Unit 4 - Computers

Machines and computational models (Session 16)

What is a Digital Computer?

An automatic, programmable data processor

• What is “Automatic” ?
Operates without human intervention, except where human intervention is planned.

• What is “Programmable” ?
Computer follows instructions that are stored as a program.

• What is “Data processor” ?

Computers carry out operations using data.

• What is “Digital” ?
Computer only understands binary values Binary values are 1 and 0.

Activity 1 : List as many different types of digital computers as you can.

Computers

Computers are made up of two components

1. Hardware - physical components that make up a computer
2. Software - programs that can be run on the computer.

Activity 2
Sort the things in this list according to whether they are hardware or software.
1. Mouse 7. Digital camera 13. Spreadsheet
2. Computer program 8. Windows operating system 14. Printer
3. Web browser 9. DVD drive 15. Mobile phone app
4. Microphone 10. Touch screen 16. Android operating system
5. CPU 11. Word processor 17. SD memory card
6. Hard disk drive 12. Speakers

Hardware Software
What is a Computer ?

A computer is a machine that takes some kind of input, process the input and provides an output.
Input - enter data into a computer
Process - performing a series of actions on the input according to given rules
Output - presenting processed information

Computers are made up of millions of electronic components, changing state hundreds of millions of times
a second.

A simple Function Machine for calculation of numbers

A simple Function Machine to store data

 Hardware

Von Neumann Architecture (Block Diagram of a Computer)

Stored Program Concept

Instructions to be executed by the computer and the Data required by the instructions are stored together in
the same memory.

This is a important aspect of the Von Neumann Architecture

Activity 3 : Use the function to identify the hardware component.

Function Hardware component

A temporary storage area for data and program instructions while a program is
running.
A microprocessor that carries out the instructions in computer programs by
performing arithmetic and logic operations, and controls inputs and outputs.

A persistent data storage area for data and program instructions.

To provide connections to the input and output peripherals such as printers,

mouse, keyboard, touch screen, speakers, networks, and so on.
 Peripheral Devices

• Input Devices
• Output Devices
• Secondary Storage Devices

Input Devices

List any other input devices you know.

Output Devices
Secondary Storage Devices

• Stores data permanently

• Non-volatile
• Slower to access when compared to RAM
• Cheaper
• Larger storage capacity

1. Magnetic Storage
uses magnets (polarity) to store binary 0s and 1s

• Magnetic Hard Drives are used to store data and programs on desktops and laptops
• Magnetic tape drives are usually used for large server / systems backups.

Advantages Disadvantages
Moving parts can get damaged if dropped.
High storage capacity vulnerable to magnetic fields - a strong magnet might
erase the data the device holds
Heavy & bulky making them less convenient for
Cheap Storage per MB (especially tape drives)
transport
Once the record is found relatively quick read / write
High energy use
speeds
 Hard Disk

• Hard Disk consists a stack of platters with a magnetic coating (iron oxide) on each surface.
• Data is stored by magnetising the surface of the disk
• Arm with read/write heads float a millionth of a centimeter above the spinning disk at 110km/h
• Data is recorded on each disk along circular tracks, each split into smaller parts called sectors.

When data is read

• Arm moves to be above the right track (seek time)
• The required sector comes around under the head (latency)
2. Optical Storage

Suitable for storing multimedia files

• Optical devices use a laser to scan the surface of a spinning disc made from metal and plastic.
• The surface of the disc is divided into tracks, with each track containing many flat areas and hollows.
• The flat areas are known as lands and the hollows as pits.
• When the laser shines on the disc’s surface, lands reflect the light back (represents a binary '1').
• The pits scatter the laser beam (represents a binary '0').

Types of Optical Storage

• CD Drives (700MB)
• DVD Drives (4.7GB)
• BluRay Drives (50GB)

Advantages Disadvantages
low cost per gigabyte Low capacity
No moving parts Slow read/write access
Portable as small in size and no moving parts Prone to scratches
 3. Solid State Storage

• There are no moving components in solid state storage.

• The data is stored as electric charge in the silicon.
• Increasingly computers are using solid state storage devices as the main data storage device.
• Small in size
• High capacity
• Faster access to data than Hard Disk

Advantages Disadvantages
Medium/high storage capacity Comparatively higher cost per gigabyte
Limited read/write cycles, as each flash cell can only
Very fast read/write access speed
be written to a limited number of times
No moving parts, small in size therefore portable