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Introduction To Computers and Programming4

The document provides an introduction to computers and programming. It discusses the different components of a computer system including hardware like the CPU, memory and storage devices as well as software. It explains the roles of system software and application software and how programming allows computers to perform a wide variety of tasks.
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© © All Rights Reserved
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
28 views

Introduction To Computers and Programming4

The document provides an introduction to computers and programming. It discusses the different components of a computer system including hardware like the CPU, memory and storage devices as well as software. It explains the roles of system software and application software and how programming allows computers to perform a wide variety of tasks.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Computers

and Programming
NEL C. HERNANDO, RME, MBA
Introduction

 Think about some of the different ways that people use computers. In
school, students use computers for tasks such as writing papers, searching
for articles, sending email, and participating in online classes. At work,
people use computers to analyze data, make presentations, conduct
business transactions, communicate with customers and coworkers, control
machines in manufacturing facilities, and do many other things. At home,
people use computers for tasks such as paying bills, shopping online,
communicating with friends and family, and playing computer games. And
don’t forget that cell phones, iPods®, BlackBerries®, car navigation systems,
and many other devices are computers too
 Computers can do such a wide variety of things because they can be
programmed. This means that computers are not designed to do just one
job, but to do any job that their programs tell them to do. A program is a
set of instructions that a computer follows to perform a task.
 Two commonly used programs, Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop
 Programs are commonly referred to as software. Software is essential to a
computer because it controls everything the computer does. All of the
software that we use to make our computers useful is created by
individuals working as programmers or software developers. A programmer,
or software developer, is a person with the training and skills necessary to
design, create, and test computer programs.
Concept

 The physical devices that a computer is made of are referred to as the


computer’s hardware. The programs that run on a computer are referred to
as software.
HARDWARE

 The term hardware refers to all of the physical devices, or components, that
a computer is made of. A computer is not one single device, but a system
of devices that all work together. Like the different instruments in a
symphony orchestra, each device in a computer plays its own part.
Typical computer system consists of the
following major components

 The central processing unit (CPU)


 Main memory
 Secondary storage devices
 Input devices
 Output devices
The CPU
 When a computer is performing the tasks that a program tells it to do, we
say that the computer is running or executing the program. The central
processing unit, or CPU, is the part of a computer that actually runs
programs. The CPU is the most important component in a computer
because without it, the computer could not run software.
 In the earliest computers, CPUs were huge devices made of electrical and
mechanical components such as vacuum tubes and switches.
 Today, CPUs are small chips known as microprocessors.

ENIAC (Electronic Numerical


Integrator And Computer) was the
world's first general-
purpose computer
Main Memory
 You can think of main memory as the computer’s work area. This is where
the computer stores a program while the program is running, as well as the
data that the program is working with.
 Main memory is commonly known as random-access memory, or RAM. It is
called this because the CPU is able to quickly access data stored at any
random location in RAM. RAM is usually a volatile type of memory that is
used only for temporary storage while a program is running. When the
computer is turned off, the contents of RAM are erased.
Secondary Storage Devices
 Secondary storage is a type of memory that can hold data for long periods
of time, even when there is no power to the computer. Programs are
normally stored in secondary memory and loaded into main memory as
needed.
 The most common type of secondary storage device is the disk drive. A disk
drive stores data by magnetically encoding it onto a circular disk. Most
computers have a disk drive mounted inside their case. External disk drives,
which connect to one of the computer’s communication ports, are also
available. External disk drives can be used to create backup copies of
important data or to move data to another computer
 In addition to external disk drives, many types of devices have been
created for copying data, and for moving it to other computers. For many
years floppy disk drives were popular. A floppy disk drive records data onto
a small floppy disk, which can be removed from the drive. Floppy disks
have many disadvantages, however.
 They store data in a special type of memory known as flash memory. USB
drives, which are also known as memory sticks and flash drives, are
inexpensive, reliable, and small enough to be carried in your pocket.
 Optical devices such as the CD (compact disc) and the DVD (digital
versatile disc) are also popular for data storage. Data is not recorded
magnetically on an optical disc, but is encoded as a series of pits on the
disc surface. CD and DVD drives use a laser to detect the pits and thus
read the encoded data. Optical discs hold large amounts of data, and
because recordable CD and DVD drives are now commonplace, they are
good mediums for creating backup copies of data.
Input Devices
 Input is any data the computer collects from people and from other
devices. The component that collects the data and sends it to the
computer is called an input device. Common input devices are the
keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone, and digital camera. Disk drives
and optical drives can also be considered input devices because
programs and data are retrieved from them and loaded into the
computer’s memory.
Output Devices
 Output is any data the computer produces for people or for other devices.
It might be a sales report, a list of names, or a graphic image. The data is
sent to an output device, which formats and presents it. Common output
devices are video displays and printers. Disk drives and CD recorders can
also be considered output devices because the system sends data to them
in order to be saved.
Software

 If a computer is to function, software is not optional. Everything that a


computer does, from the time you turn the power switch on until you shut
the system down, is under the control of software. There are two general
categories of software: system software and application software. Most
computer programs clearly fit into one of these two categories. Let’s take a
closer look at each.
System Software
 The programs that control and manage the basic operations of a
computer are generally referred to as system software.

System software typically includes the following types of


programs

 Operating Systems An operating system is the most fundamental set of


programs on a computer. The operating system controls the internal
operations of the computer’s hardware, manages all of the devices
connected to the computer, allows data to be saved to and retrieved from
storage devices, and allows other programs to run on the computer.
 Utility Programs A utility program performs a specialized task that enhances
the computer’s operation or safeguards data. Examples of utility programs
are virus scanners, file compression programs, and data backup programs.
 Software Development Tools Software development tools are the programs
that programmers use to create, modify, and test software. Assemblers,
compilers, and interpreters are examples of programs that fall into this
category
Application Software

 Programs that make a computer useful for everyday tasks are known as
application software. These are the programs that people normally spend
most of their time running on their computers.

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