Unit-1

Basics of Information Technology

 What is Computer?
• COMPUTER stands for Common Operating Machine
Purposely Used for Technological and Educational Research.
• A computer is a programmable electronic device that accepts
raw data as input and processes it with a set of instructions (a
program) to produce the result as output.
• It renders output just after performing mathematical and logical
operations and can save the output for future use.
• It can process numerical as well as non-numerical calculations.
The term "computer" is derived from the Latin word "computare
• It is believed that the Analytical Engine was the first computer
which was invented by Charles Babbage in 1837. It used punch
cards as read-only memory. Charles Babbage is also known as
the father of the computer.re" which means to calculate.
 Characteristics of Computer System

• The characteristics of the computer system

are as follows −
1. Speed: A computer works with much higher speed and
accuracy compared to humans while performing
mathematical calculations. Computers can process
millions (1,000,000) of instructions per second. The
time taken by computers for their operations is
microseconds and nanoseconds.
2. Accuracy: Computers perform calculations with 100%
accuracy. Errors may occur due to data inconsistency or
inaccuracy.
3. Diligence: A computer can perform millions of tasks or
calculations with the same consistency and accuracy. It
doesn’t feel any fatigue or lack of concentration. Its
memory also makes it superior to that of human
beings.
4. Versatility: Versatility refers to the capability of a
computer to perform different kinds of works with
same accuracy and efficiency.
5. Reliability: A computer is reliable as it gives consistent
result for similar set of data i.e., if we give same set of
input any number of times, we will get the same result.
6. Automation: Computer performs all the tasks
automatically i.e. it performs tasks without manual
intervention.
7. Memory: A computer has built-in memory called
primary memory where it stores data.
Secondary storage are removable devices such as CDs,
pen drives, etc., which are also used to store data.
 The basic parts without which a computer
cannot work are as follows:
• Processor: It executes instructions from software and
hardware.
• Memory: It is the primary memory for data transfer between
the CPU and storage.
• Motherboard: It is the part that connects all other parts or
components of a computer.
• Storage Device: It permanently stores the data, e.g., hard
drive.
• Input Device: It allows you to communicate with the computer
or to input data, e.g., a keyboard.
• Output Device: It enables you to see the output, e.g., monitor.
There are 5 main computer components that are given below:

• Input Devices
• CPU
• Output Devices
• Primary Memory
• Secondary Memory
The operations of computer components are given below:

• 1) Inputting: It is the process of entering raw

data, instructions and information into the
computer. It is performed with the help of
input devices.
• 2) Storing: The computer has primary memory
and secondary storage to store data and
instructions. It stores the data before sending
it to CPU for processing and also stores the
processed data before displaying it as output.
3) Processing: It is the process of converting the raw data into
useful information. This process is performed by the CPU of
the computer. It takes the raw data from storage, processes
it and then sends back the processed data to storage.

4) Outputting: It is the process of presenting the processed

data through output devices like monitor, printer and
speakers.

5) Controlling: This operation is performed by the control unit

that is part of CPU. The control unit ensures that all basic
operations are executed in a right manner and sequence.
 Input Devices
• Input device enables the user to send data, information, or control
signals to a computer. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) of a
computer receives the input and processes it to produce the
output.
• Some of the popular input devices are:
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Scanner
• Joystick
• Light Pen
• Digitizer
• Microphone
• Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)
 Input Devices
• Optical Character Reader (OCR)
• Digital Camera
• Paddle
• Steering Wheel
• Gesture recognition devices
• Light Gun
• Touch Pad
• Remote
• Touch screen
• VR
• Webcam
• Biometric Devices
 1) Keyboard

• The keyboard is a basic input device that is

used to enter data into a computer or any
other electronic device by pressing keys. It has
different sets of keys for letters, numbers,
characters, and functions. Keyboards are
connected to a computer through USB or a
Bluetooth device for wireless communication.
 Keyboard

• Keyboard is the most common and very popular

input device which helps to input data to the
computer. The layout of the keyboard is like that
of traditional typewriter, although there are
some additional keys provided for performing
additional functions.
• Keyboards are of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102
keys, but now keyboards with 104 keys or 108
keys are also available for Windows and Internet.
 The keys on the keyboard are as follows −

S.No Keys & Description

1 Typing Keys These keys include the letter
keys (A-Z) and digit keys (09) which generally give
the same layout as that of typewriters.
2 Numeric Keypad It is used to enter the
numeric data or cursor movement. Generally, it
consists of a set of 17 keys that are laid out in the
same configuration used by most adding machines
and calculators.
3 Function Keys
• The twelve function keys are present on the keyboard
which are arranged in a row at the top of the keyboard.
Each function key has a unique meaning and is used for
some specific purpose.
4 Control keys
• These keys provide cursor and screen control. It includes
four directional arrow keys. Control keys also include
Home, End, Insert, Delete, Page Up, Page Down,
Control(Ctrl), Alternate(Alt), Escape(Esc).
5 Special Purpose Keys
• Keyboard also contains some special purpose keys such as
Enter, Shift, Caps Lock, Num Lock, Space bar, Tab, and Print
Screen.
 Mouse

• Mouse is the most popular pointing device. It is a very

famous cursor-control device having a small palm size
box with a round ball at its base, which senses the
movement of the mouse and sends corresponding
signals to the CPU when the mouse buttons are pressed.
• Generally, it has two buttons called the left and the right
button and a wheel is present between the buttons. A
mouse can be used to control the position of the cursor
on the screen, but it cannot be used to enter text into
the computer.
 Advantages

• Easy to use
• Not very expensive
• Moves the cursor faster than the arrow keys of
the keyboard.
 Joystick

• Joystick is also a pointing device, which is used

to move the cursor position on a monitor
screen. It is a stick having a spherical ball at its
both lower and upper ends. The lower
spherical ball moves in a socket. The joystick
can be moved in all four directions.
• The function of the joystick is similar to that of
a mouse. It is mainly used in Computer Aided
Designing (CAD) and playing computer games.
 Light Pen

