Computer

Applications for
Business

Faculty:
Jyotsna
Introduction
• Information technology (IT) is acquiring, processing , storing
and giving out useful information using computers and
telecommunication devices.
• Anything that gives information or knowledge in any visual
form using any multimedia device, is considered part of the IT
Computer
• A computer is an electronic device that accepts data
from the user, processes it, produces results, displays
them to the users, and stores the results for future
usage.
Computer
• The word computer is derived from word
Compute
• Compute = Calculate
• Performing calculations is the most important
task of a Computer
• general purpose device which can be
programmed to carry out a finite set of
Arithmetic and Logical Operations.
Data and Information
• Data is a collection of unorganized facts & figures and does
not provide any further information regarding patterns,
context, etc. Hence data means "unstructured facts and
figures".
• Information is a structured data i.e. organized meaningful and
processed data. To process the data and convert into
information, a computer is used.
Characteristics of Computer System
Characteristics of Computer System
• Speed: A computer is a very fast device. The computer takes a fraction
of seconds to perform any operation

• Reliability: Because, computer is an electronic device thus it perform all

operations with 100 % accuracy and reliability. Reliability can affect only
error prone by human mind.

• Accuracy: The accuracy of computer is very high and the degree of a

particular computer depends upon its design. But for a particular
computer, each and every calculation is performed with the same
accuracy.

• Diligence: Unlike human being a computer is free from monotony,

tiredness, lack of concentration etc. and hence can work for hours
together without creating any error.
Characteristics of Computer System
• Memory: Computers can store data and instruction with a lot of
volume and very high efficiency.

• Logical: Computers are devoid of emotions. Their judgment is based

on the instructions given to them in the form of programs that
are written by us

• Versatility: Versatility is one of the most wonderful things about the

computer. One moment it can do any one operation and next
moment if can perform any other operation

• Automation: A computer is an automatic device. This is because,

once given the instructions, it is guided by these instructions and
can carry on its job automatically until it is complete.
Applications of Computers
• Home - Computers are used at homes for several purposes like online bill
payment, watching movies or shows at home, home tutoring, social media
access, playing games, internet access, etc.

• Medical Field- to maintain a database of patients’ history, diagnosis, X-rays,

live monitoring of patients, etc. Surgeons nowadays use robotic surgical
devices to perform delicate operations, and conduct surgeries remotely.

• Entertainment- to watch movies online, play games online; act as a virtual

entertainer in playing games, listening to music, etc. MIDI instruments
greatly help people in the entertainment industry in recording music with
artificial instruments.

• Industry- to perform several tasks in industries like managing inventory,

designing purpose, creating virtual sample products, interior designing,
video conferencing, etc.
Applications of Computers
• Education- through online classes, online examinations, referring e-books, online
tutoring, etc. They help in increased use of audio-visual aids in the education
field.

• Government- used in data processing, maintaining a database of citizens and

supporting a paperless environment. The country’s defense organizations have
greatly benefitted from computers in their use for missile development, satellites,
rocket launches, etc.

• Banking- to store details of customers and conduct transactions, such as

withdrawal and deposit of money through ATMs. Banks have reduced manual
errors and expenses to a great extent through extensive use of computers.

• Business- main objective of business is transaction processing, which involves

transactions with suppliers, employees or customers. Computers can make these
transactions easy and accurate. People can analyze investments, sales, expenses,
markets and other aspects of business using computers.
Applications of Computers
• Training- organizations use computer-based training to train their
employees, to save money and improve performance. Video
conferencing through computers allows saving of time and travelling
costs by being able to connect people in various locations.

• Arts - used in dance, photography, arts and culture. The fluid

movement of dance can be shown live via animation. Photos can be
digitized using computers.

