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By

E-mail: mugex2002@yahoo.co.uk
Mugerwa Richard
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Part One

Introduction to
Computer
or
Computer Literacy
Mugerwa Richard
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Lecture outline
What is a Computer?
Different parts of a Computer?
Hardware (parts of the hardware)
Software (different types of software)

Introduction to Operating Systems (OS)


Linux, Windows, Macintosh
Review Question: What is Computer Literacy

and WHY do we study it?

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Lecture Objective
To enable students:
Understand what a Computer is and its
use.
Differentiate and describe the main
components of the Computer.
Explain the basic operations of a
computer.
Explain the Information Processing
Cycle.
Mugerwa Richard

Lecture Outcome
By the end of the Lecture, the student

will be able to:

know what a Computer is and how to used

it.
explain the main components of the
Computer.
tell the basic operations of a computer.
explain the Information Processing Cycle.
describe the Operating System.
explain what computer literacy is and why
Mugerwa Richard

What is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic toolbox for working

with information.
An electronic device <toolbox> that can input data,
process it, output and store information.
A system.
A collection of related components that have all
been designed to work together smoothly to
produce information.
Used for working with Information.

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What is a Computer?
cont
A COMPUTER is an electronic device that can:
Receive information
Perform processes
Produce output
Store infomartion for future use.
Just as you use a knife and chisels to create wood

carvings, you use a computer to create documents, such


as letters, drawings, etc.
Basically you can use a computer for nearly all the work
that you do behind a desk:

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What is a Computer?
cont
You can use a computer for the kind

of work that you do behind a desk.

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What is a Computer?
cont
Basic Operations of a Computer (IPOS)
Inputting Data
Processing Data
Outputting Data
Storing Data
Information Processing Cycle
Data (INPUT & PROCESSED)
Information (OUTPUT & STORE)
Data/information (RE-USED)

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What is a Computer?
cont
Information Processing Cycle

(diagram)

OC

ES

SI

NG

TP

IN

PR

ST
OR
AG
E

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What is a Computer?
cont
Why bother to use the computer? or

Characteristics

Work faster
Re-Use Documents and information
Faster and more accurate calculations
Faster communication
Produce more copies
Store Information

FASTER &

EFFICIENT

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What is a Computer?
cont
Characteristics that make a computer powerful
Speed A computer can do billions of actions per second.

Reliability Failures are usually due to human error, one way or

another. (GIGO)

Storage A computer can keep huge amounts of data.

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What is a Computer?
cont
Types of computer The world's first

general purpose, electronic, digital


computer, the Electronic Numerical
Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), was
developed in 1946. It measured 18 feet
by 80 feet and weighed 30 tons.
Invented by John Mauchly and electrical
engineer J. Presper Eckert.
Both men had joined the University of
Pennsylvania's Moore School of
Engineering in 1941.
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What is a Computer?
cont
Types of computer
Personal computer (PC) IBM

compatible and Macintosh


computers
Laptop or notebook computer
because of the size.
Desktop (IBM)
iMac (desktop) all-in-one
design
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What is a Computer?
cont
Other types of computer
Palmtop - small computer that literally fits in your palm.
Also Personal Digital Assistant
Workstation - similar to desktop computers, but are
more powerful and are usually connected to a network.
Server - specialized computers that store and deliver, or
serve up, information to other computers on a network.
Mainframe - powerful computers used mainly by large
organizations.

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What is a Computer?
cont
Basic parts of a computer
These items are the things you notice right away
when you look at a desktop computer.
The computer case or system unit,
The monitor or screen,
The keyboard,
The mouse,
and the power cord and other cables.

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What is a Computer?
cont

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Exercise 1
Switch on the computer
Login into the computer
Logout
Shutdown the computer
Power switch
button
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Components of a Computer
What are the components of a
computer?

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Components of a
Computer
Two main components:
Hardware The physical parts of

the computer system.