• Light pen is a pointing device similar to a pen. It is

used to select a displayed menu item or draw
pictures on the monitor screen. It consists of a
photocell and an optical system placed in a small
tube.
• When the tip of a light pen is moved over the
monitor screen and the pen button is pressed, its
photocell sensing element detects the screen
location and sends the corresponding signal to the
CPU.
 Track Ball

• Track ball is an input device that is mostly used

in notebook or laptop computer, instead of a
mouse. This is a ball which is half inserted and
by moving fingers on the ball, the pointer can
be moved.
• Since the whole device is not moved, a track
ball requires less space than a mouse. A track
ball comes in various shapes like a ball, a
button, or a square.
 Scanner

• Scanner is an input device, which works more

like a photocopy machine. It is used when
some information is available on paper and it is
to be transferred to the hard disk of the
computer for further manipulation.
• Scanner captures images from the source
which are then converted into a digital form
that can be stored on the disk. These images
can be edited before they are printed.
• Types of Scanner:
• i) Flatbed Scanner:
• It has a glass pane and a moving optical CIS or
CCD array. The light illuminates the pane, and
then the image is placed on the glass pane. The
light moves across the glass pane and scans the
document and thus produces its digital copy.
You will need a transparency adapter while
scanning transparent slides.
• ii) Handheld Scanner:
• It is a small manual scanning device which is
held by hand and is rolled over a flat image
that is to be scanned. The drawback in using
this device is that the hand should be steady
while scanning; otherwise, it may distort the
image. One of the commonly used handheld
scanners is the barcode scanner which you
would have seen in shopping stores.
• iii) Sheetfed Scanner:
• In this scanner, the document is inserted into
the slot provided in the scanner. The main
components of this scanner include the sheet-
feeder, scanning module, and calibration sheet.
The light does not move in this scanner. Instead,
the document moves through the scanner. It is
suitable for scanning single page documents,
not for thick objects like books, magazines, etc.
 iv) Drum Scanner:
• Drum scanner has a photomultiplier tube (PMT)
to scan images. It does not have a charge-coupled
device like a flatbed scanner. The photomultiplier
tube is extremely sensitive to light. The image is
placed on a glass tube, and the light moves across
the image, which produces a reflection of the
image which is captured by the PMT and
processed. These scanners have high resolution
and are suitable for detailed scans.
 v) Photo Scanner:
• It is designed to scan photographs. It has high
resolution and color depth, which are required
for scanning photographs. Some photo
scanners come with in-built software for
cleaning and restoring old photographs.
 Digitizer
• Digitizer is a computer input device that has a flat surface and
usually comes with a stylus. It enables the user to draw images
and graphics using the stylus as we draw on paper with a pencil.
• The images or graphics drawn on the digitizer appear on the
computer monitor or display screen.
• The software converts the touch inputs into lines and can also
convert handwritten text to typewritten words.
• It can be used to capture handwritten signatures and data or
images from taped papers. Furthermore, it is also used to
receive information in the form of drawings and send output to
a CAD (Computer-aided design) application and software like 
AutoCAD. Thus, it allows you to convert hand-drawn images into
a format suitable for computer processing.
 Microphone

• Microphone is an input device to input sound

that is then stored in a digital form.
• The microphone is used for various
applications such as adding sound to a
multimedia presentation or for mixing music.
 Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)

• MICR input device is generally used in banks as there

are large number of cheques to be processed every
day. The bank's code number and cheque number
are printed on the cheques with a special type of ink
that contains particles of magnetic material that are
machine readable.
• MICR computer input device is designed to read the
text printed with magnetic ink. MICR is a character
recognition technology that makes use of special
magnetized ink which is sensitive to magnetic fields.
 Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)

• It can process three hundred cheques in a minute with

hundred-percent accuracy.
• The details on the bottom of the cheque (MICR No.)
are written with magnetic ink. A laser printer with
MICR toner can be used to print the magnetic ink.
• The device reads the details and sends to a computer
for processing. A document printed in magnetic ink is
required to pass through a machine which magnetizes
the ink, and the magnetic information is then
translated into characters.
 Optical Character Reader (OCR)
• OCR is an input device used to read a printed text.
• OCR scans the text optically, character by character, converts them into a
machine readable code, and stores the text on the system memory.
• OCR computer input device is designed to convert the scanned images of
handwritten, typed or printed text into digital text. It is widely used in
offices and libraries to convert documents and books into electronic files.
• It processes and copies the physical form of a document using a scanner.
After copying the documents, the OCR software converts the documents
into a two-color (black and white), version called bitmap.
• Then it is analyzed for light and dark areas, where the dark areas are
selected as characters, and the light area is identified as background. It is
widely used to convert hard copy legal or historic documents into PDFs.
The converted documents can be edited if required like we edit
documents created in ms word.
 Bar Code Readers

• Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar

coded data (data in the form of light and dark lines).
Bar coded data is generally used in labelling goods,
numbering the books, etc. It may be a handheld
scanner or may be embedded in a stationary
scanner.
• Bar Code Reader scans a bar code image, converts it
into an alphanumeric value, which is then fed to the
computer that the bar code reader is connected to.
Bar Code Readers
 Optical Mark Reader (OMR)
• OMR is a special type of optical scanner used
to recognize the type of mark made by pen or
pencil. It is used where one out of a few
alternatives is to be selected and marked.
• It is specially used for checking the answer
sheets of examinations having multiple choice
questions.
Optical Mark Reader (OMR)
 Digital camera:

• It is a digital device as it captures images and records

videos digitally and then stores them on a memory
card. It is provided with an image sensor chip to
capture images, as opposed to film used by traditional
cameras. Besides this, a camera that is connected to
your computer can also be called a digital camera.
• It has photosensors to record light that enters the
camera through the lens. When the light strikes the
photosensors, each of the sensors returns the
electrical current, which is used to create the images.
 VR:

