Introduction to Computing

CSCI 1303
Chapter 0
Introduction

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 1
 What is a computer?
• A computer is an electronic device that perform
arithmetic expression , logical expression and
manipulates data.
• Manipulates data means
– It has the ability to store, retrieve, and process data.
• You can use a computer to type documents, send
email, and browse the internet. You can also use
it to handle spreadsheets, accounting, database
management, presentations, games, and more
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 2
 Computer system
• Computer system consist of three parts
• Hardware is any part of your computer that has a physical
structure, we can touch and Deale with it, such as the
computer monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc.….
• Software is any set of instructions that tells the computer
what to do. It is logical part, we can not touch , but we can
Deale with it.
• It is what guides the hardware and tells it how to
accomplish each task. Some examples of software are web
browsers, games, and word processors such as Microsoft
Word.
• User: is a person who uses the software on the computer
to do some tasks

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 3
 A motherboard (hardware) Microsoft Word (software)

The first electronic computer, the Electronic Numerical

Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), was developed in
1946. It took up 1,800 square feet and weighed 30 tons.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 4
 Types of Computer According to Size
• Super computer
• Mainframe computer
• Mini computer
• Micro Computer or Personal computer (PC)
• Laptop computer
• Network computer
• Tablet Computers
• Palmtop computer
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 5
 Super computer
• Super computers are the fastest, most-powerful and
most expensive in price than any other is classified
computers.
• It can process trillions of instructions in seconds.
• Super computers can process huge amounts of data,
This computer is not used as a PC in a home neither by
a student in a college.
• Supercomputers are widely used in scientific
applications, also helpful for forecasting weather
reports worldwide.
• for their different calculations and heavy jobs.
• In most of the Holly-woods movies it is used for
animation purposes.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 6
 Super computer
• It has the ability to support several Giga Bytes of RAM.
• Unlike conventional computers, which have a single
processor to process one instruction at a time,
supercomputers have multiple processors (or CPUs)
that process multiple instructions at a time.
• Supercomputers are widely used in scientific
applications such as aerodynamic design and
simulation, processing of geological data.
• One of the most powerful supercomputers today is
"The Cray-2" and Some others are CRAY 1, CRAY - MP,
SX-2, HITAC S-300, etc.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 7
 Super computer

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 8
 Mainframe Computers:
• Mainframes are the traditional medium and large scale
computer systems used in most business organizations for
information processing.

• A mainframe typically has a advanced control system and is

capable of linking up with dozens of input/output units and
even minis for additional computer power. It can usually
perform from 16 MIPS to onward. Memory size is from 2
MB to onward. Examples are IBM 4300 and 3300 series,
Honeywell 700 series and NCR 800
•

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 9
 Mainframe Computers:
• Mainframe Computers:
are usually slower, less powerful and less expensive than
supercomputers.
• A technique that allows many people at terminals, to access the
same computer at one time is called time sharing.
• Mainframes are used by banks , many business and organizations
for information processing. etc.
• Mainframe computers can support hundreds or thousands of
users, handling massive amounts of input, output, and storage.
• Mainframe computers are used in large organizations where many
users need access to shared data and programs.
• Mainframes are also used as e-commerce servers, handling
transactions over the Internet.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 10
 MAINFRAME COMPUTERS
Multi-user environment, have the ability to service
more than 100 terminals at a time.
– TERMINALS – are the points from which
users can have access to the services of a
multi-user computer.
– Terminals (which look like a
microcomputer) are used to enter and
retrieve data from mainframe computers.
– They can support the processing
requirements of hundreds and even
thousands of users.
– Are the largest, fastest and most
expensive computers in commercial use
today.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 11
 – TERMINALS – are the points from which users can
have access to the services of a multi-user
computer.
– Terminals (which look like a microcomputer) are
used to enter and retrieve data from mainframe
computers.
– They can support the processing requirements of
hundreds and even thousands of users.
– Are the largest, fastest and most expensive
computers in commercial use today.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 12
 – Of all types of computers, mainframe have been
around the longest. ENIAC and UNIVAC were
mainframe computers.
– Banks, large corporations and government offices
use them.
– They are used in applications that require
huge storage capacity and massive
processing ability
– Managed by an entire department of
people devoted to the programming and
maintenance of the system.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 13
 – The department even divides itself among
groups of people focusing on specific tasks, such
as programming system analysis and operations.
– Can process up to billions of characters.
– The major difference between the mainframe
and minicomputer is in the number of terminals
they can service.
• As a rule of thumb, any computer that
services more than 100 remote terminals
should no longer be called minicomputer.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 14
 Mini Computer
• Is less than mainframe in work and
performance.
• These are the computers which are
mostly preferred by the small type
of business personals, colleges, etc.
• They have slower operating speed,
smaller backup storage, limited
hardware and less memory than
mainframes.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 15
 Micro Computer
• A microcomputer is the smallest, least
expensive of all the computers.
• Microcomputers have smallest memory and
less power
• Microcomputers are also called personal
computers.
• The increasing use of micros in home, school,
business and professional offices has been
even more revolutionary.
• The most common type of microcomputer is
a desktop computer, which is a non-portable
personal computer.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 16
 Laptop computer
• Having a small size and low weight the
notebook is easy to carry to anywhere.
• A student can take it with him to his
school.
• This is easy to carry around and
preferred by students and business
people to meet their assignments and
other necessary tasks.
• The approach of this computer is also the
same as the Personal computer. It can
store the same amount of data and
having a memory of the same size as that
of a personal computer. One can say that

