Introduction to Information and

Communication Technologies
Lecture # 1

Zaheer A. Gondal
Department of Computer Science
CUI Lahore Campus
[email protected]
The slides are adapted from the publisher’s material
Understanding Computers: Today and Tomorrow (Ch1, Ch4)
Course Information
Textbooks
 Understanding Computers: Today and Tomorrow, Comprehensive,
Deborah Morley, Charles S. Parker, Cengage Learning, 2017.
 Python Basics: A Practical Introduction to Python 3, David Amos,
Dan Bader, Joanna Jablonski, and Fletcher Heisler, Real Python,
2021
Reference Book
 Foundations of Computer Science, Forouzan, B., McGraw-Hill,
2017.
 Starting Out with Python, Gaddis, T., Addison-Wesley, 2016.
 Problem Solving & Programming, Sprankle, M., Hubbard, J.,
Prentice Hall, 2012.
Course Evaluation
Theory (100) Lab (100)
 4 Assignments (10%)  4 Assignments (25%)
 4 Quizzes (15%)  Mid term exam (25%)
 Mid term exam (25%)  Final exam (50%)
 Final exam (50%)

= (Theory obt. /100) * 67 + (Lab obt. /100) * 33

Note: 50% marks mandatory in both Theory and Lab
for passing the course
Class Expectations
 Come to lectures on time and participate
 Keep up with reading material
 Complete assignments, projects, etc on time
 Submit clean, organized, and to the point reports
 Key to Success
Attendance
 Pay attention to lectures and keep extra notes
 Ask questions
Effort
 Do homework on your own. It’s ok to ask others but
make your own effort.
Consistency
 Keep up with reading, and homework.
Plagiarism Policy
 According to this policy, a student's submitted work must
be the student's own. In this course, this policy will be
applied to all work submitted for grade including exams,
quizzes, homework, and projects.
Computers in Your Life
Why learn about computers?
Pervasive computing (A World of Computers)
Also known as ubiquitous computing
Computers have become an integral part of our
lives
Basic computer literacy
Knowing about and understanding computers and
their uses is an essential skill today for everyone

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Computers in Your Life
Before 1980
 Computers were large, expensive
 Very few people had access to them
 Computers were mostly used for high-volume processing
tasks
Microcomputers in the early 80s
 Inexpensive personal computers
 Computer use increased dramatically
Today
 More than 80% of US households include a computer, and
most use computers at work
 Electronic devices are converging into single units with
multiple capabilities

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Computers in the Home
Computers used for a variety of tasks:
 Looking up information and news
 Exchanging e-mail
 Shopping and paying bills
 Watching TV and videos
 Downloading music and movies
 Organizing digital photographs
 Playing games
 Telecommuting

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Computers in the Home
Convergence
 The computer has become the central part of home entertainment
 Dual-mode mobile phones

Wireless networking
 Computers can be used in nearly any location
Smart appliances
 Traditional appliances with built-in computer or communication
technology
Smart homes
 Household tasks are monitored and controlled by a main computer in
the house

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Computers in the Home
Computers in Education
Many students today have access to computers
either in a classroom or a computer lab
Colleges and universities are even more
integrated
 Wireless hotspots allow usage of personal laptops to connect
to the college network
 Some colleges require a computer for enrollment
Distance learning
 Students participate from locations other than the traditional
classroom setting using computers and Internet access

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Computers in Education

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Computers on the Job
Computers have become a universal on-the-job
tool for decision-making, productivity, and
communication
 Used by all types of employees
 Used for access control and other security measures
 Use by service professionals is growing
 Used extensively by the military
 Employees in all lines of work need to continually refresh
their computer skills

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Computers on the Job

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Computers on the Go
Computers are encountered in nearly every
aspect of daily life
 Consumer kiosks
 ATM transactions
 POS systems at retail stores
 Self-checkout systems
 Portable computers or mobile devices
 M-commerce systems
 GPS systems

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Computers on the Go

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What Is a Computer and What Does It Do?
Computer: A programmable, electronic device that
accepts data, performs operations on that data, and
stores the data or results as needed
 Computers follow instructions, called programs, which
determine the tasks the computer will perform
Basic operations
Input: Entering data into the computer
Processing: Performing operations on the data
Output: Presenting the results
Storage: Saving data, programs, or output for future use
Communications: Sending or receiving data

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What Is a Computer and What Does It Do?

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Why use a computer?

What value do
Computers bring?

What are they good at?

fast


bored
storage

Advantages and Disadvantages
of Using Computers
What are the advantages of using computers?

