Computer System >Hybrid Computer

What is Computer? --An electronic device Analog Computers- is a more sophisticated

designed to accept and store input data, electronic or hydraulic device that is
process data and produce appropriate output designed to handle input in terms of ,
information under the control of a stored voltage levels or hydraulic pressures, rather
sequence of instructions. -- A device that than numerical data. he inputs are converted
computes, especially a programmable into voltages that may be added or
electronic machine that performs high-speed multiplied using specially designed circuit
mathematical or logical operations elements. It gives approximately result for
the user.
5 Basic Element that make up a computer
Digital Computer- It operates counting values
1. Electronic – all computers are powered by
that discrete, or separate and distinct. It is
electricity
used for both business data processing and
2. Programmable – a computer must be able scientific purposes. Everything that a digital
to follow a set oof instructions (called computer does is based on one operation:
programs) to operate. the ability to determine whether a switch is
open or close: on or off (0 or 1).
3. Storage – a computer must be able to
store information (like programs and data) to Hybrid Computer- It combines the measuring
be retrieved at another time. capabilities of the analog computer and the
logical and control capabilities of the digital
4. Retrieve – storing is meaningless without computer. It offers an efficient and
the capability to retrieve. economical method of working out special
5. Process – a computer must be able to types of problems in science and various
manipulate and transform the information it areas of engineering
has stored. According to Capacity
4 Basic Function >Microcomputer
• Input – the procedure of feeding or >Minicomputer
entering data into a computer.
>Mainframe Computer
• Process – is the operation of manipulating
and transforming data into something useful. >Super Computer

• Output – once data has been processed Microcomputers is generally synonymous

into information, the computer then must with personal computer (PC), or a computer
produce and present that information in a that depends on a microprocessor.
form that you can understand. Microcomputers are designed to be used by
individuals, whether in the form of PCs,
• Storage – computers can save data so that laptops, notebook computers, or even
it can be used at another time. palmtops.
Classification of Computers Minicomputers a midsized computer or mid-
According to Purpose level computer built to perform complex
computations while dealing efficiently with a
>General Purpose Computer high level of input and output from users
>Special Purpose Computer connected via terminals. In size and power,
minicomputers lie between personal
General-Purpose Computers- are designed to computers and mainframes.
handle a variety of tasks, capable of dealing
with variety of different problems, and are Mainframe Computers a very large and
able to act in response to program created to expensive computer capable of supporting
meet different needs. It typically comprises hundreds, or even thousands of users
certain aspects of speed and efficiency. simultaneously. Mainframes are being used
more and more as specialized servers on the
Special-Purpose Computer-computers World Wide Web, enabling companies to offer
designed to perform one specific task. Also secure transactions over the Internet.
known as dedicated computers, because of
their limitation to the performance of the Workstations are specialized, single user
specific task at hand. computers with many of the features of a
personal computer but with the processing
According to Data Handled power of a minicomputer. These are popular
>Analog Computer among scientists, engineers, graphic artists,
animators and programmers.
>Digital Computer
Supercomputers large, extremely fast, and known as a trackpad, a touchpad is a
expensive computer. These are used for common substitute for a computer mouse. It
weather forecasting, large-scale scientific is essentially a specialized surface that can
modeling and oil exploration. detect the movement of a user's finger to
Supercomputers are relatively rare, used direct a pointer and control a computer.
only by large corporation, universities and Touchpads were first introduced for laptops
government agencies that can afford them. in the 1990s, and it's now rare to find a
laptop without one.
Components of the Computer
Optical Mark Reader was designed initially to
Hardware (Input & Output Devices
read penciled or graphic information on
Input Device exam answer sheets.

