UNIT I:

INTRODUCTION
TO COMPUTERS
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING (LECTURE)
 Introduction to Computers C. Capabilities of Computers
OVERVIEW:
A. Definition of Computers D. Limitations of Computers
B. Characteristics of Computer
 WHAT IS A
COMPUTER?

• A computer is a programmable machine. It allows

the user to store all sorts of information and then
‘process’ that information, or data, or carry out
actions with the information, such as calculating
numbers or organizing words.
 COMPUTER
COMPONENTS
Hardware
• Hardware is the machine
itself and its connected
devices such as monitor,
keyboard, mouse etc.
Software
• Software are the set of
programs that make use of
hardware for performing
various functions.
DATA AND INFORMATION

• Computers process data into information. Data

is a collection of unprocessed items, which can
include text, numbers, images, audio, and video.
Information conveys meaning and is useful to
people.
INFORMATION PROCESSING CYCLE

• Computers process data

(input) into information
(output). Computers carry out
processes using instructions,
which are the steps that tell
the computer how to perform
a particular task.
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTERS
• Speed
In computers, it takes only few
seconds for calculations that we
take hours to complete. It can
perform millions (1,000,000) of
instructions and even more per
second.
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTERS
• Accuracy
 The degree of accuracy of computer is very high and
every calculation is performed with the same
accuracy.
 Accuracy depends on the design of the Computer.
 Errors that may occur can almost always be attributed
to human error
CHARACTERISTICS OF
COMPUTERS
• Diligence
• Unlike human beings,
computers are highly consistent.
• They do not suffer from human
traits of boredom and tiredness
resulting in lack of
concentration.
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTERS

• Versatility
• Computers are capable of performing any task as long
as it can be broken down into a series of logical steps.
• We can use computer to perform completely different
type of work at the same time.
 POWER OF REMEMBERING
COMPUTER HAS THE POWER OF
STORING ANY AMOUNT
OF INFORMATION OR DATA.
ANY INFORMATION CAN BE STORED
AND RECALLED ASLONG AS YOU
REQUIRE IT, FOR ANY NUMBERS OF
YEARS.
• No IQ
Computer cannot do
any work without
instruction from the
user.
A computer cannot
take its own decision
as you can.
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTERS

Storage

Large volumes of data and information can be stored in the computer

and also retrieved whenever required

A piece of information once recorded (or stored) in the computer, can

never be forgotten and can be retrieved almost instantaneously.
CAPABILITIES
OF
COMPUTERS
 FIRST, COMPUTERS CAN DO REPETITIVE
OPERATIONS. A COMPUTER CAN PERFORM
SIMILAR OPERATIONS THOUSANDS OF TIMES,
WITHOUT BECOMING BORED, TIRED, OR EVEN
CARELESS.
SECONDLY, COMPUTERS CAN PROCESS
INFORMATION AT EXTREMELY RAPID RATES.
FOR EXAMPLE, MODERN COMPUTERS CAN
SOLVE CERTAIN CLASSES OF ARITHMETIC
PROBLEMS MILLIONS OF TIMES FASTER THAN
A SKILLED MATHEMATICIAN. SPEEDS FOR
PERFORMING DECISION-MAKING
OPERATIONS ARE COMPARABLE TO THOSE
FOR ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS BUT INPUT-
OUTPUT OPERATIONS, HOWEVER, INVOLVE
MECHANICAL MOTION AND HENCE REQUIRE
MORE TIME.
 THIRDLY, COMPUTERS MAY BE
PROGRAMMED TO CALCULATE
ANSWERS TO WHATEVER LEVEL OF
ACCURACY IS SPECIFIED BY THE
PROGRAMMER. IN SPITE OF
NEWSPAPER HEADLINES SUCH AS
‘COMPUTER FAILS’, THESE MACHINES
ARE VERY ACCURATE AND RELIABLE
ESPECIALLY WHEN THE NUMBER OF
OPERATIONS THEY CAN PERFORM
EVERY SECOND IS CONSIDERED.
BECAUSE THEY ARE MAN-MADE
MACHINES, MOST INSTANCES WHEN
THE COMPUTER FAILS, IT IS DUE TO
HUMAN ERROR AND IS NOT THE
FAULT OF THE COMPUTER AT ALL.
IN THE FOURTH PLACE, GENERAL-
PURPOSE COMPUTERS CAN BE
PROGRAMMED TO SOLVE VARIOUS
TYPES OF PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF
THEIR FLEXIBILITY. ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT REASONS WHY
COMPUTERS ARE SO WIDELY USE
TODAY IS THAT ALMOST EVERY BIG
PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED BY
SOLVING A NUMBER OF LITTLE
PROBLEMS ONE AFTER ANOTHER.
 •Next, the computer can store large amount of
data and information. Like hard drive and even
USB.

