Computer application in Agricultural Economics Chapter 1

UNIT 1
1. What is Computer?
1.1. Definition and basic concepts

A computer is a programmable electronic device that accepts raw data as input and processes it
with a set of instructions (a program) to produce the result as output. It renders output just after
performing mathematical and logical operations and can save the output for future use. It can
process numerical as well as non-numerical calculations. The term "computer" is derived from
the Latin word "computare" which means to calculate.

A computer is designed to execute applications and provides a variety of solutions through

integrated hardware and software components. It works with the help of programs and
represents the decimal numbers through a string of binary digits. It also has a memory that
stores the data, programs, and result of processing. The components of a computer such as
machinery that includes wires, transistors, circuits, hard disk are called hardware. Where as, the
programs and data are called software.

It is believed that the Analytical Engine was the first computer which was invented by Charles
Babbage in 1837. It used punch cards as read-only memory. Charles Babbage is also known as
the father of the computer.

1.2. Computer Components

There are 5 main computer components that are given below:

 Input Devices
 CPU
 Output Devices
 Primary Memory
 Secondary Memory

Any kind of computers consists of SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE.

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Computer application in Agricultural Economics Chapter 1

 SOFTWARE: - Software is a generic term for organized collections of computer data and
instructions, often broken into two major categories: system software that provides the
basic non task-specific functions of the computer, and application software which is used
by users to accomplish specific tasks.

Software Types

a. System software is responsible for controlling, integrating, and managing the

individual hardware components of a computer system so that other software and the users
of the system see it as a functional unit without having to be concerned with the low-level
details such as transferring data from memory to disk, or rendering text onto a display.
Generally, system software consists of an operating system and some fundamental utilities
such as disk formatters, file managers, display managers, text editors, user authentication
(login) and management tools, and networking and device control software.
b. Application software is used to accomplish specific tasks other than just running the
computer system. Application software may consist of a single program, such as an image
viewer; a small collection of programs (often called a software package) that work closely
together to accomplish a task, such as a spread sheet or text processing system; a larger
collection (often called a software suite) of related but independent programs and packages
that have a common user interface or shared data format, such as Microsoft Office, which
consists of closely integrated word processor, spread sheet, database, etc.; or a software
system, such as a database management system, which is a collection of fundamental
programs that may provide some service to a variety of other independent applications.

 HARDWARE: - Computer hardware is the collection of physical elements that constitutes

a computer system. Computer hardware refers to the physical parts or components of a
computer such as the monitor, mouse, keyboard, computer data storage, hard drive disk

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Computer application in Agricultural Economics Chapter 1

(HDD), system unit (graphic cards, sound cards, memory, motherboard and chips), etc. all
of which are physical objects that can be touched.

Hardware, which is abbreviated as HW, refers to all physical components of a computer

system, including the devices connected to it. You cannot create a computer or use software
without using hardware. The screen on which you are reading this information is also a
hardware.

1.3. Basic operation in Computer

Computers are made up of many different components that all work together to accomplish the
tasks that the computer is instructed to do. They process information, store data, and provide
output in some form or another. What this means is that each component has a specific task
that it performs in order for the computer to be able to function properly. Computers are built
on three major components: hardware, software, and input/output devices. There are also other
components that provide input or output for the system, but these are hardware components by
definition. All of these components work together to make your computer run correctly. The
way your PC functions depends on what type of operating system you have installed on it -
whether it's Windows 10 or mac OS for example, all PCs have their own operating system.

Definition of Computer Operations

Simply put, computer operations mean whatever instruction you give to the computer system,
then that computer system executes your instruction. The process of executing the instruction
given by you is called computer operations.

There are five basic operations of computer system, which are given below.

Inputting, Processing, Outputting, Storing and Controlling

1.3.1. Inputting
What is inputting? Simply put, inputting is a process by which a user enters any type of data
into a computer system. Inputting is the first basic operations of computer system. Input
devices are used to provide information to the computer. For example, your mouse or keyboard
may be an input device. You can also use the camera to take pictures or videos and then upload
them to your PC. The keyboard is an example of an input device. When you type on a
keyboard, pressing your individual keys converts the letters - A, B, C - into binary code that is
sent to the system's processor or CPU. The CPU then parses this code and produces an
appropriate output based on what was input. For example, if you typed "ABC" on the
keyboard, "ABC" would be parsed as ABC by the system's processor or CPU and it would
generate a letter for each key pressed (i.e., A = a; b = b; c = c).

