Unit 1 – Computer System and Organisation

Introduction to Computer System

A computer system is a combination of hardware and software that works together to process data and
perform tasks. A computer system primarily comprises a central processing unit (CPU), memory,
input/output devices and storage devices. All these components function together as a single unit to deliver
the desired output.
What do you mean by hardware and software?
In a computer system, hardware refers to the physical components of a computer system, like a mouse,
keyboard, monitor, etc. The software refers to the programs and instructions that tell the hardware what to
do, like operating systems, OpenOffice, Photoshop, etc.
Components of a Computer System
1. Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The central processing unit is also called the brain of a computer. It is a hardware component of a computer
that executes instructions and manages the computer operation, usually referred to as a processor.
2. Input Device
The devices through which control signals are sent to a computer are termed as input devices. Some
examples of input devices include keyboard, mouse, scanner, touch screen, etc.
3. Output Device
An output device is a device that receives data from a computer system for display to the users. For
Example, Monitor, Speaker, Projector, Headphone etc.
4. Memory Unit
The computer memory refers to an electronic component used by the computer to store data and instructions
that can be accessed and processed by the processor quickly. Computers have two types of memory:
 Primary Memory
 Secondary Memory
a. Primary Memory
Primary memory is also known as main memory or internal memory. Primary memory
temporarily stores the data and instructions during program execution and allows the CPU to quickly
retrieve and process the information. Primary memory is faster method to access data and
instructuction compared to secondary memory. There are two different types of primary memory:
 Random Access Memory (RAM): It is volatile memory, used to store data temporarily. It is
faster than secondary memory.
 Read Only Memory (ROM): It is non-volatile memory, where data is permanently stored
and cannot easily be modified or erased. Such as BIOS or a startup program.
b. Cache Memory
 Cache memory is also a type of primary memory, and cache memory is faster than RAM. To
speed up the operations of the CPU, a very high-speed memory is placed between the CPU and the
primary memory known as cache.
c. Secondary Memory
Secondary storage stores data and programs permanently. It is non-volatile in nature. It has a
large capacity and is slower than primary memory. For example, SSD, HDD, Flash Drive, CD/DVD,
etc.
Units of memory
Binary numbers are used by computers to store data. The binary digits 0 and 1, which are the basic units of
memory, are called bits. these bits are grouped together to form words. A 4-bit word is called a Nibble.
Measurement units for digital data

Types of software
What is Software?
Software is a set of instructions or programs that tell a computer what to do. the software can be broadly
classified into three types.
1. System software,
2. Programming tools and language translators
3. Application software.
System Software – System software is the software that directly interacts with a computer’s hardware and
operate various computer hardware parts. for example, operating systems, system utilities, device drivers,
etc.
 Operating System – The operating system is a system software that works between the user
and computer hardware, for example, Windows, Linux, Macintosh, Ubuntu, Fedora, Android,
iOS, etc.
 System Utilities – Software is used to maintain computer systems to work more smoothly.
for example, antivirus software, disk cleaner tools, disk compression software, etc.
 Device Drivers – The device driver acts as an interface between the device and the operating
system for example, language translator, a device driver acts as a mediator between the
operating system and the attached device.
Programming Tools and Language Translator- To write a program on a computer, the programmer
required a programming tool (source code editor) to edit the source code file and then a compiler to convert
the source code into a machine code file. for example, compilers, interpreters, assemblers, and code editors.
  Assembler: An assembler is a type of software that translates assembly language to machine
language. Assembly language uses simple English words to write instructions, and it is not a
platform dependent means a program written for one processor will not necessarily work on
another.
 Compiler: A compiler is a software program that translates high-level program code into
machine code that a computer can directly understand and execute. Compilers convert the
entire code into machine language before execution.
 Interpreter: An interpreter is a computer program that executes code directly, translating it
line by line into machine language at runtime.
Application Software – Application software is a type of computer program that carries out a specified task
for the user. for example, Microsoft Suite. Office, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, chrome, safari etc. There are
again two types of application software general purpose and customized application software.
 General Purpose Software – The general-purpose software is software designed to handle a
wide range of tasks and is not limited to one specific function. For example, spreadsheet in
LibreOffice, Web browser, presentation software.
 Customized Software – These are specialized applications that have been created to satisfy
the needs of a particular business or person. School management software, accounting
software, etc.
Operating System (OS)
What is operating system?
A platform between the user and the computer is the operating system. An operating system (OS) is a piece
of software that controls all other application program in a computer after being originally loaded by a boot
program. Examples of popular OS are Windows, Linux, Android, Macintosh and so on.
Functions of Operating System
Essential functions and duties that an operating system does for the management of the computer system are
 Process Management – The process management in operating systems manages and
controls the execution of programs, which is known as a process. It involves creating,
scheduling, and terminating processes.
 Memory Management – Memory management is a part of the operating system that controls
and coordinates the main memory (RAM). Memory management involves controlling how
much of the system’s main memory is used by various programs and how much memory is
occupied or how much memory is free.
 File Management – In a computer system’s secondary storage, data and applications are kept
as files. In the secondary memory, file management entails the creation, updating, deletion,
and protection of these files.
 Device Management – There are numerous hardware and I/O devices attached to a computer
system. These interdependent heterogeneous devices are managed by the operating system.
 The device driver and associated software for a specific device are in communication with the
operating system.

OS User Interface
There are different types of user interfaces each of which provides a different functionality. Some commonly
used interfaces are –
 Command-based Interface – A user using a command-based interface must type the
commands to carry out various activities, such as creating, opening, editing, or deleting a file.
MS-DOS and Unix are two examples of operating systems with a command-based interface.
 Graphical User Interface – Through the use of icons, menus, and other visual options, the
Graphical User Interface (GUI) enables users to run program or provide commands to the
computer. Microsoft Windows, Ubuntu, Fedora, Macintosh, and other operating systems are
examples of systems with graphical user interfaces.
 Touch-based Interface – The two most well-known operating systems featuring touch-
based user interfaces are iOS and Android. Touch-based interfaces on touchscreen devices
are likewise supported by Windows 8.1 and 10.
 Voice-based Interface – The user having a special need and those who want to use
computers or cellphones while completing other tasks, they can use voice – based interface
software. like iOS (Siri), Android (OK Google or Google Now), Microsoft Windows 10
(Cortana), and so forth.
 Gesture-based Interface – Some Android- and iOS-based smartphones, as well as some
laptops, give the facilities to interact with the devices via gestures including shaking, tilting,
and eye movements.