Introduction to

Computers
What is a computer?
A computer is an electronic device that
manipulates information, or data. It has
the ability to store, retrieve, and process
data.
Uses of the computer
• Type documents
• Send emails
• Browse the web
• Play games
• Watch TV shows and movies
• Create and edit videos
• Browse social media sites
What is Information
Technology?

It is the study or use of systems

(especially computers and
telecommunications) for storing,
retrieving, and sending
information.
 Generations of
Computer
• Around 16th century the evolution of the
computer started.
• The initial computer faced many changes,
obviously for the betterment.
• It continuously improved itself in terms of
speed, accuracy, size, and price to urge the
form of the fashionable day computer.
This is divided into the phases called computer
generations:
• First Generation Computers (1940-1956)

• Second Generation Computers (1956-1963)

• Third Generation Computers (1964-1971)

• Fourth Generation Computers (1971-Present)

• Fifth Generation Computers (Present and Beyond)

First Generation Computers: Vacuum
Tubes (1940-1956)
• The technology behind this generation of computers
was a fragile glass device, which was called vacuum
tubes.
• These computers were very heavy and really large in
size. They were too bulky and large that they needed
a full room and consume rot of electricity.
• These weren’t very reliable and programming on
them was very tedious used no Operating Systems.
• They were used for calculation, storage, and control
purpose.
Second Generation Computers:
Transistors (1956-1963)
• Second-generation computers used the technology of
transistors rather than bulky vacuum tubes. Another
feature was the core storage.
• A transistor is a device composed of semiconductor
material that amplifies a sign or opens or closes a
circuit.
• Size and price and heating in the computers was
reduced.
• Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, programming
language and input, and output units also came into
the force within the second generation.
 Third Generation Computers:
Integrated Circuits. (1964-1971)
• There was a shift from huge transistors to
integrated circuits, also referred to as IC.
• A single IC could hold many transistors called
semiconductors. Integrated Chips was made
from silicon and also called silicon chips.
• The most feature of this era’s computer was
the speed and reliability..
• Memory space and efficiency were increased
during this generation.
Fourth Generation Computers:
Micro-processors (1971-Present)
• In 1971 First microprocessors were used, the large scale of
integration (LSI) circuits built on one chip called
microprocessors.
• The advantage of this technology is that one microprocessor
can contain all the circuits required to perform arithmetic,
logic, and control functions on one chip.
• The computers using microchips were called
microcomputers.
• This generation provided the even smaller size of computers,
with larger capacities.
• Computers became a more user-friendly and customary
device. The concept of private computers and computer
networks came into being within the fourth generation.
 Fifth Generation Computers
(Present and Beyond)
• The technology behind the fifth generation of
computers is AI (Artificial Intelligence). It allows
computers to behave like humans. It is often seen in
programs like voice recognition, area of medicines, and
entertainment.
• The speed is highest, size is that the smallest and area
of use has remarkably increased within the fifth
generation computers.
• Big improvements continue to be seen and achieved in
computers as far as the speed, accuracy and
dimensions as well as AI capabilities.
Types of Computer
Systems
Computer System

