Republic of the Philippines

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

MODULE 1

Introductions to computers –
History of computer, Modern computers; its
components, and applications.
 Module Objectives

➢ Familiarize the history of computers

➢ Learn how computer operates

➢ Understand the components required for modern

computer to function.
 Ikaw: Ma, masakit yung -
Mama mo:
What is a
computer?
A computer is an electronic
machine that
(1) takes in data and
instructions (input),
(2) works with the data
(processing), and
(3) puts out information
(output).
Difference between
Data and Information
Data
Data is raw, unorganized facts that need to
be processed. Data can be something
simple and seemingly random and useless
until it is organized

Information
When data is processed, organized,
structured or presented in a given context so
as to make it useful, it is called information.
Mathematics
• Calculating devices, computers, and software were all first invented to speed up
mathematical calculations.
Approximate evolution of mathematics, calculating
devices, and software from prehistory through the
modern era.
Recording of Ideas and Information
The second form of invention is the recording of ideas and information so they can be shared
and transmitted and to keep the ideas available over long time periods.

Physical storage of writing includes stone tablets, clay tablets, papyrus, animal skins, paper, and
eventually magnetic and optical storage. Storage also includes manuscripts, books, libraries,
and eventually databases and cloud storage.
Once calculations have been performed,
there is also a need to keep the information
in a permanent or at least long-lasting
format so that the information can be
shared with others or used later on as
needed
Evolution of
Information
Storage
and Access
Physical Calculating Devices
The third form of invention is that of physical calculating devices that could assist human scholars in faster
and more accurate calculations than would be possible using only the human mind and the human body.

Physical devices include the abacus, protractors, astrolabes, measuring devices, mechanical calculating
devices, slide rules, analog computers, and eventually electronic digital computers.
Information Transition
A fourth form of invention involves the available channels for distributing information
to many people.
Information transmission includes word of mouth, markings on stones and bones;
markings on clay; and eventually pictographs, ideographs, and finally alphabets
Lists for how information can be transmitted or
shared with other human beings once calculations
have been performed and the results stored in
some fashion.
Software
The fifth form of invention is that of software itself. This is the most recent form of
invention; essentially all software used in 2013 is less than 55 years old, probably more
than 50% of the software is less than 20 years old.
A sixth form of invention is indirect. These are enabling
inventions that are not directly connected to computers and
software but that helped in their development. One such
enabling invention is the patent system. A second and very
important enabling invention was plastic.
 Enabling
Inventions for
Computers
and Software
Brief History of
Computer
Pascaline
• Pascaline, also
called Arithmetic Machine,
the first calculator or adding
machine to be produced in
any quantity and actually
used.
Difference Engine
• Difference Engine, an early calculating
machine, verging on being the first
computer, designed and partially built
during the 1820s and '30s by Charles
Babbage.
Analytical
Engine
• Analytical Engine, generally
considered the first computer,
designed and partly built by
the English inventor Charles
Babbage in the 19th century
(he worked on it until his
death in 1871).
 The Analytical Engine was to be a general-
purpose, fully program-controlled, automatic
mechanical digital computer.

The machine was designed to consist of four

Analytical components: the mill, the store, the reader, and

the printer. These components are the essential

Engine
components of every computer today. The mill
was the calculating unit, analogous to
the central processing unit (CPU) in a modern
computer; the store was where data were held
prior to processing, exactly analogous
to memory and storage in today’s computers;
and the reader and printer were the input and
output devices.
Computer
Components
 Computer needs to receive data and instruction
in order to solve any problem.

All input device perform the following functions:

• Accept data and instruction from the outside
Input unit word
• Convert it to a form that the computer can
understand.
• Supply the converted data to the computer
system for further processing.