• Science and Engineering- Computers with high performance are

used to stimulate dynamic process in Science and Engineering.
Scientists use computers to plot and analyze data to have a better
understanding of earthquakes.
Applications of Computers
• Playing Games
• Perform Calculations
• Storing Data
• Writing Text/Making Slides/Spreadsheets/Edit
Pictures/Music/Videos
• Browse Internet
• e-Commerce
Applications of Computers
• e-Banking
• Social Networking
• News
• e-Mail
• Chat
• Information Gathering
• Job Search
Computer Generations
• First Generation (1942-1956)
• Second Generation(1956-1963)
• Third Generation(1963-1971)
• Fourth Generation(1972-2010)
• Fifth Generation(2010-Present)
First Generation (1942-1956)
• Uses Vacuum Tubes as a source of Electronics
Vacuum Tubes
• Fragile Glass Device
• Filament - A Source Of Electronics
• Control & Amplify Signals
First Generation(1942-1956)
Features:
• Fastest calculating device
• Too Bulky in size
• Thousands of Vacuum Tubes were used
• Produced lot of Heat/Burnt out frequently
• High Power Consumption
• Frequent Hardware Failure
• Constant maintenance required
• Commercial Production was costly-Manual Assembly
• Eg- ENIAC/EDVAC/EDSAC/UNIVAC-I
First Generation (1942-1956)
• ENIAC (1943-46)– Electronic Numerical Integrator & Calculator
• (First Electronic Computer)
• Developed at Moore School Of Engg in US
• Required a full room space
• Solved Military Requirements
• Used 18000 Vaccum Tubes
• Addition Operation Required 200 microseconds
• Multiplication required 2000 microseconds
ENIAC
First Generation (1942-1956)
• UNIVAC –I (1951)- Universal Automatic Computer
- First Computer to Be Commercially Produced
• Relied on machine language(most basic programming
language that can be understood by computers)
• Limited to solving one problem at a time
• Input was based on punched cards and paper tape
• Output can out on print-outs
Second Generation(1956-1963)
• Technology Used: Transistors
Second Generation(1956-1963)
• Transistors were Invented-New Electronic Devices .
• These transistors were made of solid material, some of which is
silicon, therefore they were very cheap to produce.
• Produce less heat as compared to tubes but air conditioning was
required
• Hugely superior to vacuum tubes, making computer smaller, faster
and cheaper
• Less electricity consumption
• Rugged , Reliable & Easy To Handle
• Eg: Honeywell 400, IBM 7030
Second Generation(1956-1963)
• 2nd Gen Computers were 10 times faster than 1st Gen
• Less Power Consumption
• Smaller in size
• Less Expensive To Produce than 1st Gen Computers but still
Commercially not viable
• Language evolved from binary language to symbolic
(‘assembly’) languages. This meant programmers could create
instructions in words.
• About the same time high level programming languages were
being developed (early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN).
• Transistor-driven machines were the first computers to store
instructions into their memories – moving from magnetic
drum to magnetic core ‘
Third Generation(1963-1971)
• Technology Used: Integrated Circuits
Third Generation(1963-1971)
• Integrated Circuits (IC) were Invented
• Transistors, Resistors & Capacitors embedded on a single chip
• SSI-Small Scale Integration (10-20 Components)
• MSI-Medium Scale Integration(100 Components)
• More Powerful than 2nd Gen Computers
• Much Smaller In Size & Improved efficiency
• Faster Primary & Secondary Storage
Third Generation(1963-1971)
• Larger memory because of larger hard disks and floppy disks
and magnetic tapes as portable storage media
• Very less heat hence no air conditioning was required instead
fans were used
• First computers where users interacted using keyboards and
monitors, a significant leap from punch cards and printouts
• Enabled these machines to run several applications at once
• These machines were cheaper and smaller
• Timesharing Operating Systems were used
• Eg:PDP-8, PDP-11
Fourth Generation(1972-2010)
• Technology Used:
• LSI-Large Scale Integration/ VLSI-Very Large Scale Integration
on (Integrated Circuits)
Fourth Generation(1972-2010)
• LSI-Large Scale Integration (30,000 Components)
• VLSI-Very Large Scale Integration (1 million components)
• Complete Computer with a Microprocessor
• Larger memory because of larger hard disks and floppy disks and
magnetic tapes as portable storage media
• Very less heat dissipation
• Graphical User Interface operating systems were used
• EG:CRAY-2, IBM PC
Fifth Generation(2010-Present)
• Technology Used:
• ULSI-Ultra Large Scale Integration on (Integrated Circuits)
Fifth Generation(2010-Present)
• ULSI-Ultra Large Scale Integration (10 million
Components)
• High Speed
• High Storage Capacity
• Networks
• Quick Transmission through e-mail
• Consume very less power
• Advent of www
• Eg:IBM Notebooks
Fifth Generation(2010-Present)
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) concerns with making
computers behave and think like humans.
• AI studies include robotics, expert systems,
games, etc.
• Less costlier and easy to maintain
• Newer and more powerful applications make
computers more easy to use in every field
Concepts of Hardware and Software
Hardware
• The term hardware refers to mechanical device that makes up
computer.
• Computer hardware consists of interconnected electronic
devices that we can use to control computer’s operation, input
and output.
• Examples of hardware are CPU, keyboard, mouse, hard disk,
etc.
