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Definition
GBDM113/TDIT111/NCIT111, A computer: is an electronic device that processes data,
NCCA124/UCU1100 into meaningful information that is useful to people.

A Computer: is an electronic device that accepts input,

processes it, stores data, and produces output.

A Computer: an advanced electronic device that accepts

Introduction To Computers input, processes it, stores data, and produces output.
By
FRED B

Basic Functions Of A Computer Computer System

Set of interrelated elements working together in an integrated away
to achieve a set of objectives.
 Accepts data (input): Receives data from outside(input
• It consist of
device) for processing.  Hardware: computer itself and any equipment connected to it
 Process data (Processing): Performs operations or (tangible/physical components) that make up a computer
system.
manipulations on data particularly numerical data.
 Software: set of instruction that the computer follows in
 Produce output (output) Produces data from within for performing a task. Or is a series of instructions that tell a
computer how to carry out a processing task.
external use.
 Data: facts that are used by program to produce useful
 Stores results (Storage): Holds data internally before, information
during and after processing. Hard disks, CD-ROM, DVD  Procedures: policies that govern the operation of a computer
ROM, Tapes and others. system
 People: every computer needs people if its to be useful.

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5 Components of a Computer System Advantage of computers

• Speed: Computers work at very high speeds and are much faster than
human . Computer speed is measured in Mega Hertz (MHz).
• Storage: A computer can store a large amount of data permanently.
User can use this data at any time. Text, graphic, pictures, audio and
video files can be stored easily.
• Processing: A computer can process the given instructions. It can
perform different types of processing like addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division. It can also perform logical functions like
comparing two numbers to decide which one is the bigger etc.
• Accuracy: Provide results without any error. Computers can process
large amount of data and generate error-free results.

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Advantage of computers Disadvantage Of Computers

• Create unemployment
• Communication: Most computers today have the capability of
communicating with other computers. We can connect two or more • Health problems
computers by a communication device such as modem. • Expensive
• Versatility: Computers can do computations with all kinds of data • Laziness
including alphabets, pictures, sound images, voice, e.t.c. • Sources of computer viruses
• Automation: Computers work automatically, i.e. they do not need • Crackers
any supervision to do programmed routines.
• Delicate
• Diligence: Computers are diligent i.e. they have ability to perform the • Literate people
same task “over and over” without getting tired e.g. in industrial
robotics, like those in Car assembly lines. • Immoral activities
• Artificial Intelligence: Computers can respond to requests given to • Technology changes
them and provide solutions.

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Uses of Computers
Limitation Of Computers
Personal and Home
• Vulnerable to data loss Computers allow people with disabilities
to do normal activities.
• Have no common sense
 Shopping online
• Need power in order to operate  Playing games with other people
• Technology change very often  Work from home
• Computers are delicate  Entertainment such as listening to
music, watching videos etc.
 Enable communication through
the use of (electronic mails) e-
mails , chats etc.

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Business Uses of Computers Educational Uses of Computers

• Computers allow companies to
keep large amounts of • The Internet allows access to
information at hand by using hundreds of online research
databases materials.
• Makes ordering and tracking
resources quicker and easier.
• Allows colleagues to correspond
quickly about ongoing research.
• Allows people to have
meetings from different • Eases the process of analyzing
locations. research data.
• Helps in information
management which eases the
process of decision making .

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Computer Hardware
Data and Information
• Data is a collection of raw and unprocessed facts,
figures, numbers, characters, images and symbols.
• Information is data that is organized, meaningful and
useful. The process of transforming data (facts) into
information is called data processing.
• Data is presented in the form that a computer
understands (binary digits 0/1).
• A string of 8 bits a called a byte which represent a
character.

