4/17/23

COMPUTER APPLICATION IN Lecture objectives

JOURNALISM
LECTURER: MUKHWANA ERICK
(Bsc.Csc(MUK),PGD I.T(MUK)HCIA AI (Huawei)
— Define the term computer
HCIA Datacom(Huawei))

— Define the term “computer system”

Email: eryque7@gmail.com / emukhwana@cis.mak.ac.ug

CONTACT: 0702383384 — Components of computer system

CONTACT HOURS: Tuesday@5pm ,Friday@5pm, Saturday@1pm
— Identify hardware and software parts of a computer
COURSE UNIT : COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
— Input devices, output devices, memory, disk drives, CPU
Lecture 1
Introduction to Computers
— Types of computers

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Definition of a computer

• By definition, a computer is an electronic device that processes data,

converting it into information that is useful to people.

• A Computer is a device that accepts input, processes it, stores data,

and produces output.

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Definition Cnt’d

• Input: Is whatever is typed, submitted or transmitted to a

computer by a person, the environment, or another
computer.
Examples of Input
• words and symbols
• numbers
• pictures
• audio signals from a microphone
• signals from another computer
• temperature, speed, pressures, etc. from sensors

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Definition Cnt’d Definition Cnt’d

— Processing – This refers to manipulation of data. Output refers to the result produced by a computer after
— Data are symbols that represent raw facts, objects, and processing the data.
ideas about people, places, events, and things that are • An Output device displays, prints, or transmits the results
of importance in an organization. after processing.
— Examples of Processing • Examples of Output
— Arithmetic calculations • images on a monitor
— Sorting a list • printed documents
— Modifying pictures • sounds
— Drawing graphs

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Definition Cnt’d Characteristics of Modern Computers

(1) Speed
• Storage the purposes of storage is to hold data permanently, even Computers operate at extremely high speeds. Their speed is measured in
when the computer is turned off. millions of instructions per second (MIPS).
• Examples of storage. (2) Automatic
• Hard disk Computers are automatic machines, because once started on a job, they carry
• Floppy disk drives on, until the job is finished, without any human assistance. However,
computer being machines cannot start them. They cannot go out find their
• CDROM own problems and solutions. They have to be instructed.
• DVDROM (3) Accuracy
Computers are very accurate. The errors in made computing are due to the
users but not technological weakness. If a user enters wrong data, the
computer gives wrong Information. This trend is described as GIGO (Garbage
In, Garbage Out)

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(4) Computers are versatile:

Computer system
Modern Computers can perform different kinds of tasks at the same time.
For example you can play music while typing a document at the same time.
This is also known as multi-tasking. • Computer System refers to a computer and all the hardware
(5) Diligence: this is the ability of a computer to work without getting tired or interconnected with it.
bored. It can continuously work for hours without creating any error human Components of computer system
beings in doing regular types of jobs, which requires great accuracy.. 1. Hardware
(6) Artificial Intelligence: This is the ability of a computer to think and reason 2. Software/Programs
likes a human being. The computer is capable of mimicking human 3. Data/Information
behaviours like sensing, responding to the stimuli and others. 4. People
5. Procedures

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Computer system cnt’d 1. Hardware are parts you can see and touch. In other words these are .
tangible parts of a computer.
2. Software are parts of a computer that we see but cannot touch
3. People – These are Users and Creators of IT Applications
User (End User): The people who use computers in their jobs or personal
lives. A user can also be referred to as a person who controls a computer.
4. Procedure: A step-by-step process or a set of instructions for
accomplishing specific results.
5. Data/ Information
Data are the words, numbers, symbols and graphics that describe people,
events, things, and ideas. Data becomes information when it is used as
the basis for initiating some action or for making a decision.
Information are the words, numbers, and graphics used as the basis for
human actions and decisions.

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Hardware
Examples of hardware parts of a computer
• Hardware refers to parts of a computer that we can see and touch. • Keyboard
• In other words they are tangible parts of a computer. • Mouse
• A computer's hardware consists of electronic devices; • Monitor
The term "device" refers to any piece of hardware used by the • System Unit
computer, such as a keyboard, monitor, modem, mouse, etc. • Motherboard
• Printer
• Scanner
• Cpu fan
• Power supply

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Examples of hardware cnt’d Computer Software

• Software is a set of instructions that drive a computer to perform specific
tasks.
• They are parts of a computer that we see but cannot touch.
• These instructions tell the machine’s physical components what to do.
• A set of instructions is often called a program.
• When a computer is using a particular program, it is said to be running
or executing the program.

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Software cnt’d Input devices

• The two most common types of programs are system software and application
software. Input devices
• These are devices that are used to enter data into a computer.
1. System software: Is any program that controls the computer’s hardware or that can
be used to maintain the computer in some way so that it runs more efficiently. E.g.
operating system
• Examples of input devices
• Keyboards
2. Application Software: Tells the computer how to accomplish specific • Mouse
tasks, such as word processing or drawing, for the user. • Touch screen
• Digital camera
• Scanner
• Bar code reader
• microphones.

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Output Devices Memory

— Output devices are devices which produce information out of a
computer.
• Memory - the area of a computer that temporarily holds data that is being
— Common forms of output are reports, schedules, budgets, processed or waiting to be processed, stored, or output.
newsletter s among others. • Memory is made up of one or more sets of chips that Store data or program
Examples of output devices include: instructions either temporarily or permanently. No processing takes place in
memory. Instead, memory stores data, information and instructions.
— Printers Types of memory
— Speakers
— Monitor • There two types of memory which include:
1. RAM and
— Projectors 2. ROM

Note: Communications devices (such as modems and network interface

cards) perform both input and output, allowing computers to share
information.

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Types of memory cnt’d 2. Read Only Memory (ROM) .

.
ú ROM Permanently stores programs.
ú ROM is called non-volatile memory because it never loses
1. Random Access Memory (RAM) its contents.
ú RAM holds data and program instructions temporarily while the CPU works with them. ú Holds instructions that the computer needs to operate.
ú RAM is volatile, meaning it holds data only when the power is on. When the power is off, ú This type of memory lets you store the data needed to start
RAM's contents are lost.
ú More RAM results in a faster system. up or boot the computer
ú Essential start-up data contained in ROM is a computer
BIOS
ú The BIOS includes instructions on how to load basic
computer hardware and includes a test referred to as a POST
(Power On Self Test) that helps verify the computer meets
requirements to boot up properly.

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Disk drives
¨ Memory is measured interms of:
¡ Kilobyte (KB) - 1,000 bytes
¡ Megabyte (MB) - 1,000,000 bytes § A disk drive is a device that reads data from and writes data to a disk.
¡ Gigabyte (GB) - 1,000,000,000 bytes § Most new computers have a floppy disk drive, a hard disk drive, and an
¡ Terabyte (TB) - 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. optical disk drive.
§ The most common optical storage devices are CDROM and DVD-ROM
drives.
• Three major distinctions between storage and memory.
• There is more room in storage than in memory.
§ Storage - The area where data can be left on a
• Contents are retained in storage when the computer is turned off, whereas
programs or the data in memory disappear when you shut down the computer. permanent basis while it is not needed for
• Storage devices operate much slower than memory chips, but storage is much processing.
cheaper than memory. § More examples of Storage
• ROM chips (Read-Only Memory)
• CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory)
• magnetic tapes

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…..End…..

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