THE SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

CIT 0100: COMPUTER APPLICATIONS.

 Instructor: MKWAZU, Hussein

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Lecture 1:
Introduction to Computers
 Outlines
• To be covered:
– What computers do and how they are used
– Computer terminology
– An overview of the history of computers
– The basic types of computers in use today
– Societal impacts of computers

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 Computers in Your Life
• Why learn computers?
– Pervasive computing
• Also known as ubiquitous computing
• Computers have become an integral part of our
lives
– Basic computer literacy
• Knowing about and understanding computers
and their uses is an essential skill today for
everyone

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 Computers in Your Life
• Before 1980
– Computers were large, expensive
– Very few people had access to them
– Computers were mostly used for high-volume
processing tasks
• Microcomputers in the early 80s
– Inexpensive personal computers
– Computer use increased dramatically
• Today
– Individual households can own a computer, and most
use computers at work
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– Electronic devices are converging into single units with
multiple capabilities
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 Computers At Home
• Computers used for a variety of tasks:
– Looking up information and news
– Exchange e-mail
– Shopping and paying bills
– Downloading music and movies
– Organizing digital photographs
– Playing games
– Telecommuting

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Computers At Home

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 Computers in Education
• Colleges and universities are even more integrated
– Classrooms, computer labs, libraries
– Wireless hotspots and Internet assignments
• Teachers
– Prepare handouts, exams, and class presentations
– Maintain course Web pages
• Distance learning
– Students participate from locations other than the
traditional classroom setting using computers and
Internet access
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Computers in Education

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 Computers At Workplaces
• Computers have become a universal on-the-job tool
for decision-making, productivity, and communication
– Used by all types of employees
– Used for access control and other security
measures
– Uses by service professionals is growing
– Used extensively by the military
– Employees in all lines of work need to continually
refresh their computer skills

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Computers At Workplaces

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 Computers on the Go
• Computers are encountered in nearly every aspect of
daily life
– Portable PCs and handheld computers
– Wi-Fi hotspots and Internet cafes
– ATM machines and retail stores
– Self-checkout systems and consumer kiosks
– M-commerce systems
– GPS systems

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What Is a Computer
?

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 What Is a Computer and What Does It
Do?
• Computer: A programmable, electronic device that
accepts data, performs operations on that data, and
stores the data or results as needed
– Computers follow instructions, called programs,
which determine the tasks the computer will perform
• Basic operations
– Input: Entering data into the computer
– Processing: Performing operations on the data
– Output: Presenting the results
– Storage: Saving data, programs, or output for future
use
– Communications: Sending or receiving data14

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What Is a Computer and What Does It
Do?

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 Data vs. Information
• Data
– Raw or facts
– Can be in the form of text, graphics, audio, or
video
• Information
– Data that has been processed into a meaningful
form
• Information processing
– Converting/manipulating data into information

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 Computers Then and Now
• The computer as we know it is a fairly recent
invention
• The history of computers is often referred to in terms
of generations
• Each new generation is characterized by a major
technological development

• Precomputers and early computers (before 1945)

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Computers Then and Now
Abacus

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Computers Then and Now
Mechanical calculator

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Computers Then and Now
Slide rule

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 Computers Then and Now
• First-generation computers (1940-1956)
– Enormous and powered by vacuum tubes (often
take the entire room)
– Used a great deal of electricity, and generated a
lot of heat
– ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and
Calculator) and UNIVAC

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 Computers Then and Now
• First-generation computers (1940-1956)
• ENIAC

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 Computers Then and Now
• First-generation computers (1940-1956)
• UNIVAC

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 Computers Then and Now
• Second-generation computers (1957-1963)
– Used transistors
– Computers were smaller, more powerful, cheaper,
more efficient, and more reliable
– Punch cards and magnetic tape were used to input
and store data

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 Computers Then and Now
• Second-generation computers (1957-1963)

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 Computers Then and Now
• Third-generation computers (1964-1971)
– Used integrated circuits (ICs)
– Keyboards and monitors introduced

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 Computers Then and Now
• Fourth-generation computers (1972-1984)
– Use microprocessors
– IBM PC, Apple Macintosh
– Use keyboards, mice, monitors, and printers
– Use magnetic disks, flash memory, and optical
disks for storage
– Computer networks, wireless technologies,
Internet introduced

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 Computers Then and Now
• Fourth-generation computers (1972-1984)

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 Computers Then and Now
• Fifth-generation (now and the future)
– Infancy stage
– No precise classification
– May be based on artificial intelligence (AI)
– Likely use voice input

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 Computers Then and Now
• Fifth-generation (now and the future)

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Computers Then and Now

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 Hardware

Hardware: The physical parts of a computer (parts that
you can touch)

Software: Are instructions or programs used with the
computer(cannot touch).