The tangible and moveable parts of
the computer system.
Software The intangible parts of
the computer system.
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Components of a Computer
cont
Hardware is any part of your computer that has a

physical structure, such as the computer monitor or


keyboard. If you can touch it, it is hardware.
Software is any set of instructions that tells the
hardware what to do. It is what guides the user to
tell the hardware how to accomplish different tasks.
NOTE: Neither the hardware nor software can work
as a stand alone, they both must work together to
form a complete computer system.

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Components of a Computer
cont
Hardware component is classified according to the

main functions of a computer


Inputting Devices
Keyboard
Mouse
Microphone
Scanner
Cameras

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Components of a Computer
cont
Processing Devices
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
the brain of the computer.
It interprets instructions to the
computer (control unit), and performs
the arithmetic and logical processing
(ALU).

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Components of a Computer
cont
Processing Devices: Memory Random Access

Memory (RAM)

Instructions waiting to be executed


Data needed by those instructions
Results of processed data

Any information stored in RAM is lost when the

computer is turned off.


It is volatile
Temporary / Primary storage

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Components of a Computer
cont
Memory We measure the size of memory by telling how many
bytes it can hold.
Data in memory is stored as binary digits (BITS) e.g.
011100101010
1 BYTE = 8 bits
1 byte usually stores 1 text character.
1 kilobyte = 210 bytes = 1024 bytes
1 megabyte = 220 bytes = ~1 million bytes
1 gigabyte = 230 bytes = ~1 billion bytes
1 terabyte = 240 bytes = ~1 trillion bytes
One megabyte can hold approximately 500 pages of text information.

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Components of a Computer
cont
Storage Devices Auxiliary /
secondary storage devices are used
for permanent storage of data.
hard disks
compact discs CD, VCD and DVD drives
flash cards
floppy disks

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Components of a Computer
cont
Output devices make the information

resulting from the processing available


for use.

printer - produces a hard copy


Screen or monitor - produces a soft copy
speakers,

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Components of a Computer
cont
Output devices screen or monitor works

with a video card inside case.

There are two main types:


The cathode ray tube (CRT) big, like a tube

television take big space and cheap.


And liquid crystal display (LCD) thin and saves
energy, but costs more. Over the years you can
expect to see fewer CRT monitors as LCD monitors
become the standard.

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Components of a Computer
cont
Printer
(output
)

Speake
r
(output
)

Monitor
(output
)

Speake
r
(output
)

System unit
(processor,
memory)

Storage devices
(CD-RW, Floppy,
Hard disk, zip,)
Mouse
(input)

Scanne
r
(input)

Keyboard
(input)

Camer
a
(input)

Zip
Drive
(storage
)
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Components of a Computer
cont
Software A computer program or

set of instructions that tells the


hardware exactly what to do.
A computer program is a set of
instructions to the computer.
Software is a program that enables a
computer to perform a specific tasks.
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Components of a Computer
cont
Computer software is the key to

productive use of computers.


Software can be categorized into two
types:
System software
Application software
Programming language

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Components of a Computer
cont
System software computer software designed to

operate the computer hardware and to provide and


maintain a platform for running application software
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) It starts and loads

the OS
Operating systems (OS)
Utility software
Device drivers
Anti virus

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Components of a Computer
cont
Application Software consists of programs that

tell a computer how to produce information.


It is a computer software designed to help the
user to perform singular or multiple related
specific tasks.
Some of the more commonly used packages are:
Word processing
Electronic spreadsheet
Database
Power Point Presentation
Web browsers
Image editors

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Components of a Computer
cont
Programming language software

which computer programmer use to


write/design instructions for a
computer to execute
COBOL
FORTRAN
Pascal
C, C++
Java
PHP
Visual Basic

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Introduction to Operating
Systems (OS)
What is Operating Systems (OS)?

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Introduction to Operating
Systems (OS) cont
An OS is a computer program that:
Controls the hardware of the computer,
Enables the user to communicate with
the computer.
The most common operating systems:
DOS, Microsoft Windows, Apple

Macintosh, UNIX, Linux

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Review Questions
What is a Computer?
Differentiate and describe the main

components of the Computer?


What do you understand by term the
Operating System (OS). Give some
examples of OS you know.
Explain the Information Processing
Cycle.
What is computer literacy is and why
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