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Categories of hardware Input Devices

• Input: The data or information entered into a computer
• The process of entering data/information into the
computer for processing, storage and retrieval, or
transmission.
• Example of input devices
• Keyboards
• Mouse
• Touch screen
• Digital camera
• Scanner
• Point of sale terminals
• Bar code reader
• Microphones
• prerecorded sources lie CD & DVS
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Output Devices Processor (CPU)

• Output: The results of inputting and processing data and • Processor/Central Processing Unit (CPU): A set of electronic
information returned by the computer, either directly to circuits that perform the computer’s processing actions.
the person using the system or to secondary storage.
• Common forms of output are reports, schedules, budgets, • A chip is a collection of electronic components in a very small,
newsletter s among others. Examples of output devices self-contained package. Chips perform the computer’s
include: processing actions, including arithmetic calculations and the
• Printers generation of lines, images, and sound.
• Plotters (prints large images (plan))
• Speakers
• Monitor • Examples of chips include sound chips which
• Projectors generate signals to be output as tones.
Note: Communications devices (such as modems and
network interface cards) perform both input and output,
allowing computers to share information.
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System board Hardware cont’d

• The processor/CPU can take several forms. Microcomputers  Memory devices
contain a specific micro-processor chip as their CPU. This is put  Memory is made up of one or more sets of chips that Store data or
into a protective package, and then mounted onto a board contained program instructions either temporarily or permanently. No processing
within the computer. This board is called a system board or a takes place in memory. Instead, memory stores data, information and
mother board. instructions. Memory is divided into two types:

a) Random Access Memory (RAM)

The system board contains other  RAM holds data and program instructions temporarily
chips and circuitry that carry out while the CPU works with them.
processing.  RAM is volatile, meaning it holds data only when the
power is on. When the power is off, RAM's contents are
lost.
 More RAM results in a faster system.

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Hardware cont’d Hardware cont’d

b) Read Only Memory (ROM) b) Read Only Memory (ROM)
 Permanent storage of programs.  Permanent storage of programs.
 ROM is called non-volatile memory because it never loses  ROM is called non-volatile memory because it never
its contents. loses its contents.
 Holds instructions that the computer needs to operate.  Holds instructions that the computer needs to
 This type of memory lets you store the data needed to operate.
start up or boot the computer  Memory is measured in terms of:
 Essential start-up data contained in ROM is a computer  Kilobyte (KB) - 1,000 bytes
BIOS  Megabyte (MB) - 1,000,000 bytes
 The BIOS includes instructions on how to load basic
 Gigabyte (GB) - 1,000,000,000 bytes
computer hardware and includes a test referred to as a
POST (Power On Self Test) that helps verify the computer  Terabyte (TB) - 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.
meets requirements to boot up properly.

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Bits and Bytes Storage Devices

• 1 Bit is a single 0 or 1.
 The purpose of storage is to hold data permanently,
• 1 Byte consists of 8 bits. even when the computer is turned off.
• 1 Kilobyte consists of 1,024 bytes approximately  Storage devices hold data not currently being used
1000 bytes. by the CPU.
• One Megabyte is 1,024 kilobytes or approximately  Data is commonly stored on a magnetic or optical
disk.
million bytes.
 A disk drive is a device that reads data from and
• 1 Gigabyte is 1,024 megabytes or approximately writes data to a disk. Most new computers feature
1 billion bytes a floppy disk drive, a hard disk drive, and an optical
disk drive.
• 1 Terabyte is 1,024 gigabytes or approximately 1
 The most common optical storage devices are
trillion bytes. CDROM and DVD-ROM drives.

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Computer Health and Safety issues

• Never user the computer in a dusty environment
• Water should be avoided near computers
• Never eat or drink in a computer room
• Do not smoke near computers
• Do not block the ventilation hole on a computer when its History Of Computers
hot
• Computer room must be well ventilated
• Do not allow diskettes from outside (viruses)
• Do not switch the computer on and off abruptly
• Protect the machine using UPS and stabilizers
• When in doubt. Please ask an expert.

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•Before the 1500s, in Europe, calculations were made

with an abacus • In 1822 Charles Babbage (English
Invented around 500BC, available in many mathematician, philosopher), sometimes called
cultures (China, Mesopotamia, Japan, Greece, the “father of computing” built the Difference
Rome, etc.) Engine

•In 1642, Blaise Pascal (French mathematician, • Machine designed to automate the computation
physicist, philosopher) invented a mechanical (tabulation) of polynomial functions (which are
calculator called the Pascaline known to be good approximations of many
useful functions)
•In 1671, Gottfried von Leibniz (German – Based on the “method of finite difference”
mathematician, philosopher) extended the Pascaline to
do multiplications, divisions, square roots: the Stepped – Implements some storage
Reckoner
• In 1833 Babbage designed the Analytical
None of these machines had memory, and they Engine, but he died before he could build it
required human intervention at each step – It was built after his death, powered by
steam

