Fundamentals of

Computers
Introduction to Computers

 Computers are seen everywhere around us, in all spheres of life, in the field of
education, research, travel and tourism, weather forecasting, social networking, e-
commerce etc.
 Computers have revolutionized our lives with their accuracy and speed of performing a
job, it is truly remarkable.
 Computers have evolved over the years from a simple calculating device to high speed
portable computers.
 Generation of Computers

 Growth in the computer industry is determined by the development in technology.

 Based on various stages of development, computers can be categroized into different
generations.
Generation of Computers-Continued
Generation of Computers-Continued
Generation of Computers-Continued
What is a Computer

 A Computer is an electronic device that takes raw data (unprocessed) as an input from
the user and processes it under the control of a set of instructions (called program),
produces a result (output), and saves it for future use.
Components of a Computer

 The computer is the combination of hardware and software.

 Hardware is the physical component of a computer like motherboard, memory
devices, monitor, keyboard etc., while software is the set of programs or instructions.
 Both hardware and software together make the computer system to function.
Components of a computer – cont’d

 Input Unit
 Input unit is used to feed any form of data to the computer, which can be stored in the
memory unit for further processing. Example: Keyboard, mouse, etc.
 Central Processing Unit
 CPU is the major component which interprets and executes software instructions. It also
control the operation of all other components such as memory, input and output units.
 It accepts binary data as input, process the data according to the instructions and provide
the result as output.
 The CPU has three components which are Control unit, Arithmetic and logic unit (ALU) and
Memory unit.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)

 Arithmetic and Logic Unit

 The ALU is a part of the CPU where various computing functions are performed on data. The
ALU performs arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
and logical operations. The result of an operation is stored in internal memory of CPU. The
logical operations of ALU promote the decision-making ability of a computer.
 Control Unit
 The control unit controls the flow of data between the CPU, memory and I/O devices. It also
controls the entire operation of a computer.
Components of a computer – cont’d

 Output Unit
 An Output Unit is any hardware component that conveys information to users in an
understandable form. Example: Monitor, Printer etc.
 Memory Unit
 The Memory Unit is of two types which are primary memory and secondary memory. The
primary memory is used to temporarily store the programs and data when the instructions
are ready to execute. The secondary memory is used to store the data permanently.
 The Primary Memory is volatile, that is, the content is lost when the power supply is
switched off. The Random Access Memory (RAM) is an example of a main memory. The
Secondary memory is non volatile, that is, the content is available even after the power
supply is switched off. Hard disk, CD-ROM and DVD ROM are examples of secondary
memory.
Classification of Computers

 Computers are broadly classified into two categories depending upon the logic
used in their design as Analog and Digital computers
 Analog computers:
 In analog computers, data is recognized as a continuous measurement of a physical
property like voltage, speed, pressure etc. Readings on a dial or graphs are obtained
as the output, ex. Voltage, temperature; pressure can be measured in this way.
 Digital Computers:
 These are high speed electronic devices. These devices are programmable. They
process data by way of mathematical calculations, comparison, sorting etc. They
accept input and produce output as discrete signals representing high (on) or low
(off) voltage state of electricity. Numbers, alphabets, symbols are all represented as a
series of 1s and Os
Types of Computers
Small Computers:
❖ Microcomputers: Microcomputers are generally referred to as Personal
Computers (PCs). They have Smallest memory and less power. They are
widely used in day to day applications like office automation, and professional
applications, ex. PCAT, Pentium etc.
❖ Note Book and Laptop Computers: These are portable in nature and are
battery operated. Storage devices like CDs, floppies etc. and output devices
like printers can be connected to these computers. Notebook computers are
smaller in physical size than lap top computers. However, both have powerful
processors, support graphics, and can accept mouse driven input.
❖ Hand Held Computers: These types of computers are mainly used in
applications like collection of field data. They are even smaller than the note
book computers.
Types of computers – cont’d
Hybrid Computers
❖ Hybrid Computers are a combination of Analog and Digital computers. They
combine the speed of analog computers and accuracy of digital computers.
❖ They are mostly used in specialized applications where the input data is in an
analog form i.e. measurement. This is converted into digital form for further
processing.
❖ The computers accept data from sensors and produce output using
conventional input/output devices.
Mini Computers
❖ Mini computers are more powerful than the micro computers. They have higher
memory capacity and more storage capacity with higher speeds. These
computers are mainly used in process control systems.
❖ They are mainly used in applications like payrolls, financial accounting,
Computer aided design etc. ex. VAX, PDP-11
Types of Computers – cont’d
Mainframe Computers:
❖ Main frame computers are very large computers which process data at very
high speeds of the order of several million instructions per second.
❖ They can be linked into a network with smaller computers, micro computers and
with each other.
❖ They are typically used in large organizations, government departments etc.
ex. IBM4381, CDC
Super Computers:
❖ A super computer is the fastest, most powerful and most expensive computer
which is used for complex tasks that require a lot of computational power.
❖ Super computers have multiple processors which process multiple instructions
at the same time. This is known as parallel processing.
❖ These computers are widely used in very advanced applications like weather
forecasting, processing geological data etc. ex. CRAY-2, NEC - 500, PARAM.
Applications of computers
Today computers find widespread applications in all activities of the modern world.
Some of the major application areas include:
Scientific, Engineering and Research:
❖ This is the major area where computers find vast applications. They are used in
areas which require lot of experiments, mathematical calculations, weather
forecasting, and complex mathematical and engineering applications.
❖ Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) help in
designing robotics, automobile manufacturing, automatic process control devices
etc.
Business:
❖ Record keeping, budgets, reports, inventory, payroll, invoicing, accounts are all the
areas of business and industry where computers are used to a great extent.
❖ Database management is one of the major area where computers are used on a
large scale.
❖ The areas of application here include banking, airline reservations, etc. where large
amounts of data need to be updated, edited, sorted, searched from large
databases.
Applications of computers – cont’d
Medicine:
❖ Computerized systems are now in widespread use in monitoring patient data
like , pulse rate, blood pressure etc. resulting in faster and accurate diagnosis.
❖ Modern day medical equipment are highly computerized today. Computers are
also widely used in medical research.
Information:
❖ This is the age of information. Television, Satellite communication, Internet,
networks are all based on computers.
Games and Entertainment:
❖ Computer games are popular with children and adults alike. Computers are
nowadays also used in entertainment areas like movies, sports, advertising etc.
Applications of computers – cont’d

