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This document provides an overview of computer systems, detailing the organization of hardware and software components, including input and output devices, and the functions of a computer. It explains the roles of the Control Unit, Memory Unit, and Arithmetic Logic Unit, as well as the classification of software into system and application software. Additionally, it covers computer languages, including low-level and high-level languages, and the necessity of compilers and assemblers for translating programs into machine language.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
1 views11 pages

Happy 2

This document provides an overview of computer systems, detailing the organization of hardware and software components, including input and output devices, and the functions of a computer. It explains the roles of the Control Unit, Memory Unit, and Arithmetic Logic Unit, as well as the classification of software into system and application software. Additionally, it covers computer languages, including low-level and high-level languages, and the necessity of compilers and assemblers for translating programs into machine language.

Uploaded by

tvhomehappy
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Basics of Computer

1.1 INTRODUCTION

In this lesson we present an overview of the basic design of a computer system: how the
different parts of a computer system are organized and various opera ons performed to
perform a specific task. You would have observed that instruc ons have to be fed into the
computer in a systema c order to perform a specific task. Computer components are
divided into two major categories, namely, hardware and so ware. In this lesson we will
discuss about hardware, i.e., the machine itself and its connected devices such as monitor,
keyboard, mouse etc., as well as so ware that makes use of hardware for performing
various func ons.

1.2ОBJECTIVES
A er going through this lesson you would be able to:

 explain basic organiza on of computer system


 explain different types of input and output devices define So ware and its
classifica on dis nguish
 between system so ware and applica on so ware
 describę computer language and its classifica on

1.3WHAT IS A COMPUTER?
Computer is a device that transforms data into meaningful informa on. 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 a class.

Computer can also be defined in terms of func ons it can perferm. A computer 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.

The major characteris cs of a computer are high speed, accuracy, diligence, versa lity and
storage.
1.3.1 Computer Organisa on

Block diagram of Computer Organisa on


The computer performs basically five major opera ons of func ons irrespec ve of their size
and make. These are 1) it accepts data or instruc on by way of input, 2) it stores data, 3) it
can process data as required by the user, 4) it gives results in the form of output, and 5) it
controls all opera ons inside a computer. We discuss below each of these opera ons.

1.Input: this is the process of entering data and programs into the computer system.
2. Control Unit (CU): The process of input, output, processing and storage is performed
under the supervision of a unit called 'Control Unit'. It decides when to start receiving
data, when to stop it, where to store data, etc. It takes care of step-by-step processing of
all opera ons in side the computer.
3. Memory Unit: Computer is used to store data and instruc ons.
4. Arithme c Logic Unit (ALU): The major opera ons performed by the ALU are addi on,
subtrac on, mul plica on, division, logic and comparison.
5. Output: This is the process of producing results from the data for ge ng useful
informa on.
The ALU and the CU of a computer system are jointly known as the central processing
unit (CPU). You may call CPU as the brain of any computer system.

1.4 PERIPHERAL DEVICES


Peripheral devices are connected to the computer externally. These devices are used for
performing some specific func ons. Peripheral devices are as follows:

1.Input Devices
2. Output Devices
3.Other Peripherals
Different peripheral devices of Computer

1.5 INPUT DEVICES

Input devices accept data and instruc ons from the user. Following are the examples of
various input devices, which are connected to the computer for this purpose.

1. Keyboard
2. Mouse
3. Light Pen
4. Op cal/magne c Scanner
5. Touch Screen
6. Microphone for voice as input
7. Track Ball

1.5.1 Keyboard
A keyboard is the most common input device. Several kinds of keyboards are available,
but they resemble each other with minor varia ons. The keyboard in most common use
is the QWERTY board. Generally standard keyboard has 104 keys. In these keyboards, the
cursor control keys are duplicated to allow easier use of the numeric pad.
1.5.2 Mouse
A mouse is an electro-mechanical, hand-held device (as shown in figure 1. 4). It is used
as a pointer. It can perform func ons like selec ng menu commands, moving icons,
resizing windows, star ng programs, and choosing op ons.

