Introduction to Computers

The Big Picture

A computer system has three main components: hardware, software, and people. The equipment
associated with a computer system is called hardware. Software is a set of instructions that tells the
hardware what to do. People, however, are the most important component of a computer system -
people use the power of the computer for some purpose. In fact, this course will show you that the
computer can be a tool for just about anyone from a business person, to an artist, to a housekeeper, to
a student - an incredibly powerful and flexible tool.

Software is actually a computer program. To be more specific, a program is a set of step-by-step

instructions that directs the computer to do the tasks you want it to do and to produce the results you
want. A computer programmer is a person who writes programs. Most of us do not write programs, we
use programs written by someone else. This means we are users - people who purchase and use
computer software.

Hardware: Meeting the Machine

What is a computer? A six-year-old called a computer "radio, movies, and television combined!" A ten-
year-old described a computer as "a television set you can talk to." The ten-year-old's definition is closer
but still does not recognize the computer as a machine that has the power to make changes.

A computer is a machine that can be programmed to accept data (input), process it into useful
information (output), and store it away (in a secondary storage device) for safekeeping or later reuse.
The processing of input to output is directed by the software but performed by the hardware.

To function, a computer system requires four main aspects of data handling: input, processing, output,
and storage. The hardware responsible for these four areas operates as follows:

Input devices accept data in a form that the computer can use; they then send the data to the
processing unit.
The processor, more formally known as the central processing unit (CPU), has the electronic circuitry
that manipulates input data into the information people want. The central processing unit executes
computer instructions that are specified in the program.

Output devices show people the processed data-information in a form that they can use.

Storage usually means secondary storage. Secondary storage consists of devices, such as diskettes,
which can store data and programs outside the computer itself. These devices supplement the
computer's memory, which, as we will see, can hold data and programs only temporarily.

Now let us consider the equipment related to these four aspects of data handling in terms of what you
would find on a personal computer.

Your Personal Computer Hardware

Let us look at the hardware in terms of a personal computer. Suppose you want to do word processing
on a personal computer, using the hardware shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Personal Computer

Word processing software allows you to input data such as an essay, save it, revise and re-save it, and
print it whenever you wish. The input device, in this case, is a keyboard, which you use to type in the
original essay and any changes you want to make to it. All computers, large and small, must have a
central processing unit within the personal computer housing. The central processing unit under the
direction of the word processing software accepts the data you input through the keyboard. Processed
data from your personal computer is usually output in two forms: on a screen and eventually by a
printer. As you key in the essay on the keyboard, it appears on the screen in front of you. After you
examine the essay on the screen, make changes, and determine that it is acceptable, you can print the
essay on the printer. Your secondary storage device in this case is a diskette, a magnetic medium that
stores the essay until it is needed again.

Now we will take a general tour of the hardware needed for input, processing, output, and storage.
These same components make up all computer systems, whether small, medium, or large. In this
discussion we will try to emphasize the types of hardware you are likely to have seen in your own
environment. These topics will be covered in detail in later chapters.

Input: What Goes In

Input is the data that you put into the computer system for processing. Here are some common ways of
feeding input data into the system:

Typing on a keyboard. Computer keyboards operate in much the same way as electric typewriter
keyboards. The computer responds to what you enter; that is, it "echoes" what you type by displaying it
on the screen in front of you.

Pointing with a mouse. A mouse is a device that is moved by hand over a flat surface. As the ball on its
underside rotates, the mouse movement causes corresponding movement of a pointer on the computer
screen. Pressing buttons on the mouse lets you invoke commands.

Scanning with a flatbed scanner, wand reader or bar code reader (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Flatbed Scanner

Flatbed scanners act l

computer is an electronic device that receives input, stores or processes the input as per user
instructions and provides output in desired format. Computers have become an integral part of our lives
because they can accomplish easy tasks repeatedly without getting bored and complex ones repeatedly
without committing errors. In this tutorial we will discuss in detail about the different parts of computer
that enable it to carry out tasks efficiently and correctly. We will also discuss about microprocessors, the
brain of computers, which actually do all the assigned tasks.

Audience

This tutorial is designed for anyone who wants to understand the basic concepts of what a computer is
and how it functions.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course except a desire to learn about how a computer works. Having
worked on a computer would be an added advantage in completing the tutorial.

ing a modern-day kid you must have used, seen, or read about computers. This is because they are an
integral part of our everyday existence. Be it school, banks, shops, railway stations, hospital or your own
home, computers are present everywhere, making our work easier and faster for us. As they are such
integral parts of our lives, we must know what they are and how they function. Let us start with defining
the term computer formally.

The literal meaning of computer is a device that can calculate. However, modern computers can do a lot
more than calculate. Computer is an electronic device that receives input, stores or processes the input
as per user instructions and provides output in desired format.

Input-Process-Output Model

Computer input is called data and the output obtained after processing it, based on user’s instructions is
called information. Raw facts and figures which can be processed using arithmetic and logical operations
to obtain information are called data.

Workflow

The processes that can be applied to data are of two types −

Arithmetic operations − Examples include calculations like addition, subtraction, differentials, square
root, etc.