Output Devices Scanner – is an input device that uses optical

technology to transfer images (or sometimes
System Unit text) into a computer, where the signal is
Storage Devices converted into a digital image or other file
types. The digital image can then be viewed
Computer System a complete, working on a monitor screen, saved, edited, emailed,
computer. The computer system includes not or printed.
only the computer, but also any software and
peripheral devices that are necessary to Scanner Applications
make the computer function Another type that is on trend is scanner
Hardware A Hardware is described as any applications that you can just install in your
physical component of a computer system smartphones for free or for a small amount
that contains a circuit board, Integrated of money.
Circuits (ICs), or other electronics. Without Adobe Scan runs as an app on your mobile
any hardware, your computer would not device, whether it is running Android or iOS
function, and software could not be used. A and uses your camera to catch a copy of a
computer’s hardware is divided into two document to convert into a PDF file.
different components: Input devices and
Output devices. Abby FineScanner is compatible with Android
and iOS, the app lets you scan both printed
Input Devices - is a piece of hardware that and handwritten text with your mobile
sends data to a computer. Most input devices device. FineScanner works with 12 file
either interact with or control the computer formats, including DOCX, PDF and TXT.
in some way. An input device sends data to
the computer. Keyboard Genius Scan enhances the legibility of
documents, ensuring they’re readable, and
Keyboard – are the most common type of you can keep your files organized with titles,
input device. Most English language tags and a search function.
keyboards use the QWERTY layout for the
alphabetic keys, which are surrounded by Scanbot can let you choose from five color
number, symbol, function, and other key modes to make it look perfect. There are also
types. By pressing the relevant keys, a user tools to crop and optimize scanned
can feed data and instructions to the documents, all of which are automatically
computer. captured in 200+ dpi.

Mouse – interacts with a computer through a CamScanner turns scanned documents into
process known as "point and click." PDF files, which are automatically uploaded
Essentially, when a user moves the mouse to cloud services such as Box, Google Drive,
on the mouse pad, the pointer moves in a Dropbox, Evernote and OneDrive. For
corresponding direction on the computer's improved security, you can add passcodes to
monitor screen. It is originally designed by documents.
Xerox.
Digital cameras – are used to capture
Trackball performs the same tasks as the pictures and videos individually. Later, these
mouse, operates with a rotating metal ball photo and video files can be transferred to a
inset in a small, boxlike device. The concept computer by connecting the camera directly
of a computer mouse has its roots in the with a cable, removing the memory card and
trackball, a related pointing device invented inserting it into the computer, or through
in 1946 that used a "roller ball" to control a wireless data transfer such as Bluetooth.
pointer. Once the photos are on the computer, they
can be saved, edited, e-mailed, or printed.
Touchpad is a pressure-sensitive pad that is
smaller, more accurate, and thinner. It is also
Handheld Electronic Organizers are small Sensor is a device, which responds to an
mobile computers that accept input through input quantity by generating a functionally
a penlike instrument called a stylus that you related output usually in the form of an
use to write on the computer’s screen electrical or optical signal.

Microphone – captures audio and sends it to Optical Character Recognition OCR is a

