Computer Definition

An electronic programmable device which receives data, process the data, according to the controlling program to produce desired output in a useful form and stores the results for later use, diligently with accuracy, speed, consistency without any emotions or feelings

Components of Computer
Types of Components

Hardware
Hard disk Mother board CPU RAM

Software
MS-Windows MS-Office Linux OS/2 UNIX MS-DOS Tally Auto CAD

Firmware

ROM

Components of Computer
Hardware Components Tangible Components Software Components In-tangible Components

Firmware Components Hardware Components with embedded software components

Hardware Components
A typical computer consists of a case or chassis with following parts Mother Board Central Processing Unit (C.P.U.) Random Access Memory (RAM) Basic Input Output System (BIOS) Power Supply Storage Controller Video Display Controller Computer bus controllers Some type of removable media writer & storage device.

Hardware Components

Floppy Disk Hard Disk Drive Zip Drive USB Flash Drive Pen Drive Tape Drive (Magnetic Tape)
Sound Card

Networking to connect the computer to the Internet and/or other computers. Modem for dial-up connection Networking Card LAN Card

Block Diagram of a Micro Computer

Memory

Central processing Unit (CPU) Includes

Input Devices

CU, ALU, Registers, Accumulators

Output Devices

Secondary Storage

Computer History
3000BC (Somewhere around) - The abacus

1642 another mechanical device was created called the Pascaline

1800s were not electronic computers to be driven by steam 1940s - the real beginning of the computer age - first computer ENIAC was built. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer.

Generations of Computers Key for Computer Generations

Time Frame Circuit Components Elements per Component Internal Storage Memory Capacity Data Input Popular Computers and Companies at that time

First Generations 1951- 1958

Vacuum Tubes Magnetic Drum 4,000 bits Hard Wire Programs in computers IBM 650, Univac I ENIAC

Second Generation 1959-1964

Transistors Magnetic Cores 32,000 bits Punch Cards CDC, GE, IBM

Third Generation

1965-1974

Silicon Chips (Integrated circuits)= IC Cores, ICs 128,000 bits Keyboard Entry IBM, NCR, Honeywell

Fourth Generation 1975-1989

Silicon Chips (Large scale integrated circuits)=LSI ICs, LSIs 100 million bits Read programs off disks Apple, Xerox, Texas Instrument, HewlettPackard

Fifth Generation 1990-present

Silicon Chips ( Very Large Integrated Circuits) VLSI LSIs, VLSIs Unlimited CD-Rom, Optical Disk NEC, Packard Bell, Compaq, Other Clones

Types of Computer
Computer Analog Computer Digital Computer

Micro

Embedded System

Mini

Mainframe

Super

Home Desktop

Office

Laptop

Notebook

PC - XT

PC- AT

Micro Computer Hardware Components

Input Device: An input device lets you input data to a computer and issue commands. A keyboard, mouse, scanner, digital camera, Light Pan, Optical Mark Reader (OMR), Optical Character Reader (OCR) touch Pads, Bar Code Reader and joystick are examples of input devices.

Some Common Computer Input Devices:

Text Input Devices Keyboard Pointing Devices Mouse Track Ball Gaming Devices Joystick Game Pad Game Controller Image Video Input Devices Image Scanner Web Cam Audio Input Devices Microphone

Micro Computer Hardware Components

Output Device - To displays information on a screen, creates printed copies or generates sound. A monitor, printer, plotters, and speakers are examples of output devices. Some Common Output Devices Video Output Devices Printer (Laser, Inkjet, Dot-matrix) Monitor (LCD, CRT) (Visual Display Unit VDU) Audio Output Devices Speakers Headset

Micro Computer Hardware Components Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Does all of the processing and controlling function of a computer 1. Does all of the mathematics, mainly addition 2. Does all the logical comparisons of values 3. Directs the flow of data in a computer 4. Controls the operation of the parts of the computer Fourth Generation onwards, all CPUs of Micro-computers are microprocessors A microprocessor is a complete CPU on a single silicon chip does all of the functions of a computer Fetch data to be worked upon using a set of instructions as per user needs Directing and controlling the operations of a micro computer Some of the Micro Computers CPUs components The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU), Controlling Unit (CU), Cache, Registers, Accumulators

Micro Computer Hardware Components

Form of Memory and Storage Device

Memory and Storage Device

Capacity of Memory
In computers the capacity of memory is measured in Mega bytes. Bytes is the Smaller Unit and means a set of 8 bits. Higher units are Kilo bytes, Mega bytes and Gigabytes. 1 Character = 1 byte = 8 bits 1 Kilo bytes (KB) = 1024 bytes or 210 bytes 1 Mega byte (MB) = 1024 KB = 1024 X 1024 bytes or 220 bytes 1 Giga byte (GB) = 1024 MB = 1024 X 1024 bytes or 230 bytes 1 Terra byte (TB) = 1024 GB

System Unit

Computer System

System Unit Motherboard - The motherboard is the main circuit board of a computer. It is also known as the mainboard or system board.
CPU - The CPU is the central electronic chip that determines the processing power of the computer.

