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1 Chapter(ICS) - Introduction to Ics

Introduction to Computing Application (Government College University Faisalabad)

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Chapter 1

Introduction to Computer System

The word “Computer” is derived from the Latin word “Compute”, which
means to Calculate.
“A computer is an electronic device, which accept instructions in the form of
input and after processing it gives us information in the form of output.”
Personal Computer (PC) is type of microcomputer designed for single user.
These are small in size and mainly used in official, domestic and general
business working e.g. Desktop PCs, Tower PCs, Laptop PCs and Palmtop
PCs.

Basic Terms in the Field of Computers

When we talk about computers, it involves the following basic terms
generally:
i. Hardware: A computer's hardware consists of electronic devices
(every component); the physical or tangible parts of the computer
called hardware. Like Cables, Monitor, Keyboard, CPU, Mouse,
Mother Board, RAM etc.
ii. Software: A program or set of programs, used to give commands to
the computer for the desired results.
iii. Data: A collection of raw facts and figures is called data, which can
include text, numbers, images, audios and videos etc.
iv. Information: The processed form of data is called information. It is
an organized but more meaningful form of data.
v. User: A person who uses the computer system and its resources.

Information Processing Cycle (IPC)

Computer convert data into information using a 4-steps process called IPC
(Information Process Cycle).In IPC

1st Step  Data will be given in computer (input stage).

2nd step  Computer will process that data to generate useful information
(Processing Stage).
rd
3 Step  Computer will store the result (Storage stage).
4th Step  Computer will displayed result (Output Stage).

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PROCESSING

INPUT STORAGE

I PC

OUTPUT

For example if you want result of 2+2 by computer then IPC work as;

Input Stage 2+2 will be given in computer

Processing Stage 2+2 = 4 the result will be calculated
Storage Stage 4 will be store in computer.
Output Stage 4 will be displayed on screen

Here what is meant by Data & Information?

Data. “Individual or raw facts about any things called Data”. e.g. Ali, 50,
RS etc
Information. “Data after processing to give a useful and complete meaning
is called Information”.

Here question is that why this device is being too much popular? This is due
to following reason.

Characteristics of Computer:
1: Speed. Computer is a speedy device. A problem that a man can solve
in hours, can be solved by computer in mill & micro seconds.
2: Storage Capacity. Computer is used due to its large storage
capacity. A data that you can place in 100 (7x4) feet almirah can be stored in
a computer on a 2x2 inch area.

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3: Reliability. Computer is too much reliable it not give wrong result

and never tired if you use it continuously. So it is accurate and tireless
machine.
4: Adoptability. Computer has ability to work with and to control each
and every electronic device. You can plug camera, motors, fax and many
other machines with it to get required result.

Usage of Computer:
Due to above characteristics computer is being used in each and every field
of life. Computer is working as part of other machines as well as a separate
machine. Computer is being used in Households, Robotics Technology,
Offices, Industries, Banks, Railway, Airlines, Hotels to keep record,
Universities for research, in data communication and Telecommunication,
for Online reservation, online shopping and online banking etc.

Types of Computers: There are three types of computers with respect to

Operational Principle:
1. Analogue Computers
2. Digital Computers, and
3. Hybrid Computers

Components of Computer
• Hardware
o Input Devices
o Processing Devices
o Output Devices
o Storage Devices/Memory
 Primary Storage Device
 Secondary Storage Device
• Software
o System Software
o Application Software

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Input and Input Devices

Everything that we give to the computer system through input devices is
called input. “An input device is any hardware component that allows
you to enter data or instruction into a computer.”

Sr# Name Sr# Name

1 2

KEYBOARD Track Ball

3 4

GLIDE PAD
MOUSE

5 6

SCANNER MICROPHONE

7 8

WEB CAM
DIGITAL CAMERA

9 10

BARCODE READER JOY STICK

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11 12

LIGHT SENSOR
Optical Megnetic reader

13 14

MEGNETIC INK
MEGNETIC INK CHARACTER CARD READER
READER

15 16

FINGER PRINT
LIGHT PEN READER

Biometric Input Devices:

Output and Output Devices

Everything that computer displays after processing is called output, which
can be in hard / soft form.
Computer hardware components that are used to receive processed
information from computer are called output devices.

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Sr# Name Picture

CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) Monitors
and
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
1
Flat-Panel Displays
LEDs, TFTs

2 Speakers

Printers
(Impact Printers Dot Matrix Printer
3
(Non-Impact Printers Ink jet
Printer

4 Plotters

5 Projector / Multimedia

Central Processing Unit:

Data after given in computer is processed by a device called CPU (Central
Processing Unit) or processor. The work done by processor on data is called
processing. Processing include calculation, rearrangement of data,
conversion of data from one format to another and to control all other
hardware and software of computer. Keep in mind that computer is an
electric device and manipulate all data internally in form of 0 & 1 also called

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binary code. CPU is brain of computer and is responsible for all tasks in
computer.

