INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT KOLKATA

BHM105: Application of Computers

1st Semester

COMPUTER FUNDAMENTALS
INFORMATION CONCEPTS AND PROCESSING
EVOLUTION OF COMPUTERS:
In ancient times, people used various devices for computing. The devices and methods used for calculation were not
perfect and lacked speed. Manual computing devices, primarily used for simple calculations, were later replaced by
automated computing devices. Charles Babbage, a nineteenth century professor at Cambridge University, is regarded as the
father of modern digital computers. In 1842, Babbage came out with a new idea of a completely automated analytical engine
for performing basic mathematical functions at an average speed of 60 additions per minute. Babbage's efforts established a
number of principles, which are fundamental to designing any digital computer.

WHAT IS A COMPUTER
Computer is an electronic device. It can do arithmetic calculations faster. But as you will see later it does much more
than that. It can be compared to a magic box, which serves different purpose to different people. For a common man
computer is simply a calculator, which works automatic and quite fast. For a person who knows much about it, computer is a
machine capable of solving problems and manipulating data. It accepts data, processes the data by doing some mathematical
and logical operations and gives us the desired output. Therefore, we may define computer as a device that transforms data.
Data can be anything like marks obtained by you in various subjects. It can also be name, age, sex, weight, height, etc. of all
the students in your class or income, savings, investments, etc., of a country. Computer can be defined in terms of its
functions. It can i) accept data ii) store data, iii) process data as desired, and iv) retrieve the stored data as and when required
and v) print the result in desired format. A computer system consists of a set of hardware and software which processes data
in a meaningful way. The personal computer or PC exemplifies a relatively simple computer system. A computer is a device
or machine for processing information from data according to a program — a compiled list of instructions. The information
to be processed may represent numbers, text, pictures, or sound, amongst many other types. Computers are extremely
versatile. In fact, they are universal information processing machines.

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 INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT KOLKATA
BHM105: Application of Computers
1st Semester
DATA AND INFORMATION
A computer usually accepts input in the form of data. Data is the plural form of the Latin word datum, which means
'something given'. In computer science, the term data refers to numerical, alphabetical, and special characters (e.g., %, +, -,!,
#), which are represented in ways that can be processed by a computer. Data is a representation of facts. A set of numbers,
9102225551212, could be an example of data. Data is the raw material and information is the finished product (manipulation
of raw facts). Information refers to data in a particular context, which helps us understand facts.
NUMBERING SYSTEM IN A COMPUTER
A computer is a digital system that stores and processes data in the form of binary digits—0s and 1s. A computer handles
various types of data, which include numbers, alphabets, and even special characters. Different types of codes have been
developed to represent data entered by users in a binary format. Computers use decimal and binary systems.
Decimal System:
The decimal system uses 10 as a base to represent different values. In this system, 10 symbols are available for representing
digits 0-9. The most common operations performed by decimal systems are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Binary System:
The binary system uses 2 as a base to represent different values. In this system, two symbols, 0 and 1, are used. In computer
terminology, 0 and 1 are known as bits. A bit is the smallest unit of information that is used in a computer system. The primary
memory is usually specified in KB, MB, or GB as follows:

1 Nibble = 4 bits
1 Byte = 8 bits
1 Kilobyte (KB) = 1024 bytes
1 Megabyte (MB) = 1024KB
1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1024MB
1 Terabyte (TB) = 1024 GB
1 Petabyte (PB) = 1024 TB
1 Exabyte (EB) = 1024PB
1 Zettabyte (ZB) = 1024EB
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTER
Let us identify the major characteristics of computer. These can be discussed under the headings of speed, accuracy,
diligence, versatility and memory.
Speed:
As you know computer can work very fast. It takes only few seconds for calculations that we take hours to complete.
Suppose you are asked to calculate the average monthly income of one thousand persons in your neighborhood. For
this you have to add income from all sources for all persons on a day to day basis and find out the average for each
one of them. How long will it take for you to do this? One day, two days or one week do you know your small computer
can finish this work in few seconds? The weather forecasting that you see every day on TV is the results of compilation
and analysis of huge amount of data on temperature, humidity, pressure, etc. of various places on computers. It takes
few minutes for the computer to process this huge amount of data and give the result. You will be surprised to know
that computer can perform millions (1,000,000) of instructions and even more per second. Therefore, we determine
the speed of computer in terms of microsecond (10-6 part of a second) or Nano-second (10-9 part of a second). From
this you can imagine how fast your computer performs work.

