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INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER
AND PROGRAMMING

CS 1101
Computer Science Department

Basics of Computers: Definition, Computer

Generations, Classifications
 What is a computer ?
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 A computer is an electronic device that receives input, process

stores and provides output in a useful format(Information)
 Functions-Accept, Store, Process, Retrieve and Display
 Generations of computers
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Generation Period Characteristics

1st 1946 - 1959 Use Vacuum tubes
-- ENIAC
2 nd 1959 - 1965 Use transistors
-- EDVAC,UNIVAC
3 rd 1965 - 1971 Large Scale Integrated Circuits
-- ALTAIR
4 th 1971 - 1980 Very Large Scale Integrated
Circuits
-- APPLE
5 th 1980 - onwards “Artificial Intelligence” based
computers
- INTEL-Microprocessor
 I- Ancient Counting Machines
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 1- The Abacus (base 5) (in ancient Babylon, China,

Europe)
 II- Mechanical Counting Machines
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1642

 2- The Pascaline is a mechanical calculating device

invented by the French mathematician Blaise Pascal
in 1642. (+)
 II- Mechanical Counting Machines
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1673

 3- The Leibniz Wheel was invented by the famous

mathematician Leibniz in 1673.
 (+,-,*,/)
 II- Mechanical Counting Machines
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1810

 4- Punched Cards were used by the French weaver

Joseph Jacquard in 1810. The cards carried
weaving instructions for the looms, later this idea
offered a great use for storing info.
II- Mechanical Counting Machines
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1832
 5- Charles Babbage’s first
computer - Difference
Engines to produce tables
of numbers.

 This device had mechanical problems similar to those

that plagued Pascal and Leibniz.
 Charles Babbage 2nd Computer
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1858
 Analytical engine
 general-purpose
 used binary system
 punched cards as input
 branch on result of previous
instruction
 Ada Lovelace (first programmer)
 machined parts not accurate
enough
 never quite completed
 The Invention of the Vacuum Tube
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 6- Initially discovered by
Thomas Edison, the vacuum 1883
tube formed the building
block for the entire
electronics industry.

 Vacuum tubes were later

used as electron valves in
the 20th century to build the
first electronic computers.
III- Electrical Counting Machines
1888
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In US - Herman Hollerith invented a

calculating machine that used:
along with punched

cards instead of mechanical gears.

 III- Electrical Counting Machines
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• Hollerith’s machine was immensely successful. The

general count of the population, then 63 million,
took only 6 weeks to calculate!

• Based on the success of his invention, Herman

Hollerith and some friends formed a company that
sold his invention all over the world. The company
eventually became known as:
 International Business Machines IBM
III- Electrical Counting Machines
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1943
51 feet long and weighed over 5 tons

 11- MARK I was built by a team from IBM and

Harvard University. Mark I used mechanical
telephone switches to store information. It accepted
data on punched cards, processed it and then
output the new data.
 IV- Electronic Counting Machines
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1946

 The ENIAC was the first US-built all-electronic

computer built to perform ballistics
calculations. (Away from IBM)
IV- Electronic Counting Machines
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1951
EDVAC (Electronic
Discrete Variable
Automatic Computer)

UNIVAC (Universal
Automatic Calculator)
 Two Inventions that changed the way
computers are built!!
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1- The Transistor: The most significant

1946
single invention of the modern era.
It was invented by 3 scientists at At&T’s
Bell Labs.
* Transistors are smaller (sometimes
microscopic)
* Fast and don’t need to warm up.
 Transistors on a circuit board
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Resistors

Transistors

Capacitor
 Two Inventions that changed the way
computers are built!!
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2- The (IC) Integrated Circuit

1961

 The IC revolutionized the entire

electronic technology.
 Ex: The Pentium Processor contains
3.1 Million Transistors in 1.5 inch
square!
 1975 - 1981
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 What Is a Computer?
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 Computer
 Take input, process input and provide output
 Performs computations and makes logical decisions
 Millions / billions times faster than human beings
 Computer programs
 Sets of instructions by which a computer processes data
 Hardware
 Physical devices of computer system
 Software
 Programs that run on computers

 2003 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. (modified by Evan Korth)
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COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
 Robotics & Industrial Automation
 Office Automation
 Telecommunications
 Electronic Financial Transactions (Bank)
 Personal Computers
 E-Mail & Teleconferencing
 Artificial Intelligence (AI)
 Robotics & Industrial Automation

 Internet
 Merits and Demerits of Computer
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 Merits:
1. Speed: very high speed. Speed is measured in MIPS and BIPS.
2. Accuracy : The results are very correct.
3. Reliability: It gives correct and consistent result always
4. Storage capability: Stores large amounts of data
5. Versatility: Can do different types of jobs
6. Diligence: It won’t get tired
 De-Merits:-
1. Non-Intelligent:
 It performs the given instructions only.
 It does not think on its own.
 It does not possess any intelligence for analyzing the problem on its own
2. Inactive: If no power supply, it won’t work.
 Classifications of Computers
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1. Super-computers
2. Mainframe computers
3. Mini-computers (or mid-range computers)
4. Micro-computers
 Microcomputer Types
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 Desktop  Netbooks
 Media center system units  Tablet PC
 Notebook or laptop  Handheld
 Mini Computers
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 A mini computer faster than a microcomputer.

 High cost than microcomputers
 Uses: Industries, Factories
 10 SQ Feet area
 10 Terminal
 connected to CPU
 Eg: Prime 997
 MainFrame Computers
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 A mainframe computer is faster than a mini

computer.
 1000 sq. feet area and the most expensive system
 100 Terminals +CPU
 Govenments,Universities
 Eg:IBM1401
 Super Computers
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 These computers are the fastest, most expensive the

extremely powerful
 Complex mathematical calculations
 GPS
 Nuclear Research
 Eg: Param
 Computer Organization
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2
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Six logical units of computer system
 Input unit
 Mouse, keyboard
 Output unit
 Printer, monitor, audio speakers
 Memory unit
 Retains input and processed information
 Arithmetic and logic unit (ALU)
 Performs calculations
 Central processing unit (CPU)
 Supervises operation of other devices
 Secondary storage unit
Hard drives, floppy drives
 Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.
 2003 Prentice
 Block Diagram of Computer
System Unit
29 Storage

HD

RAM

Registers

CU

ALU

CPU
 Machine Languages, Assembly
Languages, and High-level Languages
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 Three types of programming languages

Machine languages
 Strings of numbers giving machine specific instructions
 Example:
100001001011011010101010101010110
Assembly languages
 English-like abbreviations representing elementary
computer operations (translated via assemblers)
 Example:
LOAD BASEPAY
ADD OVERPAY
STORE GROSSPAY
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 2000 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Machine Languages, Assembly
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Languages, and High-level Languages
 High-level languages
 Instructions closer to everyday English
 English is a natural language. Although high level
programming languages are closer to natural languages,
it is difficult to get too close due to the ambiguities in
natural languages (a statement in English can mean
different things to different people – obviously that is
unacceptable for computer programming).
 However, this is a big research area of computer science.
 Use mathematical notations (translated via compilers)
 Example:
grossPay = basePay + overTimePay
 Interpreter – Executes high level language programs without
compilation. 31
 2003 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. (modified by Evan Korth)
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