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 17
 Tablet Computers
• Tablet Computers: Tablets are
mobile computers that are very
handy to use.
• They use the touch screen
technology.
• Tablets come with an onscreen
keyboard or use a stylus or a
digital pen. Apple's iPad
redefined the class of tablet
computers.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 18
 Computer parts
• Input units
• Output units
• C.P.U

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 19
 Computer parts
‫وحدة المعالجة المركزية‬
Center Processing Unit

‫وحدة الحساب‬
‫وحدة التحكم‬
‫والمنطق‬
Control Unit
ALU
‫وحدات اإلدخال‬ ‫وحدات اإلخراج‬
Input Unit Output Unit
‫المسجالت‬
Registers

‫الذاكرة الرئيسية‬
Main Memory

‫وحدات التخزين الثانوية‬

Salem G. El-Yazgi Secondary
Introduction to Storage
Computing –Units
CSCI 1303 20
 Computer parts

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 21
 Input devices
• Input devices are things we use to put
information INTO a computer.
• Examples
– KEYBOARD
– This is most commonly used device
which acts as input device. Its structure
is like typewriter. It contains no. of keys
which have some specific ASCII values.
Like ‘A’ has ASCII value 65. When this is
pressed , it is converted into 65 & this
65 is sent to CPU in the form of Binary
language (i.e. 1000001). Then
operations are done on this data.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 22
 Input devices
• Examples
• MOUSE
• This is a pointing device which contains a
roller in its base. When the mouse is moved
on any surface, the pointer on the screen is
also moved. It contains a potentiometer
coupled with the roller. This potentiometer
senses the motion of mouse & convert it
into digital value. A mouse may contain two
or three buttons.
Now a day's optical mouse are very popular.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 23
 Input devices
• trackball mouse
• Examples
• trackball mouse An input device
that looks like an upside-down
mouse.
• The onscreen pointer is moved by
the trackball with a thumb or
finger.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 24
 Input devices
• Examples
• BAR CODE READER
• It is a device which is used to read
the code from the products which
are usually in the form of Bars. It
contains a light sensitive detector
which identifies the values of the
bars on the product & converts them
into numeric code.
These Bar readers are used in
Shopping malls in a very large scale.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 25
 Input devices
• Examples
• Webcams Camera - most cameras
like this are used during live
conversations. The camera
transmits a picture from one
computer to another, or can be
used to record a short video.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 26
 Input devices
• Examples
• DIGITAL CAMERA
• As the name specifies, these camera
stores the data digitally, which then
can be stored in the computer & can
be stored for a long time. But it has
very limited storage capacity. These
are very popular because of less
expensive photographs & Speed.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 27
 Input devices
• Examples
• LIGHT PEN
• It is a pointing device which contains
a photocell mounted at its tip. It
senses the light from the screen
when it becomes closer to the
screen, & generates a pulse. So for
identifying a particular location on
the screen these light pens are very
useful. But this is not in very much
use these days.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 28
 Input devices
• Examples
• SCANNER
• The scanner is an input device like
the photocopier machine which
makes the electronic copy of the
picture or document which can
be further edited.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 29
 Input devices
• Examples
• MIC's or MICROPHONES
• that allows computer users to
input audio into their computers.
In the picture to the right, is an
examples a microphone

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 30
 Input devices
• Examples
• Joystick - A joystick is used to
move the cursor from place to
place, and to click on various
items in programs. A joystick is
used mostly for computer games.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 31
 Input devices
• Examples
• Compact Disc (CD) - CDs store
information. The CD can then be
put into another computer, and
the information can be opened
and added or used on the second
computer.
Note: A CD-R or CD-RW can also
be used as an OUTPUT device..