a computer where it is converted to a digital foundational technology behind the
format. Once the audio has been digitized, it conversion of typed, handwritten or printed
can be played back, copied, edited, text from images into machine-encoded text.
uploaded, or emailed. Microphones can also
Voice-Recognition System activated by user’s
be used to record audio or to relay sounds
voice after voice has been programmed into
live as part of a video chat or audio stream.
the computer; currently accepts limited
Joystick – is commonly used to control number of vocal commands.
characters and vehicles in computer video
Output Devices - An output device is a piece
games. Essentially, a joystick is a handle that
of computer hardware that receives data
pivots on a base and sends its angle or
from a computer and then translates that
direction to the computer as data. Many
data into another form. That form may be
video gaming joysticks feature triggers and
audio, visual, textual, or hard copy such as a
buttons that can be pressed to use weapons
printed document. An Output device receives
or projectiles in games.
data from the computer.
Webcam - are different from digital cameras
Monitor – consists of a screen, circuit board,
in two ways. Firstly, they cannot operate
a power supply, buttons to adjust screen
independently from a computer, and second,
settings, and a casing that contains all of
they have no inbuilt memory. Although
these components. A monitor displays data
webcams can capture photographs and
from a computer onto a screen so the user
videos, they are more often used to
can interact with the data via a digital
livestream videos or facilitate video chats.
interface.
Touch Screen a type of display screen that
Types of Monitor
has a touch-sensitive transparent panel
covering the screen. Instead of using a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) – is the technology
pointing device such as a mouse or light pen, used in traditional computer monitors and
you can use your finger to point directly to televisions. The image on a CRT display is
objects on the screen. created by firing electrons from the back of
the tube to phosphors located towards the
Light Pen An input device that utilizes a
front of the display. Once the electrons hit
lightsensitive detector to select objects on a
the phosphors, they light up and are
display screen. A light pen is similar to a
projected on the screen. The color you see
mouse, except that with a light pen you can
on the screen is produced by a blend of red,
move the pointer and select objects on the
blue, and green light, often referred to as
display screen by directly pointing to the
RGB.
objects with the pen.
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) – is a flat panel
Graphic Tablet – Also known as digitizers,
display technology commonly used in TVs
graphic tablets are input devices used for
and computer monitors. It is also used in
converting handdrawn artwork into digital
screens for mobile devices, such as laptops,
images. The user draws with a stylus on a
tablets, and smartphones.
special flat surface as if they were drawing
on a piece of paper. The drawing appears on Light-emitting diode (LED) - is a flat screen,
the computer screen and can be saved, flat-panel computer monitor or television. It
edited, or printed. Graphic tablets offer has a very short depth and is light in terms
greater control and versatility for artists by of weight. The actual difference between this
allowing them to see their drawing appear and a typical LCD monitor is the backlighting.
live on their monitor as they create it. LEDs use less power than CRT and LCD.
Thus, it is considered as eco-friendly.
Stylus a pointing and drawing device shaped
like a pen. You use a stylus with a digitizing Printer – a printer is used to create a
tablet or touch screen hardcopy of the data sent from the computer
to the printer. Printers take electronic data
Bar Code Reader is an input device used to
sent from a computer and generate a hard
scan a pattern of lines using optical sensing
copy.
techniques. The line attern is coded
information about the item to which it relates Types of Printer
(e.g. the price and description of an item of
merchandise).
Impact Printer – is a type of printer that Optical Disc a direct-access disk, has
works by striking a metal or plastic head information recorded on it with a laser beam