A computer system is a set

of integrated devices that
input, output, process, and
store data and information.
It includes hardware and
software.
Computer systems
Computers are categorized according to
• Size
• Hard drive size
• Cost
• Processing speed and
• Mobility - that is its ability to be easily
moved
Types of computer systems
• Supercomputers
• Mainframe computers
• Personal computers
• Desktop and
• Mobile computer
• Embedded computers
 Supercomputers
• Supercomputers are one of
the fastest computers
currently available.
• Supercomputers are very
expensive
• Can do large amount of
mathematical calculations in
a short time.
• Eg. CRAY, Jaguar, Nublae,
Roadrunner and Kraken
 Mainframe Computer
• Mainframe is very large in
size and expensive
computer.
• Capable of supporting or
even thousands of users
simultaneously.
• Mainframe executes many
programs at the same
time.
• E.g IBM z system
Personal Computer (PC)
• A PC can be defined as a small, relatively inexpensive
computer designed for an individual user. PCs are
based on the microprocessor technology that enables
manufacturers to put an entire CPU on one chip.
• Although personal computers are designed as single-
user systems, these systems are normally linked
together to form a network.
• Types of Personal Computers are
• Desktop and
• Mobile computers
Desktop Computers
• A desktop computer is a
personal computer that
fits on or under a desk.
• It has a monitor or
another display,
keyboard, mouse, and
either a horizontal or
vertical (tower).
 Mobile Computers or
Devices
• Mobile device refers to any
electronic device that be
easily moved from one
location to another.
• Over time, this category
has expanded to include
cell phones, laptops,
smartphones,
smartwatches, and other
portable devices.
 Embedded Computers or
Devices
• Embedded computers are
incorporated into other
devices, rather than being
stand alone computers.
• Examples include digital
cameras, mobile phones,
music players and almost
any kind of industrial or
domestic control system.
Hardware and
Software
Hardware and Software
• Two things all computers have in common:
hardware and software.

Hardware is any physical or

tangible part of your
computer system, such as
the keyboard or mouse. It
also includes all of the
computer's internal parts.
As seen in the image here.
Software
Microsoft Word 2013 program
Everything you do on your computer will rely
on both hardware and software. For example,
right now you may be viewing this lesson in a
web browser (software) and using your mouse
(hardware) to click from page to page.
 Functions of the
Computer System
Functions of the computer
• Input – accepting data

• Processing – manipulating data

• Storage – storing the data and results

for future use

• Output – the results of processing.

Diagram
Components of the
computer
Hardware Devices
There are 4 general categories of
hardware devices:
1) Processing devices
2) Input devices
3) Output devices
4) Storage devices
Hardware Devices
1) Central Processing Unit (CPU): this is the brain
of the computer and controls how the rest of the
computer works. The CPU consists of :
A. Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) – performs all the
calculations and logic (decision making) operations.
B. Control Unit (CU) – carries out instructions in the
software and directs the flow of data through the
computer system.
C. Memory Unit (MU) – stores data being used by the
central processing unit. It enables a computer to
temporarily store instructions and data.
Hardware Devices
2) Input Devices: these put data into the computer,
e.g. keyboard, mouse, scanner etc.
3) Output Devices: these get processed data out of
a computer, e.g. printer, monitor, speakers etc.
4) Storage Devices: these are devices used to
read/write data and information to/from storage
media (CD, floppy etc), e.g. floppy disk drive, CD-
ROM/DVD drive, hard disk drive etc.
Peripheral Devices
 Is any computer device, such as a keyboard or
printer, that is not part of the essential
computer i.e., the memory and
microprocessor(CPU).
 It is usually attached externally or internally
to the system unit or computer tower.
Data & Information
 Data and Information

Data Information
• This is raw facts and • Information is data
figures. after it has been
• It has no meaning until processed.
it has been organized or
manipulated.
• It also called output
• eg. Gaby, Wednesday,
20 etc.
• E.g. the scores of 10
students in a class
Devices used by
the computer
 Computer
Devices

Output Processing
Input Devices Storage Devices
Devices Devices

Direct Data
Manual device Printers Magnetic CPU
Entry (DDE)

Touch sensitive Pointing

Monitors Optical CU
devices devices

Remote control
Speakers Solid state ALU
devices

Main Memory
What is an input device?
• Input devices are any device that is
used to accept (put) data and
instructions into the computer.
• Some commonly used input devices are
keyboard, mouse, joystick, digital
camera, scanners, barcode readers and
magnetic strips.
What is an output device?
• Output devices are any device that
is used to get information out of a
computer.
• Some commonly used output
devices are VDU or monitor, printer,
plotter, speakers and multimedia
projector.
 Primary Storage
• This is a group of silicon chips that resides on the
computer’s motherboard (main circuit board).

