OVERVIEW OF

COMPUTER SYSTEM
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
• This module introduces the students in the world of
computers which are used in the different aspects of
society. In this module, the students will have a
thorough grasp of the computer understanding they
need to live in an information society
 Learning Outcome
➢ Learn the concept of a system in general and the computer system in specific.
➢ Understand how the computer evolve dramatically within a very short span, from
very huge machines of past to very compact of designs of the present with
tremendous advances in technology
➢ Understand the general classification of a computer.
➢ Study computer applications.
➢ Understand the typical characteristics of computers namely speed, accuracy,
efficiency, storage, capacity, versatility.
➢ Identify the limitations of the computer.
➢ Discuss the differences between humans and computers.
➢ Understand the computer component.
WHAT IS COMPUTER
• The word computer is derived from the word compute. Compute means to
calculate. The computer was originally defined as a super-fast calculator.

• The information provided by the user to the computer is data.

• The information in one form which is presented to the computer is the
input information or input data.
• The set of instructions given to the computer to perform various operations
is called the computer program.
• The process of converting the input data into the required output form
with the help of the computer program is called data processing
Functionalities of a Computer

• ➢ Takes data as an input

• ➢ Stores the data/instructions in its memory.
• ➢ Processes the data and converts it into useful information.
• ➢ Generates the output.
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
• Hardware: The hardware is the machinery itself. Computer hardware
is the collection of physical elements that constitutes a computer
system. Computer hardware refers to the physical parts or
components of a computer

• Software: mainly consists of these computer programs, procedures,

and other documentation used in the operation of a computer
system. Software is a collection of programs that utilize and enhance
the capability of the hardware.
Five categories of Software
1. Operating System (OS) The software that manages the resources of
a computer system and schedules its operation is called the Operating
system. The operating system acts as an interface between the
hardware and the user programs and facilitates the execution of
programs. Generally, the OS acts as an interface between the user and
the Hardware of the computer. i.e. It is a bridge between the user and
the Hardware
1. Operating System (OS)
Five categories of Software
2. Translators : Computers can understand instructions only when
they are written in their language – the machine language. Therefore, a
program written in any other language should be translated into
machine language. The software that translates the instructions of
different. Languages are known as translators. There are two types of
translators.
➢ Compilers
➢ Interpreters
3. Programming Language
2. Assembly Language
3. High-Level Languages (HLL)
• The high-level languages are convenient for writing programs as they can be written
without any codes. These languages follow rules like the English language. Because of
their English like nature, less time is required to write a program. They are machine
independent. A program written in any HLL can be run on computers of different
types without any modifications.
• Several High-Level Languages which are in common use:
• FORTRAN: Formula TRANslation
• COBOL: Common Business Oriented Language
• BASIC: Beginner‘s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code
• PROLOG: PROgramming in LOGic
• ALGOL: ALGOrithmic Language
Five categories of Software
Five categories of Software:
4. Application Software
Five categories of Software
What is Operating System

• An Operating System (OS) is an interface between a computer

user and computer hardware. An operating system is a software
which performs all the basic tasks like file management, memory
management, process management, handling input and output,
and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and
printers.

• The primary purposes of an Operating System are to enable

applications (softwares) to interact with a computer's hardware
and to manage a system's hardware and software resources.
Lab Exercise 1
1. Explore the recent Platform/OS installed on your PC, and list down
all the system requirements.
2. Enumerate and describe each Features (10/uP)
3. Enumerate and describe at least 5 issues and challenges
System Requirements
 Module 1:
Topic 2- Evolution of Computer
The First Generation (1946, 1951-1956-1959)
The first-generation computers made use of:
➢ Vacuum tube technology,
➢ Punched cards for data input,
➢ Punched cards and paper tape for output,
➢ Machine Language for writing programs,
➢ Magnetic tapes and drums for external storage.
 The Abacus, which emerged about 5000 years ago in Asia Minor and is still in use today, allows users to make
computations using a system of sliding beads arranged on a rack. Early merchants used Abacus to keep trading
transactions.

 Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician invented the first mechanical machine, a rectangular brass box, called
Pascaline which could perform addition and subtraction on whole numbers. This was in the seventeenth century.
 Charles Babbage - invented the first analytical engine or difference engine. This machine could
be programmed by instructions coded on punch cards and had mechanical memory to store the
results. For his contributions in this field, Charles Babbage is known as ‘the father of the modern
digital computer”.
 Mark I This was the first fully automatic calculating machine. It was designed by Howard Aiken of
Harvard University in collaboration with IBM.
 This computer developed by John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry was the world’s first general-
purpose electronic digital computer. It made use of vacuum tubes for internal logic and capacitors
for storage
 ENIAC (Electronic Numeric Integrator and Calculator) The first all-electronic computer was
produced by a partnership between the US Government and the University of Pennsylvania. It
was built using 18,000 vacuum tubes, 70,000 resistors, and 1,500 relays and consumed 140
kilowatts of electrical power.
 EDVAC Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer In the mid-1940’s Dr. John von
Neumann designed the Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer with a memory to store
both program and data. This was the first machine that used the stored program concept. It had
five distinct units - arithmetic, central control, memory, input, and output.
 UNIVAC I Universal automatic Computer Remington Rand designed this computer specifically for
business data processing applications. The Universal Automatic Computer was the first general-
purpose commercially available computer
The Second Generation(1959-1965)
➢ Vacuum tube technology was replaced by transistorized technology,
➢ Size of the computers started reducing,
➢ Assembly language started being used in place of machine language,
➢ The concept of the stored-program emerged.
➢ High-level languages were invented
The Third Generation (1966-1970)
➢ Use of Integrated circuits,
➢ The phenomenal increase in computation speed,
➢ Substantial reduction in size and power consumption of the machines,
➢ Use of magnetic tapes and drums for external storage,
➢ Design-of Operating systems and new higher-level languages,
➢ Commercial production of computers.
The Fourth Generation (1971-1980)
➢ Use of Very Large-Scale Integration,
➢ The invention of microcomputers,
➢ Introduction of Personal Computers
➢ Networking
➢ Fourth Generation Languages.
 (1980-2000) -Present

 An example of Al is Expert Systems. Computers could be developed

 which could think and reason in much the same way as humans. Computers would be
 able to accept spoken words as input (voice recognition).
The Sixth Generation -The Use of nanotechnology -(1980-2000) –Present

Voice recognition is also helpful in laboratory clean rooms, surgical operating rooms, or even
use in customer service. Voice recognition will significantly
enhance the scientist’s ability to create new technology. Voice-controlled games
typing applications are easy with sixth-generation applications. Avid gamers will view
video games in incredible detail with life-like motion. Parallel processing enables faster
speeds for video games. As the semiconductor footprint becomes smaller through the
use of nanotechnology, the user has more flexibility in the use of the computer.
• The Seventh Generation Processors -(1980-2000) -Present
• Eighth-Generation (64-Bit Register) Processors
• Ninth Generation A New Level of Performance
• Intel's Tenth Generation Nanometer Ice Lake CPU
 Module 1:
Topic 3- classification of
computers
Lab Exer 2 – Explore Types of OS
1. Windows OS
2. Linux/Ubuntu OS
3. Mac OS
4. Android OS

- Introduction(OS type, Architecture, System Requirements, Compatibility,

components)
- Functionalities (the User Interface)
- Features (New Features)
- Issues and Challenges
 Important functions of an operating System.

• Memory Management
• Processor Management
• Device Management
• File Management
• Network Management
• Security
• Control over system performance
• Job accounting
• Error detecting aids
• Coordination between other software and users
Memory Management
• Memory management refers to management of Primary Memory or Main Memory.
Main memory is a large array of words or bytes where each word or byte has its own
address.
• Main memory provides a fast storage that can be accessed directly by the CPU. For a
program to be executed, it must in the main memory.
Processor Management

• In multiprogramming environment, the OS decides which process gets the processor

when and for how much time. This function is called process scheduling. An Operating
System does the following activities for processor management −
• Keeps tracks of processor and status of process. The program responsible for this task
is known as traffic controller.
• Allocates the processor (CPU) to a process.
• De-allocates processor when a process is no longer required.
Device Management

• An Operating System manages device communication via their respective

drivers. It does the following activities for device management −
• Keeps tracks of all devices. Program responsible for this task is known as
the I/O controller.
• Decides which process gets the device when and for how much time.
• Allocates the device in the efficient way.
• De-allocates devices.
File Management

• A file system is normally organized into directories for easy navigation and
usage. These directories may contain files and other directions.
• An Operating System does the following activities for file management −
• Keeps track of information, location, uses, status etc. The collective
facilities are often known as file system.
• Decides who gets the resources.
• Allocates the resources.
• De-allocates the resources.
Other Important Activities
• Following are some of the important activities that an Operating System performs −
• Security − By means of password and similar other techniques, it prevents
unauthorized access to programs and data.
• Control over system performance − Recording delays between request for a service
and response from the system.
• Job accounting − Keeping track of time and resources used by various jobs and users.
• Error detecting aids − Production of dumps, traces, error messages, and other
debugging and error detecting aids.
• Coordination between other softwares and users − Coordination and assignment of
compilers, interpreters, assemblers and other software to the various users of the
computer systems.
Lab activity #1
1. On the Laboratory examine the current installed Infrastructure
Components:
A. System Requirements
B. Operating system Platforms
C. Installed application platforms
D. Internet Platforms
- Internet Services
- Web Development tools