against an ink ribbon. The ink ribbon is that burns pits into its surface.
pressed against the paper, marking the page
System Unit – the system unit, also known as
with the appropriate character, dot, line, or
a "tower" or "chassis," is the main part of a
symbol.
desktop computer. It includes the
Non-impactPrinter – a type of printer that motherboard, CPU, RAM, and other
does not operate by striking a head against a components. The system unit also includes
ribbon to produce characters on the paper. the case that houses the internal
Examples of non impact printers include components of the computer. Some modern
laser and ink-jet printers. The term non- computers, such as the iMac, combine the
impact is important primarily in that it system unit and monitor into a single device.
distinguishes quiet printers from noisy In this case, the monitor is part of the system
(impact) printers. unit. While laptops also have built-in
displays, they are not called system units,
Plotter is a device that draws pictures on
since the term only refers to desktop
paper based on commands from a computer.
computers.
Plotters differ from printers in that they draw
lines using a pen. As a result, they can Central Processing Unit is the brain of the
produce continuous lines, whereas printers computer. Sometimes referred to simply as
can only simulate lines by printing a closely the processor or central processor, the CPU
spaced series of dots. Multicolor plotters use is where most calculations takes place.
different-colored pens to draw different
Control Unit - Supervises or monitors the
colors.
functions performed by the entire computer
Speakers – are hardware devices that system according to conditions set forth by
transform the signal from the computer's the stored program.
sound card into audio. Speakers create
Arithmetic/Logic Unit the part of a computer
sound using internal amplifiers that vibrate
that performs all arithmetic computations
at different frequencies according to data
such as addition and multiplication, and all
from the computer.
comparison operations. The ALU is one
Headphones/Earphones – produce audio from component of the CPU (central processing
a computer through two individual unit).
headphones for a single listener. Also known
Memory Unit is somewhat like an electronic
as earphones, headphones allow you to
filing cabinet capable of holding data or
listen to audio without disrupting other
instructions.
people in the vicinity
Motherboard the main circuit board of a
Speech Synthesizer Speech Synthesizer is a
microcomputer. The motherboard contains
device that generates spoken language on
the connectors for attaching additional
the basis of written input. It is also known as
boards. Typically, the motherboard contains
Text-to-Speech.
the CPU, BIOS, memory, mass storage
Microfilm or Microfiche are reduced sized interfaces, serial and parallel ports,
photographic reproductions of printed expansion slots, and all the controllers
information on film cards. The cards can be required to control standard peripheral
read using microfiche readers and printed devices, such as the display screen,
using microfiche printers keyboard, and disk drive. Collectively, all
these chips that reside on the motherboard
Projector – as its name suggests, this output
are known as the motherboard's chipset .
device "projects" computer images or video
onto a wall or screen. Ports an interface on a computer to which
you can connect a device. Personal
Input/Output Devices - a piece of hardware
computers have various types of ports.
that is used for both providing information to
Internally, there are several ports for
the computer and receiving information.
connecting disk drives, display screens, and
Modem the modem modulates the computer keyboards. Externally, personal computers
output to an acceptable signal for have ports for connecting modems, printers,
transmission and then demodulates the mice, and other peripheral devices
signal back for computer input
Storage Devices – is a piece of computer
Disk Drive computer hardware that holds and hardware used for saving, carrying and
spins a magnetic or optical disk and reads pulling out data. It can keep and retain
and writes information on it. information short-term or long term. It can
be a device inside or outside a computer or
server. Other terms for storage device are computing systems, the lack of growth in