• Generation of Computers
• First Generation (1946-59)
• Second Generation(1957-64)
• Third Generation(1965-70)
• Fourth Generation(1970-90)
Generations of Computers • Fifth Generation(1990 till date)

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The technology use for Computers Generation 1 : ENIAC

The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was unveiled in 1946: the
First Second Third Fourth Gen. first all-electronic, general-purpose digital computer
Generation Gen. Gen.
Technology Vacuum Transistors Integrated Microchips
Tubes Circuits (millions of
(multiple transistors)
transistors)
Size Filled Whole Filled half a Smaller Tiny - Palm
Buildings room Pilot is as
powerful as
old building
sized
computer

Generation 2: IBM7094

The use of binary

In the 30s Claude Shannon (the father of “information theory”) had
proposed that the use of binary arithmetic and boolean logic should be
used with electronic circuits

The Von-Neumann architecture

CPU Memory

I/O
System

Generation 3: Integrated Circuits Generation 4: VLSI Improvements to IC technology made it

possible to integrate more and more transistors
in a single chip
SSI (Small Scale Integration): 10-100
MSI (Medium Scale Integration): 100-
1,000
LSI (Large Scale Integration): 1,000-
10,000
VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration):
Microprocessors >10,000

Seymour Cray created the Cray Research

Corporation
Cray-1: $8.8 million, 160 million instructions
per seconds and 8 Mbytes of memory

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Generation 5?

The term “Generation 5” is used sometimes to refer to all

more or less “sci fi” future developments
Voice recognition
Artificial intelligence
Quantum computing
Bio computing
Nano technology
Learning
Natural languages

Question Break…….!!!!
•Source of Knowledge:
The Mother of Information…
“The Internet”
•Who is the Source of Knowledge: •The World Wide Web

AND

The Mother of Information………?

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Classification of Computers
Classification of Computers According to size
• Computers are classified according to;
Size: Some computers are designed for individual use while  Supercomputers
others are for organizations.
 The most powerful computers
made.
Technology: Some computers are more powerful than others
in terms of the speed at which they operate as well as the  Handle large and complex
technologies they use. calculations.

 Because of their size and expense,

Purpose: Some computers are designed to handle lighter supercomputers are relatively
rare.
tasks compared to others that can handle heavier tasks
 These are used by research
institutions, government agencies,
• Because of the above factors, we have computers of different and large businesses.
prices, having different hardware as well as compatible with
different software. .
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Classification of Computers According to size

Micro computers/Personal Computers
 Mainframe Computers • Computers can be shared by multiple users but can be used by only
 Are slower, less powerful and less one person at a time.
expensive than supercomputers.

• Types of computers in this category

 Are used by banks and many
businesses to update inventory etc. include;
- Desktop computers
 Are used in large organizations - Workstations
where many users need access to
shared data and programs. - Notebooks
- Tablet computers
 Can support thousands of users, - Handheld Computers
handling massive amounts of
- Smart phones
input, output, and storage.

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Microcomputers Microcomputers
• Desktop computers • Workstations
• The most common type of computer • Has more power and features than a standard desktop PC
• Sits on the desk or floor • Have large, high resolution monitors
• Performs a variety of tasks including producing music, edit • Suitable for architectural engineering design, animation and
photographs and videos, play sophisticated games and videos video editing.

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Microcomputers Microcomputers
• Notebook computers/ Laptops • Tablet computers
• Small portable computers
• Weighs between 3 and 8 pounds • One of the new
• People frequently set these devices on their laps hence development in portable
laptop computers
• Operate on alternating current or special batteries computers
• When not in use, device folds up for easy storage. • Input is through
a pen

• Run specialized versions

of office products

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Microcomputers Common Terms

• Smart phones • Program: set of computer instructions that enable the computer
hardware to accomplish a task.
• Hybrid of
cell phone • Application: a program in which you do your work
and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) • Driver: a file on a computer which tells it how to communicate
• Web surfing, with an add-on piece of equipment. E.g. sound drivers, network
drivers etc.
e-mail access
• Software: set of instructions that the computer follow in
performing a task.
• Data processing: process where data is transformed into
information.
• Information Communication Technology (ICT): Scientific mean of
sending and receiving information which requires sending
understanding and sending feedback

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Thank you

Question ?

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