, sprinkling systems, security
monitoring systems, appliances, lights
• Automobiles: antilock brakes, engine control modules, airbag controller,
cruise control
• Process Controllers and Robotics: remote monitoring systems, power
monitors, machine controllers, medical devices
• Computer Devices and Office Machines: keyboards, printers, fax and copy
machines Because embedded computers are components in larger products,
they usually are small and have limited hardware.
Embedded computers in printers, for example, monitor the amount of paper in
the tray, check the ink or toner level, signal if a paper jam has occurred, and so
on.

Elements of an Information System

To be valuable, information must be accurate, organized, timely, accessible,
useful, and costeffective to produce.
• Hardware
• Software
• Data
• People
• Procedures

Examples of Computer Usage

Every day, people around the world rely on different types of computers for a
variety of applications.
 Home user
Home user spends time on the computer for different reasons that include
personal financial management, Web access, communications, and
entertainment
Small office/home office
(SOHO) includes any company with fewer than 50 employees, as well as the
self-employed who work from home. Small offices include local law practices,
accounting firms, travel agencies, and florists. SOHO users access the Internet
— often wirelessly — to look up information such as addresses, directions,
postal codes, flights and package shipping rates or to send and receive e-mail
messages or make telephone calls.
Mobile User
Mobile users, who work on a computer or mobile device while away from a
main office, home office, or school.
Mobile users can transfer information between their mobile device and another
computer, such as one at the main office or school. For entertainment, the
mobile user plays video games on a handheld game console and listens to
music or watches movies on a portable media player.
Power User
Power user requires the capabilities of a workstation or other type of powerful
computer.
Power users often work with multimedia, combining text, graphics, audio, and
video into one application.
The power user’s workstation often contains industry-specific software.
For example, engineers and architects use software to draft and design floor
plans, mechanical assemblies, or vehicles.
A desktop publisher uses software to prepare marketing literature. A graphic
artist uses software to create sophisticated drawings.
Enterprise User
Each employee or customer who uses a computer in the enterprise is an
enterprise user.
The network facilitates communications among employees at all locations. Users
access the network of servers or mainframes through desktop computers,
mobile computers, and mobile devices.
Enterprises use computers and the computer network to process high volumes
of transactions in a single day.
Some enterprises use blogs to open communications among employees,
customers, and/or vendors.
Computer Applications in Society
Education
It is the process of acquiring knowledge. In the traditional model, people learn
from other people such as parents, teachers, and employers. Many forms of
printed material such as books and manuals are used as learning tools. Today,
educators also are turning to computers to assist with education.
Finance
Many people and companies use computers to help manage their finances.
Some use finance software to balance checkbooks, pay bills, track personal
income and expenses, manage investments, and evaluate financial plans. This
software usually includes a variety of online services. With online banking, users
access account balances, pay bills, and copy monthly transactions from the
bank’s computer right into their personal computer.
Government
To provide citizens with up-to-date information, most government offices have
Web sites. Employees of government agencies use computers as part of their
daily routine.Military and other agency officials use the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security’s network of information about domestic security threats
to help protect against terrorist attacks. Law enforcement officers have online
access to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) through in-vehicle
notebook computers, fingerprint readers, and mobile devices .
Health Care
Nearly every area of health care today uses computers. Whether you are
visiting a family doctor for a regular checkup, having lab work, or being rushed
in for emergency surgery, the medical staff around you will be using computers
for various purposes:
• Hospitals and doctors use computers and mobile devices to maintain and
access patient records.
• Robots deliver medication to nurse stations in hospitals.
• Computers and computerized devices assist doctors, nurses, and technicians
with medical tests
• Doctors use the Web and medical software to assist with researching and
diagnosing health conditions.
• Doctors use e-mail to correspond with patients.
• Surgeons implant computerized devices, such as pacemakers, that allow
patients to live longer.
• Surgeons use computer-controlled devices to provide them with greater
precision during operations, such as for laser eye surgery and robot-assisted
heart surgery.
Science
All branches of science, from biology to astronomy to meteorology, use
computers to assist them with collecting, analyzing, and modeling data.
Scientists also use the Internet to communicate with colleagues around the
world. Breakthroughs in surgery, medicine, and treatments often result from
scientists’ use of computers. Cameras small enough to swallow — sometimes
called a camera pill — take pictures inside your body to detect polyps, cancer,
and other abnormalities. The capability of a personal computer to recognize
spoken words is a direct result of scientific experimentation with neural
networks.
Publishing
Publishing is the process of making works available to the public. These works
include books, magazines, newspapers, music, film, and video. Special software
assists graphic designers in developing pages that include text, graphics, and
photos; artists in com posing and enhancing songs; filmmakers in creating and
editing film; Some Web sites allow you to copy the work, such as a book or
music, to your desktop computer, mobile computer, smart phone, or other
mobile device.
Travel
Whether traveling by car or airplane, your goal is to arrive safely at your
destination. Vehicles manufactured today often include some type of onboard
navigation system, such as OnStar. Many mobile devices such as smart phones
have built-in navigation systems. Some mobile users prefer to carry specialized
handheld navigation devices . If you plan to drive somewhere and are unsure
of the road to take to your destination, you can print directions and a map
from the Web.
Manufacturing
Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) refers to the use of computers to assist
with manufacturing processes such as fabrication and assembly. Industries use
CAM to reduce product development costs, shorten a product’s time to
market. CAM is used by a variety of industries, including oil drilling, power
generation, food production, and automobile manufacturing. Automobile
plants, for example, have an entire line of industrial robots that assemble a car.
The computers process this data and automatically update inventory,
production, payroll, and accounting records on the company’s network.