INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER Example of output

● Printer
FUNCTIONS OF A COMPUTER ● Tarpaulin
● Headset
Four main functions of a computer ● Speaker
Input ● Monitor
- The data entered into a computer
from the input devices like Storage
keyboard, mouse, scanner etc. - The process of storing instructions
Input data can be a character, and data permanently is called
word, number, or image. When you storage. This stored data can be
enter information (input) into your retrieved whenever needed.
computer a signal is send to CPU
(Central Processing Unit). Example of storage
● RAM
Example of input devices ● Ultra ATA
● Joystick ● SATA
● Hand-held scanner ● Solid state
● Mouse ● Memory card
● Mic ● SCSI
● Keyboard ● USB Flash memory
● Camera ● Zip drive
● Touch tablet
● Flatbed scanner

Processing HISTORY OF COMPUTERS

- is the task of performing the Abacus
logical and arithmetic operations is The history of computer begins with the
called processing. The CPU birth of abacus which is believed to be the
(Central Processing Unit) will first computer. It is said that Chinese
perform all types of calculations invented the Abacus around 4,000 years
based on the instructions given. It ago. It was a wooden rack which has
is then send to the storage unit. metal rods with beads mounted on them.
The beads were moved by the abacus
operator according to some rules to
Output perform arithmetic calculations. Abacus is
- The process of producing the still used in some countries like China,
useful information for the user after Russia and Japan.
processing input data is called
output. After performing the Napier's Bones
calculations based on given It was a manually-operated calculating
instructions, the processed data is device which was invented by John Napier
send to the output device. Output (1550-1617). In this calculating tool, the
device then translates the tool became known as used 9 different
processed data in to a form like ivory strips or bones marked with numbers
text, image, document that the to multiply and divide. "Napier's Bones. It
user can understand. was also the
first machine to use the decimal point.
 Aiken planned to develop a machine that
Pascaline could perform calculations involving large
Also known as Arithmetic Machine or numbers. In 1944, Mark I computer was
Adding Machine. It was invented between built as a partnership between IBM and
1642 and 1644 by a French Harvard. It was the first
mathematician-philosopher Biaise Pascal. programmable digital computer.
It is believed that it was the first
mechanical and automatic calculator.
Eniac
Difference Engine The giant ENIAC (Electrical Numerical
In the early 1820s, it was designed by Integrator and Calculator) machine was
Charles Babbage who is known as "Father developed by John W. Mauchly and J.
of Modern Computer". It was a mechanical Presper Eckert, Jr. at the University of
computer which could perform simple Pennsylvania. It used 18,000 vacuums,
calculations. It was a steam driven punch-card input, weighed thirty tons and
calculating machine designed to solve occupied a thirty-by-fifty-foot space.
tables of numbers like logarithm tables.

