C H A P T E R

01
INTRODUCTION
TO COMPUTER
The word computer has been derived from Latin language. A computer is an electronic device that
manipulates information or data according to the set of instructions. It has the ability to store, retrieve
and process data. A computer is used to type documents, send E-mails and browse the Internet. It is also
used to handle accounting, database management, presentations, games and so on.

Functioning of a Computer
Computer performs four basic functions which are as follows
1. Input Information or data that is entered into a computer is called input. It sends data and
instructions to the Central Processing Unit (CPU).
2. Processing It is the sequence of actions taken on data to convert it into information which is
meaningful to the user. It can be calculations, comparisons or decisions taken by the computer.
3. Output It makes processed data available to the user. It is mainly used to display the desired
result to the user as per input instructions.
4. Storage It stores data and programs permanently. It is used to store information during the time
of program execution and possible to get any type of information from it.

Features of Computer
The key features of computer are as follows
1. Speed The computer can process data very fast at the rate of millions of instructions per second.
2. Accuracy Computers provide a high degree of accuracy. They respond to the user as per the
input instructions.
3. Storage Capacity Computers are capable to store huge amount of data which depends on the
capacity of hard disk.
4. Versatility Computers can do different types of work simultaneously. They can perform multiple
tasks at a same time.
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5. Automation Once the instruction to do any

Terms Related to Computer
work is given to the computer, the computer
1. Hardware It is the collection of physical
does its work automatically by itself.
elements that constitutes a computer system. It is a
6. Diligence Unlike human beings, a comprehensive term for all the physical parts of a
computer is free from monotony, tiredness, computer. e.g. Display screens, discs, keyboards,
lack of concentration, etc. and can work for etc.
hours without creating any errors. 2. Software It is a set of programs and procedures.
7. Secrecy Leakage of information is reduced Software tells the hardware what to do and how to
accomplish a task. e.g. Web browsers, word
by creating login system with password
processors, etc.
protection.
3. Data Unprocessed raw facts and figures, like
8. Reliability Computers are more reliable
numbers, text on piece of paper, are known as data.
than human beings. Computers always
produce exact results. The possibility of errors 4. Information When data is processed, organised,
structured or presented in a given context so as to be
occur only if the input is wrong, i.e. the
useful, then it is called information.
computers never make mistakes of their own
accord. 5. Instruction It is a command given to a computer
in the computer language by the user.
9. Plug and Play Computers have the ability
to automatically configure a new hardware 6. Program It is a set of instructions given to a
computer in order to perform some task.
and software component.

History of Computer
Computer is not the creation of one day, rather it took a long period for the development of modern
computer. History of computer is described in this table.
Invention Inventor Characteristics Applications
■ First mechanical calculating device. ■ Used for addition and subtraction
Abacus operations.
1602 China
■ A horizontal rod represents the one, tens,
hundred, etc. ■ Calculation of square roots can also
be performed.
■ Three dimensional structure. ■ Perform multiplication on numbers.
Napier’s John Napier ■ Holding numbers from 0 to 9 only. ■ Technology used for calculation
Bones (Scotland) called Rabdologia.
■ Represent graphical structure of calculating
1617
result.
■ First mechanical adding machine. ■ Perform addition and subtraction of
Pascaline Blaise Pascal ■ It was structured like rectangular box, with two numbers.
1642 (France) eight disc (represent number of units). ■ Mainly designed with regard to the
pressure of liquid.

Jacquard’s Joseph Marie

■ Mainly weaved a silk based pattern. ■ Simplified the process of Textiles.
Loom Jacquard ■ Used punched card for the sequence of
1801 (France) operation.
Charles ■ First general-purpose computer. ■ It was a decimal machine used sign
Analytical Babbage ■ Stored program in the form of ‘pegs’ also and magnitude for representation of
Engine (Father of called barrels. a number.
1837 Computer)
(London)
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Invention Inventor Characteristics Applications
■ It used punched cards with round holes. ■ Read one card at a time.
Tabulating Herman ■ It was the first electromechanical
Machine Hollerith
machine, designed to process the data for
1890 (America)
census in 1890.
■ Consists of interlocking panels of small ■ Mainly used in the war effort during
Howard glass, counters, switches and control World War-II.
MARK-1 Aiken circuits.
1944
■ Magnetic drums are used for
(America) storage.
■ Data can be entered manually.
JP Eckert and ■ It is a combination of twenty accumulators. ■ Used for weather prediction, atomic
ENIAC JW Mauchly energy calculation and other
■ First electronic digital computer.
1946 (America) scientific uses.
■ It was first computer which provided ■ Capable of storing instructions and
EDSAC John Von
storage capacity. data in memory.
1949 Neumann ■ First computer program was run on ■ Used mercury delay lines for
(America)
machine. memory, vacuum tubes for logic.
J. Presper ■ First general-purpose electronic computer ■ Used magnetic tapes as input and
UNIVAC Eckert and with large amount of input and output. output.
1951 John Mauchly
(America)