storage medium or storage media. capacity compared to both hard disk and
later solid-state flash storage has relegated
Type of Storage Device
optical storage use mostly to longterm
There are two types of storage devices used archiving and data backup
with computers:
Blu-ray disc – A digital optical storage device
❖ Primary storage device, such as RAM, which was intended to replace the DVD
format. CD-ROM disc – An optical storage
❖ Secondary storage device, such as a hard device that is read-only or cannot be
drive. It can be removable, internal, or modified nor deleted. CD-R and CD-RW disc –
external. CD-R is a recordable disc that can be written
Type of Secondary Storage: to once, while CD-RW is a rewritable disc that
can be written to multiple times.
1. Magnetic Storage Device
DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW and DVD+RW disc –
2. Optical Storage Device DVD-R and DVD+R are recordable discs that
3. Flash Memory Device can be written to once, while DVD-RW and
DVD+RW are rewritable discs that can be
4. Cloud Storage written to multiple times. The difference
5. Paper Storage between the + and – is in the formatting and
compatibility.
1. Magnetic Storage Device - Magnetic
storage is a form of nonvolatile storage. This 3. Flash Memory Device – is now replacing
means that the data is not lost when the magnetic storage device as it is economical,
storage device is not powered. This is in more functional and dependable.
contrast to volatile storage, which is typically Memory card – An electronic flash memory
used for the main memory of a computer device used to store digital information and
system. Volatile storage requires a constant commonly used in mobile electronic devices.
power supply - when a computer system is
turned off, the data is lost. Magnetic storage Memory stick – is a digital data storage
is widely used because it is relatively cheap technology with up to 10 times the storage
in comparison with other storage capacity of a 3.5 diskette. About the size of a
technologies. Magnetic storage is read-write, flat AA battery, Memory Sticks are available
which makes it possible to re-use the storage in 4mb, 8mb, 16mb, 32m, and 64mb sizes
capacity over and over again by deleting Solid State Drive (SSD) – is a type of non-
older data. volatile storage media that stores persistent
Magnetic Storage data on solid-state flash memory. Two key
components make up an SSD: a flash
Floppy disk – A normal 3 ½ inch disk can controller and NAND flash memory chips. The
store 1.44 MB of data. architectural configuration of the SSD
Hard drive – An internal hard drive is the controller is optimized to deliver high read
main storage device in a computer. An and write performance for both sequential
external hard drive is also known as and random data requests.
removable hard drive. It is used to store OTG Flash drive – is equipped with a
portable data and backups. standard USB connector on one end, and a
Magnetic strip – Magnetic tape drive stores micro-USB/Thunderbolt (apple) connector on
video and audio using magnetic tape, like the other end. In this way, you can connect
tape and video tape recorders. the USB flash drive directly to your
smartphone or digital camera without using
Super disk – A disk drive and diskette that a cable, allowing you to read and transfer
can hold 120 MB and 240 MB of data. data quickly and immediately. Nowadays,
OTG Flash drive memory is available up to
Cassette tape – A magnetic storage device
1TB of storage and is much cheaper than
used for audio recording and playback.
your usual hard drives in the market.
Zip diskette – Like a floppy diskette but more
Cloud Storage - Cloud storage is a cloud
advanced. It usually hold 100mb of data
computing service in which data and files are
2. Optical Storage Device – Optical storage is stored offsite by a third-party provider and
any storage type in which data is written and can be accessed through a public internet or
read with a laser. Typically, data is written to dedicated private network connection.
optical media, such as compact discs (CDs)
Cloud storage – Data is managed remotely
and DVDs. Initially targeted as a potential
and made available over a network. Basic
replacement for hard disk drives (HDDs) in
features are free to use but upgraded version is where humans and machine will always
is paid monthly as a per consumption rate. differ.