•Another thing that computers’ capabilities is, it

can restore or bring back the works that you have
done. You may reproduce or edit or change the
things that you made with the help of computer.

•In terms of multitasking, you can perform this

also because of the computer because computers
are able to open two or more programs at the same
time. You may work with the first one while You
minimize or hide the other program.

•Then, a computer is automatic, we don’t have

to wait long for a computer to do a certain job. Like
when you click the power button, the computer
processor will do the rest of the work.
 •While when your computer
doesn’t function properly anymore,
the solution was not throwing it
away because a computer can be
improved and upgrade. All you have
to is to find a computer technician to
do installation and repair work f
your computer.
•Finally, a computer, can
suddenly find the answer to a
problem without working out too
many of the details, a computer
only proceeds as it has been
programmed to.
 THE FIRST LIMITATION OF COMPUTER IS ITS DEPENDENCY.
COMPUTERS ARE DEPENDENT UPON HUMAN BEINGS. MEANING,
COMPUTER HAS NO CAPABILITY TO TAKE ANY DECISION BY
ITSELF, LIKE A HUMAN BEING, IT CANNOT JUDGE BY ITSELF FOR
ANY VALID OR NON-VALID DATA. COMPUTER CAN ONLY DO WHAT
YOU TELL IT TO DO.

SECOND, COMPUTERS DO NOT HAVE THEIR OWN INTELLIGENCE

AND HENCE CANNOT THINK FOR EXAMPLE, A COMPUTER CAN
CREATE MUSIC BUT CANNOT TELL ITS QUALITY. IN OTHER
WORDS, COMPUTER HAS NO BRAIN. MEANING A COMPUTER IS NOT
A MAGICAL DEVICE. IT CAN ONLY PERFORM TASKS THAT A HUMAN
BEING CAN. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT IT PERFORMS THESE TASKS
WITH UNTHINKABLE SPEED AND ACCURACY. IT POSSESSES NO
INTELLIGENCE OF ITS OWN. IT I.Q. IS ZERO, AT LEAST TODAY. A
COMPUTER CANNOT TAKE ITS OWN DECISION IN THIS REGARD.
 THIRD, COMPUTER CAN DETECT ONLY SYNTAX
ERROR, IT CANNOT DETECT FLAW OR ERROR IN LOGIC.
MEANING IF EVER THAT YOU WILL FEEL IT WITH A
WRONG DATA, A COMPUTER WILL ALSO GIVE YOU
WRONG INFORMATION.
NEXT, COMPUTERS HAVE NO FEELINGS AND NO
EMOTION BECAUSE THEY ARE MACHINE.

THEN, COMPUTER DOES NOT HAVE INTUITION AND

CANNOT DRAW CONCLUSION WITHOUT GOING
THROUGH ALL THE INTERMEDIATE STEPS. MEANING IF
YOU GAVE A WRONG INSTRUCTION OR FUNCTION
FROM KEYBOARD OR MOUSE, THE COMPUTER
CANNOT CORRECT IT BUT IT CAN ONLY STOP
FUNCTIONING AS YOU CHOSE FUNCTIONS THAT CAN
MAKE IT STOP. THEN THE COMPUTER WILL DEPEND ON
YOU TO CORRECT YOUR MISTAKE.
 ANOTHER THING IS THAT, COMPUTERS DON'T
LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE, SINCE THEY ARE
ALREADY PROGRAMMED. AND SINCE THEY ARE
BUILT IN MACHINE, MEANING THEY CAN GET FULL
OR TO HAVE NO MEMORY LEFT, IN TAKING MORE
DATA OR FILES. AND ONCE A COMPUTER HAS A FULL
MEMORY, ITS PROGRAM PROCESSOR HAS
TENDENCY TO BE SLOW.

LASTLY, COMPUTER IS PRONE TO VIRUSES THAT MAY

CAUSE FOR THE USER TO NOT RETRIEVED HIS OR
HER FILES OR WORKS DONE ANYMORE.
 END OF UNIT I:
INTRODUCTION
TO COMPUTERS