Computer memory, and often casually refers to computer components, devices and recording media that retain digital data used for computing for some interval of time. In contemporary usage, memory usually refers to a form of solid state storage known as random access memory (RAM) and sometimes other forms of fast but temporary storage. Similarly, storage more commonly refers to mass storage - optical discs, forms of magnetic storage like hard disks, and other types of storage which are slower than RAM, but of a more permanent nature.
Bus - A bus is an electronic line that allows 1s and 0s to move from one place to another.

System Unit .............

Ports and Connectors - A port is a connector located on the motherboard or on a separate adapter. Bays - A bay is a space inside the computer case where a hard drive, floppy drive or CD-ROM drive sits Power Supply: - A power supply changes normal household electricity into electricity that a computer can use. Sound Components - A sound card lets a computer play and record high quality sound.

Micro Computer Software Components

Software a set of programs enables a computer hardware to perform specific tasks. This includes application software such as a word processor, which enables a user to perform a task, and system software such as an operating system, which provides Interface for human computer interaction and application software a platform. By interfacing with hardware and with other software or Custom software made to user specifications.

Types of Software
System Software It helps run the computer hardware and computer system. It includes Operating Systems, Device Drivers, Diagnostic Tools, Servers, Windowing Systems, Utilities, and more.

Application Software
It allows end users to accomplish one or more specific (noncomputer) related) tasks, Typical application, include industrial automation, business software, educational software, medical software, databases and computer games. Businesses are probably the biggest users of application software.

Programming Software
It provides tools to assist a programmer in writing computer programs and software using different programming languages in a more convenient way, The tools include text editor, compilers, interpreters, linkers, debuggers and so on.

Operating system (OS) an example of system software, is a set of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is a vital component of the system software in a computer system and support the function of..
Time sharing of CPU Memory allocation/ deallocation System call/ Interrupts handling Executing system command Resource Sharing/ allocation Hardware controlling and making usable Carrying out housekeeping services Supporting Application Software

Examples of popular modern operating systems includes MS DOS, Mac OS, OS/2, Microsoft Windows, Linux, UNIX.

Comparison of CUI & GUI

User Interfaces The user interface is how the computer's operating system presents information to the user and the user gives instructions (commands) to the computer. There are two kinds of User Interfaces 1. Character User Interface (CUI) Presents information to the user in the form of text. Have to type in commands or select commands from a menu displayed as text on the screen. Hard to use or learn, because the user must memorize and type in commands. Examples: MS-Dos (Microsoft Disk Operating System) Pro-Dos (Professional Disk Operating System) Unix

2. Graphic User Interface (GUI)

Presents information to the use in the form of pulldown menus and icons. Pull-down menus the user clicks on to display the menu The user gives commands to the computer by selecting items from a menu or by clicking on an icon when using a pointing device. GUIs are easy to learn and use

Examples: Windows 98, Windows 2000, Mac OS, Window XP, All Edition, Window Me, Window Server 2003 & 2008

Speed of CPUs The speed of CPUs is measured in hertz's. A hertz is one cycle per second. Need to measure time to determine cycles per second All computers have a clock built into them for timing the cycles The clock is usually located in a small metal box on the motherboard. Today, many CPUs can complete over MIPS. Speeds of modern CPUs
Most computers have a CPU that can do at least more than 400 MHz MHz stands for megahertzs A MHz is 1,000,000 cycles per second. Computers will soon be at speeds of over a gigahertz, 1,000,000,000 Hertzs.

Computer Data Stores Information

How a computer stores information The computer stores information as a string of zeros (0) and ones (1) The standard string length is eight 0's or 1's in a row This standard length is called a byte A byte equals one character A character is a letter, number, or symbol - it is about any thing that can be typed on a keyboard. There are 256 standard characters used by almost all computers.

Information size measurements Kilobyte (KB) One kilobyte equals 1024 bytes 1KB is about 140 words, about a half page of typed double-spaced text (words only) Megabyte (MB) One megabyte equals 1024 KB One megabyte equals about 1,048,576 bytes i.e. 1024 * 1024 KB One megabyte equals about 500 pages of text, or one large book Gigabyte (GB) One gigabyte equals 1024 MB One gigabyte equals about 1,000,000 KB One gigabyte equals about 1,000,000,000 bytes One gigabyte equals over 1,000 books of text Terabyte (TB) One terabyte equals 1024 GB