Computer Skills

Chapter 1:Introduction to Computer

What is computer?
• A computer is an electronic device, operating under the
control of instructions stored in its own memory that can
accept data (input), process the data according to
specified rules, produce information (output), and store
the information for future use
Input Process
Output
Data (raw facts and figures)

Storage
Functions of a computer

Any digital computer carries out four functions in gross terms:

• Takes data as input.
• Stores the data /instructions/ in its memory and use them
when required.
• Processes the data and converts it into useful information.
• Generates the output

Computer Components

• Hardware
• Software
Hardware
• Computer hardware is the collection of physical elements
“Tangible objects”
• That constitutes a computer system.
• The actual machinery, wires, transistors, and circuits …
etc.
Hardware:
Software

• Software is any set of instructions, sometimes

called a program, that tells the hardware what to
do and how to do it.
Computer Units

1.Input Unit
2.Central processing Unit
3.Primary Memory Unit
4.Secondary storage Unit
5.Output Unit
Input Devices

• Input device is any peripheral (piece of computer

hardware equipment to provide data and control
signals to an information processing system such as
a computer or other information appliance.
• Input device Translate data from form that humans
understand to one that the computer can work with.
Most common are keyboard and mouse
Computer Units
Input Devices
Example of Input Devices

Keyboard Mouse (pointing device) Microphone

Touch screen Scanner Webcam
Touchpads MIDI keyboard
Graphics Tablets Cameras Pen Input
Video Capture Hardware Microphone Trackballs
Barcode reader Digital camera Joystick
Gamepad Electronic Whiteboard

Note: The most common use keyboard is the QWERTY keyboard.

Generally standard Keyboard has 104 keys
Central Processing Unit
• CPU
• known as microprocessor or processor
• It is responsible for all functions and processes
CPU Components
• The CPU is comprised of three main parts
1. ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)
2. Control Unit (CU)
3. Registers: Stores the data that is to be executed next.
ALU

• Executes all arithmetic and logical operations.

• Arithmetic calculations like as addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division.
• Logical operation like compare numbers, letters, or
special characters
Control Unit (CU)

Control Unit (CU): controls and co-ordinates computer

components.
• Read the code for the next instruction to be executed.
• Increment the program counter so it points to the next instruction.
• Read whatever data the instruction requires from cells in memory.
• Provide the necessary data to an ALU or register.
• If the instruction requires an ALU or specialized hardware to
complete, instruct the hardware to perform the requested
operation.
Registers
• Registers: Stores the data that is to be executed next,
"very fast storage area".
Primary Memory

• 1. RAM.
• 2.ROM
Primary Memory

1. RAM: Random Access Memory: is a memory scheme

within the computer system responsible for storing data on a
temporary basis, so that it can be promptly accessed by the
processor as and when needed.
• It is volatile in nature, which means that data will be erased
once supply to the storage device is turned off.
• RAM stores data randomly and the processor accesses
these data randomly from the RAM storage.
• RAM is considered "random access" because you can
access any memory cell directly if you know the row and
column that intersect at that cell.
Primary Memory

2. ROM (Read Only Memory): ROM is a

permanent form of storage. ROM stays active
regardless of whether power supply to it is
turned on or off. ROM devices do not allow data
stored on them to be modified.
Secondary Memory

• Stores data and programs permanently

• its retained after the power is turned off
• Main Examples
1. Hard Disk
2. Optical Disk
3. Flash memory
Hard Disk
• Called Disk drive or HDD
• stores and provides relatively quick access to large
amounts of data.
• Stores data on an electromagnetically charged surface or
set of surfaces.
Optical Disk & Flash

• an optical disc drive (ODD) is a disk drive that uses laser light to store data.
• There are three main types of optical media: CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disc

CD “Compact Disk” can store up to 700MB

DVD “ Digital Video Disk “ can store up to 8.4 GB
Blu-ray disc. can store up to 50 GB
3. Flash Disk