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 INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT KOLKATA
BHM105: Application of Computers
1st Semester
Accuracy:
Suppose someone calculates faster but commits a lot of errors in computing. Such result is useless. There is another
aspect. Suppose you want to divide 15 by 7. You may work out up to 2 decimal places and say the dividend is 2.14. I may
calculate up to 4 decimal places and say that the result is 2.1428. Someone else may go up to 9 decimal places and say
the result is 2.142857143. Hence, in addition to speed, the computer should have accuracy or correctness in computing.
The degree of accuracy of computer is very high and every calculation is performed with the same accuracy. The
accuracy level is determined on the basis of design of computer. The errors in computer are due to human and
inaccurate data.
Diligence:
A computer is free from tiredness, lack of concentration, fatigue, etc. It can work for hours without creating any
error. If millions of calculations are to be performed, a computer will perform every calculation with the
same accuracy. Due to this capability it overpowers human being in routine type of work.
Versatility:
It means the capacity to perform completely different type of work. You may use your computer to prepare payroll
slips. Next moment you may use it for inventory management or to prepare electric bills.
Power of Remembering (Storage):
Computer has the power of storing any amount of information or data.
Any information can be stored and recalled as long as you require it, for any numbers of years. It depends entirely upon
you how much data you want to store in a computer and when to lose or retrieve these data. A computer can store
voluminous amounts of data and information. The storage capacity of a computer is generally expressed in terms of
megabyte (MB), gigabyte (GB), and terabyte (TB).
LIMITATIONS OF COMPUTERS
Even machines with multi-function capabilities are not perfect. Though computers are a boon to mankind, they have
some limitations. These include the following:
No IQ:
Computer is a dumb machine and it cannot do any work without instruction from the user. It performs the instructions
at tremendous speed and with accuracy. It is you to decide what you want to do and in what sequence. So a computer
cannot take its own decision as you can.
No Feelings:
A computer is devoid of emotion. Since it is a machine, it neither has feelings nor instincts. Although human beings have
succeeded in building a memory for a computer, it does not possess a human heart. We human beings can make certain
judgments in our day-to-day life based on our feelings, taste, knowledge, and experiences. A computer, on the other
hand, cannot make such judgments on its own. It can only make judgments based on instructions given to it in the form
of programs that are written by us, human beings.
TYPES OF INFORMATION
The information need of an individual or a group is the desire to locate or obtain information to satisfy an individual
or group's desires. They are of different types and can be classified as follows.
International information:
An individual may be interested in knowing what is happening across the globe or what has happened in a
neighboring country in the past. For example, fluctuations in currency exchange rates differ among countries.
Sometimes, a change of government in a country could result in a change in currency rates. This is an example of
international information that may affect the interest of a very large number of people.
National information:
pertaining to a particular country that might be of importance to its citizens is called national information.
Newspapers, radio, and television provide data that is important from a national point of view. The share market
rates of a country and prices of manufactured products are types of national information. It consists of important
data required by different organizations in the country.

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 INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT KOLKATA
BHM105: Application of Computers
1st Semester
Corporate information:
The management of a corporation may like to keep its employees informed on the various activities of the
organization. The minute of a meeting sent to an employee who has been on an official trip abroad is an example
of corporate information. Department information Departments work by conveying progress and other information
to their headquarters and sister departments for the successful running of their organization.

ELEMENTS OF COMPUTER
A computer is an electronic device, a flexible machine that can manipulate data. A computer is programmable that is, what the
computer does depends on the program the computer is using. (A program is a list of instruction telling the computer what to do).
A computer’s hardware, the machine and its components is designed to be as flexible as possible. By using computer programs,
called software, we transform this flexible hardware into a tool for purpose. No matter which program a computer is using, the
machine itself performs only four basic operations. The most widely accepted definition of the computer includes the following
operation:

INPUT: A computer accepts data that is provided by means of an input device, such as a keyboard.
PROCESSING: A computer performs operations on the data to transform it in some way.
OUTPUT: A computer produces output on a device, operations.
STORAGE: A computer stores the results of processing operations for future use.