Concepts of Hardware and Software
Software
• A set of instructions that drives computer to do stipulated
tasks is called a program.
• Software instructions are programmed in a computer
language, translated into machine language, and executed by
computer.
• Software can be categorized into two types −
- System software
- Application software
Concepts of Hardware and Software
System Software
• System software operates directly on hardware devices of
computer.
• It provides a platform to run an application. It provides and
supports user functionality.
• Examples of system software include operating systems such
as Windows, Linux, Unix, etc.
Application Software
• An application software is designed for benefit of users to
perform one or more tasks.
• Examples of application software include Microsoft Word,
Excel, PowerPoint, Oracle, etc.
Software vs Hardware
Block Diagram of Computer
Block Diagram of Computer
• computer system consists of three parts, that are central
processing unit (CPU), Input Devices, and Output Devices.
• CPU is divided into two parts again: arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
and the control unit (CU). The set of instruction is in the form of
raw data.
• A large amount of data is stored in the computer memory with
the help of primary and secondary storage devices.
• The CPU is like the heart/brain of the computer. The user does
not get the desired output, without the necessary option taken
by the CPU.  
• The Central processing unit (CPU) is responsible for the
processing of all the instructions which are given by the user to
the computer system.
CPU
CPU
• Control Unit:
• The control unit (CU) controls all the activities or operations
which are performed inside the computer system.
• It receives instructions or information directly from the main
memory of the computer.
• When the control unit receives an instruction set or
information, it converts the instruction set to control signals
• These signals are sent to the central processor for further
processing.
• The control unit understands which operation to execute,
accurately, and in which order.
CPU
• Arithmetic and Logical Unit
• The arithmetic and logical unit is the combinational digital
electronic circuit that can perform arithmetic operations on
integer binary numbers.
• It presents the arithmetic and logical operation.
• The outputs of ALU will change asynchronously in response to
the input. The basic arithmetic and bitwise logic functions are
supported by ALU. 
Memory
• A memory is just like a human brain. It is used to store data
and instructions.
• Computer memory is the storage space in the computer,
where data is to be processed and instructions required for
processing are stored.
• The memory is divided into large number of small parts called
cells.
• Each location or cell has a unique address, which varies from
zero to memory size minus one. For example, if the computer
has 64k words, then this memory unit has 64 * 1024 = 65536
memory locations. The address of these locations varies from
0 to 65535.
Memory
Memory is primarily of three types −
• Cache Memory
• Primary Memory/Main Memory
• Secondary Memory
Primary Memory (Main
Memory)
• Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on
which the computer is currently working.
• It has a limited capacity and data is lost when power is
switched off.
• It is generally made up of semiconductor device.
• These memories are not as fast as registers.
• The data and instruction required to be processed resides in
the main memory.
• It is divided into two subcategories RAM and ROM.
Primary Memory (Main Memory)
Primary Memory (Main Memory)
Characteristics of Main Memory
• These are semiconductor memories.
• It is known as the main memory.
• Usually volatile memory.
• Data is lost in case power is switched off.
• It is the working memory of the computer.
• Faster than secondary memories.
• A computer cannot run without the primary memory.
Secondary Memory
• This type of memory is also known as external memory or
non-volatile.
• It is slower than the main memory.
• These are used for storing data/information permanently. CPU
directly does not access these memories, instead they are
accessed via input-output routines.
• The contents of secondary memories are first transferred to
the main memory, and then the CPU can access it. For
example, disk, CD-ROM, DVD, etc.
Secondary Memory
Secondary Memory
Characteristics of Secondary Memory
• These are magnetic and optical memories.
• It is known as the backup memory.
• It is a non-volatile memory.
• Data is permanently stored even if power is switched off.
• It is used for storage of data in a computer.
• Slower than primary memories
RAM (Random Access Memory)
• RAM is the internal memory of the CPU for storing data,
program, and program result.
• It is a read/write memory which stores data until the machine
is working. As soon as the machine is switched off, data is
erased.
• Access time in RAM is independent of the address, that is,
each storage location inside the memory is as easy to reach as
other locations and takes the same amount of time.
• Data in the RAM can be accessed randomly but it is very
expensive.
• RAM is volatile, i.e. data stored in it is lost when we switch off
the computer or if there is a power failure.
RAM (Random Access Memory)
RAM is of two types −
• Static RAM (SRAM)
- The word static indicates that the memory retains its contents
as long as power is being supplied

• Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

- must be continually refreshed in order to maintain the data.
- This is done by placing the memory on a refresh circuit that
rewrites the data several hundred times per second.
- DRAM is used for most system memory as it is cheap and small
ROM
• ROM stands for Read Only Memory.
• The memory from which we can only read but cannot write
on it.
• This type of memory is non-volatile.
• The information is stored permanently in such memories
during manufacture.
• A ROM stores such instructions that are required to start a
computer. This operation is referred to as bootstrap
Types of ROM
MROM (Masked ROM)
• The very first ROMs were hard-wired devices that contained a
pre-programmed set of data or instructions. These kind of
ROMs are known as masked ROMs, which are inexpensive.

PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory)

• PROM is read-only memory that can be modified only once by
a user.
• The user buys a blank PROM and enters the desired contents
using a PROM program.
• Inside the PROM chip, there are small fuses which are burnt
open during programming. It can be programmed only once
and is not erasable.
Types of ROM
EPROM (Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory)
• EPROM can be erased by exposing it to ultra-violet light for a
duration of up to 40 minutes. Usually, an EPROM eraser achieves
this function.

EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only

Memory)
• EEPROM is programmed and erased electrically.
• Both erasing and programming take about 4 to 10 ms (millisecond).
• Any location can be selectively erased and programmed.
• EEPROMs can be erased one byte at a time, rather than erasing the
entire chip. Hence, the process of reprogramming is flexible but
slow.
Cache Memory
• Cache memory is a very high speed memory which can speed
up the CPU.
• It acts as a buffer between the CPU and the main memory.
• It is used to hold those parts of data and program which are
most frequently used by the CPU.
• The parts of data and programs are transferred from the main
memory to cache memory by the operating system, from
where the CPU can access them.
Cache Memory
Cache Memory
Advantages
• Cache memory is faster than main memory.
• It consumes less access time as compared to main memory.
• It stores the program that can be executed within a short
period of time.
• It stores data for temporary use.
Disadvantages
• Cache memory has limited capacity.
• It is very expensive.
Computer Registers
• Registers are a type of computer memory used to quickly
accept, store, and transfer data and instructions that are being
used immediately by the CPU.
• The registers used by the CPU are often termed as Processor
registers.
• A processor register may hold an instruction, a storage
address, or any data (such as bit sequence or individual
characters).
• The computer needs processor registers for manipulating data
and a register for holding a memory address.
• The register holding the memory location is used to calculate
the address of the next instruction after the execution of the
current instruction is completed.