IBM-650 ■ Provided input/output units converting ■ Payroll processing

Computer IBM Company alphabetical and special characters to ■ Oil refinery design
1953 two-digit decimal code. ■ Market research analysis

Generations of Computer
A generation refers to the state of improvement in the development of system. Computers are built of
electromechanical, before generation. Each generation of computer is characterised by a major
technological development that fundamentally changed the way, computers operate.
Generation Switching Storage Operating System Characteristics Applications
Device Device/Speed
First Vacuum tubes Magnetic drums Batch operating system ■ Fastest computing ■ Used for scientific
(1940-56) (333 micro (Machine language device. purpose e.g. ENIAC,
seconds) (Binary number 0’s ■ Generate large amount UNIVAC, MARK-1,
and 1’s) of heat. etc.
■ Non-portable.
Second Transistors Magnetic core Time sharing OS, ■ More reliable and less ■ Used for commercial
(1956-63) (Made up of technology Multitasking OS prone to hardware production
semiconductor) (10 micro seconds) (Assembly language, failure. e.g. PDP-8,
high level language) ■ Portable and generate IBM-1401, etc.
less amount of heat.
Third Integrated Magnetic core Real-time system ■ Consumed less power. ■ Database
(1964-71) Circuits (ICs) as primary storage (High level language ■ Highly sophisticated management system
(Made up of medium (100 nano (FORTRAN, COBOL, technology required. e.g. NCR-395, B6500,
silicon) seconds) ALGOL)) etc.
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Generation Switching Storage Operating System Characteristics Applications

Device Device/Speed
Fourth Large Scale Semi conductor Time sharing, GUI ■ More reliable and ■ Distributed system,
(1971- Integrated (LSI) memory, interface (PASCAL, portable. e.g. Intel 4004 chip,
Present) circuit micro- Winchester disc ADA, COBOL-74, ■ This generation leads Macintosh.
processor (300 nano FORTRAN IV) to better
seconds) communication and
resource sharing
Fifth Super Large Scale Optical disc Knowledge ■ Parallel processing. ■ Artificial intelligence
(Present and Integrated (SLSI) Information Processing ■ Intel core micro- e.g. Robotics
Beyond) chips System processor is
implemented.
■ Enables mega chips.

Tit-Bits
■ Siddhartha was the first computer developed in India.
■ Alan Turing is known as the father of the modern computer.
■ John Von Neumann was introduced first architecture of computer in the year 1948.
■ Transistors were invented by Bell Laboratory.
■ In 1958, Jack St. Clair Kilby and Robert Noyce invented the first IC.
■ In latest generation computers, the instructions are executed parallel as well as sequential.

Classification of Computer
Computers are mainly classified in three types as follows

Classification of Computer

Based on Size Based on Work Based on Purpose

Microcomputer Minicomputer Analog Hybrid General Special

Computer Computer Purpose Purpose
Mainframe Supercomputer Digital Computer Computer
Computer Computer