Parts of CPU:
The CPU consists on 3 parts they are CU, ALU and MU.
CU: CU stands for Control Unit. It controls all hardware and Software of
computer. It is also responsible to convert all data into 0 & 1.
ALU: ALU stands for Arithmetic and Logical Unit. It performs all
arithmetic (+, -, *, /) comparison (<,>, =) and Logical operation (OR, AND,
NOR, ECT) in computer.
MU: MU stands for Memory Unit. It consists on small storage place called
registers. Data store in this unit for a moment.
Machine Cycle: Processor process all data using a cycle called machine
cycle. It is a 4 step cycle with.

Step-1: Fetch To take data from MU to CU

Step-2: Decode To convert data in 0 and 1.
Step-3: Execute To solve arithmetic and logical operation.
Step-4: Store: To save processed data in MU.

Processor Speed
The speed by which a computer can “process a command complete a task or
work” is known as processing speed. In early days this speed was measured
in seconds, milliseconds and Micro seconds. But with development in
electronics speed goes behind to be measured in seconds and now a day it is
being measured in Hertz.
Units to Measure Processor Speed:
Hertz (Hz). Number of cycles per second is called Hertz Other big units to
measure processor speed are.
1024 Hertz = 1 Kilo Hertz (1 KHz)

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1024 Kilo Hertz = 1 Mega Hertz (1 MHz)

1024 Mega Hertz = 1 Gega Hertz (1 GHz)

Speed of all Micro Computer/PC‚s processor is measured in GHz. And Mini,

Mainframe and Super computer‚s processor speed is measured in
instructions per second (IPS).

Storage Devices:
After processing of data next step is to store data. For storing data in
computer we use storage device such as Magnetic Tap, Hard disk, CD, Flash
Memory.
Units to Measure Storage Devices:
Bit: A bit is a binary digit, taking a value of either 0 or 1. For example, the
number 10010111 is 8 bits long number. Binary digits are a basic unit of
information storage and communication in digital computing and digital
information theory.

Storage Capacity
1 Byte 23 or 8 bits
1 Kilo Byte (KB) 210 or 1024 Bytes
1 Million (Mega) Byte (MB) 220 or 1024 Kilo Bytes
1 Billion (Giga) Bytes (GB) 230 or 1024 Mega Bytes
1 Trillion (Tera) Bytes (TB) 240 or 1024 Giga Bytes
1 Quadrillion (Peta) Bytes (PB) 250 or 1024 Tera Bytes
1 Exabyte‚s (EB) 260 or 1024 Peta Bytes
1 Billion Tera (Zetta) bytes (ZB) 270 or 1024 Exa Bytes
1 Septillion (Yotta) bytes (YB) 280 or 1024 Zetta Bytes

The bit is a unit of measurement, the information capacity of one binary

digit. It has the symbol bit.
Types of Storage Devices:
Storage devices are grouped in two categories.
1: Primary Storage Devices
2: Secondary Storage Devices

1: Primary Storage Devices: Primary storage (Also known as Main

Memory) is directly accessible to the CPU. The CPU continuously reads
instructions stored there and executes them. Any data actively operated on is
also stored there in uniform manner. Two main primary storage devices are.

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ROM (Read Only Memory): This memory is used to store data /

Instruction in computer that is helpful in Booting process of the computer.
Booting Process starts when computer is switch on and ends until operating
system loaded. In this process computer checks all its hardware and load
operating system. Process to check hardware is called POST (Power On Self
Test). Rom is nonvolatile means data in it will not disturb due to any light
failure.

RAM (Random Access Memory). This memory work as bridge between

different devices of computer and used to speed up data transferring between
devices and processor. It is volatile means it depends on light. If any light
failure occurs the data in RAM will be erased / washed out.

2:
Secondary Storage devices: Secondary storage differs from primary
storage that it is not directly accessible by the CPU. The computer usually
uses its input/output channels to access secondary storage and transfers
desired data using intermediate area in primary storage. Secondary storage
does not lose the data when the device is powered down—it is non-volatile.
Users can store data types such as Text, Files, software, Audios, Videos etc

Hard Disk. A hard disk drive (HDD), commonly referred to as a hard

drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a non-volatile storage device which
stores digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating platters with magnetic

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surfaces. HDDs record data by magnetizing the coated magnetic material

directionally, to represent either a 0 or a 1 binary digit.