The definition is often referred to as the IPOS cycle. The four steps of the IPOS cycle- INPUT, PROCESSING, OUTPUT, and
STORAGE.
FIVE ELEMENTS OF THE COMPUTING PROCESS: Computer consists of hardware, the physical parts of the computer, and
software, the program that tell the computer what to do. Processing data into information involves more elements than just
hardware and software. During the computing process, computers integrate the use of five key elements: Hardware,
Software, Data, People, and Procedure

Hardware →
The tangible physical components of a computer system, which can be touched, seen, and felt, are known as hardware.
Hardware units are used to input, store, and process data. In addition, they also help in displaying and storing the output for
users. The basic hardware units are keyboard, mouse, CPU, and printer.
Software →
It is a set of instructions that guide the hardware through its job. Software programs must be written in programming languages.
Data →
Computers transform data in to information. Data is the raw material, information is processed data. Data is the input to
processing, information is the output.
People →
Most computers require people who are called the Users.
Procedure →
Procedures are the steps that you must follow to accomplish a specific computer related task.

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 INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT KOLKATA
BHM105: Application of Computers
1st Semester

ADVANTAGES OF COMPUTERS
They are fast →
Many of today’s computers can perform hundreds of millions of processing operations in one second.
They are reliable →
Today’s computers may run day in and day out for years without failure.
They are accurate →
The computers physical processing circuits rarely make errors. Computers make errors, of course, but they are almost always
due to faulty programs or incorrect data input.
They can store massive amounts of information →
Today’s personal computers can be equipped with disks capable of storing more than one billion characters (letters
or numbers).
They can move information very quickly from one place to another →
Using all experimental connection that may a role in the information superhighway, one computer can send the entire text of
the encyclopedia linked computer in less than one second.

COMPUTER GENERATIONS
Classification According to Generation:
The first generation computers are those in which vacuum tubes are used. The second generation computers are those in
which transistors are used in place of vacuum tubes. The Third generation computers are those in which IC (Integrated Circuits)
chips are used. Efforts towards miniaturization led to the development of large scale integration (LSI) technology. The
computers in which LSI chips are used belong to fourth generation. Japan and many other countries are working on systems
known as expert system which improve the man- machine interaction. The generation of computers based on this is termed
as fifth generation.
The evolution of computer started from 16th century and resulted in the form that we see today. The present day computer,

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BHM105: Application of Computers
1st Semester
however, has also undergone rapid change during the last fifty years. This period, during which the evolution of computer
took place, can be divided into five distinct phases known as Generations of Computers. Each phase is distinguished from
others on the basis of the type of switching circuits used.

First generation computer systems: First generation computers used vacuum tubes to store data and programming
instructions. Vacuum tubes consumed huge amounts of electricity, produced large quantities of heat, were relatively
unreliable and bulky in size, and were prone to frequent hardware failure. Examples of first generation computers are
ENIAC: It was the first electronic computer built in 1946 at University of Pennsylvania, USA by John Eckert and John Mauchy.
It was named Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC). The ENIAC was 30_ 50 feet long, weighed 30 tons,
contained 18,000 vacuum tubes, 70,000 registers 10,000 capacitors and required 150,000 watts of electricity. Today your
favorite computer is many times as powerful as ENIAC, still size is very small.
EDVAC: It stands for Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer and was developed in 1950. The concept of storing
data and instructions inside the computer was introduced here. This allowed much faster operation since the computer had
rapid access to both data and instructions. The other advantage of storing instruction was that computer could do logical
decision internally.
Other Important Computers of First Generation

EDSAC: It stands for Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer and was developed by M.V. Wilkes at Cambridge University
in 1949.
UNIVAC-1: Ecker and Mauchly produced it in 1951 by Universal Accounting Computer setup.