Education:
❖ The use of computers in education is increasing day by day. The students
develop the habit of thinking more logically and are able to formulate problem
solving techniques.
❖ CDs on a variety of subjects are available to impart education. On line training
programs for students are also becoming popular day by day.
❖ All the major encyclopedias, dictionaries and books are now available in the
digital form and therefore are easily accessible to the student of today.
❖ Creativity in drawing, painting, designing, decoration, music etc. can be well
developed with computers.
Advantages of a computer
• Storage: the most significant advantage of a computer is its storage capacity.
A human brain cannot store everything as it tends to forget. Thus, with the help
of a computer, we can get stored information with a touch of a button.
• Accuracy: a computer is never wrong. It is we who feed in the wrong
information; thus, if you want 100% accuracy in your work and want to calculate
millions of data, a computer can be beneficial. It gives error-free output without
any chances of mistakes.
• Scientific development/predictions: computers are used by scientists for
knowing the results of chemical reactions, for predicting the weather, space
research, and other research work.
• Easy to understand and easy to use– doing tough calculations becomes very
easy when you know the computer well. The results given by a computer are
100% true, and no one can doubt its efficiency. Step by step data processing
and step-by-step calculations make one understand things in a much simpler
way.
Advantages of a computer

• It helps to explore: with the help of the internet, a computer allows you to
explore the world. If you have any doubt, Google is there to help you and has all
the answers to your difficult questions.
• Speed: no one can match up to the speed of a computer. Speed is related to
the quantity of data, and the data is measured with a unit of time. As a
computer is a fast device, it can process data rapidly. The speed of a computer
is unmatchable and is measured in micro and nanoseconds.
• Multitasking: it can process data, store data, connects it to the internet, play
games, watch videos, movies, songs, finds files in a few seconds, and more. A
person can perform multiple tastes with the help of a computer. A computer
can perform trillions of tasks within a few seconds; thus, it is a multitasking
device.
Disadvantages of a computer

• Unemployment: you very well know a computer is capable of performing

multiple functions. Thus, one of the disadvantages of a computer is
unemployment. It does all the calculations, records data, processes
information, thus creates unemployment. People do not prefer employing
people; instead, they like doing all the work on a computer by themselves.
• Eye-sight issues: people who sit on the computer for long hours have an issue
with eye-sight. A device sends out rays that are not suitable for the eyes; thus,
people face visibility issues.
• Health issues: sitting and working on a chair, sofa, couch for long hours can
lead to health issues—pain in the shoulder, spinal cord pain, lower backache,
and a lot more.
Disadvantages of a computer

• The chances of losing personal data are high: people use the computer for
almost everything and keep storing their data in it. There are chances that the
personal information gets hacked or into the wrong hands. The hackers can
use your information to access your bank account and professional account,
which can be a risky affair.
• Higher dependency on electronic gadgets: when using a computer most of the
time, there are chances that people tend to be dependent on it all the time. For
example, you are writing an article, and you use the app Grammarly all the time
to check spelling mistakes till will lead to making you dependent on the
computer for everything. The chances of you learning from your mistakes will
be less.