– Hardware associated with all five computer

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Hardware

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 Hardware
• Input devices
– Used to input data into the computer
– Keyboards, mice, scanners, cameras,
microphones, joysticks, etc.
• Processing devices
– Perform calculations and control computer’s
operation
– Central processing unit (CPU) and memory
• Output devices
– Present results to the user
– Monitors, printers, speakers, projectors, etc.
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 Hardware
• Storage devices
– Used to store data on or access data from storage
media
– Hard drives, DVD disks and drives, USB flash
drives, etc.
• Communications devices
– Allow users to communicate with others and to
electronically access information
– Modems, network adapters, etc.

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Hardware

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 Software
• Software: The programs or instructions used to tell
the computer hardware what to do
– System software: Operating system allows a
computer to operate
• Boots the computer and launches programs at
the user’s direction
• Most use a GUI to interact with the user via
windows, icons, menus, buttons, etc.
• Windows, Mac OS, Linux, etc.

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Software

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Software

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 Application Software
– Application software: Performs specific tasks or
applications
• Creating letters, budgets, etc.
• Managing inventory and customer databases
• Editing photographs
• Scheduling appointments
• Viewing Web pages
• Sending and receiving e-mail
• Recording / playing CDs
• Designing homes
• Playing games 40

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Application Software

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 Computer Users and Professionals
• Computer users (end users)
– People who use a computer to obtain information

• Computer professionals include:

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COMPUTER
CLASSFICATION
They are classified according to
purpose,
data handling and
functionality.

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Purpose
computers are either general purpose or
specific purpose.
General purpose computers are designed to
perform a range of tasks.
They have the ability to store numerous
programs, but lack in speed and efficiency.
Specific purpose computers are designed to
handle a specific problem or to perform a
specific task. A set of instructions is built into
the machine.

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Data Handling
According to data handling, computers
are analog, digital or hybrid.
Analog Computer 
 An analog computer (spelt analogue in
British English) is a form of computer that
uses continuous physical phenomena such
as electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic
quantities to model the problem being
solved
 Cont…
Digital Computer
A computer that performs calculations and
logical operations with quantities represented
as digits, usually in the binary number system
Hybrid Computer (Analog + Digital)
 A combination of computers those are capable
of inputting and outputting in both digital and
analog signals.

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 Functionality
Four basic categories of computers
i. Personal computers (also called microcomputers)
ii.Midrange servers (also called minicomputers)
iii.Mainframe computers
iv.Supercomputers

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 Personal Computers/Desktop PCs
• Personal computer: a computer system designed to
be used by one person at a time
– Also called a microcomputer
– Can be desktop or portable computers

• Desktop PCs: fit on or next to a desk

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Portable PCs
• Notebook (laptop) computers
– Typically use clamshell design
• Tablet PCs
– Can be slate
tablets or
convertible

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Portable PCs
• Handheld computers
– Size of a paperback book or pocket calculator
– Some include phone capabilities
– Ultra Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC): Fully-
functioning handheld

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Portable PCs
• Most include wireless networking capabilities
• Can synch (share information) with a desktop
computer as needed
• Can use a docking station or notebook stand as
needed

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 Midrange Servers
• Midrange server: A medium-sized computer used
to host programs and data for a small network
– Users connect via a network with a computer,
thin client, or dumb terminal
– May consist of a collection of individual circuit
boards called blades (blade servers)

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 Mainframe Computers
• Mainframe computer: Powerful computer used by
several large organizations to manage large amounts
of centralized data
– Standard choice for large organizations, hospitals,
universities, large businesses, banks, government
offices
– Located in climate-controlled data centers and
connected to the rest of the company computers
via a network
– Larger, more expensive, and more powerful than
midrange servers
– Usually operate 24 hours a day
– Also called high-end servers or enterprise-class
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servers
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Mainframe Computers

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 Supercomputers
• Supercomputer: Fastest, most expensive, most
powerful type of computer
– Generally run one program at a time, as fast as
possible
– Commonly built by connecting hundreds of smaller
computers, supercomputing cluster
– Used for space exploration, missile guidance,
satellites, weather forecast, oil exploration,
scientific research, complex Web sites, decision
support systems, 3D applications, etc.
• Grid computing: Using the unused processing power
of a large number of computers to work together on a
single task
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Supercomputers

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Q&A

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