• A primary memory chip is made up of millions of transistors

a capacitor is a
and capacitors. device to store an
electronic charge
for a short period
• Primary storage consists of two types of memory chips: of time

1) RAM ( Random Access Memory )and

2) ROM ( Read Only Memory )chips. A transistor is a device

that regulates current
or voltage flow and
acts as a switch or gate
for electronic signals.
 RAM (Random Access
Memory)
• Is used to hold data and instructions (programs)
temporarily while processing is taking place

• It also holds the data that results from processing – data

that is waiting to be output or stored in a secondary storage
device.

• RAM is volatile i.e. it is temporary and changeable. If the

power is turned off or the computer is rebooted (started up
again) all the information held in RAM will be lost.
ROM (Read Only Memory)

• This chip holds data and instructions necessary for

starting up the computer when it is switched on.

• It is used to store system-level programs such as

the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) ie. The
operating system program.
Note: Volatile memory requires power
to maintain the stored information.
Examples of RAM and ROM chips
Secondary Storage devices
(media)
• Is also called auxiliary storage, backing
storage or disk storage.
• These devices are used to store data and
instructions when they are not being
processed.
• It is more permanent than main memory,
since data and instructions are not lost when
the power is turned off.
• It is also much cheaper than primary storage and is
unlimited since you can have as much of it as you can
afford.

• The most commonly used auxiliary storage devices are

1. magnetic storage (tapes and disks),
2. optical storage (CD ROM, CD-R, DVD-ROM, DVD-R
and DVD-RW and
3. solid state memory (flash memory and USB drives).
Diagram
Central Processing
Unit (CPU)
Components of the central
processing unit (CPU)
Central Processing Unit
(CPU)
The CPU is also called the processor. It
takes raw data, follows a set of
instructions (programs) and converts it
into information. The CPU consists of
two smaller units known as:
1. The Control Unit (CU)
2. The Arithmetic And Logic Unit (ALU) and
3. Memory Unit (MU) or Primary Memory
Control Unit (CU)
• It manages the CPU

• Send out signals to fetch instructions from memory

• It interpret those instructions and carries them out.

• Sends the data and instructions to the ALU for

processing

• It sends the data to memory after processing

Arithmetic and Logic Unit
(ALU)
• The ALU performs all the arithmetic and logic
functions in a computer.

• The arithmetic operations include addition (+),

subtraction (-), multiplication (*) and division (/).

• It also performs logical operations such as:

Memory Unit (MU) / Main
memory
• Also called
1. Main Memory

2. Primary Memory or

3. Immediate Access Storage (IAS)

• This unit of memory is directly available to the CPU.

• It holds data and instructions that the computer is

processing at the time.
Diagram
Units of Storage
Measuring memory sizes
Units of storage
• Bit: the smallest unit of storage of memory is called a binary
digit (bit)

• Byte : A byte is made up of a combination of 8 bits and has

the capacity to represent one character i.e. a letter, a
number, a symbol, a punctuation mark or a blank space.

• Word : A word is the amount of bits the computer can process

in one operation.

• Word size :A word size or word length is the number of bits in

a word.
Larger units of storage
Secondary Storage
Media
Types of Secondary
Storage Media Magnetic Tapes

Hard Disk Drives

Magnetic storage
(HDD)

Removable Hard
Drives
Secondary storage media

CD

Optical storage DVD

Blu Ray

Solid State Drives

(SSD)

Flash/ Memory sticks /

Solid State storage Memory cards

Cloud storage Flash drives

Magnetic Tapes
• A magnetic tape looks like an audiocassette tape. Tapes may come in
different sizes.

• It is used mainly to backup ( create a copy) hard disks because it can

store large amounts of data at a low cost.

• Accessing data on a tape is very slow since data is stored sequentially.