Based on Size
On the basis of size, computers are categorised as follows

Microcomputer
These types of computers are the least powerful, yet the most widely used and are also called portable
computers. Microcomputer consists of three basic categories of physical equipment, i.e. system unit,
input/output unit and memory unit.
Some types of microcomputer are as follows
(a) Desktop Computer or Personal Computer (PC) These are small, relatively economical
computers. These are based on the microprocessor technology (Integrated Circuit-IC).
(b) Laptop These computers are also known as ultra book or notebook. These are portable and
lightweighted. They include rechargeable battery, so these can work anywhere.
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(c) Handheld or Palmtop Supercomputers are used for highly calculation
Computer These are the smallest and are intensive tasks, such as weather forecasting,
designed to fit into the palm. So, these are nuclear research, military agencies and scientific
also known as Palmtop. They are practical research laboratories.
for certain functions such as phone books (i) CRAY-1 was the world’s first supercomputer
and calendars. They use the pen for input introduced by Seymour R CRAY in 1976.
instead of keyboard. e.g. PDA (Personal
(ii) PARAM was the first supercomputer
Digital Assistant), tablets, etc.
developed in India in 1990.
(d) Tablet Computer They have key
(iii) PARAM ISHAN is the latest machine in
features of the notebook computer, but
the series of PARAM made by C-DAC and
these can accept input from a pen instead of
IIT Guwahati on 20th September, 2016.
the keyboard or mouse.
(e) Workstation Computer These are Based on Work
computers dedicated to a user or group of On the basis of work, computers are categorised as
users engaged in business or professional follows
work. It includes one or more high
resolution displays and a faster processor Analog Computer
than a Personal Computer (PC). These computers carry out arithmetic and logical
operations by manipulating and processing of
Minicomputer data. e.g. Speedometers, seismograph, etc.
These are smaller in size, faster and cost lower Analog computer can perform several
than mainframe computers. Initially, the mathematical operations simultaneously. It uses
minicomputer was designed to carry out some continuous variables for mathematical operations
specific tasks, like engineering and Computer and utilises mechanical or electrical energy.
Aided Design (CAD) calculations. But now, they
are being used as central computer which is Digital Computer
known as Server. Minicomputers are IBM-17, DEC These do work by calculating the binary digits.
PDP-11, HP-9000, etc. A digital computer, not only performs
Mainframe Computer mathematical calculations, but also combines the
These types of computers having large internal bytes to produce desired graphics, sounds.
memory storage and comprehensive range of e.g. Desktop (PC).
software. Mainframe computer serves as a
backbone for the entire business world. It is Hybrid Computer
considered as the heart of a network of computers These are the combination of analog and digital
or terminals that allow a large number of people computers. Machines used in hospitals like ECG and
to work at the same time. Mainframe computers DIALYSIS are the commonly used hybrid computers.
are IBM-370, IBM-S/390, UNIVAC-1110, etc.
Based on Purpose
Supercomputer On the basis of purpose, computers are categorised
These are the fastest and most expensive as follows
machines. They have high processing speed
General Purpose Computer
compared to other computers. Supercomputers
are most powerful, large in size and memory, General purpose computers are those computers,
compared to all other computers. which are used to solve variety of problems by
changing the program or instructions. e.g. To make
The speed of supercomputers are measured in
small database, calculations, accounting, etc.
FLOPS (Floating Point Operations Per Second).
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Special Purpose Computer 2. Education Computer is a very effective tool

Special purpose computers are those computers which can be used for teaching and learning,
which are used to solve a single and dedicated result processing, student data processing,
notes preparation, etc.
types of problem. e.g. Automatic aircraft landing,
multimedia computer, etc. 3. Entertainment Different types of
entertainment fields such as multimedia, film
Quantum computer was first introduced by Richard making with animation, graphics, audio and
Feynman. It uses quantum mechanical phenomena. visual design are done with the help of
It is the fastest computer imitating brain working. computer.
Nano computer is a general team used to describe a 4. Offices Computers are used for preparing
computer smaller than a microcomputer, usually reports, storing/deleting reports, updating
about the size of a credit card. e.g. Raspberry Pi reports, etc. in office.
which could be used in schools to teach science to
children. 5. Advertisement Computers are used in the
different fields of advertisement such as
Pratyush India’s fastest and first multi-petaflops (PF)
supercomputer named Pratyush was unveiled at Pune-
business advertisement, film advertisement,
based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). education advertisement, etc.
Pratyush has 6.8 PF computational power installed at
6. Business Computers are used in business
two MoES Institutes. 4.0 Peta Flops HPC facility at for accounting, keeping all records up-to
IITM, Pune and 2.8 Peta Flops facility at NCMRWF, date, etc.
Noida. Pratyush is fourth fastest supercomputer in the
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an area of computer
world dedicated for weather and climate research.
science that emphasises the creation of intelligent
Note PF is a measure of a computer’s processing machines that work and react like humans. Some of
speed. the activities computers with AI are designed for
include : speech recognition, learning, planning,
problem solving, etc.
Applications of Computer
Some of the areas where computers are being used are Robotics is the branch of engineering and science
as follows that deals with the design, construction, operation
and use of robots as well as computer systems for
1. Banking Computers are used in bank for their control, sensory feedback and information
electronic money transfer, making deposits, processing.
voucher, bank sheet, etc.