Analytical Engine
This calculating machine was also GENERATIONS OF COMPUTER
developed by Charles Babbage in 1830. It
was a mechanical computer that used First Generation Computers
punch-cards as input. It was capable of ➢ The first generation (1946-1959)
solving any mathematical problem and computers were slow, huge and
storing information as a permanent expensive. In these computers,
memory. vacuum tubes were used as the
basic components of CPU and
Tabulating Machine memory. These computers mainly
It was invented in 1890, by Herman depended on a batch operating
Hollerith, an American statistician. It was a system and punch cards. Magnetic
mechanical tabulator based on punch tape and paper tape were used as
cards. It could tabulate statistics and output and input devices in this
record or sort data or information. This generation.
machine was used in the 1890 U.S.
Census. Second Generation Computers
➢ The second generation
Differential Analyzer (1959-1965) was the era of the
It was the first electronic computer transistor computers. These
introduced in the United States in 1930. It computers used transistors which
was an analog device invented by were cheap, compact and
Vannevar Bush. This machine has consuming less power; it made
vacuum tubes to switch electrical signals transistor computers faster than
to perform calculations. It could do 25 the first generation computers.
calculations in few minutes.
Third Generation Computers
Mark I ➢ The third generation computers
The next major changes in the history of used integrated circuits (ICs)
computers began in 1937 when Howard instead of transistors. A single IC
 can pack huge number of specialized and task specific
transistors which increases the computers used by large
power of a computer and reduced organizations. These computers
the cost. The computers also are used for research and
became more reliable, efficient and exploration purposes, like NASA
smaller in size. uses supercomputers for launching
space shuttles, controlling them
Fourth Generation Computers and for space exploration
➢ The fourth generation (1971-1980) purposes. The supercomputers are
computers used very large scale very expensive and very large in
integrated (VLSI) circuits; a chip size.
containing millions of transistors
and other circuit elements. These Mainframe computer
chips made this generation of ➢ Although Mainframes are not as
computers more compact, powerful as supercomputers, they
powerful, fast and affordable. are certainly quite expensive
These generation computers used nonetheless, and many large firms
real time, time sharing and & government organizations use
distributed operating systems. Mainframes to run their business
operations. The Mainframe
Fifth Generation Computers computers can be accommodated
➢ In fifth generation (1980-till date) in large air-conditioned rooms
computers, the VLSI technology because of its size.
was replaced with ULSI (Ultra Supercomputers are the fastest
Large Scale Integration). It made computers with large data storage
possible the production of capacity, Mainframes can also
microprocessor chips with ten process & store large amounts of
million electronic components. This data. Banks, educational
generation of computers used institutions & insurance companies
parallel processing hardware and use mainframe computers to store
AI (Artificial Intelligence) software. data about their customers,
students & insurance policy
Some of the popular fifth generation holders.
computers are;
•Desktop Minicomputer
•Laptop ➢ Minicomputers are used by small
•NoteBook businesses & firms. Minicomputers
•UltraBook are also called “Midrange
•ChromeBook Computers”. These are small
machines and can be
THE FOUR BASIC TYPES OF accommodated on a disk with not
COMPUTERS as processing and data storage
capabilities as super-computers &
Supercomputer Mainframes. These computers are
➢ The most powerful computers in not designed for a single user.
terms of performance and data
processing are the
Supercomputers. These are
Microcomputer they are the only ones using the
➢ Desktop computers, laptops, system.
personal digital assistant (PDA),
tablets & smartphones are all types CLIENT SERVER COMPUTING
of microcomputers. The ENVIRONMENT
micro-computers are widely used & ➢ In client server computing, the
the fastest growing computers. client requests a resource and the
These computers are the cheapest server provides that resource. A
among the other three types of server may serve multiple clients at
computers. The Micro-computers the same time while a client is in
are specially designed for general contact with only one server. Both
usage like entertainment, the client and server usually
education and work purposes. communicate via a computer
network but sometimes they may
reside in the same system.
TYPES OF COMPUTING
ENVIRONMENTS DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING
ENVIRONMENT
A computer system uses many devices, ➢ A distributed computing
arranged in different ways to solve many environment contains multiple
problems. This constitutes a computing nodes that are physically separate
environment where many computers are but linked together using the
used to process and exchange information network. All the nodes in this
to handle multiple issues. system communicate with each
other and handle processes in
PERSONAL COMPUTING tandem. Each of these nodes
ENVIRONMENT contains a small part of the
➢ In the personal computing distributed operating system
environment, there is a single software.
computer system. All the system
processes are available on the CLOUD COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT
computer and executed there. The ➢ The computing is moved away
different devices that constitute a from individual computer systems
personal computing environment to a cloud of computers in a cloud
are laptops, mobiles, printers, computing environment. The cloud
computer systems, scanners etc. users only see the service being
provided and not the internal
TIME SHARING COMPUTING details of how the service is
ENVIRONMENT provided. This is done by pooling
➢ The time sharing computing all the computer resources and
environment allows multiple users then managing them using
to share the system software.
simultaneously. Each user is
provided a time slice and the
processor switches rapidly among
the users according to it. Because
of this, each user believes that
OTHER COMPUTING DEVICES keyboards to give commands to
the computer
CLUSTER COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT
➢ The clustered computing Barcode reader
environment is similar to the ➢ It is a kind of an optical scanner it
parallel computing environment as can read bar codes a source of
they both have multiple CPUs. light is passed through a bar code,
However a major difference is that and its aspects and details are
clustered systems are created by displayed on the screen
two or more individual computer
systems merged together which Joystick
then work parallel to each other. ➢ It is a device which comprises a
stick which is attached at an angle
to the base so that it can be moved
COMPUTER HARDWARE and controlled mostly used to
control the movement in video
Computer hardware games apart from a computer
➢ is a collective term used to system, a joystick is also used in
describe any of the physical the cockpit of an airplane,
components of an analog or digital wheelchairs, cranes, trucks, etc. to
computer. The term hardware operate them well.
distinguishes the tangible aspects
of a computing device from Microphone
software, which consists of written, ➢ Using a microphone, sound can be
machine-readable instructions or stored in a device in its digital form;
programs that tell physical it converts sound into an electrical
components what to do and when signal to record or reproduce a
to execute the instructions. sound created using a microphone,
it needs to be connected with an
Input Devices amplifier.
➢ Input devices are hardware
components used to enter data, Mouse
instructions, or commands into a ➢ It is also known as a pointing
computer system. they allow users device. using a mouse, we can
to interact with the computer, directly click on the various icons
enabling it to receive and process present on the system and open
data from the outside world. up various files and programs.
➢ A mouse comprises 3 buttons on
Keyboard the top and one trackball at the
➢ a simple device comprising keys bottom, which helps in selecting
and each key denotes either an and moving the mouse around,
alphabet, number or number respectively.
commands which can be given to a
computer for various actions to be Output devices
performed it has a modified version ➢ The output devices take care of
of typewriter keys the keyboard is displaying the result after data
an essential input device and processing by the input device. it
computer and laptops both use may be in image, graphic, textual,
 or audio form. These devices show ● Inkjet printers
the visual elements on the display. ● non-impact printers