1.5.3 Light pen


An input device that u lizes a light-sensi ve detector to select objects on a display
screen. A light pen is similar to a mouse (as shown in figure 1.5), except that with a light
pen you can move the pointer and select objects on the display screen by directly
poin ng to the objects with the pen.

1.5.4 Op cal Scanner


These devices are used for automa c data collec on. The devices of this category
completely eliminate manual input of data. For example, the bar-code reader is actually
just a special type of image scanner. An image scanner translates printed images into an
electronic format that can be stored in a computer's memory, and with the right kind of
so ware, one can alter a stored image. Another example of scanner is op cal character
recogni on (OCR) device, used by banks to convert the scanned image of a typed or
printed page into text that can be edited on the computer.

1.5.5 Тouch Screen


Touch panel displays and pads are now being offered as alterna ves to keyboard. Here the
input can be given through the computer screen, that accepts the input through monitor;
users touch electronic bu ons displayed on the screen or they may use light pen.

1.5.6 Microphone
Microphone is an input device, which takes voice as input. The voice communica on
is more error-prone than informa on through keyboard. There are two types of
microphones available (as shown in figure

1. Desktop Microphone
2. Hand held Microphone

1.5.7 Track Ball


Trackball, a poin ng device, is a mouse lying on its back (as shown in figure 1. 9). To
move the pointer, you rotate the ball with your thumb, your fingers, or the palm of
your hand. There are usually one to three bu ons next to the ball, which you use just
like mouse bu ons.
1.6 OUTPUT DEVICES
Output devices return processed data that is informa on, back to the user. Some of the
commonly used output devices are:

1. Monitor (Visual Display Unit)


2. Printers
3. Plo er
4. Speakers

1.6.1 Monitor
Out of all the output devices, monitor is perhaps the most important output device because
people interact with this device most intensively Than others. Computer informa on
displayed, visually with a video adapter card and monitor. Informa on processed within the
CPU, that needs to be visually displayed, is sent to video adapter. The video adapter converts
informa on from the format used, in the same manner as a television displays informa on
sent to it by a cable service. Two basic types of monitors are used with microcomputers,
which are as follows:

1. CRT
2. LCD
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT): CRT or Cathode Ray Tube Monitor is the typical monitor that you
see on a desktop computer. It looks a lot like a television screen, and works the same way.
This type uses a large vacuum tube, called cathode ray tube (CRT). Liquid Crystal Displays
(LCD): This type of monitors are also known as flat panel monitor. Most of these employ
liquid crystal displays (LCDs) to render images. These days LCD monitor are very popular.
1.6.2 Printer
A er a document is created on the computer, it can be sent to a printer for a hard copy
(printout). Some printers offer special features such as colored and large page formats. Some
of the most commonly used printers are:
1. Laser Printer
2. Ink Jet Printer
3. Dot Matrix Printer
4. Line Printer

1.6.3 Plo er
A plo er is a special kind of output device that, like a printer, produces images on paper, but
does so in a different way. Plo ers are designed to produce large drawings or images, such
as construc on plans for buildings or blueprints for mechanical objects. A plo er can be
connected to the port normally used by a printer.
Plo ers usually come in two designs:
1. Flat Bed: Plo ers of small size to'be kept on table with restric on of paper size.
2. Drum: These plo ers are of big size using rolls of paper of unlimited length.

1.6.4 Speaker
Speakers as shown in figure are another type of output device, which allow you to listen to
voice like music, and conversa on with people.
1.6 SOFTWARE

As you are aware, computer cannot do anything on its own. It is the user who instructs
computer; what to do, how to do and when to do. In order to perform any task, you have to
give a set of instruc ons in a par cular sequence to the computer. These sets of instruc ons
are called Programs. So ware refers to a set of programs that makes the hardware perform
a par cular set of tasks in par cular order. So ware can be classified mainly into following
categories and sub-categories are shown in Figure

1.7.1 System So ware


When you switch on the computer the programs stored in ROM are executed which
ac vates different units of your computer and makes it ready for you to work on it. This set
of programs can be called system so ware. System so wares are sets of programs,
responsible for running the computer, controlling various opera ons of computer systems
and management of computer resources. Opera ng System (OS) falls under this cåtegory.