• A storage module made of flash memory chips. A Flash disks have no

mechanical platters or access arms, but the term "disk" is used because the
data are accessed as if they were on a hard drive. The disk storage structure
is emulated.
RAM V.s Hard Disk
• What are the differences between RAM as a main
memory and HDD as a Secondary Memory.
RAM V.s Hard Disk
Output Unit

• An output device is any piece of computer

hardware equipment used to communicate
the results of data processing carried out by
an information processing system (such as a
computer)
• converts the electronically generated
information into human-readable form.
Output devices Examples

Monitor LCD Projection Panels

Printers (all types) Computer Output Microfilm (COM)
Plotters Speaker(s)
Projector
Output devices Examples

1. A monitor

CRT: Cathode Ray Tube

LCD: Liquid crystal display most
familiar these days
Output devices Examples

2. Printer:
• transfers data from a computer onto paper

Printer types:
1-Laser Printer.
2-Ink Jet Printer.
3-Dot Matrix Printer
Software

• Software is a generic term for organized

collections of computer data and instructions,
often broken into two major categories two
major categories:
1. system software
2. application software
System software

• Known as Operating System

• is responsible for controlling, integrating, and
managing the individual hardware components of
a computer system
• Windows is an example of OS.
• example of System Software:
• 1) Microsoft Windows
• 2) Linux
• 3) Unix
• 4) Mac OSX
Application software

• is used to accomplish specific tasks other than just

running the computer system.
• It may consist of:
– a single program, such as an image viewer;
– a small collection of programs (often called a software
package) that work closely together to accomplish a task, such
as a spreadsheet or text processing system;
– a larger collection (often called a software suite) of related but
independent programs and packages that have a common
user interface or shared data format, such as Microsoft Office,
Unit of Measurements - Storage

Storage Units

Bit BIT 0 or 1

Byte B 8 bits

Kilobyte KB 1024 bytes

Megabyte MB 1024 kilobytes

Gigabyte GB 1024 megabytes

Terabyte TB 1024 gigabytes

Size example
• 1 bit - answer to an yes/no question
• 1 byte - a number from 0 to 255.
• 90 bytes: enough to store a typical line of text from a book.
• 4 KB: about one page of text.
• 120 KB: the text of a typical pocket book
• 3 MB - a three minute song (128k bitrate)
• 650-900 MB - an CD-ROM
• 1 GB -114 minutes of uncompressed CD-quality audio at 1.4
Mbit/s
• 8 -16 GB - size of a normal flash drive
• A. 10B is equivalent 10 * 8 = 80 bits
• B. 3MB is equivalent to how many Bits?
• Answer:
• 3 *1024 = 3072 KB
• 3072*1024 = 3145728 B
• 3145728 * 8 = 25165824 bits
Unit of Measurement -Speed
• The speed of CPU measured by unit called Hertz (Hz)
• 1 Hz represent 1 cycle per second.
• The speed of CPU is known as Computer Speed.
Unit of Measurement -Speed

CPU SPEED MEASURES

1 hertz or Hz 1 cycle per second
1 MHz 1 million cycles per second or 1000 Hz
1 GHz 1 billion cycles per second or 1000 MHz
Computer Classification
• Computers can be classified by size and power to:
1. Personal computer (PCs)
2. Workstation:
3. Minicomputer
4. Mainframe:
5. SuperComputer
Computer Classification

• Personal computer (PCs): a small, single-user

computer based on a microprocessor. In addition to
the microprocessor, a personal computer has a
keyboard for entering data, a monitor for displaying
information, and a storage device for saving data .
• Workstation: a powerful, single-user computer.
A workstation is like a personal computer, but
it has a more powerful microprocessor and a
higher-quality monitor.
Computer Classification

• Minicomputer: multi-user computer capable of

supporting from 10 to hundreds of users
simultaneously.
• Mainframe: powerful multi-user computer capable
of supporting many hundreds or thousands of users
simultaneously.
• Supercomputer: an extremely fast computer that
can perform hundreds of millions of instructions per
second.
Computer Classification

