COMPUTER

FUNDAMENTALS

By Mukesh kumar
Assistant Professor
KIIT Deemed to be University
CONTENTS Day 2

1. Generations of computer
2. Classification of computer
3. Anatomy of computer
 Hardware
 Input devices
 Output devices
 CPU
 Memory Unit

 Software
4. Units of memory
TOPIC 1
GENERATION OF COMPUTERS
GENERATION OF COMPUTERS
 Generation in computer terminology is a change in technology a computer is/was being used.
 Initially, the generation term was used to distinguish between varying hardware technologies.
 Nowadays, generation includes both hardware and software, which together make up an
entire computer system..
GENERATION OF COMPUTERS
Ge Year of
Operating
n Technology Introduct Specific Computers
System
# ion
1 Vacuum Tube None 1945 Mark1

2 Transistor None 1956 IBM 1401, ICL 1901,

B5000, MINSK-2

3 SSI and MSI Yes 1964 IBM S/360/370, UNIVAC

(circuit based) 1100, HP 2100A, HP
9810
4 LSI and VLSI Yes 1971 ICL 2900, HP 9845A,
(micro VAX 11/780, ALTAIR
processor 8800, IBM PC
based)
5 HAL Yes Present
and
beyond
FIVE GENERATIONS OF
COMPUTERS
TOPIC 2
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
S.N
Type Specifications
o
It is an extremely fast computer,
most expensive.
Can execute hundreds of
millions of instructions per
second.
Used where immense amount of
Super
1 mathematical calculations are
computer
there like
 weather forecasting
 Nuclear energy research
 Petroleum exploration
The IBM Blue Gene/P supercomputer

•It is a multi-user computer

system,
•Capable of supporting vast
Main number of users simultaneously.
2
Frame •Large in size, expensive
•Can process large amount of
data at very high speed and
support many input, output.
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
S.
No Type Specifications
.
•It is a multi-user computer system
(10 to 100)
•Smaller in size and memory
Mini capacity.
3 Comput •Ex – Digital euqipment corporation
er VAX, IBM AS/400

Intended for personal need for an

individual
 Desktop – on a desk
Micro  Laptop – portable
2 comput  Palmtop computer/digital
ers
diary/Notebook – no
separate key board
TOPIC 3
ANATOMY OF A COMPUTER
A. HARDWARE
A.1. INPUT
A.2. OUTPUT DEVICES
A.3. CPU
A.4. MEMORY UNIT

B. SOFTWARE
FIVE BASIC OPERATIONS
S.No. Operation Description
The process of entering data and instructions
1 Take Input
into the computer system.
Saving data and instructions so that they are
2 Store Data
available for processing as and when required.
Performing arithmetic, and logical operations
3 Processing Data on data in order to convert them into useful
information.
The process of producing useful information or
4 Output Information results for the user, such as a printed report or
visual display.
Directs the manner and sequence in which all
5 Control the workflow
of the above operations are performed.
HARDWARE COMPONENTS
Hardware :
physical components of computer that includes all
 Mechanical
 Electrical
 Electronic
 And magnetic parts attached to it

HARDWARE
components

Central Memory unit Interface

Input Processing and storage Unit
Unit devices
TOPIC 3.A.1
INPUT DEVICES
INPUT DEVICES
 Data and instructions are typed, submitted
 They are electronic or electromechanical component
 Provides means of communicating with computer system for
feeding input data and instruction.
 Most common input devices
 Keyboard

 Mouse

 Scanner
INPUT DEVICES - KEYBOARD
104 keys
 Character keys : Letters, numbers, punctuation marks
 Function keys : 12 functional keys, F1 to F12, top of keyboard. They perform different functions
depending on operating system or software.
 Control keys : Alt, Ctrl, shift, insert, delete, home, end
 Navigation keys: Arrows, pg up, pg down
 Toggle keys : Scroll lock, Num lock, Caps lock
 Miscellaneous key: Insert, delete, escape, print

Key Matrix : Keys are arranged in rows and columns, When a key is pressed, that position sends a
signal to the circuit board inside the keyboard, The coordinates x and y of the key is used to
determine which key is pressed. Therefore the corresponding data or instruction is identified,
INPUT DEVICES - MOUSE
MOUSE
 It is the pointing device
 Moves the cursor around the screen and to
point an object (icon, menu, command button
etc)
 It has commonly 3 buttons.
 Mouse tracks the motion of the mouse pointer
and senses the clicks and sends them to
compute to act accordingly.
 It can connect to the system
 Through infrared (wireless)