5. Paper Storage – method used by early Pros and Cons of the Technological Power of
computers for saving information. Computers

Punch card – A piece of hard paper used to Technological Power of Computers: PROS
contain digital information coming from the
1. Computers can be used as research
perforated holes. The presence or absence of
tools; scouring the internet and online
holes in predetermined positions defines the
databases for information about
data.
different topics
Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) – A process 2. 2. Computers can be convenient
of capturing marked data of human from shopping tools, making it possible to
forms like surveys and tests. It is used to find any number of products without
read questionnaires with multiple choices having to visit physical store
that are shaded. 3. 3. Computers allow people to share
photos and send e-mails through the
Internet
4. 4. Computers are often more efficient
for producing written work, whether a
financial Spread Sheet where numbers
Computers are considered as Powerful are automatically totalled up without
Thinking Machine the need of a calculator or a word
processing document with automatic
It is faster than our usual thinking. spellchecking and easy, paper
The term thinking machine (or intelligent freeediting.
machine) refers to a computer or a robot that 5. 5. Architects, engineers, and other
has human intelligence. professionals use the computer to
make graphic sketches without the
Why computers are powerful? A computer is use of physical drawing materials
a powerful tool because it is able to perform 6. 6. Documents created on a computer
information processing cycle operations can be easily backed up, shared and
(input, process, output and storage) with searched; unlike paper documents
amazing speed, reliability and accuracy; that need to be stored in secure
store huge amounts of data and information; spaces and physically transported and
and communicate with other information examined.
quickly, hold the information so it is available 7. 7. It is a low cost solution. Centralized
any time, and share the information with database of storing information is the
other computer users.Furthermore, major advantage that can reduce cost.
computers are critical for communication and 8. 8. People can perform multiple tasks,
are the centerpiece of information multiple operations, and calculate
technology. The early 1990s saw the numerical problems within few
emergence of household Internet use, which seconds through the use of computer
eventually spurred common use of email, applications.
websites, blogs, social networking, video
chat and Voice-OverInternet-Protocol. Today, Technological Power of Computers: CONS
many traditional communication modes 1. Computers contribute to an inactive
including postal mail and landline phones lifestyle among users which is physically and
seem obsolete. mentally unhealthy. Too much use of
Are Computers powerful enough to computer leads to addiction which results to
substitute humans? As of June 2016, the unproductivity and in some cases, health
world’s fastest supercomputer- Sunway Taihu issues.
Light performs 93 quadrillion calculations per 2. Computers can be hacked. They cost
second- in computing jargon, these are privacy to users. Virus is a worm and hacking
called petaflops. It has been calculated that is simply an authorized access over
even a rough application of the human brain computer for some illicit purpose. Virus is
would require a machine capable of at least transferred in host computer which can
10 petaflops; this computer is over nine infect files or overwrite files.
times faster than that.
3. While it is good that people can have an
However, for computers to catch up and take easy access to information, too much
the place of a human brain, they would have dependency to computers (in the internet to
to learn one important thing: empathy. That
be specific) is bad. 4. Lessens actual social for those who create and own rights to
interactions. content. In the continuum of professionally
produced content at one extreme, and user-
5. Upgrading of Hardware is expensive.
generated, amateur content at the other
6. As computers can already operate major extreme.
functions in businesses, manpower is less
The Medium: Advertising media. •
needed. Thus, automation reduces
Advertising media is used for communicating
employment opportunities.
a promotional message. Examples include
7. Computers can only do what their online banners, radio spots, billboards,
programming tells them to do. If a situation television advertisements or in print media,
is not covered by their programming, it ads in newspapers. There is always a close
cannot help. connection to the advertising medium. For
example, in a broadcast, the radio is the
8. Computers are very complex systems that means of communicating the message, and
can crash or malfunction, often at a critical the advertisement itself is the advertising
time. 9. Misuse of Computer, as well as the media. Advertisements in computer games
apps in it can be a ground for violation of the are called In-Game Advertising.
law. For instance, Cyber-crime laws were
created to penalize people who use their The Messenger: The news media. • People
expertise to get sensitive information from often use "the media" to refer to those who
other computer users. 10. Kids who are write or publish news or other non-fiction.
exposed to computer and other gadgets tend
The new media landscape. • It turns out that
to be exposed to contents and materials not
media can be the message, the medium, or
suitable for their age.
the messenger; and to complicate things, in
Media in the Digital Age this digital age, the lines between them are
becoming very blurry. News feeds like
Media fulfils several basic roles in our society. contain sponsored stories that look like news.
One obvious role is entertainment. Media can Ad placements in movies are common
act as a springboard for our imaginations, a practice. What used to be a clear delineation
source of fantasy, and an outlet for between creative content, advertising, and
escapism. non fiction is being challenged by new media
Media can also provide information and such as shortform content, which could have
education. Information can come in many elements of all three. And different forms of
forms, and it may sometimes be difficult to media in the physical world, like text,
separate from entertainment. movies, music, and games, can be merged in
the digital space to create a multi-media
It is various means of communication. It consumer experience
includes television, radio, newspaper also in
today’s generation we have Computer media
that can be hard drives, removable drives
(such as Zip disks), CD-ROM or CD-R discs,
DVDs, flash memory, USB drives, and floppy
disks.

Digital Age

It begun with the widespread use of Internet

like social, economic and political activities
are dependent on ICT.

FeedforThere is a time-period in which

computers (1970) and other technologies
provide easy and rapid transfer of
information especially in 1980’s, the advent
of the World Wide Web.ward Networks.

Media in the Digital Age

The internet enables publication of massive

user-generated content like in Social media
enables one-to-one communication, as
opposed to the one-to many communication
structure of traditional media.

The Message: Media as creative content. •

Media can be the message itself, especially