A typical HDD design consists of a spindle which holds one or more flat
circular disks called platters, onto which the data are recorded. The platters
are made from a non-magnetic material, usually aluminum alloy or glass,
and are coated with a thin layer of magnetic material. Capacity of a hard
disk drive is usually quoted in gigabytes-GB and terabytes-TB. Older HDDs
quoted their smaller capacities in megabytes-MB, the first drives for PCs
being just 5 or 10 MB

CD (Compact Disk). It is a circular plate with one sided to store data on it.
It has low storage capacity than hard disk. It is not much reliable but it is
portable than hard disk. CD‚s are of three types. CD (Rewriteable), CDROM
(just read only) and DVD. To run a CD we use CD Drive and to store data
on we use CD Writer.

Flash It is small in size, medium capacity and reliable device. It is more

portable (can easily be shifted from one point to other). So also called data
traveler or removable storage device.

Magnetic Tap. It consists on miler and need tap drive to store data and get
data from it. It is use to back up data in computer.

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Motherboard
The mother board sometime called a system board is the main circuit board
of the system unit. It is used to connect all kinds of hardware devices.
Ports: A 'port' serves as an interface between the computer and other
components or peripheral devices. Physically, a port is a specialized outlet
on a piece of equipment to which a plug or cable connects.

Computer Software
Software, also called Programs. Software is a set of instructions that tells the
computer what to do and how to do it. Basically there are two types of the
Software.

(i) System Software:

System software used to manage computer itself. These
software used to control all hardware to convert data from one
format to other so that computer and user can understand it.
Example system software are:
a. Operating System (Windows, Unix, Linux, etc.)
b. Drivers & Utility Software
c. Embedded Software
(ii) Application Software:
Application software used to perform and complete user tasks
in computer. If you want to play audio, video clips, you
needed media player. It is an Application Software. Similarly
to write letters, application, for drawing to make sheets, we
need Application Software. To perform a specific task, there
will be specific application software. Some tasks and
application software related to them are:
a. Word Processors (notepad, WordPad, Ms Word etc.)
b. Entertainment Software (VLC , Windows Media Player
etc.)
c. Spreadsheet software (lotus123, Excel etc.)
d. Database Software (Ms Access, SQL Server etc.)
e. Presentational Software (PowerPoint, Flash etc.)
f. Graphics (Ms paint, Corel Draw, Photoshop etc.)
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Basic Typing Techniques

The ability to type and use a computer keyboard and mouse are essential if
you want to be able to communicate well in the world today. As reading and
writing skills improve, it‚s a great idea to include computer and typing
training. And the great part about this curriculum is it includes exercises that
will at the same time help you improve your reading and writing!

A standard key board has almost 101/102 keys. There are two types of
layouts of keyboard available, QWERTY, & non QWERTY

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Most keyboards use the QWERTY layout, named for the first six keys in the
top row of letters.

Keyboard consists on buttons called keys used to give textual (a – z) numeric

(0 – 9) and special character data (, : < > etc) in computer. A standard
keyboard consists on 4 types of keys.

a. Numeric Key
b. Alphbatic / Alphanumaric keys
c. Navigation Key
d. Function Key

Familiarize with keyboard

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1. Position: Choose a comfortable chair and sit straight. Place your

fingers correctly on the keyboard. Type using the pads of your
fingers, don‚t use finger tips or nails. The Keyboard should be at
waist level approximately.

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2. Placement: Use both your hands for typing. You can check this
visual tutorial for understanding placement of your fingers on the
appropriate keys easily. Use the thumb for Space Bar. It is better to
memorize the location of the keys.

3. Avoid Seeing: Yes, you should not see the keyboard while you
type. You should have a military level of discipline. Look at the
screen or the source paper. After you are familiar with the finger
placements, you can try this. While riding a bicycle, what will you
see? The road or the pedals?

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Typing Tips:
 Keep your body posture straight this will help your speed and
accuracy.
 Sit directly in front of the keyboard.
 Arrange your fingers properly.
 Keep your eyes on the screen.
 Place your feet flat on the floor.
 Keep your wrists and palms off the desk.
 Ensure that your keyboard is at the right height.
 Always keep your finger on home row and check the bump keys
with your index.

 Return your fingertips to the home keys.

 Don‚t be hard at pressing the keys, just give soft strokes and move
on
 Don‚t glance at the keyboard while typing just look at the text.
 Use the shift keys opposite to the letter you are typing for the capital
letter
 Focus both on speed and accuracy, this will give you better output
Don‚t feel stressed or take pressure just be calm
 Practice, Practice and Practice, your speed will gradually increase.

Capitalizing Letters
There are two methods of typing capital letters while typing.
1. Press and release the Caps Lock key on the left side of your keyboard.
Now every letter you type will be capitalized. To stop using the Caps
Lock option, press and release the Caps Lock key again.
2. Hold down a Shift key on your keyboard with one hand and press a letter
key with the other hand. The letter you typed will be capitalized.
Release the Shift key when you are finished typing what you want
capitalized. A Shift key is located on both the left and the right hand side
of the keyboard.