 USB connector

SCANNER
 Scans picture or document that can be stored.
 Stores in storage, can be modified suitably and
transported to other computers
 Or can be printed on a printer
TOPIC 3.A.2
OUTPUT DEVICES
OUTPUT DEVICES - MONITOR
 Monitors, commonly called as Visual Display Unit (VDU), are the main output
device of a computer. Flat-Panel Display Monitor

Monitor
Viewing screen

CRD Flat-Panel
(Cathode Display
Ray Tube) Monitor

Non-
Emissive
Emissive
Displays
Displays
(LED)
(LCD)
OUTPUT DEVICES - MONITOR
Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) Monitor
 The CRT display is made up of small picture elements called pixels. The smaller
the pixels, the better the image clarity or resolution. It takes more than one illuminated
pixel to form a whole character, such as the letter ‘e’ in the word help.
 A finite number of characters can be displayed on a screen at once. The screen can be
divided into a series of character boxes - fixed location on the screen where a
standard character can be placed.
 There are some disadvantages of CRT −
 Large in Size
 High power consumption

Composed of vacuum glass tube which is

narrowed at one end.
OUTPUT DEVICES - MONITOR
Flat-Panel Display Monitor
 The flat-panel display refers to a class of video devices that have reduced
volume, weight and power requirement in comparison to the CRT. You can hang
them on walls or wear them on your wrists. Current uses of flat-panel displays include
calculators, video games, monitors, laptop computer, and graphics display.
 The flat-panel display is divided into two categories −
 Emissive Displays − Emissive displays are devices that convert electrical energy
into light. For example, plasma panel and LED (Light-Emitting Diodes).
 Non-Emissive Displays − Non-emissive displays use optical effects to convert sunlight
or light from some other source into graphics patterns. For example, LCD (Liquid-
Crystal Device).
OUTPUT DEVICES - PRINTER
Printer
 Printer is an output device, which is used to print information on paper.
 Information can contain data, report, document, picture, diagrams.
 There are two types of printers −
 Impact Printers
 Non-Impact Printers
Impact Printers
 Impact printers print the characters by striking them on the ribbon, which is then pressed on the paper.
 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
 Example : Dot Matrix printer
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 (use laser lights to produce the dots)
 Inkjet Printers (spraying small drops of ink onto paper)
 Characteristics of Non-impact Printers
 Faster than impact printers
 They are not noisy
 High quality
 Supports many fonts and different character size
TOPIC 3.A.3
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
Central Processing Unit (CPU) consists of
the following features −
 CPU is considered as the brain of the

computer.
 CPU performs all types of data processing

operations.
 It controls the operation of all parts of the

computer.
 Physically it is an integrated circuit silicon

chip, mounted on a small square plastic

slab, surrounded by metal pins.
Registers
 Different functional units of CPU
 High speed storage devices

 Serves some special purpose , like IR – instruction register holds current instructions

being executed
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

 This unit consists of two subsections namely,

 Arithmetic Section : Function of arithmetic section is to perform arithmetic

operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

 Logic Section: Function of logic section is to perform logic operations such as

comparing, selecting, matching, and merging of data.

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
Control Unit
This unit controls the operations of all parts of the computer but does not carry out any
actual data processing operations.
Functions of this unit are −
It is responsible for controlling the transfer of data and instructions among other units of a
computer.
It manages and coordinates all the units of the computer.
It obtains the instructions from the memory, interprets them, and directs the operation of
the computer.
It communicates with Input/Output devices for transfer of data or results from storage.
It does not process or store data.
TOPIC 3.A.4
MEMORY UNIT
MEMORY UNIT

It is used to store data and instructions. Computer memory is the

storage space in the computer, where data is to be processed and
instructions required for processing are stored.
The memory is divided into large number of small parts called cells.
Each location or cell has a unique address,
MEMORY UNIT
Memory

Primary Internal Processor Secondary

memory memory Memory
Read Only Random
Memory Access Disk Tape
(ROM) Memory (RAM) Drive drive

Static Dynamic Hard

Cache Floppy CD rom
RAM RAM disk

MROM PROM EPROM EEPROM

 Primary memory holds only those data and instructions
on which the computer is currently working.
Primary (main) memory

It is the working memory of the computer.