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

Keyboard
most common for people
rarely used keys were reduced and all the keys were combined together
the numeric keypad was removed
reduces the keyboard size even more to increase portability
 offer smooth keystrokes offer a small "bump" provide a satisfying sound
without any feedback or click sensation each time they hit their
actuation point
 The storage unit of the computer holds the
Storage data and instruction that you enter through
the input unit before these are processed. It
units preserves the intermediate and final results
before these are sent to the output devices.
 The primary storage also called the primary
memory, store and provides information very
fast. This is generally used to hold the
Primary program being currently executed in the
computer, the data being received from the
Storage input unit and the intermediate and final
results of the program. The primary generally
loses its content when you switch off the
computer.
Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM

VOLTAGE BANDWIDTH PREFETCH

the higher the voltage, data transfer rate, amount of data read in
the better its measured in gigabytes one pass
performance will be per second
 The secondary storage (Memory) is used
Databases; etc .The program that you want
to run on the computer is first Transferred to
Secondary the primary memory before it can run.
Similarly, after running the Program, if you
Storage need to save the result, you will transfer them
to the secondary Storage. The secondary
memory is slower and cheaper than the
primary memory.

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

 The output unit of a computer provides the
information and results of a computation to
the outside world.
Output Unit
The output unit converts the binary data into
a form that users can understand.
Monitor
Resolution

determines the number

of pixels on the screen
Aspect Ratio

• 16:9 - Wide
• 21:9 - UltraWide
• 32:9 - Super Wide
Display Panel Types
TN (Twisted Nematic)
- poor viewing angles

IPS (In-Plane Switching)

- better color reproduction and viewing
angles than TN

VA (Vertical Alignment)
- have great contrast, colors, and viewing
angles
Refresh Rate

how many times a

display can update
in one second and is
measured in hertz
or Hz.
 All calculations are performed in the
Arithmetic- Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) of the computer.
ALU also dose compressions and takes
Logic Unit decisions. Whenever calculation has to be
done, the control unit transfers the required
data from the storage unit to ALU
 The control unit controls all other units in the
computer. The input unit does not know
when to receive data and where to put the
Control Unit data in the storage unit after receiving it. It is
the control unit that gives the necessary
instructions to the input unit. Similarly, the
control unit instructs the input unit where to
store the data after receiving it from the user.
 CPU(Central processing Unit alternately
referred to as a processor, central processor,
or microprocessor): is a
Central • Set of electronic circuitry that executes
program instructions
Processing • Converts data into information
Unit • Acts as Control center i.e. it controls all the
devices connected to system. because of
this function it is called as Brain of Computer
System
Central Processing Unit (CPU)

CLOCK HYPER-
CORES
SPEED THREADING
 Single Central Two Central Four Central
Processing Unit Processing Unit Processing Unit
in One Chip in One Chip
 Central
Processing Unit
Core

Core
KNOWN BRANDS
 Dual-Core Quad-Core Quad-Core
3.4-4.2GHz 2.4-3.8GHz 2.9-4.2GHz
No Turbo Boost Turbo Boost Turbo Boost
 Hyper-Threading

ALSO CALLED “SIMULTANEOUS SPLIT A CORE INTO VIRTUAL CORES,

MULTITHREADING” WHICH ARE CALLED “THREADS”
 Clock Speed

ALSO CALLED “CLOCK RATE” OR MEASURES THE NUMBER OF CYCLES YOUR

“FREQUENCY” CPU EXECUTES PER SECOND (GIGAHERTZ)
Classification
of Computers
based on size
 Super Computers

Large scientific and research

laboratories as well as the government
organizations have extra ordinary
demand for processing data which
required tremendous processing speed,
memory and other services which may
not be provided with any other
category to meet their needs.
 Mainframe
Computer

Mainframes are a type of computer

that generally are known for their large
size, amount of storage, processing
power and high level of reliability. They
are primarily used by large
organizations for mission-critical
applications requiring high volumes of
data processing.
 Mini Computers

• Mini computers are smaller than

mainframes, both in size and other
facilities such as speed, storage
capacity and other services. They are
versatile that they can be fitted where
ever they are needed. Their speeds are
rated between one and fifty million
instructions per second (MIPS)
 Micro Computers

• These are the smallest range of

computers. Micro computers of todays
are equivalent to the mini computers of
yesterday in terms of performing and
processing. They are also called
“computer of a chip” because its entire
circuitry is contained in one tiny chip

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA.

ACTIVITY #1

• Present atleast two (2) computer

within your member

• Determine its parts

• Compare its specification