Limitations of First Generation Computer

Followings are the major drawbacks of First generation computers.
1. The operating speed was quite slow.
2. Power consumption was very high.
3. It required large space for installation.
4. The programming capability was quite low.

Second generation computer systems: John Bardeen, William Shockley, and Walter Brattain invented a new electronic
switching device called a transistor. By using the transistor, computers became more reliable, powerful, smaller, and even
cooler than first generation computers. In this era, high-level programming languages such as COBOL (Common Business
Oriented Language), ALGOL (Algorithmic Language), and SNOBOL (String Oriented symbolic Language) were popularized.
Around 1955 Transistor replaced the bulky electric tubes in the first generation computer. Transistors are smaller than electric
tubes and have higher operating speed. They have no filament and require no heating. Manufacturing cost was also very low.
Thus the size of the computer got reduced considerably.
It is in the second generation that the concept of Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, programming language and input
and output units were developed.

Some of the computers of the Second Generation were:

IBM 1620: Its size was smaller as compared to First Generation computers and mostly used for scientific purpose.
IBM 1401: Its size was small to medium and used for business applications.

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 INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT KOLKATA
BHM105: Application of Computers
1st Semester
CDC 3600: Its size was large and is used for scientific purposes.

Third generation computer systems: Jack St Clair Kilby and Robert Noyce invented integrated circuits (ICs), which had greater
storing and instruction processing capacity compared to transistors. The IC technology, also known as microelectronics
technology, integrates a large number of circuit components into a very small surface IC chip made by silicon known as chip.
The third generation computers were introduced in 1964. They used Integrated Circuits (ICs). These ICs are popularly known
as Chips. A single IC has many transistors, registers and capacitors built on a single thin slice of silicon. So it is quite obvious
that the size of the computer got further reduced. Some of the computers developed during this period were IBM-360, ICL-
1900, IBM-370, and VAX-750. Higher level language such as BASIC (Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was
developed during this period. Computers of these generations were small in size, low cost, large memory and processing
speed is very high.

Fourth generation computer systems: The present day computers that you see today are the fourth generation computers
that started around 1975. It uses large scale Integrated Circuits (LSIC) built on a single silicon chip called microprocessors. Due
to the development of microprocessor it is possible to place computer’s central processing unit (CPU) on single chip. These
computers are called microcomputers. Later very large scale Integrated Circuits (VLSIC) replaced LSICs. Thus the computer
which was occupying a very large room in earlier days can now be placed on a table. The personal computer (PC) that you see
in your school is a Fourth Generation Computer. During this period, high-speed computer networking (local area network,
LAN and wide area network, WAN) and C programming j language became popular. The revolution of the personal computer
began from this generation.

Fifth generation computer: systems Ultra large scale integration (ULSI) superseded technology in the fifth generation,
resulting in the production of microprocessor chips that had around ten million electronic components. Fifth generation
computers have knowledge on information processing systems and incorporate artificial intelligence. Computers based on
human intelligence are self-learning systems that can store experiences and take decisions based on the information and logic
stored in them. They can also process non-numerical information such as graphical representations and pictures. In the fifth
generation, there has been a tremendous growth in computer networks.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
The classification of a computer is usually based on the following four categories:
• Purpose
• Technology
• Size and storage capacity
• Historical advancement

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BHM105: Application of Computers
1st Semester

Classification of computers

Technology
Purpose Size and Storage capacity Historical
Used

General- Analog Super Mainframe Micro Mini

purpose Computer Computer Computer Computer Computer First
Computers Generation
computer
Digital Personal
Workstation Terminal
Computer Computer
Special- Single chip Personal
purpose Micro Second
Digital
Computers Hybrid Computer Generation
Laptop Assistant
Computer computer

Notebook Third
Generation
computer
Palmtop

Fourth
Generation
computer

Fifth
Generation
computer

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 INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT KOLKATA
BHM105: Application of Computers
1st Semester

Classification According to Purpose

Computers are classified and manufactured as per the requirements and needs of users. Based on this, the classification is as
follows:
General-purpose computer: Computers that follow instructions to meet general requirements such as analysis of sales and
accounting, invoicing, inventory listing, management handling, and other tasks are called general-purpose computers.
Special-purpose computer: Computers that are designed from the start to perform special tasks such as weather forecasting
and have applications in science and space studies are called special-purpose computers.

