Introduction to Computer

World
spring 2022

Introduction to Information and Communication Technologies

 Outline
◈ This lecture covers:
What computers are, how they work, and how they are used
Computer terminology
The basic types of computers in use today

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 Computers in Your Life
◈ Why learn about computers?
Pervasive computing
◈ Also known as ubiquitous computing
◈ Computers have become an integral part of our lives

◈ Basic computer literacy

Knowing about and understanding computers and their uses is an essential skill today
for everyone

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 Computers in Your Life
◈ Before 1980
Computers were large, expensive
Very few people had access to them
Computers were mostly used for high-volume processing tasks
◈ Microcomputers in the early 80s
Inexpensive personal computers
Computer use increased dramatically
◈ Today
More than 80% of US households include a computer, and most use computers
at work
Electronic devices are converging into single units with multiple capabilities
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 Computers in the Home
◈ Computers used for a variety of tasks: Telecommuting
Looking up information and news ◈ Smart appliances
Exchanging e-mail Traditional appliances with built-in computer
Shopping and paying bills or communication technology
Watching TV and videos ◈ Smart homes
Downloading music and movies
Household tasks are
Organizing digital photographs monitored and controlled
Playing games by a main computer in
the house

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 Computers in Education
◈ Many students today have access to computers either in a classroom or a computer
lab
◈ Colleges and universities are even more integrated
Wireless hotspots allow usage of personal laptops to connect to the college network
Some colleges require a computer for enrollment
◈ Distance learning
Students participate from locations other than the traditional classroom setting using
computers and Internet access

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 Computers on the Job
◈ Computers have become a universal on-the-job tool for decision-making,
productivity, and communication
Used by all types of employees
Used for access control and other security
measures
Use by service professionals is growing
Used extensively by the military
Employees in all lines of work need to continually refresh their computer skills

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 Computers on the Go
◈ Computers are encountered in nearly every
aspect of daily life
Consumer kiosks
ATM transactions
POS systems at retail stores
Self-checkout systems
Portable computers or mobile devices
M-commerce systems
GPS systems

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 What Is a Computer and What Does It Do?
◈ Computer: A programmable, electronic device that accepts data,
performs operations on that data, and stores the data or results as
needed
Computers follow instructions, called programs, which
determine
the tasks the computer will perform
◈ Basic operations
Input: Entering data into the computer
Processing: Performing operations on the data
Output: Presenting the results
Storage: Saving data, programs, or output for future
use
Communications: Sending or receiving data
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 Data vs. Information
◈ Data
Raw, unorganized facts
Can be in the form of text, graphics, audio, or video
◈ Information
Data that has been processed into a meaningful form
◈ Information processing
Converting data into information

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 Hardware
◈ Hardware: The physical parts of a computer
Internal hardware
◈ Located inside the main box (system unit) of the
computer
External hardware
◈ Located outside the system unit
◈ Connect to the computer via a wired or wireless
connection
There is hardware associated with all five
computer operations

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 Software
◈ Software: The programs or instructions used
to tell the computer hardware what to do
System software: Operating system starts up
the computer and controls its operation
◈ Without OS computer cannot function
◈ Boots the computer and launches programs at the
user’s direction
Application software: Performs specific tasks or
applications

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 Computers to Fit Every Need
◈ Six basic categories of computers:
Embedded computers
Mobile devices
Personal computers
Midrange servers
Mainframe computers
Supercomputers

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 Computers to Fit Every Need
◈ Embedded computer
Embedded into a product and designed to perform specific tasks or functions for that
product
Cannot be used as general-purpose computers
◈ Mobile device
A very small device with some type of built-in computing or Internet capability
Typically based on mobile phones
◈ Personal computer
A small computer designed to be used by one person at a time
Also called a microcomputer

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 Computers to Fit Every Need
◈ Notebook (laptop) computers
Typically use clamshell design
Tablet computers
◈ Can be slate tablets or convertible tablets
Netbooks
◈ Small notebooks; rapidly growing type of PC
Ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs)
◈ Handheld computers
◈ Midrange server
A medium-sized computer used to host programs and data for a small network
Users connect via a network with a computer, thin client, or dumb terminal

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 Computers to Fit Every Need
◈ Mainframe computer
Powerful computer used by several large organizations to manage large amounts of
centralized data
Standard choice for large organizations, hospitals, universities, large businesses, banks,
government offices
Also called high-end servers or enterprise-class servers
◈ Supercomputer
Fastest, most expensive, most powerful type of computer
Generally run one program at a time, as fast as possible
Commonly built by connecting hundreds of smaller computers, supercomputing cluster

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 Quick Quiz
1. A tablet PC is an example of a(n) _____________.
a. Desktop computer
b. Portable PC
c. Internet appliance
2. True or False: The terms mainframe computer and supercomputer are
interchangeable; both refer to the largest, most powerful computers.
3. A smartphone is an example of a(n) _____________.