• VR stands for virtual reality. It is an artificial or

virtual environment which is generated by
computers. A person can interact with virtual
objects of this artificial environment using
some input devices such as headsets, gloves,
headphones, etc. For example, he or she can
find himself or herself walking on a beach,
watching a football match, walking in the sky,
etc., without actually doing all this.
VR
 Webcam:
• Any camera which is connected to a computer is called a
webcam.
• The in-built camera provided on a computer can also be
considered a webcam. It is an input device as it can take
pictures, and can be used to record videos if required.
• The pictures and videos are stored in the computer memory
 and can be displayed on the screen if required. Although it
works almost the same as the digital camera, it is different
from a digital camera, as it is designed to take compact
digital photos that can be uploaded easily on the webpages
and shared with others through the internet.
 Biometric Devices:
• Biometrics refers to a process in which a person is
identified through his or her biological features such as
fingerprints, eye cornea, face structure, etc. It is done by
using biometric devices, which can be of different types
based on their scanning features and abilities, such as:
• i) Face Scanner: It is designed to identify a person by
scanning his or her face. It takes the face measurements
of a person. For example, the distance between eyes,
nose, and mouth, etc., accordingly, it confirms the
identity of a person. Besides this, it is smart enough to
differentiate between a person's picture and the real
person.
Face Scanner
 ii) Hand Scanner:
• The hand of a person can also be used to
verify his or her identity as every person has a
unique pattern of veins in the palm, just like
fingerprints. This device takes advantage of
this feature; it identifies a person by scanning
the palm of his hand. It uses infrared light to
scan veins' patterns and blood flowing in
them. Palm is even more unique than
fingerprints.
Hand Scanner
 Fingerprint Scanner:
• It scans the fingerprints to identify people or for biometric
authentication.
• This device is developed, keeping in mind the fact that no
two persons in the world can have the same fingerprints.
• It is widely used in companies as a fingerprint attendance
system to mark the attendance of employees.
• This type of scanners captures the pattern of valleys and
ridges found on a finger and store it in the memory or
database. When you press your finger on the given space,
it verifies the identity by using its pattern-matching
software.
Fingerprint Scanner
 Retina or Iris Scanner
• It scans the retina or iris of a person's eye to confirm the
identity. This device is more secure than others as it is
next to impossible to copy the retina or iris. It works by
mapping the retina's blood vessel patterns of the eye.
The blood vessels of retina absorb light more easily as
well as can be identified with appropriate lighting.
• In this scan, a beam of low-energy infrared light falls on
the retina through the scanner's eyepiece. Then, the
software captures the network of blood vessels in the
retina and uses it to verify a person's identity.
Retina or Iris Scanner
 Voice Scanner:
• It records the voice of a person and digitizes it
to create a distinctive voice print or template.
The voiceprints are stored in the database,
and are used to verify the voice of a person to
confirm his or her identity.
• The person is required to speak in the normal
or same voice that was used to create a voice
template. It is not much reliable as it can be
misused using a tape recording.
 Output Devices
• The output device displays the result of the processing
of raw data that is entered in the computer through
an input device. There are a number of output devices
that display output in different ways such as text,
images, hard copies, and audio or video.
• Some of the popular output devices are:
• Monitor
– CRT Monitor
– LCD Monitor
– LED Monitor
– Plasma Monitor
 Output Devices
• Printer
– Impact Printers
• Character Printers
– Dot Matrix printers
– Daisy Wheel printers
• Line printers
– Drum printers
– Chain printers
– Non-impact printers
• Laser printers
• Inkjet printers
• Projector
 1) Monitor

• The monitor is the display unit or screen of

the computer. It is the main output device that
displays the processed data or information as
text, images, audio or video.
• The types of monitors are given below.
 i) CRT Monitor
• CRT monitors are based on the cathode ray tubes. They are
like vacuum tubes which produce images in the form of video
signals.
• Cathode rays tube produces a beam of electrons through
electron guns that strike on the inner phosphorescent surface
of the screen to produce images on the screen.
• The monitor contains millions of phosphorus dots of red,
green and blue color. These dots start to glow when struck by
electron beams and this phenomenon is called
cathodoluminescence.
 CRT Monitor
• The main components of a CRT monitor include the
electron gun assembly, deflection plate assembly,
fluorescent screen, glass envelope, and base. The front
(outer surface) of the screen onto which images are
produced is called the face plate. It is made up of fiber
optics.
• There are three electron beams that strike the screen:
red, green, and blue. So, the colors which you see on
the screen are the blends of red, blue and green lights.
• The magnetic field guides the beams of electrons.
Although LCDs have replaced the CRT monitors, the CRT
monitors are still used by graphics professionals
because of their color quality.
 ii) LCD Monitor
• The LCD monitor is a flat panel screen that is compact and light-
weight as compared to CRT monitors. It is based on liquid crystal
display technology which is used in the screens of laptops, tablets,
smart phones, etc.
• An LCD screen comprises two layers of polarized glass with a liquid
crystal solution between them. When the light passes through the
first layer, an electric current aligns the liquids crystals.
• The aligned liquid crystals allow a varying level of light to pass
through the second layer to create images on the screen.
• Modern LCDs use active-matrix technology and contain thin film
transistors (TFTs) with capacitors.
• This technology allows pixels to retain their charge. So, they don?t
make screen blurry when images move fast on the screen as well as
are more efficient than passive-matrix displays.
 iii) LED monitor

• The LED monitor is an improved version of an LCD monitor. It

also has a flat panel display and uses liquid crystal display
technology like the LCD monitors. The difference between them
lies in the source of light to backlight the display.
• The LED monitor has many LED panels, and each panel has
several LEDs to backlight the display, whereas the LCD monitors
use cold cathode fluorescent light to backlight the display.
• Modern electronic devices such as mobile phones, LED TVs,
laptop and computer screens, etc., use a LED display as it not
only produces more brilliance and greater light intensity but
also consumes less power.
iv) Plasma Monitor
 Plasma Monitor
• The plasma monitor is also a flat panel display that is based on
plasma display technology. It has small tiny cells between two glass
panels. These cells contain mixtures of noble gases and a small
amount of mercury.
• When voltage is applied, the gas in the cells turns into a plasma and
emits ultraviolet light that creates images on the screen, i.e., the
screen is illuminated by a tiny bit of plasma, a charged gas. Plasma
displays are brighter than liquid crystal displays (LCD) and also offer a
wide viewing angle than an LCD.
• Plasma monitors provide high resolutions of up to 1920 X 1080,
excellent contrast ratios, wide viewing angle, a high refresh rate and
more. Thus, they offer a unique viewing experience while watching
action movies, sports games, and more.
 What is Printer?