Classification According to Technology

Computers can also be classified based on the technology involved in processing information, which could either be very
simple or complex. Based on this, the classification is as follows:
Analog computer: An analog computer measures physical quantities such as temperature and pressure. It is especially used
for scientific and engineering purposes.
Digital computer: Digital computers are general-purpose computers as they count the digits that represent numbers, letters,
or other special symbols. A user may enter data in decimal or character form, which is converted into binary digits (0s and 1s)
to store the data. These computers have many applications as they can store different sets of instructions and programs.
Hybrid computer: A hybrid computer system is a combination of both analog and digital computers. It is mainly used in
artificial intelligence (robotics) and computer aided manufacturing.

Classification According to Size

Sometimes, computers may have to process huge amounts of data at high speed. Thus, their sizes may vary as per the need
and function. Based on this, their classification is as follows:
Supercomputer: Supercomputers use multiple processors, multiple ALUs, and superior technology for fast and complex
processing. They are multi-user and multitasking computers, mainly used for complex scientific applications such as weather
forecasting, engineering calculations, and data handling for large organizations or government agencies. Examples include
CRAY, NEC 500, PARAM.
Mainframe computer: Mainframe computers are capable of executing billions of instructions and are used in a centralized
location where many terminals (input/output devices) are connected with a single CPU as they allow thousands of users to
work at a particular time. They are mainly used for railway and airline reservations, banking purposes, and in hotels, industries,
and companies. IBM and DEC are the two major vendors of mainframe computers.
Minicomputer: Minicomputers are relatively faster and smaller than other computers. They are inexpensive with limited
input—output capabilities. These are mainly used in small organizations. With respect to price, performance, and applications,
minicomputers are more or less similar to microcomputers.
Microcomputer: Microcomputers are the smallest category of computers and are designed with microprocessor (16-bit, 32-
bit, and 64-bit) integrated circuits. They are used as personal computers (PCs). Microcomputers are further divided into five
sub-groups.
Personal computer: Personal computers are used for individual work. They can be found in hotels, homes, and small
organizations. Personal computers (also known as desktops) are configured to have 16- or 32-bit processors, RAM, monitor,
a printer, hard disk, CD/DVD drive, special add-on card facilities (like a network interface card), and ports for connecting
peripheral devices (such as mouse, pen drive, etc.).
PCs are further classified according to size, weight, and portability. They can be laptops, notebooks, and palmtops.

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 INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT KOLKATA
BHM105: Application of Computers
1st Semester
Laptops are portable computers that are small, lightweight, can be carried around easily, and are designed to operate with
chargeable batteries that enable them to be used at places where there is no availability of an external power source. They
can be easily used by placing them on an individual's lap and are hence called laptops.
Palmtops are smaller in size and usually fit into our hands. Most Palmtops now have Wi-fi and Bluetooth connection facilities.
Personal digital assistant Personal digital assistants (PDAs) were initially introduced as a personal information manager (PIM).
It is a pen-based hand-held mobile computer. PDAs now have Wi-fi and Bluetooth network capabilities. Figure 1.15 shows a
personal digital assistant.
Workstation High-performance personal computers, called workstations, are applied in engineering and science (such as
computer-aided engineering and application-specific integrated circuits). Workstations are mostly designed on reduced
instructions set computing (RISC)-based processors.
Terminal: Terminals are used to display information or accept input from a number of users. They are used in hotels to show
the list of rooms available and to determine whether a guest can be checked in or not.
Single-chip microcomputer: These computers are prepared on single chips that have microprocessors, a 64-byte read and
write memory, 1-4K ROM and several single lines to connect to input/output.

Classification According to Generation

Computers have been in use since the 20th century. Over time, dramatic changes have been made to computer systems.
Based on their advancement, computers are classified into five computer generations as follows:
 First generation computer
 Second generation computer
 Third generation computer
 Fourth generation computer
 Fifth generation computer

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