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Typing Alternate Symbols

Many of the symbol and number keys have an alternate symbol. The
alternate symbol is located above the number or above the default symbol.
To type alternate symbols, hold down a Shift key on your keyboard with one
hand and press the symbol key with the other hand. To stop typing the
alternate symbols, release the Shift key.

Symbols of Keyboards
Symbol Name Symbol Name
` Grave Accent ~ Tilde

! Exclamation Sign @ Commercial AT

# Hash or Number Sign $ Dollar Sign

Circumflex Sign or
% Percent Sign ^ Caret
Ampersand Sign Plus Sign or Sign of
& orConcatenation Sign + Addition
Left or opening Right or closing
( Parenthesis ) Parenthesis
Underscore or Low
- Hyphen _ Line
= Equals Sign * Asterisk
Right Square
[ Left Squares bracket ] Brackets
{ Left Curly Bracket } Right Curly Bracket

; Sami Colon : Colon

Single Quotation Mark, Double Quotation
ƒ or Apostrophe “ Mark
Vertical Bar or
Reverse Slash, Or
\ Reverse Solidus ¦ Broken bar or Pipe
sign
, Comma < Less-Than Sign
. Full Stop > Greater Than Sign
Forward Slash, or
/ Forward Solidus ? Question Mark

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Basic Mouse Operations

MOUSE ACTION How TO PERFORM ACTION WHEN TO USE ACTION

Click One click of the left mouse • To select an image or icon
button • To move items around
• your computer's desktop
• To move the cursor through
• a word processing program
Double-click Two clicks of the left mouse To execute an action such as
button opening a program
Right-click One click of the right mouse To display shortcuts in a variety of
button programs
Click and Drag Click and hold down the left To select a section of text in a
mouse button and move the document or frame. Text appears
mouse on the pad. Release the highlighted after it has been selected.
left button.
Drag and Drop Click an item that has been When moving sections of text or
selected, hold down the left graphic images or tables.
mouse button, and drag the item
to a new location.
Scroll Wheel Move scroll up and down, also To scroll the page
press and hold down

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Exercise
Q1. Fill in the Blanks
1. The Word computer is derived from the _________________ word
“COMPUTE”, which means “TO CALCULATE”.
2. The processed form of data is called _________________.
3. The physical or tangible parts of the computer called
_____________.
4. A command is used to tell the computer, _____________ and how to
do.
5. Raw facts and figures are called data which is plural form of
_____________.
6. IPC consists of a series of tasks required to convert _____________
into information.
7. LCD Stands for ____________________.
8. CRT stands for ____________________.
9. Plotter is an __________ device.
10. Anything that we feed to the computer is called __________.
11. The devices that are used to enter data into the computers are called
__________ devices.
12. Printers are output type of devices, which produce output in the form
of __________.
13. CPU has two parts, ____________ and
________________________.
14. CPU stands for ____________________________
15. Machine cycle is a series of steps, each of which named as ________,
________, ________, and ________.
16. CU stands for ________________________.
17. ROM is a ________________________ memory.
18. RAM is also known as ________ Memory.
19. The term _____ refers to the amount of memory required to store one
Binary Digit (either 0 or 1).
20. IPC stands for __________________________________
21. Numeric pad activates from ___________ key.
22. The term BYTE refers to the amount of memory required to store
__________.
23. Mega Byte unit of storage is used to represent __________ bytes of
data.
24. 256 bits = ____ bytes.
25. Giga Byte unit of storage is used to represent ______________ bytes
of data.
26. Microphone is used to record ________ in the computer.

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27. DVD Stands for

___________________________________________.
28. Scanner is used to enter __________ type of data into the computer.
29. TFT stands for ________________________________________
30. An operating system is example of _____________________
software.

Q2. True/False
1. Information is output of computer.
2. Multimedia is a combination of text, graphics, audio and video.
3. Arrow keys, Page Up, and Page down Keys belong to Navigation Keys.
4. A byte is equal to 23 bits.
5. Storage means to keep something for later use.
6. A byte is the basic unit of storage.
7. Operating system is example of system software
8. Non Volatile does not lose its contents even power is switched off.
9. There are three types of computers according to their working principal.
10. The port, in which Keyboard plugged, is called PS/2 or usb port.
11. Hot processors make mistakes or even melt important part on the chip.
12. Abacus is first computer
13. The process of performing all operations of a computer is called
Processing.

Definitions:
1. Computer
2. Input
3. Output
4. IPC
5. Information
6. Data
7. User
8. Hardware
9. Software
10. Machine Cycle

Short Questions:
1. Explain component of computer system.
2. Explain Machine Cycle.
3. Explain input & output devices.
4. Explain Storage Devices.
5. Explain Software and its types.

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