• A printer is a hardware output device that is used to generate hard

copy and print any document. A document can be of any type such
as a text file, image, or the combination of both. It accepts input
command by users on a computer or on other devices to print the
documents. For example, if you have to submit a project report at
your college, you need to create a soft copy of your report and
print it with the help of the printer.
• Printers are one of the common computer peripheral devices that
can be classified into two categories that are 2D and 3D printers.
The 2D printers are used to print text and graphics on a paper, and
3D printers are used to create three dimensional physical objects.
 Impact Printer
• The impact printer uses a hammer or print head to print the
character or images onto the paper. The hammer or print head
strikes or presses an ink ribbon against the paper to print
characters and images.
• Characteristics of Impact Printers are the following −
• Very low consumable costs
• Very noisy
• Useful for bulk printing due to low cost
• There is physical contact with the paper to produce an image.
• Impact printers are further divided into two types. Character
Printers
• Line printers
• A) Character Printers
• Character printer prints a single character at a time or
with a single stroke of the print head or hammer.
• It does not print one line at a time.
• The character printers are of two types, which are as
follows:
• i) Dot Matrix Printer
• ii) Daisy Wheel Printer
• Today, these printers are not in much use due to their
low speed and because only the text can be printed.
 Dot Matrix Printer
• In the market, one of the most popular printers is Dot Matrix
Printer. These printers are popular because of their ease of
printing and economical price.
• Each character printed is in the form of pattern of dots and
head consists of a Matrix of Pins of size (5*7, 7*9, 9*7 or 9*9)
which come out to form a character which is why it is called
Dot Matrix Printer.
• Advantages
• Inexpensive
• Widely Used
• Other language characters can be printed
• Disadvantages
• Slow Speed
• Poor Quality
 Daisy Wheel
• Head is lying on a wheel and pins corresponding to characters are like petals of
Daisy (flower) which is why it is called Daisy Wheel Printer.
• These printers are generally used for word-processing in offices that require a
few letters to be sent here and there with very nice quality.
• Advantages
• More reliable than DMP
• Better quality
• Fonts of character can be easily changed

• Disadvantages
• Slower than DMP
• Noisy
• More expensive than DMP
• Line Printers
• Line printers are the printers which print one line at a time.
• These are of two types −
• Drum Printer
• Chain Printer

• Drum Printer
• This printer is like a drum in shape hence it is called drum printer. The surface
of the drum is divided into a number of tracks. Total tracks are equal to the size
of the paper, i.e. for a paper width of 132 characters, drum will have 132
tracks. A character set is embossed on the track. Different character sets
available in the market are 48 character set, 64 and 96 characters set. One
rotation of drum prints one line. Drum printers are fast in speed and can print
300 to 2000 lines per minute.
• Advantages
• Very high speed
• Disadvantages
• Very expensive
• Characters fonts cannot be changed
• Chain Printer
• In this printer, a chain of character sets is used, hence it
is called Chain Printer. A standard character set may
have 48, 64, or 96 characters.
• Advantages
• Character fonts can easily be changed.
• Different languages can be used with the same printer.
• Disadvantages
• Noisy
 Non-impact Printers

• Non-impact printers print the characters without using the

ribbon. These printers print a complete page at a time, thus they
are also called as Page Printers.
• These printers are of two types −
• Laser Printers
• Inkjet Printers
• Characteristics of Non-impact Printers
• Faster than impact printers
• They are not noisy
• High quality
• Supports many fonts and different character size
 Laser Printers

• These are non-impact page printers. They use laser lights to produce
the dots needed to form the characters to be printed on a page.
Advantages
• Very high speed
• Very high quality output
• Good graphics quality
• Supports many fonts and different character size
• Disadvantages
• Expensive
• Cannot be used to produce multiple copies of a document in a
single printing
 Inkjet Printers
• Inkjet printers are non-impact character printers based on a relatively new
technology. They print characters by spraying small drops of ink onto paper.
Inkjet printers produce high quality output with presentable features. They
make less noise because no hammering is done and these have many
styles of printing modes available. Color printing is also possible. Some
models of Inkjet printers can produce multiple copies of printing also.
Advantages of Inkjet Printers:
• The Inkjet printers have the ability to produce high-quality output.
• These printers are reasonably fast and easy to use.
• Additionally, these types of printers do not take warm up time.
Disadvantages of Inkjet Printer:
• It may take more time to print.
• Its running cost is high.
• It does not allow the highlighter marker.
• Sometimes, it can produce a wrong warning of an empty cartridge.
 There are many differences between a laser printer and inkjet
printer, such as:

• The laser printer contains dry ink, while an inkjet

contains wet ink.
• An inkjet printer is approximately ten times more
expensive than the laser printer as it requires
replacing the ink very frequently.
• If a paper is wet, the inkjet printer will print the
document with blur, but the laser printer will print
clear. The inkjet printer is suitable for printing
fewer documents, while the laser printer has the
ability to print more documents.
• Computer Hardware:
Hardware refers to the physical components of a computer.
Computer Hardware is any part of the computer that we can touch
these parts. These are the primary electronic devices used to build
up the computer. Examples of hardware in a computer are the
Processor, Memory Devices, Monitor, Printer, Keyboard, Mouse,
and the Central Processing Unit.