Answers: 1) b; 2) False; 3) mobile device

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 Summary
◈ Computers in Your Life
◈ What Is a Computer and What Does It Do
◈ Computers to Fit Every Need

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 Introduction to Computer
World
spring 2022
Introduction to Information and Communication Technologies
CSD-102

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 Outline
◈ This lecture covers:
An overview Internet
Online Communication
Societal impacts of computers
An overview of the history of computers

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 What Are the Internet and the World Wide
Web?
◈ Internet: The largest and most well-known computer network in the world
◈ Individuals connect to the Internet using an Internet service provider (ISP)
◈ World Wide Web: One resource (a vast collection of Web pages) available through
the Internet
Web sites contain Web pages stored on Web servers
Web pages viewed using a Web browser (Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari, Firefox,
Opera, etc.)
◈ A wide variety of information is available through the Web

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 What Are the Internet and the World Wide
Web?

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 Surfing the Web
◈ Web browser: Used to display Web pages
◈ Browser starting or home page: The first page displayed when the browser is
opened
◈ To navigate to a Web page, you can:
Type a URL in the Address bar
Click a hyperlink on a displayed Web page
Select a Favorite/Bookmark or page from the History list

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 Surfing the Web
◈ Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)
URL: Uniquely identifies a Web page
Consists of:
◈ Protocol or standard being used
◈ Identification of the Web server
◈ Names of folders in which the Web page file is stored
◈ Web page’s filename

◈ Protocols:
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http://) is typically used to display Web pages (https:// is
used for secure Web pages)

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 Searching the Web
◈ Search site: Web page that helps you find Web pages containing the information
you are seeking
Typically search using keywords
◈ Reference sites: Look up addresses,
telephone numbers, ZIP codes,
maps, etc.

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 Email
◈ Electronic mail (e-mail): electronic messages
exchanged between computers on a network
Can be conventional or Web-based
Can contain photos, attached files, etc.
◈ E-mail addresses consist of:
Username: A person’s identifying name for a
particular domain
The @ symbol
Domain name for the computer that will be
handling the person’s e-mail (mail server)
◈ Pronouncing Internet addresses

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 Computers and Society
◈ The vast improvements in technology over the past decade have had a distinct
impact on daily life, both at home and at work
◈ Many benefits of a computer-oriented society:
Ability to design products before construction leads to safer products
Earlier medical diagnoses
Devices that allow challenged people to perform job tasks
Documents e-mailed or faxed in moments
Download information, music, programs, movies, and more on demand

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 Computer Oriented Society
◈ Benefits
Faster pace of daily chores and tasks
Online business and personal world
Communication throughout the world
Enhancing knowledge
Job influences
Entertainment
Research

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 Computer Oriented Society
◈ Risks and disadvantages
Security and privacy issues
◈ Computer viruses and malware
◈ Identity theft and phishing
◈ Privacy issues
Excessive use
◈ lack of human communication for face to face conversation and more communication through
the computer. This affects our society’s confidence for when they are in in-personal
conversation.
Accessibility to abuse time

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 Computers and Society
◈ Differences in online communications
Less formal than traditional
Netiquette
Emoticons
◈ The anonymity factor
◈ Information Integrity
Check your source, not all information on the Internet is accurate.

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 Computers Then and Now
◈ First-generation computers (1946-1957)
Enormous and powered by vacuum tubes
Used a great deal of electricity, and generated a lot of heat
ENIAC and UNIVAC
◈ Second-generation computers (1958-1963)
Used transistors
Computers were smaller, more powerful, cheaper, more energy-efficient, and more
reliable
Punch cards and magnetic tape were used to input and store data

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 Computers Then and Now
◈ Third-generation computers (1964-1970)
Used integrated circuits (ICs)
Keyboards and monitors introduced
◈ Fourth-generation computers (1971-present)
Use microprocessors
IBM PC, Apple Macintosh
Use keyboards, mice, monitors, and printers
Use magnetic disks, flash memory, and optical disks for storage
Computer networks, wireless technologies, Internet introduced

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 Computers Then and Now
◈ Fifth-generation (now and the future)
Infancy stage
No precise classification
May be based on artificial intelligence (AI)
Likely use voice and touch input
May be based on optical computers and utilize nanotechnology

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 Computers Then and Now

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 HISTORY OF COMPUTING SOFTWARE
FIRST GENERATION (1951-1959)
• Machine language (1 &0)
FOURTH GENERATION (1971-1989)
• Assembly language
• Structured programming
(Pascal, C/C++)
• Application software
• Spreadsheets, word processors,
SECOND GENERATION DBMS
(1959-1965)
• High level languages
• Fortran, COBOL, LISP
FIFTH GENERATION (1990-todate)
• Microsoft products
THIRD GENERATION (1965-1971) • AI applications
• Operating systems • Object oriented design
• System software • World wide web
• Application package • HTML
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• Cloud Computing 07/04/2022 36
 Quick Quiz
1. Index.html is an example of a(n) _____________.
a. URL
b. IP address
c. Web page filename
2. True or False: All information published to Web pages is accurate.
3. In the e-mail address [email protected], abc.com is the _____________.

Answers: 1) c; 2) False; 3) domain name

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 Summary
◈ Computer and the Internet
◈ Computers and Society
◈ Computer History

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