Speed Reliability Consistency

Storage Communications
Computers to Fit Every Need
Six basic categories of computers:
 Embedded computers
 Mobile devices
 Personal computers
 Midrange servers
 Mainframe computers
 Supercomputers

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Embedded Computers
Embedded computer: Embedded into a product and
designed to perform specific tasks or functions for that
product
Cannot be used as general-purpose computers
Often embedded into:
 Household appliances
 Thermostats
 Sewing machines

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Mobile Devices
Mobile device: A very small device with
some type of built-in computing or Internet
capability
Typically based on mobile phones
Typically have small screens and keyboards
Examples:
 Smartphones
 Handheld gaming devices
 Portable digital media players

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Personal Computers (PCs)
Personal computer: A small computer designed
to be used by one person at a time
 Also called a microcomputer
 Range in size from desktop computers to UMPC’s

Desktop computers: Fit on or next to a desk

 Can use tower case, desktop case, or all-in-one
 Can be PC- compatible or Macintosh
 Not designed to be portable

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Portable Computers
Notebook (laptop) computers: Typically use clamshell
design
Tablet computers: Can
be slate tablets or
convertible tablets
Netbooks: Small
notebooks; rapidly
growing type of PC
Ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs):
Handheld computers

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Midrange Servers
Midrange server: A medium-sized computer
used to host programs and data for a small
network
Users connect via a network with a
computer
May consist of a collection
of individual circuit boards
called blades
Virtualization: Creating
virtual environments (often
used to share a server for
increased efficiency)

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Mainframe Computers
Mainframe computer: Powerful computer used by
several large organizations to manage large
amounts of centralized data
 Standard choice for large organizations, hospitals, universities, large
businesses, banks, government offices
 Located in climate-controlled data centers and connected to the rest
of the company computers via a network
 Larger, more expensive, and more powerful than midrange servers
 Usually operate 24 hours a day
 Also called high-end servers or enterprise-class servers

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Mainframe Computers

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Supercomputers
Supercomputer: Fastest, most expensive, most
powerful type of computer
 Generally run one program at a time, as fast as possible
 Commonly built by connecting hundreds of smaller computers,
supercomputing cluster
 Used for space exploration, missile guidance, satellites, weather
forecast, oil exploration, scientific research, complex Web sites,
decision support systems, 3D applications, etc.

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Supercomputers

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Quick Quiz
1. A tablet PC is an example of a(n)
_____________.
a. Desktop computer
b. Portable PC
c. Internet appliance
2. True or False: The terms mainframe computer
and supercomputer are interchangeable; both
refer to the largest, most powerful computers.
3. A smartphone is an example of a(n)
_____________.
Answers:
1) b; 2) False; 3) mobile device

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Data vs Information
Data
 Data is raw, unorganized facts that need to be processed. Can be in
the form of text, graphics, audio, or video
Information
 When data is processed, organized, structured or presented in a
given context so as to make it useful, it is called information.
Information Technology?
Technology
 Technology is humans using objects (tools, machines, systems,
and materials) to change the natural and human-made
environment.
 Technology is developed by people to modify their environment.
Information Technology
 Information technology is “ anything related to computing
technology, such as networking, hardware, software, the
Internet, or the people that work with these technologies”.
Computers and Society
The vast improvements in technology over the
past decade have had a distinct impact on daily
life, both at home and at work
Many benefits of a computer-oriented society:
 Ability to design products before construction leads to safer products
 Earlier medical diagnoses
 Devices that allow challenged people to perform job tasks
 Documents e-mailed or faxed in moments
 Download information, music, programs, movies, and more on
demand

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Computers and Society
Computer-oriented society also has risks
 Computer viruses and malware
 Identity theft and phishing
 Privacy issues
Differences in online communications
 Less formal than traditional
 Netiquette
 Emoticons
Information Integrity
 Check your source, not all information on the Internet is
accurate.
Von Neumann Model
 Von-Neumann proposed his computer architecture design in 1945
which was later known as Von-Neumann Architecture. It consisted
of a Control Unit, Arithmetic, and Logical Memory Unit (ALU),
Registers and Inputs/Outputs.
 Von Neumann architecture is based on the stored-program
computer concept, where instruction data and program data are
stored in the same memory. This design is still used in most
computers produced today.
Von Neumann Model
M EM ORY
MAR MDR

INPUT OUTPUT
Ke yb o a rd M o n it o r
Mous e PROCES S ING UNIT P rin t e r
Sca nne r LED
Dis k ALU TEMP Dis k

CON TROL UNIT

PC IR
Input Devices
In computing, an input device is a piece of equipment
used to provide data and control signals to processing
system
Examples
Keyboards, mouse, scanners, cameras, joysticks, and
microphones
Input Devices (Keyboards)
Keyboard: An input device used to enter characters at the
location marked by the insertion point or cursor
Can be wired or wireless
Most computers today are designed to be used with a
keyboard
Typically contains:
 Standard alphanumeric keys
 Numeric keypad
 Function keys
 Delete and Backspace keys
 Control and Alternate keys
 Arrow directional keys and special keys

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Input Devices (Keyboards)

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Input Devices (Keyboards)
Portable computers and mobile devices
often use:
 Built in or slide-out keyboard
 Pen or touch input (on-screen keyboard)