• Computer Software:
Software is a collection of instructions, procedures, documentation
that performs different tasks on a computer system. we can say
also Computer Software is a programming code executed on a
computer processor. The code can be machine-level code or the
code written for an operating system. Examples of software are Ms
Word, Excel, Power Point, Google Chrome, Photoshop, MySQL etc.
Difference Between Hardware and Software:

• Hardware is a physical parts computer that

cause processing of data.
• Software is a set of instruction that tells a
computer exactly what to do.
• Hardware is manufactured.
• Software is developed and engineered.
• Hardware can not perform any task without
software.
• software can not be executed without hardware.
• As Hardware are physical electronic devices, we can see and touch
hardware.
• We can see and also use the software but can’t actually touch
them.
• It has four main categories: input device, output devices, storage,
and internal components.
• It is mainly divided into System software, Programming software
and Application software.
• Hardware is not affected by computer viruses. Software is affected
by computer viruses.
• It can not be transferred from one place to another electrically
through network.
• But, it can be transferred.
• If hardware is damaged, it is replaced with new one.
• If software is damaged, its backup copy can be reinstalled.
• Ex: Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Printer, CPU, Hard disk, RAM, ROM
etc.Ex: Ms Word, Excel, Power Point, Photoshop, MySQL etc.
• Humanware is hardware and software that emphasizes user
capability and empowerment and the design of the user
interface. It is the man-machine interface. 
• The personnel which are related to installation, maintenance,
operation and testing of a computer are called humanware or
livewire.
• Eg. Programmers, Hardware or Network Engineers, System
Analysts etc.
• Firmware is software embedded in hardware. It is a pre-
written computer program in machine language that
is permanently stored in the ROM or PROM. 
• Generally, these are booting programs which help in the starting
of a computer. Such programs cannot be erased or overwritten. 
• Firmware is embedded into the hardware at manufacturing time
and it is not expected to change for the lifetime of the hardware
device. In addition, the firmware is not lost when hardware loses
power. Eg. BIOS.
 Types of Computer

• A computer is a device that transforms data into

meaningful information. It processes the input
according to the set of instructions provided to
it by the user and gives the desired output.
Computers are of various types and they can be
categorized in two ways on the basis of size and
on the basis of data handling capabilities.
• So, on the basis of size, there are five types of
computers:
• So, on the basis of size, there are five types of computers:

• Supercomputer
• Mainframe computer
• Minicomputer
• Workstation
• PC (Personal Computer)

• And on the basis of data handling capabilities, there are

three types of computer:
• Analogue Computer
• Digital Computer
• Hybrid Computer
 1 Supercomputer:
• When we talk about speed, then the first name that comes to mind when
thinking of computers is supercomputers. They are the biggest and fastest
computers(in terms of speed of processing data). Supercomputers are designed
such that they can process a huge amount of data, like processing trillions of
instructions or data just in a second. This is because of the thousands of
interconnected processors in supercomputers. It is basically used in scientific and
engineering applications such as weather forecasting, scientific simulations, and
nuclear energy research. It was first developed by Roger Cray in 1976.

• Characteristics of supercomputers:
• Supercomputers are the computers which are the fastest and they are also very
expensive.
• It can calculate up to ten trillion individual calculations per second, this is also
the reason which makes it even more faster.
• It is used in the stock market or big organizations for managing the online
currency world such as bitcoin etc.
• It is used in scientific research areas for analyzing data obtained from exploring
the solar system, satellites, etc.
 2. Mainframe computer:
• Mainframe computers are designed in such a way that it
can support hundreds or thousands of users at the same
time. It also supports multiple programs simultaneously.
So, they can execute different processes simultaneously.
All these features make the mainframe computer ideal
for big organizations like banking, telecom sectors, etc.,
which process a high volume of data in general.
• Characteristics of mainframe computers:
• It is also an expensive or costly computer.
• It has high storage capacity and great performance.
• It can process a huge amount of data (like data involved
in the banking sector) very quickly.
• It runs smoothly for a long time and has a long life.
 3.Minicomputer:
• Minicomputer is a medium size multiprocessing
computer. In this type of computer, there are two or
more processors, and it supports 4 to 200 users at one
time. Minicomputers are used in places like institutes or
departments for different work like billing, accounting,
inventory management etc. It is smaller than a
mainframe computer but larger in comparison to the
microcomputer.
• Characteristics of minicomputer:
• Its weight is low.
• Because of its low weight, it is easy to carry anywhere.
• less expensive than a mainframe computer.
• It is fast.
 4.Workstation:

• Workstation is designed for technical or scientific applications.

It consists of a fast microprocessor, with a large amount of RAM
and high speed graphic adapter. It is a single-user computer. It
generally used to perform a specific task with great accuracy.
• Characteristics of Workstation:
• It is expensive or high in cost.
• They are exclusively made for complex work purposes.
• It provides large storage capacity, with better graphics, and a
more powerful CPU when compared to a PC.
• It is also used to handle animation, data analysis, CAD, audio
and video creation, and editing.
 5.PC (Personal Computer):

• It is also known as a microcomputer. It is basically a general-

purpose computer and designed for individual use. It consists of a
microprocessor as a central processing unit(CPU), memory,  input
unit, and output unit. This kind of computer is suitable for personal
work such as making an assignment, watching a movie, or at office
for office work, etc. For example, Laptops and desktop computers.
• Characteristics of PC (Personal Computer):
• In this limited number of software can be used.
• It is smallest in size.
• It is designed for personal use.
• It is easy to use.
 6.Analogue Computer:

• It is particularly designed to process analogue data.