Monitor Speakers
➢ The device which displays all the ➢ An output device that produces
icons, text, images, etc., over a sound after receiving a command
screen is called the monitor. When from the computer. They support
we ask the computer to perform an the computers as well as other
action, the result of that action is hardware devices.
displayed on the monitor. various
types of monitors have also been Projector
developed over the years. ➢ This is an optical device that
presents visuals on the screen,
TYPES OF MONITORS stationary and moving both. They
are present at movie theaters,
Cathode-ray tube auditoriums, etc. It connects to the
➢ The pixels make up the image on computer and displays the image
the crt display. The smaller the on it on a larger screen.
pixels, the clearer the image. Even
a single character 'Ukek' is made Headphones
of numerous pixels on the screen. ➢ Similar to speakers, this device
A screen can have limited pixels at has a lower sound frequency. They
once, it is usually 80 by 20 can't be easily heard in large areas
characters horizontally and like grounds and parks but are only
vertically. accessible to a single person using
the device. A headset is another
Liquid crystal display name for them.
➢ Flat-panel display monitor. These
are high-level video devices with Storage devices
low volume, lightweight, and low ➢ Components used to store,
power requirements. From wall retrieve, and manage digital data.
hanging to smartwatches, they are They allow computers and other
everywhere. there are either digital devices to save information
emissive displays or non-emissive for both short-term (temporary) and
displays. Liquid crystal displays long-term (permanent) use.
(lcds) are a type of non-emissive Storage devices hold everything
display. from operating systems and
applications to user files like
Printer documents, photos, and videos.
➢ A device which makes a copy of
the pictorial or textual content, Key functions of storage devices:
usually over a paper, is called a
printer. Data storage
➢ They hold data permanently or
TYPES OF PRINTERS temporarily, depending on the
● Dot matrix printer device type.
● Chain printer
● Laser printers
Data retrieval data is typically volatile, meaning
➢ Users can access and retrieve It's lost when the device is
data when needed. powered off.

Data backup RAM (Random Access Memory)

➢ Important data can be stored in ➢ RAM is used to store data that is
secondary or external devices for actively being processed by the
protection against loss. CPU. The more RAM a system
has, the more data it can handle at
TYPES OF STORAGE DEVICES: once.