Logical operations − Examples include comparison operations like greater than, less than, equal to,
opposite, etc.

The corresponding figure for an actual computer looks something like this −

Block Diagram

The basic parts of a computer are as follows −

Input Unit − Devices like keyboard and mouse that are used to input data and instructions to the
computer are called input unit.
Output Unit − Devices like printer and visual display unit that are used to provide information to the
user in desired format are called output unit.

Control Unit − As the name suggests, this unit controls all the functions of the computer. All devices or
parts of computer interact through the control unit.

Arithmetic Logic Unit − This is the brain of the computer where all arithmetic operations and logical
operations take place.

Memory − All input data, instructions and data interim to the processes are stored in the memory.
Memory is of two types – primary memory and secondary memory. Primary memory resides within the
CPU whereas secondary memory is external to it.

Control unit, arithmetic logic unit and memory are together called the central processing unit or CPU.
Computer devices like keyboard, mouse, printer, etc. that we can see and touch are the hardware
components of a computer. The set of instructions or programs that make the computer function using
these hardware parts are called software. We cannot see or touch software. Both hardware and
software are necessary for working of a computer.

Characteristics of Computer

To understand why computers are such an important part of our lives, let us look at some of its
characteristics −

Speed − Typically, a computer can carry out 3-4 million instructions per second.

Accuracy − Computers exhibit a very high degree of accuracy. Errors that may occur are usually due to
inaccurate data, wrong instructions or bug in chips – all human errors.

Reliability − Computers can carry out same type of work repeatedly without throwing up errors due to
tiredness or boredom, which are very common among humans.
Versatility − Computers can carry out a wide range of work from data entry and ticket booking to
complex mathematical calculations and continuous astronomical observations. If you can input the
necessary data with correct instructions, computer will do the processing.

Storage Capacity − Computers can store a very large amount of data at a fraction of cost of traditional
storage of files. Also, data is safe from normal wear and tear associated with paper.

Advantages of Using Computer

Now that we know the characteristics of computers, we can see the advantages that computers offer−

Computers can do the same task repetitively with same accuracy.

Computers do not get tired or bored.

Computers can take up routine tasks while releasing human resource for more intelligent functions.

Disadvantages of Using Computer

Despite so many advantages, computers have some disadvantages of their own −

Computers have no intelligence; they follow the instructions blindly without considering the outcome.

Regular electric supply is necessary to make computers work, which could prove difficult everywhere
especially in developing nations.

Booting
Starting a computer or a computer-embedded device is called booting. Booting takes place in two steps
−

Switching on power supply

Loading operating system into computer’s main memory

Keeping all applications in a state of readiness in case needed by the user

The first program or set of instructions that run when the computer is switched on is called BIOS or Basic
Input Output System. BIOS is a firmware, i.e. a piece of software permanently programmed into the
hardware.

If a system is already running but needs to be restarted, it is called rebooting. Rebooting may be
required if a software or ha

a system is already running but needs to be restarted, it is called rebooting. Rebooting may be required
if a software or hardware has been installed or system is unusually slow.

There are two types of booting −

Cold Booting − When the system is started by switching on the power supply it is called cold booting.
The next step in cold booting is loading of BIOS.

Warm Booting − When the system is already running and needs to be restarted or rebooted, it is called
warm booting. Warm booting is faster than cold booting because BIOS is not reloaded.

BRIEF COMPUTER HISTORY

The computer as we know it today had its beginning with a 19th century English mathematics professor
name Charles Babbage.

He designed the Analytical Engine and it was this design that the basic framework of the computers of
today are based on.

Generally speaking, computers can be classified into three generations. Each generation lasted for a
certain period of

time,and each gave us either a new and improved computer or an improvement to the existing
computer.

First generation: 1937 – 1946 - In 1937 the first electronic digital computer was built by Dr. John V.
Atanasoff and Clifford Berry. It was called the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC). In 1943 an electronic
computer name the Colossus was built for the military. Other developments continued until in 1946 the
first general– purpose digital computer, the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) was
built. It is said that this computer weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000 vacuum tubes which was used for
processing. When this computer was turned on for the first time lights dim in sections of Philadelphia.
Computers of this generation could only perform single task, and they had no operating system.

Second generation: 1947 – 1962 - This generation of computers used transistors instead of vacuum
tubes which were more reliable. In 1951 the first computer for commercial use was introduced to the
public; the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC 1). In 1953 the International Business Machine (IBM)
650 and 700 series computers made their mark in the computer world. During this generation of
computers over 100 computer programming languages were developed, computers had memory and
operating systems. Storage media such as tape and disk were in use also were printers for output.

Third generation: 1963 - present - The invention of integrated circuit brought us the third generation of
computers. With this invention computers became smaller, more powerful more reliable and they are
able to run many different programs at the same time. In1980 Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-
Dos) was born and in 1981 IBM introduced the personal computer (PC) for home and office use. Three
years later Apple gave us the Macintosh computer with its icon driven interface and the 90s gave us
Windows operating system.
As a result of the various improvements to the development of the computer we have seen the
computer being used in all areas of life. It is a very useful tool that will continue to experience new
development as time passes.