1.7.2 Applica on So ware


Applica on so ware is a set of programs, which are wri en to perform specific tasks, for
example: An applica on package for managing library known as library informa on system is
used to manage informa on of library such as: keeping book details, account holder details,
book issue details, book return details etc. Another applica on package for managing
student details is called student's informa on system, manages student's roll no, 'name,
parents name, address, class, sec on, processing of examina on results etc. Applica on
so ware can be broadly classified into two types:
(a) Generalized packages
(b) Customized packages
(c) Generalized Packages
These are user friendly so wares wri en to cater to user's very general needs such as
preparing documents, drawing pictures, database to manage data/informa on, preparing
presenta ons, play games etc
It is a group of programs that provide general purpose tools to solve specific problems. Some
of the generalized packages are listed below:
• Word Processing So ware(for preparing documents): Word Perfect, MS-Word,
OpenOffice.org Writer
• Spreadsheets (Data Analysis): Lotus Smart suites, MS- Excel, OpenOffice.org Calc, Apple
Numbers
• Presenta ons : Presenta on Graphics, MS-PowerPoint, OpenOffice.org Impress
• Database Management System: MS-Access, OpenOffice.org Base, MS-SQL Server, ORACLE
• Graphics Tools: Paint shop pro, Adobe Photoshop
Customized Packages
These are the applica ons that are customized (or developed) to meet the specific
requirements of an organiza on/ins tu on. For Example: Student informa on details,
Payroll packages, inventory control etc.
These packages are developed using high-level computer language.

1.7 СOMPUTER LANGUAGES

Languages are a means of communica on. Normally people interact with each other
through a language. On the same pa ern, communica on with computers is carried out
through a language. This language is understood both by user and the machine. Just as every
language like English, Hindi has its gramma cal rules; every computer language bound by
rules known as SYNTAX of that language. The user is bound by that syntax while
communica ng with the computer system.

Computer languages are broadly classified as:


1. Low Level Language:

The term low level means closeness to the way in which machine understand. The low
level languages are:
a.Machine Language:
This is the language (in the form of O's and 1's, called binary numbers) understood directly
by the computer. It is machine dependent. It is difficult to learn and even more difficult to
write programs.
b. Assembly Language: This is the language where the machine codes comprising of 0's and
1's are subs tuted by symbolic codes (called mnemonics) to improve their understanding. It
is the first step to improve programming structure.
2. High Level Language You know that low level language requires extensive knowledge of
the hardware since it is machine dependent. To overcome the limita on, high level language
has been evolved which uses normal English like, easy to understand statements to solve any
problem. Higher level languages are computer independent and programming becomes
quite easy and simple.
Various high level languages are given below:
• BASIC (Beginners All Purpose Symbolic Instruc on Code): It is widely used, easy to learn
general purpose language. Mainly used in microcomputers in earlier days.
• COBOL (Common Business Oriented language): A standardized language used for
commercial applica ons.
•FORTRAN (Formula Transla on): Developed for solving mathema cal and scien fic
problems. One of the most popular languages among scien fic community.
• C: Structured Programming Language used for all purpose such as scien fic applica on,
commercial applica on, developing games etc.
•C++: Popular object oriented programming language, used for general purpose.

1.9СОMPILER AND ASSEMBLER


As you know that High Level language is machine independent and assembly language
though it is machine dependent yet mnemonics that are being used to represent
instruc ons are not directly understandable by machine. Hence to make the machine
understand the instruc ons provided by both the languages, Compiler and Assembler are
required to convert these instruc ons into machine language.
The so ware (set of programs) that reads a program wri en in high level language and
translates it into an equivalent program in machine language is called as Compiler.

The so ware (set of programs) that reads a program wri en in assembly language and
translates it into an equivalent program in machine language is called as Assembler.

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