Sequentially means that data is retrieved in the order which it was
stored.

• As of 2008, the highest capacity tape cartridges can store 1 TB of data.

Magnetic Tapes
Magnetic Disk

• All magnetic disks provide direct access to stored data.

• Direct access - means that you can go directly to specific

piece of data without having to access any other either
before or after the data you want.

• Types of magnetic disk includes

1. Hard disk - 100 Gb – 16 Tb

2. Floppy disk – sizes up to 1.44 Mb

 Floppy diskette
• This is also called a diskette. It is a removable, flexible
plastic disk, coated with a magnetisable material.

• The disk is held in a plastic case, usually 3.5 inches by 3.5

inches in dimension. The plastic case protects the disk from
dust and grease.

• The floppy disk is used to store and transfer small amounts

of data between computers. A 3.5 inch floppy disk holds up
to 1.44 MB of data.
Floppy diskettes
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
• A hard disk is a thin but rigid, inflexible disk made of highly
polished metal. The surface of each side of the disk (also called
platters) is covered with a substance that can be magnetized.

• The highest capacity HDDs is 16Tb.

• There are different types of disk:

1. moveable head,
2. fixed head and
3. external.
Magnetic Hard Drives
 Optical Disks
• Optical disks are disks that are read by laser lights.

• They are made from plastic. The data is stored on layers inside
the plastic.

• The main types of optical disks include

1. CD ( compact Disk) – CD-R and CD-RW
( sizes up to 700MB)

2. DVD ( Digital Versatile Disk) – DVD-R and DVD-RW

( sizes up to 4 GB)

3. Blu-Ray disk ( sizes up to 50 GB)

Optical Storage
 Solid State Storage
• The term ‘solid-state’ essentially means ‘no moving parts’.

• Solid-state storage devices are based on electronic circuits with no moving

parts (no reels of tape, no spinning discs, no laser beams, etc.)

• Solid-state storage devices store data using a special type of memory called flash
memory.

• Examples include
1. Solid State Drives (SSD)
2. Flash drives
3. USB memory sticks
4. Memory cards
Flash memory / SSD
Cloud Storage

• Cloud storage is provided over a computer network by

a cloud service provider

• The cloud service provider makes the storage available

via an app or web interface (web application) via a web
browser.

• Examples include : Google drive , Dropbox, OneDrive

etc.
Cloud Storage
Advantages vs Disadvantages
of Secondary Storage Media
Advantages vs Disadvantages
of Secondary Storage Media
Introduction to
Software
Types of Software
Software

• Software is the name given to all programs

that computers use to perform different
tasks.

• There are two main categories of software:

1. Application software and
2. System software
 Types of Software

Software
Systems
Applications Software
Software

Customized
Operating Utility Language General
Specialized Integrated / Custom-
Systems Software Translators Purpose
written
Applications Software
• These programs are developed to perform specific tasks or solve a particular

problem. Also referred to as Application packages.

• Application software includes entertainment software such as games, home or

personal software such as CD-ROM encyclopedias, productivity software such as

word processing, spreadsheet packages and graphics. They are grouped as follows :

1. General purpose software

2. Integrated software

3. Specialized software

4. Customized software OR Custom written OR tailor-made software

Types of Applications
Software
 Systems Software
• These are programs that manage and support the
resources and operation of the computer system.

• They enable the running of application software and the

management of the system resources.

• System software includes

1. Operating Systems,

2. Utility Programs (eg. Disk clean up and Defrag)and

3. Language Translators (eg. Pascal compilers)

 Operating System (OS)
• An operating system is a set of programs that controls the
operation of a computer.

• The computer cannot work without the operating system

software. As soon as the computer is switched on the operating
software on the computer is activated and loaded into main
memory.