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Input Devices (Pointing Devices)
Pointing devices: Used to select and manipulate
objects
 Used to input data
 Used to issue commands to the computer
Common types of pointing devices:
 Mouse
 Pen/stylus
 Touch screen

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Mice
Mouse: A common pointing device
that the user slides along a flat surface
to move a pointer around the screen
and clicks its buttons to make
selections
 Older mechanical mice use a ball
 Optical or laser mice track with light
 3D mice
 Can be wireless

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Pens/Styluses
Stylus: Pen-like device used to draw or write
electronically on the screen
Also called digital pen, electronic pen, tablet pen
Commonly used with pen-based computers
Used to issue commands and input data
If handwriting recognition is used, written text can be converted to editable
typed text

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Handwriting Recognition

• Digital form: Used to

input handwritten
data into the
computer and then
convert it to editable
text

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Pens/Styluses
Other uses for pens/styluses:
Digital writing systems
Graphics tablets
Signature capture devices

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Touch Screens
Touch screen: Display device that is touched with
the finger to select commands or otherwise provide
input to the computer
Used with:
 Desktop and portable computers
 Mobile phones and mobile devices
 Consumer kiosks
Can be multi-touch

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Other Pointing Devices
Other pointing
devices:
 Joysticks, gamepads, and
other gaming devices
 Trackballs
 Buttons and wheels
 Touch pads

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Quick Quiz
1. An optical mouse is ____________.
a. the same as a wireless mouse
b. a mouse that tracks movements with light instead of a ball
c. a mouse that contains a scroll wheel on the top
2. True or False: With handwriting recognition,
text is input as a graphical image so the text
cannot later be edited as text.
3. An input device that looks like an upside-down
mouse with the ball on top is a(n)
____________.
Answers:
1) b; 2) False; 3) trackball

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Scanners, Readers, and Digital Cameras
Source documents: Documents containing
data that already exists in physical form
(order form, photograph, invoice, check, or
price label)
Source data automation: Capturing data
directly from a source document
 Saves time
 Increases accuracy
 Scanning or reading devices

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Scanners
Scanner (optical scanner): Input device that
captures an image of an object and transfers them
to a computer in digital form
 Can scan photos, documents, drawings, (flat objects)
 Data is typically input as a single image
 If optical character recognition (OCR) is used, text is input as individual
text characters
Types of scanners
 Flatbed
 Portable
 Integrated (ATMs, etc.)

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Scanners

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Barcode Readers
Barcode readers: Input devices
that read barcodes
Barcode: Machine-readable code
that represents data as
a set of bars
Common types
 Universal Product Code (UPC)
 ISBN
 Code 39
 Intelligent mail code
 2D (QR) – hold more data

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Biometric Readers
Biometric data: Based on unique physiological
characteristics or personal trait
 Fingerprint
 Hand or face geometry
 Iris of the eye
 Voice or signature
Biometric readers: Used to input biometric data
 Can be stand-alone or built into another piece of hardware
 Used to allow access only by authorized individuals
 Most often used for access control and to verify transactions

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Biometric Readers

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Audio Input
Audio input: The process of entering audio data
into the computer
Voice input: Inputting spoken words and
converting them to digital form
 Via microphone or headset
 Recorded for narrations, podcasts, etc.
 VoIP (Voice over IP systems) applications
 To provide spoken instructions to computer (speech recognition systems)
Music input systems are used to input music
Microphones, keyboard controllers, etc.

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Output Devices
An output device is any piece of computer hardware
equipment which converts information into a human-
perceptible form or, historically, into a physical
machine-readable form for use with other non-
computerized equipment. It can be text, graphics,
tactile, audio, or video.

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Display Devices
Display device: Presents output visually
Monitor: Display device for a desktop computer
Display screen: Screen built into a variety of devices
 Notebook and other portable computers
 Mobile phones and mobile devices
 Handheld gaming devices, home entertainment devices, kitchen
appliances
 Digital photo frames, e-book readers
 Digital signage systems, digital billboards

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Display Devices

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Data and Multimedia Projectors
Data projector: Display device that projects all
computer output to a wall or projection screen
Found in classrooms, conference rooms
Can be wireless or integrated into devices

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Printers
Printers: Produce hard copy
Printer characteristics
Printing technology used
Impact vs. nonimpact
Color vs. black and white
Personal vs. network printers
 Dot-matrix printer
 Laser printer
 Ink-jet printer
Plotter:
A plotter is a device that receives commands
from the computer and then draws its picture on
the page

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Audio Output
Audio output: Output in the form of
voice, music, and other audible sounds
 Speakers
 Headphones and headsets
 Earphones and earbuds

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Next Lecture
How Computer Process Data; Central Processing Unit: Control Unit,
Arithmetic & Logic Unit, System Clock & Machine Cycle; Memory:
Volatile & Non-Volatile, Flash Memory, Registers, Cache Memory;
Bus & Types, and Ports.

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