2.

1 33A BRIEF COMPUTER HISTORY

The computer as we know it today had its beginning with a 19th century English
mathematics professor name Charles Babbage. He designed the Analytical Engine
and it was this design that the basic framework of the computers of today are based
on.

Generally speaking, computers can be classified into three generations.

First generation: 1937 – 1946:

In 1937 the first electronic digital computer was built by Dr. John V. Atanasoff and
Clifford Berry. It was called the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC). In 1943 an
electronic computer name the Colossus was built for the military. Other
developments continued until in 1946 the first general– purpose digital computer,
the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) was built. It is said that
this computer weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000 vacuum tubes which was used for
processing. When this computer was turned on for the first time lights dim in sections
of Philadelphia. Computers of this generation could only perform single task, and
they had no operating system.

Second generation: 1947 – 1962 :

This generation of computers used transistors instead of vacuum tubes which were
more reliable. In 1951 the first computer for commercial use was introduced to the
public; the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC 1). In 1953 the International
Business Machine (IBM) 650 and 700 series computers made their mark in the
computer world. During this generation of computers over 100 computer
programming languages were developed, computers had memory and operating
systems. Storage media such as tape and disk were in use also were printers for
output.

Third generation: 1963 – present:

The invention of integrated circuit brought us the third generation of computers.

With this invention computers became smaller, more powerful more reliable and
they are able to run many different programs at the same time. In1980 Microsoft
Disk Operating System (MS-Dos) was born and in 1981 IBM introduced the
personal computer (PC) for home and office use. Three years later Apple gave us
the Macintosh computer with its icon driven interface and the 90s gave us Windows
operating system.
As a result of the various improvements to the development of the computer we have
seen the computer being used in all areas of life. It is a very useful tool that will
continue to experience new development as time passes.

2.2 Components of a Computer

The five classic components of a computer are briefly described below. The
operation of the processor is best understood in terms of these components.
A computer system consists of both hardware and information stored on hardware.
Information stored on computer hardware is often called software.
The major hardware components of a computer system are:
(CPU)

For typical desktop computers, the processor, main memory, secondary memory,
power supply, and supporting hardware are housed in a metal case. Many of the
components are connected to the main circuit board of the computer, called the
motherboard. The power supply supplies power for most of the components. Various
input devices (such as the keyboard) and output devices (such as the monitor) are
attached through connectors at the rear of the case.
A bus is a group of wires on the main circuit board of the computer. It is a pathway
for data flowing between components. Most devices are connected to the bus
through a controller which coordinates the activities of the device with the bus.
The processor is an electronic device about a one inch square, covered in plastic.
Inside the square is an even smaller square of silicon containing millions of tiny
electrical parts. A processor may contain 100 million transistors. It does the
fundamental computing within the system, and directly or indirectly controls all the
other components.
The processor is sometimes called the Central Processing Unit or CPU. A particular
computer will have a particular type of processor, such as a Pentium chip or a
SPARC chip.
Memory:
The processor performs all the fundamental computation of the computer system.
Other components contribute to the computation by doing such things as storing data
or moving data into and out of the processor. But the processor is where the
fundamental action takes place.
A processor chip has relatively little memory. It has only enough memory to hold a
few instructions of a program and the data they process. Complete programs and
data sets are held in memory external to the processor. This memory is of two
fundamental types: main memory, and secondary memory.
Main memory is sometimes called volatile because it loses its information when
power is removed. Secondary memory is usually nonvolatile because it retains its
information when power is removed. (However, it needs power when information is
stored into memory or retrieved from it.)
Main Memory:
Main memory is where programs and data are kept when the processor is actively
using them. When programs and data become active, they are copied from secondary
memory into main memory where the processor can interact with them. A copy
remains in secondary memory.
Main memory is intimately connected to the processor, so moving instructions and
data into and out of the processor is very fast. Main memory is sometimes called
RAM. RAM stands for Random Access Memory. "Random" means that the memory
cells can be accessed in any order.
When people say that a computer has "512 megabytes of RAM" they are talking
about how big its main memory is. One megabyte of memory is enough to hold
approximately one million (106) characters of a word processing document. (There
will be more about bytes and megabytes later on in these notes.)
Nothing permanent is kept in main memory. Sometimes data are placed in main
memory for just a few seconds, only as long as they are needed.
Secondary Memory:
Secondary memory is where programs and data are kept on a long-term basis.
Common secondary storage devices are the hard disk and optical disks.
Large blocks of data are copied from disk into main memory. The operation is slow,
but lots of data is copied. Then the processor can quickly read and write small
sections of that data in main memory. When it is done, a large block of data is written
to disk.
Often, while the processor is computing with one block of data in main memory, the
next block of data from disk is read into another section of main memory and made
ready for the processor. One of the jobs of an operating system is to manage main
storage and disks this way.
Input and Output Devices:
Input and output devices allow the computer system to interact with the outside
world by moving data into and out of the system. An input device is used to bring
data into the system. Some input devices are:

phone
An output device is used to send data out of the system. Some output devices
are:

A network interface acts as both input and output. Data flows from the network into
the computer, and out of the computer into the network.
I/O:
Input/output devices are usually called I/O devices. They are directly connected to
an electronic module attached to the motherboard called a device controller. For
example, the speakers of a multimedia computer system are directly connected to a
device controller called an audio card, which in turn is plugged into a bus on the
motherboard.
 Software:
Computer software consists of both programs and data. Programs consist of
instructions for the processor. Data can be any information that a program needs:
character data, numerical data, image data, audio data, and countless other types.
The distinction between programs and data is not as clear-cut as you might think,
however.
The insight that both programs and data can be saved using the same electronic
methods is an important concept in computer science. Computer systems use
memory for either programs or data, as needed.

Types of Programs:
There are two categories of programs. Application programs (usually called just
"applications") are programs that people use to get their work done. Computers exist
because people want to run these programs. Systems programs keep the hardware
and software running together smoothly. The difference between "application
program" and "system program" is fuzzy. Often it is more a matter of marketing than
of logic.
Some embedded systems do not use an operating system, but run their programs
directly on the processor.
Modern operating systems for desktop computers come with a user interface that
enables users to easily interact with application programs (and with the operating
system itself) by using windows, buttons, menus, icons, the mouse, and the
keyboard. Examples of operating systems are Unix, Linux, Windows XP, and
System 10.

ating system

Operating Systems:
An operating system is a complex program that keeps the hardware and software
components of a computer system coordinated and functioning. It is like the owner
of a small shop, who keeps everything in order by attending to customers, accepting
deliveries, stocking the shelves, doing the bookkeeping, and so on. The shopkeeper
must promptly attend to tasks as they arise. Without the shopkeeper the shop could
not function.
Most computer systems can potentially run any of several operating systems. For
example, most Pentium-based computers can run either Linux or a Windows
operating systems. Usually only one operating system is installed on a computer
system, although some computers have several. In any case, only one operating
system at a time can be in control of the computer system. The computer user makes
a choice when the computer is turned on, and that operating system remains in
control until the computer is turned off.
 2.3 SOFTWARE PACKAGES:

DEFINITION:
The term "software package" has multiple uses in IT. It’s most common use is to
refer to multiple software programs bundled together and sold as a set. There is also
the use of "software package" to describe a set software that fulfills a particular
function, for example, installation on the desktop.
TYPES OF SOFTWARE PACKAGES:

Computer software provides instruction to the physical parts of the machine so the
components know how to operate and work together. Software is also known as
programs, applications, procedures and computer code. Computer software is based
on hardware criteria; what may work on one type of machine does not necessarily
work on another. Some types of software are installed when a computer is built and
are critical for the machine to operate. Other software can be purchased separately
or downloaded from the Internet, and added to the computer at any time.

Computer games are one type of software available online.

Operating System:

The most important software on a desktop or mainframe computer is the operating

system. Think of this software as the driver behind the wheel of an automobile.
Operating system software manipulates how data is displayed on a computer, serves
as a tracker for files and programs, verifies that both hardware and software
components work together efficiently and controls peripherals like printers, CD
drives and headphones. The most used operating systems include Microsoft
Windows, Mac OS X and Unix.

Office Production:

Many businesses use various types of office production software. Intuit's

QuickBooks tracks invoices and expenses while reconciling costs against the current
budget. FileMaker Pro is a versatile database management system that works on
Windows, Mac and the Web to track client and employee information. Many
organizations purchase a suite package that contains everything their employees
need to run an efficient business. Both Microsoft and Apple offer packages with
word processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation software. For smaller
businesses on a tight budget, OpenOffice is free and downloadable from the Web.

Entertainment:

Many consumers purchase high-powered computers with the intention of using them
for entertainment. There is a plethora of computer games available for senior
citizens, adults and children. Video game manufacturers like Sony and Microsoft
have tapped into the market as well, offering the capability to connect computer and
video machines so you can play with or against other users online. Free or pay-per-
play videos are available through YouTube, or you can pay a nominal monthly
subscription fee to Netflix and watch movies online
Protection:

Computer security has become an issue of concern since the invention of the
Internet. It is important to install security software to protect both the hardware and
software on your computer from hackers and viruses. Your first line of defense is
the computer's firewall, which can be thought of as a brick wall between the World
Wide Web and your computer. Since hackers live to infect your computer with
viruses, it is important to purchase sufficient software to protect your machine -- and
to update it regularly. Many manufacturers like McAfee, Norton and Kaspersky
offer anti-virus, anti-spyware protection for an annual price. This security software
scans files, memory, CDs and flash drives.