Computers are not only used to run programs but also to store data. There are several types of
storage devices you can use to store data - a hard drive, a DVD, a USB flash drive, etc. And
computers have several ways to input data into these storage devices, such as through a USB

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Computer application in Agricultural Economics Chapter 1

port or by using a keyboard. If you're inputting data from another source (such as a camera), it's
likely to go through an interface card before reaching the CPU.

You cannot enter any type of data into the computer without the use of an input device. If you
want to enter any data into the computer, then you will have to use an input device. And there
are many types of input devices like Keyboard, Mouse, Joy Stick, Light pen, Track Ball,
Scanner, Graphic Tablet, Microphone, Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR), Optical Character
Reader (OCR), and Bar Code Reader

1.3.2. Processing
Processing is the second basic operations of a computer system. In simple language, the
processing means, when the computer system starts executing the instructions given by the
user, then this process is called processing. The processor is the component of a computer that
does most of the "work" in terms of processing. It's responsible for running programs and
carrying out instructions from the user. The processor reads and writes information to and from
the hard disk (a type of storage device) and sends messages to other components in the
computer like the monitor, mouse, or keyboard. All this data flowing through your PC happens
because electricity is running through each component at a specific speed or frequency. This is
called clock speed. The higher the clock speed, the more quickly information will be processed
on your PC. For example, some PCs may run at 1 GHz (which means one billion cycles per
second), while others might run at 800 MHz (800 million cycles per second).

1.3.3. Outputting
Outputting is the third basic operations of computer. In simple language, outputting means, the
result of instruction given by a user is called output. Whatever input is given by the user
computer, then the output result of that input is outputting. Input/output devices are responsible
for the computer's interaction with the physical world. For instance, a keyboard or mouse are
input/output devices. They are responsible for responding to your commands and providing
feedback. The computer needs these components to provide output, which is information that
comes out of the system. This includes visual feedback like video or text, as well as audio
feedback like sound or music.

HW is made up of all the physical components that define how your PC operates - it is what
allows you to interact with your PC in some way. HW could include your keyboard, mouse,
microphone, or speakers. These are all hardware pieces that allow you to use your computer in
some way. SW is made up of everything on your screen - everything from Microsoft Word to
Spotify - and it is what allows you to interact with those programs on your computer. SW could
include Microsoft Office or an online game. Combined, HW and SW make up the "operating
system" (OS) of your computer because they're what make it function correctly and work with
each other. The OS (Operating system) allows input devices like keyboards and mice to work
with output devices like monitors; this means you can control what happens on screen by
typing on a keyboard or moving a mouse around. You also need drivers (software) for both
HW and SW so they will communicate properly; without drivers installed, you won't be able to
do anything. Without using an output device, you cannot get the output result of any input data.
You have to use an output device to get the output result. And there are many types of output

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devices like Monitor, Printer, Headphones, Computer Speakers, Projector, GPS, Sound Card,
Video Card, Braille Reader, and Speech-Generating Device

1.3.4. Storing

Storing is the fourth basic operations of computer system. In simple language, storing means,
the output result that comes after executing the instruction given by a user, and storing that
output result is called storing. The CPU is responsible for storing data in your computer's
memory, which is where the data is stored when you type it into a word document or open an
image. The CPU processes this data to make it easier to retrieve. Processors are the
components that are responsible for executing applications that are stored in your computer's
memory. These processors can be found on the motherboard and can vary depending on the
PC’s specifications. When you save a file, you are copying it from random access memory onto
a storage device like an external hard drive, CD/DVD, or flash drive. When you save a file to
your computer's hard drive, you're always saving two copies of the original file - one copy in
its original location and one backup copy in another location. This redundancy ensures that if
something happens to the first file - say by accident deletion - then there is another copy of it
somewhere else on your hard drive. There are various types of storage device like Hard Disk
Drive (HDD), Floppy Disks, Tapes, Compact Discs (CDs), DVD and Blu-ray Discs, USB
Flash Drives, Secure Digital Cards (SD Card)s, Solid-State Drives (SSD), RAM, ROM

1.3.5. Controlling
Controlling is the fifth basic operations of computer. Controlling means the combinations of all
computer operations. Controlling is a type of process that monitors the instruction given by the
user from the time it is executed to the output result. This process itself is called controlling. In
simple language, monitoring means monitoring, which device is doing its work or not. In a
basic computer system, the monitoring work is done by the ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit).
Example of Controlling - Computer Mouse. The computer mouse translates your hand
movements into instructions for the computer. The buttons can be found on either side of your
computer mouse, and often features three buttons that allow you to scroll up and down a page,
without clicking. A few other input devices are touch screens, joysticks, trackballs, and
keyboards. The world of computers is large and complex, but with some knowledge - such as
how a mouse works - you can better understand how they work.

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