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 32
 Input devices
• Examples
• DVD is an optical disc storage format,
invented and developed by Philips, Sony,
Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995.
• DVDs offer higher storage capacity than
Compact Discs while having the same
dimensions.
• DVD-ROM, because data can only be read
and not written nor erased.
• Blank recordable DVD discs (DVD-R and
DVD+R) can be recorded once using a DVD
recorder and then function as a DVD-ROM.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 33
 Input devices
• Rewritable DVDs (DVD-RW, DVD+RW,
and DVD-RAM) can be recorded and
erased multiple times.
• DVDs are used in DVD-Video consumer
digital video format and in DVD-Audio
consumer digital audio format, as well
as for authoring AVCHD discs. DVDs
containing other types of information
may be referred to as DVD data discs.
Note: A DVD-R or DVD-RW can also be
used as an OUTPUT device.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 34
 Input devices
• Examples
• Disk Drive - A disk drive can hold
a CD or a floppy disk. It reads
the information on the disk so
that the computer can use it.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 35
 Input devices
• Examples
• Touch Screen - A touch screen is
a computer screen or other
screen that you can touch with
your finger to enter
information. Examples of touch
screens include a smart board, a
microwave, a dishwasher, or an
ATM at a bank.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 36
 Input devices
• Examples
• Touchpad : Used instead of a
mouse on most laptop
computers. It is a touch sensitive
pad that the user moves their
finger along in the direction they
wish the pointer move.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 37
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• The devices which are used to display
the data to the user either in the
form of hard copy or soft copy are
called output devices.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 38
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• Examples
• VDU (Visual Display Unit)
• This is also called monitor. It is used
to get the data in the form of soft
copy. Their functioning is exactly
similar to the television. It contains
a CRT which emits the electrons to
trace a regular pattern of horizontal
lines on the screen.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 39
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• Examples
• LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
• These screens are used in laptops &
notebook sized PCs.
• A special type of liquid is
sandwiched between two plates.
The top plate is clear & bottom
plate is reflective. The molecules in
these liquids are normally aligned &
the computer signals are used to
align these molecules.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 40
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• Examples
• SPEAKERS
• Speakers receive the sound in the
form of electric current from the
sound card & convert it to sound
format. These are used for
listening music, chatting ,
seminars for presentations etc

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 41
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• Examples
• PRINTERS
• These devices gives the hard copy of
the output.
• These are in different types.
Daisy Wheel printers
Dot Matrix printers
Inkjet printers
Laser printers
Plotters printers

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 42
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• Examples
• Daisy Wheel printers
• A type of printer that produces letter-quality type.
• A daisy-wheel printer works on the same principle
as a ball-head typewriter.
• The daisy wheel is a disk made of plastic or metal
on which characters stand out in relief along the
outer edge.
• To print a character, the printer rotates the disk
until the desired letter is facing the paper. Then a
hammer strikes the disk, forcing the character to
hit an ink ribbon, leaving an impression of the
character on the paper.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 43
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• Daisy Wheel printers
• You can change the daisy wheel to print
different fonts.
• Daisy-wheel printers cannot print
graphics.
• They are noisy and slow, printing from 10
to about 75 characters per second.
• As the price of laser and ink-jet printers
has declined, and the quality of dot-
matrix printers has improved, daisy-
wheel printers have become obsolete.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 44
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• Dot matrix printing is a type of
computer printing, that produces
characters and illustrations by
striking pins against an ink ribbon to
print closely spaced dots in the
appropriate shape.
• Dot-matrix printers are relatively
expensive and do not produce high-
quality output.
• However, they can print to multi-
page forms (that is, carbon copies),
something laser and ink-jet printers
cannot do.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 45
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• Dot matrix
• Dot-matrix printers vary in two important characteristics:
• speed: Given in characters per second (cps), the speed can
vary from about 50 to over 500 cps. Most dot-matrix printers
offer different speeds depending on the quality of print
desired.
• print quality: Determined by the number of pins (the
mechanisms that print the dots), it can vary from 9 to 24. The
best dot-matrix printers (24 pins) can produce near letter-
quality type, although you can still see a difference if you look
closely. In addition to these characteristics, you should also
consider the noise factor. Compared to laser and ink-jet
printers, dot-matrix printers are notorious for making a
racket.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 46
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• ink-jet printer A type of printer that works by
spraying ionized ink at a sheet of paper.
• Magnetized plates in the ink's path direct the ink
onto the paper in the desired shapes.
• Ink-jet printers are capable of producing high
quality print approaching that produced by laser
printers.
• A typical ink-jet printer provides a resolution of 300
dots per inch, although some newer models offer
higher resolutions.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 47
 OUTPUT DEVICES
• ink-jet printer
• In general, the price of ink-jet printers is lower than
that of laser printers.
• However, they are also considerably slower.
• Another drawback of ink-jet printers is that they
require a special type of ink that is apt to smudge
on inexpensive copier paper.
• Because ink-jet printers require smaller mechanical
parts than laser printers, they are especially
popular as portable printers. In addition, color ink-
jet printers provide an inexpensive way to print full-
color documents. Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303
Salem G. El-Yazgi
48
 OUTPUT DEVICES
Plotters printers