Continuous data that changes continuously and cannot
have discrete values is called analogue data. So, an
analogue computer is used where we don’t need exact
values or need approximate values such as speed,
temperature, pressure etc. It can directly accept the data
from the measuring device without first converting it into
numbers and codes. It measures the continuous changes
in physical quantity. It gives output as a reading on a dial
or scale. For example speedometer, mercury
thermometer, etc.
 7. Digital Computer:
• Digital computers are designed in such a way that it can
easily perform calculations and logical operations at
high speed. It takes raw data as an input and processes
it with programs stored in its memory to produce the
final output. It only understands the binary input 0 and
1, so the raw input data is converted to 0 and 1 by the
computer and then it is processed by the computer to
produce the result or final output. All modern
computers, like laptops, desktops including
smartphones are digital computers.
 8. Hybrid Computer:

• As the name suggests hybrid, which means made by

combining two different things. Similarly, the hybrid
computer is a combination of both analog and digital
computers. Hybrid computers are fast like an analog
computer and have memory, and accuracy like a digital
computer. So, it has the ability to process both continuous
and discrete data. For working when it accepts analog
signals as input then it converts them into digital form
before processing the input data. So, it is widely used in
specialized applications where both analog and digital data
is required to be processed. A processor which is used in
petrol pumps that converts the measurements of fuel flow
into quantity and price is an example of a hybrid computer. 
 Computer - Memory
• Memory is required in computers to store data
and instructions. Memory is physically organized
as a large number of cells that are capable of
storing one bit each. Logically they are organized
as groups of bits called words that are assigned
an address. Data and instructions are accessed
through these memory address. The speed with
which these memory addresses can be accessed
determines the cost of the memory. Faster the
memory speed, higher the price.
• Computer memory can be said to be organized in a hierarchical
way where memory with the fastest access speeds and highest
costs lies at the top whereas those with lowest speeds and
hence lowest costs lie at the bottom. Based on this criteria
memory is of two types – primary and secondary.

• The main features of primary memory, which distinguish it

from secondary memory are −
• It is accessed directly by the processor
• It is the fastest memory available
• Each word is stored as well as
• It is volatile, i.e. its contents are lost once power is switched off
• As primary memory is expensive, technologies are developed
to optimize its use. These are broad types of primary memory
available.
• Primary Memory
• Primary memory is the main memory of
computer present in motherboard.
• Primary memory holds only those data and
instructions on which the computer is
currently working.
• It has a limited capacity and data is lost when
power is switched off.
• It is generally made up of semiconductor
device. These memories are not as fast as
registers. 
Primary Memory
 RAM

• RAM stands for Random Access Memory. The processor accesses all memory
addresses directly, irrespective of word length, making storage and retrieval fast.
RAM is the fastest memory available and hence most expensive. These two
factors imply that RAM is available in very small quantities of up to 1GB. RAM is
volatile but my be of any of these two types

• DRAM (Dynamic RAM)

• Each memory cell in a DRAM is made of one transistor and one capacitor, which
store one bit of data. However, this cell starts losing its charge and hence data
stored in less than thousandth of a second. So it needs to be refreshed thousand
times a second, which takes up processor time. However, due to small size of
each cell, one DRAM can have large number of cells. Primary memory of most of
the personal computers is made of DRAM.
• SRAM (SRAM)
• Each cell in SRAM is made of a flip flop that stores one bit. It retains its bit till the
power supply is on and doesn’t need to be refreshed like DRAM. It also has
shorter read-write cycles as compared to DRAM. SRAM is used in specialized
applications.
 ROM

• ROM stands for Read Only Memory. As the name suggests, ROM can only be
read by the processor. New data cannot be written into ROM.
• Data to be stored into ROM is written during the manufacturing phase itself.
They contain data that does not need to be altered, like booting sequence of a
computer or algorithmic tables for mathematical applications.
• ROM is slower and hence cheaper than RAM. It retains its data even when
power is switched off, i.e. it is non-volatile. ROM cannot be altered the way
RAM can be but technologies are available to program these types of ROMs −

• PROM (Programmable ROM)

• PROM can be programmed using a special hardware device called PROM
programmer or PROM burner.
• EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM)
• EPROM can be erased and then programmed using special electrical signals or
UV rays. EPROMs that can be erased using UV rays are called UVEPROM and
those that can be erased using electrical signals are called EEPROM. However,
handling electric signals is easier and safer than UV rays.
  Differences between RAM and ROM
• RAM :-
1. It is volatile memory.
2. The contents are temporary;
3. Available in small storage capacity.
4. Processing speed is high.
• ROM:-It is non-volatile memory.
RAM:
data is lost when electricity supply is lost.
ROM:-The contents are permanent; data is not lost even when power is switched off.
RAM:-
ROM:-Available in high storage capacity.
RAM:-
ROM:-Processing speed is low.
 RAM Vs ROM
Difference RAM ROM

RAM is a volatile memory which could ROM is a non-volatile memory which

Data retention store the data as long as the power is could retain the data even when
supplied. power is turned off.

Working type Data stored in RAM can be retrieved Data stored in ROM can only be read.
and altered.

Used to store the data that has to be It stores the instructions required
Use currently processed by CPU during bootstrap of the computer.
temporarily.

Speed It is a high-speed memory. It is much slower than the RAM.

The CPU can access the data stored The CPU can not access the data
CPU Interaction on it. stored on it unless the data is stored
in RAM.

Size and Capacity Large size with higher capacity. Small size with less capacity.

Used as/in CPU Cache, Primary memory. Firmware, Micro-controllers

Accessibility The data stored is easily accessible The data stored is not as easily
accessible as in RAM

Cost Costlier cheaper than RAM.

 Secondary Memory
• We have read so far, that primary memory is volatile and has
limited capacity. So, it is important to have another form of
memory that has a larger storage capacity and from which
data and programs are not lost when the computer is turned
off. Such a type of memory is called secondary memory. In
secondary memory, programs and data are stored. It is also
called auxiliary memory. It is different from primary memory
as it is not directly accessible through the CPU and is non-
volatile. Secondary or external storage devices have a much
larger storage capacity and the cost of secondary memory is
less as compared to primary memory.
 Use of Secondary memory
• Secondary memory is used for different purposes but the
main purposes of using secondary memory are:
• Permanent storage: As we know that primary memory
stores data only when the power supply is on, it loses data
when the power is off. So we need a secondary memory to
stores data permanently even if the power supply is off.
• Large Storage: Secondary memory provides large storage
space so that we can store large data like videos, images,
audios, files, etc permanently.
• Portable: Some secondary devices are removable. So, we
can easily store or transfer data from one computer or
device to another.
The main advantage of using secondary storage devices
is:

• In Secondary storage devices, the stored data might

not be under the direct control of the operating
system. For example, many organizations store their
archival data or critical documents on secondary
storage drives, which their main network cannot
access to ensure their preservation whenever a
data breach occurs.
• Since these drives do not interact directly with the
main infrastructure and can be situated in a remote
or secure site, it is unlikely that a hacker may access
these drives unless they're physically stolen.
 Why do we need Secondary Storage?