PRIMARY STORAGE SRAM (Static RAM)

➢ It is also known as internal memory ➢ This is faster than DRAM because
and main memory. This is a it doesn't need to be refreshed
section of the CPU that holds regularly, but it is more expensive.
program instructions, input data, SRAM is typically used in cache
and intermediate results. It is memory.
generally smaller in size. RAM
(Random Access Memory) and DRAM (Dynamic RAM)
ROM (Read Only Memory) are ➢ This is slower and needs to be
examples of primary storage. refreshed thousands of times per
second, but It is less expensive
SECONDARY STORAGE and is the most common type of
➢ Is a memory that is stored external RAM used in computers.
to the computer. It is mainly used
for the permanent and long-term SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic RAM)
storage of programs and data. ➢ This type of RAM is synchronized
Hard Disks, CDs, DVDs, Pen/Flash with the system clock, which
drives, SSD, etc, are examples of improves performance by reducing
secondary storage. waiting times for synchronization
with the CPU.
TERTIARY STORAGE
➢ Is a type of Memory that is rarely ROM (Read-Only Memory)
used in personal computers and ➢ ROM is a non-volatile memory,
due to this, tertiary memory is not meaning it retains its contents
considered to be an important one. even when the power is off. ROM
Tertiary memory works stores the firmware (basic
automatically without human instructions) that allows the
intervention. computer to boot up and perform
basic functions.
CATEGORIES OF STORAGE DEVICES
PROM (Programmable ROM)
PRIMARY STORAGE DEVICES ➢ Can be programmed once by the
➢ Used to temporarily hold data that user, but after programming, the
the computer is actively using. data cannot be changed.
These devices are directly
accessible by the CPU, making
them extremely fast. However, the
EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM) access and read, they offer
➢ Can be erased using UV light and enormous capacity and are
reprogrammed. commonly used in enterprise
settings for long-term data storage.
EEPROM (Electrically Erasable
Programmable ROM) SuperDisk
➢ Can be erased and rewritten using ➢ A high-capacity alternative to
electrical signals, allowing for floppy disks, offering larger storage
easier updates to firmware. (around 120 MB). though it's
largely obsolete now.
MAGNETIC STORAGE DEVICES
FLASH MEMORY DEVICES
Magnetic storage devices
➢ Use magnetism to store data. Flash memory
These devices store data as tiny ➢ Is a non-volatile type of storage,
magnetized regions on a disk or meaning that it retains data even
tape. They are generally slower when the power is turned off. Flash
than other forms of storage but memory is faster and more durable
offer a large amount of storage than magnetic storage because it
capacity. has no moving parts.

Floppy Disk Pen Drive (USB Flash Drive)

➢ An older storage device with a ➢ A small, portable device used to
small capacity (usually 1.44 MB). store and transfer data. It connects
It's rarely used today due to its low via a USB port and is highly
capacity and slow access times. portable, making it ideal for
transferring files between
Hard Disk Drive (HDD) computers.
➢ A popular magnetic storage device
that stores large amounts of data SSD (Solid State Drive)
on spinning platters. It's widely ➢ A storage device that uses flash
used for storing files and memory to provide faster data
applications on computers. The access speeds compared to
access time is slower compared to traditional hard drives. 55Ds are
SSDs, but HDDs provide larger faster and more reliable than
capacities at Lower costs HDDs, as they have no moving
parts. They are widely used in
Magnetic Card laptops and servers.
➢ Often used for financial
transactions, these cards store SD Card (Secure Digital Card)
small amounts of data that can be ➢ A small, portable memory card
read by card readers. Examples: used in cameras, smartphones,
include credit cards and hotel and other electronic devices for
keycards. storage

Tape Cassette Memory Card

➢ Used for data backup and ➢ Similar to SD cards. Memory cards
archiving. While tapes are slow to are used in various portable
 devices like gaming consoles and disc) and is primarily used for
phones. high-definition video and data
storage. Blu-ray discs are
Multimedia Card (MMC) commonly used for HD movies and
➢ An older type of memory card that large data backups
was used in devices like digital
cameras and mobile phones, CLOUD AND VIRTUAL STORAGE
though it has largely been replaced
by SD cards. Cloud and virtual storage
➢ Store data remotely and can be
OPTICAL STORAGE DEVICES accessed from anywhere with an
internet connection. Cloud storage
Optical storage devices is provided by companies that host
➢ Use lasers to read and write data. servers, allowing users to upload
Data is stored as tiny pits and and download files as needed.
lands on the surface of the disc,
which are interpreted by a laser. Cloud Storage
➢ This involves storing data on
CD (Compact Disc) servers hosted by third- party
➢ A widely used optical storage service providers like Google
format. Primarily for music and Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft
software. CDs store around 700 OneDrive. Cloud storage is
MB of data. flexible, allowing users to access
their data from anywhere with an
CD-R (Recordable) internet connection.
➢ Can be written to once
Virtual Storage
CD-RW (Rewritable) ➢ Uses software to pool resources
➢ Can be erased and rewritten from multiple physical storage
multiple times. devices, making it appear as a
single storage device. This is
DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) commonly used in enterprise
➢ Similar to CDs but with more environments for scalability and
capacity (up to 4.7 GB for a data management. Virtual storage
single-layer DVD). DVDs are allows for efficient data
commonly used for movies and management and backup
larger software programs. solutions.

