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DiTEC S1 U1 D1
DiTEC S1 U1 D1
SESSION 01
UNIT 01
DAY 01
WHO AM I ?
A. SHEHAN D. MORAWAKA
BSc. (Hons) in Computer Science (University College – Dublin, Ireland)
• A computer is a programmable electronic machine which can take inputs from the outside
environment and prepare (or process) them to make them more valuable and
understandable.
• While data processing being the main purpose, computers also can store data and
information if necessary.
• Data are the raw facts or figures which represent the physical quantities and measurements
which can be seen in the outside world.
• Data can be stored inside a computer and later can be processed according to a set of
instructions to make them more meaningful.
• IT is related to all the aspects of managing data and processing information. Computer can be
used as an aid to creating and maintaining data and information.
• Typical IT Functions:
• Data capturing and input.
• Data / information representation / storage.
• Data processing.
• Information presentation and output.
• Data transmission.
• Firmware: A special type of software that use to make the hardware devices work with
necessary checks.
2. Application Software:
Category of software designed to fulfill user requirements with the help of
System Software.
a) Operating Systems.
b) Utility Software.
a) Operating Systems.
Ex: Microsoft Windows.
Apple Mac OS.
Ubuntu.
b) Utility Software.
Ex: Antivirus software.
Disk Cleaners.
Backup Software.
• A special type of software that use to make the hardware devices work with necessary
checks.
• After the invention of the first computer, different types and sizes of computers are
introduced to offer different services.
• In this lesson, we categorize the computer systems depend on their size and performance.
• According to the descending order of the physical size of the computer system, we can make
a list of types like below:
• Used by small businesses and firms, and in individual departments of large organizations for
specific purposes.
• Cheapest and most widely used type of computer dedicated for single user environments.
• Designed for general usage like entertainments, education and work purposes.
• Ex:
• PC
• Laptop
• PDA
• Apple Macintosh.
• Introduced in 1984.
• The Macintosh features a Graphical User
Interface (GUI).
• It’s a cell phone that includes advanced functionality beyond making phone calls and sending
text messages.
• Can display photos, play videos, manage emails and surf web.
MEMORY
HARDWARE
INPUT DEVICES
OUTPUT DEVICES
STORAGE DEVICES
CPU
Control Instructions
Control Unit
Output
I Devices
Data / Information / n
p
Program Instructions u Arithmetic & Logical
t Unit
D
e
v
i
c
e Storage
Memory devices
• Arithmetic & Logic Unit (ALU): which performs the calculations and comparisons.
• Control Unit (CU): controls the other parts of the computer.
• Registers: very high-speed memory slots used to hold temporary results.
• Cache Memory: high speed buffer memory used to enhance the data transfer from the RAM.
• The computer needs a working memory for storing the current programs it runs. That is the
data and instructions it uses. This working memory is called the Main Memory or Primary
Storage.
• RAM
• ROM
• It is the main working memory. When the operating system loads from the disk when you
first switched on the computer, it is copied into the RAM.
• Data and programs stored in the RAM are volatile (the information is lost when you switch off
the computer)
• This memory chip that holds software that can be read but not be written onto.
• Example
• BIOS chip which contains read only software that starts up your computer.
• On-screen pictures are held in a special memory chip called Video Memory Chip.
• These chips are usually located on a video card.