• Computers use main memory such as random access memory

(RAM) and cache to hold data that is being processed.
However, this type of memory is volatile, and it loses its data
when the computer is switched off. General-purpose
computers, such as personal computers and tablets, need to
store programs and data for later use.
• That's why secondary storage is needed to keep programs
and data long term. Secondary storage is non-volatile and
able to keep data as long term storage. They are used for
various purposes such as backup data used for future restores
or disaster recovery, long-term archiving of data that is not
frequently accessed, and storage of non-critical data in lower-
performing, less expensive drives.
• Without secondary storage, all programs and data would be
lost when the computer is switched off.
Characteristics of Secondary Storage Devices

• These are some characteristics of secondary

memory, which distinguish it from primary
memory, such as:
• It is non-volatile, which means it retains data when
power is switched off
• It allows for the storage of data ranging from a few
megabytes to peta bytes.
• It is cheaper as compared to primary memory.
• Secondary storage devices like CDs and flash drives
can transfer the data from one device to another.
 Types of Secondary memory

• Secondary memory is of two types:

• 1. Fixed storage
• In secondary memory, a fixed storage is an internal media
device that is used to store data in a computer system. Fixed
storage is generally known as fixed disk drives or hard drives.
Generally, the data of the computer system is stored in a built-
in fixed storage device. Fixed storage does not mean that you
can not remove them from the computer system, you can
remove the fixed storage device for repairing, for the upgrade,
or for maintenance, etc. with the help of an expert or engineer. 
• Types of fixed storage:
• Following are the types of fixed storage:
• Internal flash memory (rare)
• SSD (solid-state disk)
• Hard disk drives (HDD)
• 2. Removable storage
• In secondary memory, removable storage is an external media device that is used to store
data in a computer system. Removable storage is generally known as disks drives or
external drives. It is a storage device that can be inserted or removed from the computer
according to our requirements. We can easily remove them from the computer system
while the computer system is running. Removable storage devices are portable so we can
easily transfer data from one computer to another. Also, removable storage devices
provide the fast data transfer rates associated with storage area networks (SANs). 
• Types of Removable Storage:
• Optical discs (like CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, etc.)
• Memory cards
• Floppy disks
• Magnetic tapes
• Disk packs
• Paper storage (like punched tapes, punched cards, etc.)
Classification of Secondary Storage Devices
 Sequential Access Storage Device

• It is a class of data storage devices that read stored data in a

sequence. This is in contrast to random access memory (RAM),
where data can access in any order, and magnetic tape is the
common sequential access storage device.
• Magnetic tape: It is a medium for magnetic recording, made of a
thin, magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic film.
Devices that record and play audio and video using magnetic
tape are tape recorders and videotape recorders. A device that
stores computer data on magnetic tape is known as a tape drive.
It was a key technology in early computer development,
allowing unparalleled amounts of data to be mechanically
created, stored for long periods, and rapidly accessed.
 Direct Access Storage Devices

• A direct-access storage device (DASD) is another name for secondary storage devices that
store data in discrete locations with a unique address, such as hard disk drives, optical
drives and most magnetic storage devices.
• 1. Magnetic disks: A magnetic disk is a storage device that uses a magnetization process
to write, rewrite and access data. It is covered with a magnetic coating and stores data in
the form of tracks, spots and sectors. Hard disks, zip disks and floppy disks are common
examples of magnetic disks.
• Floppy Disk: A floppy disk is a flexible disk with a magnetic coating on it, and it is
packaged inside a protective plastic envelope. These are among the oldest portable
storage devices that could store up to 1.44 MB of data, but now they are not used due to
very little memory storage.
• Hard Disk Drive (HDD): Hard disk drive comprises a series of circular disks
called platters arranged one over the other almost ½ inches apart around a spindle. Disks
are made of non-magnetic material like aluminium alloy and coated with 10-20 nm
magnetic material. The standard diameter of these disks is 14 inches, and they rotate with
speeds varying from 4200 rpm (rotations per minute) for personal computers to 15000
rpm for servers.
Data is stored by magnetizing or demagnetizing the magnetic coating. A magnetic reader
arm is used to read data from and write data to the disks. A typical modern HDD has a
capacity in terabytes (TB).
HDD
• 2. Optical Disk: An optical disk is any computer disk that uses optical storage techniques and technology
to read and write data. It is a computer storage disk that stores data digitally and uses laser beams to read
and write data.

• CD Drive: CD stands for Compact Disk. CDs are circular disks that use optical rays, usually lasers, to read
and write data. They are very cheap as you can get 700 MB of storage space for less than a dollar. CDs are
inserted in CD drives built into the CPU cabinet. They are portable as you can eject the drive, remove the
CD and carry it with you. There are three types of CDs:
– CD-ROM (Compact Disk - Read Only Memory): The manufacturer recorded the data on these CDs. Proprietary
Software, audio or video are released on CD-ROMs.
– CD-R (Compact Disk - Recordable): The user can write data once on the CD-R. It cannot be deleted or modified later.
– CD-RW (Compact Disk - Rewritable): Data can repeatedly be written and deleted on these optical disks.