• Some operating systems are Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows

XP, Linux, UNIX and the Macintosh Operating System (e.g. MAC
OS/X).
Booting

The process of loading the

operating system software
into memory (RAM) is
called booting.
Functions of the Operating
system
Memory
Management

Input/ Output
Security devices
Management

Operating
System

Graphical User Process

Interface Management

File
Management
Functions of the Operating
system
Functions of the Operating
system
 Interfaces
Hardware and Software Interfaces
What is an interface?

• The user interface is the way we 'interact' to our

computer systems.

• A user interface allows interaction with a

computer system.

• Computer systems have specialized interfaces

which are designed with the user in mind.
 Types of Interfaces
Graphical
Command Menu User Touch Specialized Non-visual
Sensors
Line Driven Interface screen keyboards interfaces
(GUI)

Software Hardware

User Interface (UI)

 Software Interfaces
Graphical User Interface
Command Line Menu Driven
(GUI)
• Command-line • To communicate the • This interface is also
interfaces require you user can either use the called WIMP (windows,
to type in commands mouse or arrow keys to icons, menus and
using a special make a selection from a pointing devices).
language. menu which contains • To communicate with
• This special language commands e.g. Print, the user, it uses
makes command-line Save As, Open. There buttons, icons, menus
interfaces difficult to are two (2) types of and keystrokes to
use, especially for new menus: choose commands,
computer users. • Pull-down menu – start programs and see
• One example of this usually drops down lists of files and other
type of interface from the menu bar options.
is Microsoft Disk when it is clicked.
Operating System (MS- • Pop-up menu – pops
DOS), also known up from nowhere
as Command Prompt. when the right mouse
button is clicked.
Command Driven

• Command-line interfaces require you to type in

commands using a special language.

• This special language makes command-line interfaces

difficult to use, especially for new computer users.

• One example of this type of interface is Microsoft Disk

Operating System (MS-DOS), also known as Command
Prompt.
 Menu Driven
• To communicate the user can either use the mouse or arrow
keys to make a selection from a menu which contains
commands e.g. Print, Save As, Open.

• There are two (2) types of menus:

• Pull-down menu – usually drops down from the menu
bar when it is clicked.
• Pop-up menu – pops up from nowhere when the right
mouse button is clicked.
Graphical User Interface
(GUI)
• To communicate with the user it uses buttons, icons, menus and
keystrokes to choose commands, start programs and see lists of files and
other options.

• This interface is also called WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers).

• In a The GUI all objects that are related to each other are shown in a
window. More than one window can be opened on the desktop at the
same time.

• The desktop is common visual background which appears on the display

screen when the computer has finished booting.
Window
Icons
Menus
Pointers
Popup & Pull Down menu
Pop-up Menu Pull Down / Drop down Menu

This is a menu that is A drop-down menu drops

hidden and doesn't down from a bar or other

appear until you item when clicked by the

right-click. user.
Popup Menu Pull down menu
Hardware Interfaces
• These are special devices with additional
features that will make the interaction with
the computer much easier. Devices include
Keyboard
Mouse
Screens, speakers and
Special devices
SPECIAL DEVICES
• Special keyboards
• Ergonomic keyboard – is shaped so that it is more
comfortable to use, as using the keyboard for long
periods can cause injury – RSI
• Overlay or concept keyboard – keys are replaced by
a flat touch sensitive panel. An overlay placed on the
panel marks out areas that can act as buttons
• Braille keyboard – available for blind users, and has
braille symbols on each key on normal keyboard
SPECIAL DEVICES
• Touch screens – make it easier to input data
using a stylus or fingers on devices such as
smartphones, tablets , computers and ATM
machines.

• Sensors - this captures data automatically and

passes it to a computer.
SPECIAL DEVICES
• Non-visual interfaces – such as speech synthesis and
voice recognition software
• Speech synthesis : Useful for those with visual
impairment – documents can be read to them.
• Voice recognition : is the use of computers
with special software that will accept the voice
of users and convert it to text
Concept keyboard ergonomic keyboard braille keyboard

touch screen sensors