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 49
 OUTPUT DEVICES
Plotters printers
• A device that draws pictures on paper based
on commands from a computer.
• Plotters differ from printers in that they draw
lines using a pen.
• As a result, they can produce continuous
lines, whereas printers can only simulate
lines by printing a closely spaced series of
dots.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 50
 OUTPUT DEVICES
Plotters printers
• Multicolor plotters use different-colored
pens to draw different colors.
• In general, plotters are considerably more
expensive than printers.
• They are used in engineering applications
where precision is mandatory.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 51
 Floppy Disks
• A floppy disk is a portable, inexpensive storage
medium that consists of a thin, circular,
flexible plastic disk with a magnetic coating
enclosed in a square-shaped plastic shell.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 52
 Hard Disks

• Another form of auxiliary storage is a hard disk. A hard

disk consists of one or more rigid metal plates coated
with a metal oxide material that allows data to be
magnetically recorded on the surface of the platters.
• The hard disk platters spin at a high rate of speed,
typically 5400 to 7200 revolutions per minute (RPM).
• Storage capacities of hard disks for personal computers
range from 80 GB to 4000 GB (one billion bytes are
called a gigabyte) or 4 TB (terabytes).
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 53
Flash Drive (Flash Memory)

• A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash

memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus (USB)
interface.
• USB flash drives are typically removable and rewritable,
and physically much smaller than a floppy disk.
• USB flash drives are often used for the same purposes for
which floppy disks or CD-ROMs were used. They are
smaller, faster, have thousands of times more capacity, and
are more durable and reliable because they have no
moving parts.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 54
 The Central processing Unit
• The central processing unit (CPU) contains
electronic circuits that cause processing to
occur. The CPU interprets instructions to the
computer, performs the logical and arithmetic
processing operations, and causes the input
and output operations to occur. It is
considered the “brain” of the computer.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 55
 Memory
• Memory also called Random Access Memory or
RAM (temporary memory) is the main memory of
the computer. It consists of electronic
components that store data including numbers,
letters of the alphabet, graphics and sound. Any
information stored in RAM is lost when the
computer is turned off.
• Read Only Memory or ROM is memory that is
etched on a chip that has start-up directions for
your computer. It is permanent memory.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 56
 Amount Of RAM In Computers
• The amount of memory in computers is typically
measured in kilobytes or megabytes. One
kilobyte (K or KB) equals approximately 1,000
memory locations and one megabyte (M or MB)
equals approximately one million locations A
memory location, or byte, usually stores one
character.
• Therefore, a computer with 8 MB of memory can
store approximately 8 million characters. One
megabyte can hold approximately 500 pages of
text information.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 57
 Storage Devices
• Auxiliary (or secondary) storage devices are
used to store data when they are not being
used in memory. The most common types of
auxiliary storage used on personal computers
are floppy disks (old), hard disks, CD-ROM
drives, and flash drives (flash memory).

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 58
 Software
• is any set of instructions that tells the
computer what to do. It is logical part, we can
not touch , but we can Deale with it.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 59
 Types of Software

Application
System Software
Software

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 60
 Application Software
• Application Software consists of programs that
tell a computer how to produce information.
Some of the more commonly used packages are:
• Word processing
• Electronic spreadsheet
• Database
• Presentation graphics
• Web browsers

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 61
 Word Processing (1)
• Word Processing software is used to create
and print documents. A key advantage of
word processing software is that users easily
can make changes in documents.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 62
 Word Processing (2)

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 63
 Electronic Spreadsheets (1)
• Electronic spreadsheet software allows the
user to add, subtract, and perform user-
defined calculations on rows and columns of
numbers. These numbers can be changed and
the spreadsheet quickly recalculates the new
results.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 64
 Electronic Spreadsheets (2)

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 65
 Database Software (1)
• Allows the user to enter, retrieve, and update
data in an organized and efficient manner,
with flexible inquiry and reporting capabilities.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 66
 Database Software (2)

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 67
 Presentation Graphics (1)
• Presentation graphic software allows the user
to create documents called slides to be used
in making the presentations. Using special
projection devices, the slides display as they
appear on the computer screen.

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 68
 Presentation Graphics (2)

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 69
 Web Browsers (1)
• A web browser is an application software or
program designed to enable users to access,
retrieve and view documents and other resources
on the Internet.
• Although browsers are primarily intended to
access the World Wide Web, they can also be
used to access information provided by web
servers in private networks or files in file systems.
• The major web browsers are Firefox, Google
Chrome, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Safari.
Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 70
 Web Browsers (2)

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 71
 Computer parts

Salem G. El-Yazgi
Introduction to Computing – CSCI 1303 72