• DVD Drive: DVD stands for digital video display. DVD is an optical device that can store 15 times the data
held by CDs. They are usually used to store rich multimedia files that need high storage capacity. DVDs also
come in three varieties - read-only, recordable and rewritable.
• Blu Ray Disk: Blu Ray Disk (BD) is an optical storage media that stores high definition (HD) video and other
multimedia files. BD uses a shorter wavelength laser than CD/DVD, enabling the writing arm to focus more
tightly on the disk and pack in more data. BDs can store up to 128 GB of data.
• 3. Memory Storage Devices: A memory device contains trillions of interconnected
memory cells that store data. When switched on or off, these cells hold millions of
transistors representing 1s and 0s in binary code, allowing a computer to read and write
information. It includes USB drives, flash memory devices, SD and memory cards, which
you'll recognize as the storage medium used in digital cameras.
• Flash Drive: A flash drive is a small, ultra-portable storage device. USB flash drives were
essential for easily moving files from one device to another. Flash drives connect to
computers and other devices via a built-in USB Type-Aor USB-C plug, making one a USB
device and cable combination.
Flash drives are often referred to as pen drives, thumb drives, or jump drives. The
terms USB drive and solid-state drive (SSD) are also sometimes used, but most of the time,
those refer to larger, not-so-mobile USB-based storage devices like external hard drives.
These days, a USB flash drive can hold up to 2 TB of storage. They're more expensive per
gigabyte than an external hard drive, but they have prevailed as a simple, convenient
solution for storing and transferring smaller files.
Pen drive has the following advantages in computer organization, such as:
• Transfer Files: A pen drive is a device plugged into a USB port of the system
that is used to transfer files, documents, and photos to a PC and vice versa.
• Portability: The lightweight nature and smaller size of a pen drive make it
possible to carry it from place to place, making data transportation an
easier task.
• Backup Storage:Most of the pen drives now come with the feature of
having password encryption, important information related to family,
medical records, and photos can be stored on them as a backup.
• Transport Data: Professionals or Students can now easily transport large
data files and video, audio lectures on a pen drive and access them from
anywhere. Independent PC technicians can store work-related utility tools,
various programs, and files on a high-speed 64 GB pen drive and move
from one site to another.
 Memory card
• Memory card: A memory card or memory cartridge is an
electronic data storage device used for storing digital
information, typically using flash memory.
• These are commonly used in portable electronic devices,
such as digital cameras, mobile phones, laptop computers,
tablets, PDAs, portable media players, video game
consoles, synthesizers, electronic keyboards and digital
pianos, and allow adding memory to such devices without
compromising ergonomy, as the card is usually contained
within the device rather than protruding like USB flash
drives.
Difference between Primary and Secondary Memory

Primary Memory Secondary Memory

Primary memory is directly accessed by the Secondary memory is not accessed directly by the
Central Processing Unit (CPU). Central Processing Unit (CPU). Instead, data
accessed from a secondary memory is first loaded
into Random Access Memory (RAM) and then
sent to the Processing Unit.

RAM provides a much faster-accessing speed to Secondary memory is slower in data accessing.
data than secondary memory. Computers can Typically primary memory is six times faster than
quickly process data by loading software secondary memory.
programs and required files into primary memory
(RAM).

Primary memory is volatile and gets completely Secondary memory provides a feature of being
erased when a computer is shut down. non-volatile, which means it can hold on to its
data with or without an electrical power supply.
 What Does Mass Storage Device (MSD) Mean?

• A mass storage device (MSD) is any storage device that makes it possible to
store and port large amounts of data across computers, servers and within
an IT environment. MSDs are portable storage media that provide a storage
interface that can be both internal and external to the computer.
• A mass storage device may also be referred to as an auxiliary storage
device. The term is commonly used to describe USB mass storage devices.
MSD is primarily related to storage devices that provide consistent and
permanent storage capacity.
• MSD is connected to the computer/server via a data transfer interface,
such as SCSI, USB or even Ethernet (for storage area networks). Some of
the common MSDs include floppy disk drives, optical drives, hard disk
drives, tape drives, external hard drives, RAID and USB storage devices.
Currently, typical MSD devices provide anywhere from a few gigabytes to
petabytes of data. Internal MSDs generally can't be removed, whereas
external MSDs can be easily removed, ported and plugged into another
computer.
 Cloud Computing
• Cloud Computing provides us means of accessing the applications as utilities over the
Internet. It allows us to create, configure, and customize the applications online.
• What is Cloud?
• The term Cloud refers to a Network or Internet. In other words, we can say that Cloud is
something, which is present at remote location. Cloud can provide services over public
and private networks, i.e., WAN, LAN or VPN.
• Applications such as e-mail, web conferencing, customer relationship management (CRM)
execute on cloud.

• What is Cloud Computing?

• Cloud Computing is defined as storing and accessing data and computing services over the
Internet. It doesn’t store any data on users’ personal computers. It is the on-demand
availability of computer services like servers, networking, databases, data storage, etc.
The main goal of cloud computing is to give data centers access to many users for
accessing data from remote servers.

• Cloud Computing refers to manipulating, configuring, and accessing the hardware and

software resources remotely. It offers online data storage, infrastructure, and application.
Cloud Computing
• Cloud computing offers platform
independency, as the software is not required
to be installed locally on the PC. Hence, the
Cloud Computing is making our business
applications mobile and collaborative.
• Cloud computing is a general term for anything
that involves delivering hosted services over the
internet. These services are divided into three
main categories or types of cloud computing:
infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a
service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS).
 Advantage of Cloud computing
• Low Cost: To run cloud technology, users don't require high power computers
and technology because the application will run on the cloud and not on
users' PC.
• Storage capacity: The Cloud storage capacity is unlimited & generally offers a
vast storage capacity of 2000-3000 GBs or more based on the requirement.
• Low cost of IT infrastructure: As discussed earlier, the investment will be less
if an organization uses Cloud technology; even the IT staffs and server
engineers are also not required.
• Increase computing power: Cloud servers have a very high-capacity for
running and processing tasks and the processing of applications.
• Reduce Software Costs: Cloud minimizes the software costs as users don't
need to purchase software for organizations or every computer.
• Updating: Instant software update is possible & users don't have to face the
choice problem between obsolete & high-upgrade software.
 Disadvantage of Cloud computing
• Internet speed: Cloud technology requires a high-
speed internet connection as web-based applications
often require a large bandwidth amount.
• Constant Internet Connection: It's impossible to use
cloud infrastructure without the Internet. To access
any application or cloud storage, a constant internet
connection is required.
• Security: Data storage might not be secure. With
cloud computing, all the data gets stored in the cloud
& hence the unauthorized user may gain access to the
user's data in the cloud.