DVD-R (Recordable)
➢ Can be written to once COMPUTER SOFTWARE

DVD-RW (Rewritable) Computer Software

➢ Can be erased and rewritten Is the set of instructions that tell the
multiple times hardware what to do. Software is created
through the process of programming.
Blu-ray Disc Without the software, the hardware would
➢ Offers much larger storage not be functional.
capacity (25 GB for a single- layer
Types of Software type and edit text, format fonts and
paragraphs, and
Systems Software add, move, and delete text throughout the
Manages the hardware and creates the document.
interface between the hardware and the
user. This is needed in order to operate 2. Spreadsheet
and use our computer This class of software provides a way to
do numeric
Functions of System Software calculations and analysis. The working
All computing devices run an operating area is divided
system. For personal computers, the most into rows and columns, where users can
popular operating systems are Microsoft’s enter numbers, text, or formulas.
Windows, Apple’s OS X, and different
versions of Linux. Smartphones and 3. Presentation
tablets run operating systems as well, This class of software provides for the
such as Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android, creation of
Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, and Unix. slideshow presentations. Harkening back
to the days of
The operating system provides several overhead projectors and transparencies,
essential functions, including: presentation
software allows its users to create a set of
1. Managing the hardware resources of slides that
the computer; can be printed or projected on a screen.
2. Providing the user-interface
components; 4. Image editing
3. Providing a platform for software Image editing software encompasses the
developers to write processes of
applications. altering images, whether they are digital
photographs,
Application software traditional photo-chemical photographs, or
Is the category of programs that do illustrations.
something useful for the user. It is not
needed by the computer to operate but is 5. Video editing
needed by the end-users to use. Software used for performing the
post-production
For computer based software, we call it video editing of digital video sequences on
Programs a non-linear
While for mobile based software, we call it editing system. It has replaced traditional
Applications flatbed
celluloid film editing tools and analogue
Common Application Software video
tape-to-tape online editing.
1. Word processing
This class of software provides for the Kinds of Software Uses
creation of 1. Open Source
written documents. Functions include the 2. Freeware
ability to 3. Shareware
4. Commercialized/Licensed
 giant wooden horse to their foes, the
Harmful Software Trojans, ostensibly as a peace offering.
1. The Malware (Malicious Software)
2. Malware creation is on the rise due to Spyware
the sheer volume of new types created Is a kind of malware that is designed to
daily and the lure of collect
money that can be made through information and data on users and
organized Internet crime. observe their activity
3. Malware was originally created as without users' knowledge.
experiments and Spyware is often hidden from the user in
pranks, but eventually led to vandalism order to gather information about internet
and destruction interaction, keystrokes (also known as
of targeted computer machines. keylogging), passwords, and other
4. Today, much of malware is created for valuable data.
profit through forced advertising, stealing
sensitive information, spreading email Adware
spam, pornography, or to extort money. Is any software application in which
advertising
Harmful Software banners are displayed while a program is
1. Virus running. The ads are delivered through
2. Worm pop-up windows or bars that appear on
3. Trojan Horse the program's user interface. Adware is
4. Spyware commonly created for computers, but may
5. Adware also be found on mobile devices.
6. Zombie Computers
7. Ransomware Zombie Computers
A zombie (also known as a bot) is a
Virus computer that a remote attacker has
the most common type of malware and it accessed and set up to forward
is defined as a malicious program that can transmissions (including spam and
execute itself and spreads by infecting viruses) to other computers on the
other programs or files. When executed, Internet.
replicates itself by modifying other
computer programs and inserting its own Ransomware
code. Is a malware designed to infect a user's
system and encrypt the data.
Worm Cybercriminals then demand a ransom
Is a type of malware that can self-replicate payment from the victim in exchange for
without a host program. Worms typically decrypting the system's data.
spread without any human interaction or
directives from the malware authors.
Operating System
Trojan Horse
Is a malicious program that is designed to An operating system (OS)
appear as a legitimate program; once Is a collection of software that manages
activated following installation. computer hardware resources and
The term comes from the Greek story of provides common services for
the Trojan War, in which the Greeks give a
computer programs. The operating system Coordination between other software
is a vital component of the system and users
software in a computer system. Coordination and assignment of
compilers,
An interface between a computer user and interpreters, assemblers and other
computer software to
hardware. An operating system is a the various users of the computer
software which performs all the basic systems.
tasks like file management, memory
management, process management, Programming Languages
handling input and output, and controlling The computer system is simply a machine
peripheral devices such as disk drives and and hence it cannot perform any work;
printers. therefore, in order to make it functional
different languages are developed, which
Important Functions of an OS are known as programming languages or
• Memory Management simply computer
• Processor Management languages.
• Device Management
• File Management Over the last two decades, dozens of
• Security computer
• Control over system performance languages have been developed. Each of
• Job accounting these
• Error detecting aids languages comes with its own set of
• Coordination between other software vocabulary
and users and rules, better known as syntax.
Furthermore,
Applications of the OS while writing the computer language,
syntax has
Security to be followed literally, as even a small
By means of password and similar other mistake
techniques, it prevents unauthorized will result in an error and not generate the
access to programs and data. required output.