Faster than secondary memories.
A computer cannot run without the primary memory.
It is generally made up of semiconductor device. It is
divided into two subcategories RAM and ROM.

A. ROM
ROM stands for Read Only Memory.
The memory from which we can only read but cannot
write on it. This type of memory is non-volatile.
The information is stored permanently in such
memories during manufacture.
A ROM stores such instructions that are required to start
a computer. This operation is referred to as bootstrap.

MROM (Masked ROM)

The very first ROMs were hard-wired devices that
contained a pre-programmed set of data or instructions.
MEMORY UNIT
Characteristics

PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory)

PROM is read-only memory that can be modified only
once by a user.

EPROM (Erasable and Programmable Read Only

Primary (main) memory

Memory)
EPROM can be erased by exposing it to ultra-violet
light for a duration of up to 40 minutes. Data can be
written electrically.

EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and

Programmable Read Only Memory)
EEPROM is programmed and erased electrically. It
can be erased and reprogrammed about ten thousand
times. Both erasing and programming take about 4 to
10 ms (millisecond).

B. RAM
RAM (Random Access Memory) is the internal
memory of the CPU for storing data, program, and
program result.
It is a read/write memory which stores data until
the machine is working.
Holds data and instructions waiting to be processed
MEMORY UNIT - RAM

RAM
Primary (main) memory

Static RAM (SRAM) Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

Memory retains its contents DRAM, unlike SRAM, must be
as long as power is being continually refreshed in
supplied. order to maintain the data.
This is done by placing the
memory on a refresh circuit
that rewrites the data several
hundred times per second
SRAM need not be refreshed Short life, need to be
on a regular basis. Long life. refreshed.
Large size , expensive Small size, less expensive
SRAM chips use a matrix of 6- All DRAMs are made up of
transistors and no capacitors. memory cells, which are
composed of one capacitor
and one transistor.
MEMORY UNIT
RAM ROM

Definition Random Access Memory or Read-only memory or ROM is

RAM is a form of data storage also a form of data storage
that can be accessed that can not be easily altered
randomly at any time, in any or reprogrammed.Stores
order and from any physical instuctions that are not
location., allowing quick nescesary for re-booting up to
access and manipulation. make the computer operate
when it is switched off.They
are hardwired.
Stands for Random Access Memory Read-only memory

Use RAM allows the computer to ROM stores the program

read data quickly to run required to initially boot the
applications. It allows reading computer. It only allows
and writing. reading.
Volatility RAM is volatile i.e. its contents It is non-volatile i.e. its
are lost when the device is contents are retained even
powered off. when the device is powered
off.
Types The two main types of RAM The types of ROM include
are static RAM and dynamic PROM, EPROM and EEPROM.
MOTHERBOARD
 The motherboard serves as a single platform to connect all of the parts of a
computer together.
 It connects the CPU, memory, hard drives, optical drives, video card, sound
card, and other ports and expansion cards directly or via cables.
 It can be considered as the backbone of a computer.
 Motherboard supports a single type of CPU and few types of memories.
 Following are the popular manufacturers of the motherboard.
 Intel
 ASUS
 AOpen
TOPIC 3.B
SOFTWARE
SOFTWARE
 Software is a set of programs, which is designed to perform a
well-defined function. A program is a sequence of instructions
written to solve a particular problem.
 There are two types of software −
 System Software
 Application Software

System Software
 The system software is a collection of programs designed to
operate, control, and extend the processing capabilities of the
computer itself.
 System software is generally prepared by the computer
manufacturers.
 Some examples of system software are Operating System,
Compilers, Interpreter, Assemblers, etc.

Application Software
 Application software products are designed to satisfy a
particular need of a particular environment.
 Application software may consist of a single program, such as
Microsoft's notepad for writing and editing a simple text. It
may also consist of a collection of programs, often called a
software package, which work together to accomplish a task,
such as a spreadsheet package.
 Examples of Application software are the following −
 Payroll Software, Student Record Software
UNITS OF MEMORY
Memory unit is the amount of data that can be stored in the
storage unit. This storage capacity is expressed in terms of
Bytes.
The following table explains the main memory storage units −
S.
No Unit & Description
.
Bit (Binary Digit)
A binary digit is logical 0 and 1
1 representing a passive or an
active state of a component in
an electric circuit.
Nibble
2
A group of 4 bits is called nibble.
Byte
A group of 8 bits is called byte. A
3 byte is the smallest unit, which
can represent a data item or a
character.