Control over system performance Following are the major categories of

Recording delays between request for a Programming Languages:
service • Machine Language
and response from the system. • Assembly Language
• High Level Language
Job accounting • System Language
Keeping track of time and resources used • Scripting Language
by various jobs and users.
Machine Language or Code
Error detecting aids This is the language that is written for the
Production of dumps, traces, error computer hardware. Such language is
messages, affected
and other debugging and error detecting directly by the central processing unit
aids. (CPU) of a
computer system.
 It is usually done by a single person for his
Assembly Language personal use. This technique is suitable
It is a language of an encoding of machine even for small offices.
code that is simpler and readable.
Multiple Programming
The High Level Language This technique provides the facility to store
is simple and easy to understand and it is and execute more than one program in
similar to the English language. For the Central Processing Unit (CPU)
example, COBOL, FORTRAN, BASIC, C, simultaneously. Further, the multiple
C+, Python, etc. programming technique increases the
overall working efficiency of the respective
List of Common High Level Language computer.

● SQL Real-time Processing

● Java This technique facilitates the user to have
● Javascript direct contact with the computer system.
● C# This technique easeus data processing.
● Python This technique is also known as the direct
● C++ mode or the interactive mode technique
● PHP and is developed exclusively to perform
● IOS one task. It is a sort of
● Ruby/Rails online processing, which always remains
● .Net under execution.

Data Processing Online Processing

Collection, manipulation, and processing This technique facilitates the entry and
collected data for the required use is execution of data directly; so, it does not
known as data processing. It is a store or accumulate first and then process.
technique normally performed by a The technique is developed in such a way
computer; the process includes retrieving, that reduces the data entry errors, as it
transforming, or classification of validates
information. data at various points and also ensures
that only corrected data is entered. This
However, the processing of data largely technique is widely used for online
depends on the following: applications.
• The volume of data that need to be
processed Time-sharing Processing
• The complexity of data processing This is another form of online data
operations processing that facilitates several users to
• Capacity and inbuilt technology of share the resources of an online computer
respective system. This technique is adopted when
computer system results are needed swiftly. Moreover, as
• Technical skills the name suggests, this system is time
• Time constraints based.

Methods of Data Processing Distributed Processing

This is a specialized data processing
Single User Programming technique in which various computers
(which are located remotely) remain
interconnected with a single host
computer making a network of computers.

Software Development Life Cycle

(SDLC)
Is a process used by the software industry
to design,
develop and test high quality software.
The SDLC aims to produce high-quality
software that meets or exceeds customer
expectations, reaches completion within
times and cost estimates.