• Compare between the previous type of

computers based on
• Price
• Processing Speed
• Storage Capacity
• Powerful
• Single-user or Multi-user
• Computer Size
• Companies size
Laptop computer

• is a portable computer.
• personal computer that can be easily carried and used in a variety
of locations.
• run the same software and applications in PCs
Netbook Computer

• A netbook is a type of laptop that is designed to

be even more portable.
• Cheaper and less powerful than laptops or
desktops.
• They are generally less powerful than other
types of computers, but they provide enough
power for email and internet access, which is
where the name "netbook" comes from.
Mobile Devices

• A mobile device is basically any handheld computer.

• It is designed to be extremely portable.
• Some mobile devices are more powerful
• Types:
1.Tablet Computers
2.Smartphones
Tablet Computers

• designed to be portable.
• The most obvious difference is that tablet
computers don't have keyboards or
touchpads.
• Best used for tasks like web
browsing, watching videos, reading e-books,
and playing games.
Tablet Computers

• The most obvious difference is that tablet computers don't have

keyboards or touchpads. Instead, the entire screen is touch-
sensitive, allowing you to type on a virtual keyboard and use your
finger as a mouse pointer.
• Tablet computers are mostly designed for consuming media, and
they are optimized for tasks like web browsing, watching videos,
reading e-books, and playing games
Smartphones

• a powerful mobile phone

• designed to run a variety of applications in
addition to phone service.
• Compare it with the tablet?
• Internet access is an important feature of
smartphones. (3G or 4G)(Wi-Fi Service)
Data, Information and Knowledge

• Data:
– Facts and figures which relay something specific
– but which are not organized in any way and which provide
no further information regarding patterns
– unstructured facts and figures
Data, Information and Knowledge

• Information:
– For data to become information, it must be contextualized,
categorized, calculated and condensed. (Processing)
– it is data with relevance and purpose.
Data, Information and Knowledge

• Knowledge:
– Knowledge is closely linked to doing and implies know-how
and understanding.
– Processing Information
Data, Information and Knowledge

• Data: symbols
• Information: data that are processed to be useful;
provides answers to "who", "what", "where", and "when"
questions
• Knowledge: application of data and information; answers
"how" questions
Data, Information and Knowledge
Data, Information and Knowledge

• Processing data produces information,

and processing information produces
knowledge.
Characteristics of Computer

1.Speed
2.Accuracy
3.Diligence
4.Storage Capability
5.Versatility
Characteristics of Computer

• Speed :The computer can process data very

fast, at the rate of millions of instructions per
second
• Accuracy: Computer provides a high degree of accuracy.
For example, the computer can accurately give the result of
division of any two numbers up to 10 decimal places.
• Diligence: When used for a longer period of time, the
computer does not get tired or fatigued. It can perform long and
complex calculations with the same speed and accuracy from
the start till the end.
Characteristics of Computer

• Storage Capability: Large volumes of data and

information can be stored in the computer and also
retrieved whenever required. A limited amount of data
can be stored, temporarily, in the primary memory.
Secondary storage devices like floppy disk and compact
disk can store a large amount of data permanently.
• Versatility: Computer is versatile in nature. It can
perform different types of tasks with the same ease. At
one moment you can use the computer to prepare a
letter document and in the next moment you may play
music or print a document.
Computer Viruses

• Viruses:
• E-mail viruses:
• Trojan horses:
• Worms:
Viruses

– A computer virus is an application program designed

and written to destroy other programs.
• A virus is a small piece of software that piggybacks on
real programs
• virus might attach itself to a program such as a
spreadsheet program
• and it has the chance to reproduce (by attaching to
other programs)
E-mail viruses:
• e-mail virus travels as an attachment to e-mail messages
• Replicates itself by automatically mailing itself to dozens of people
in the victim's e-mail address book.
Trojan horses

• simply a computer program

• The program claims to do one thing (it may claim to be a
game) but instead does damage when you run it
Worms

• A worm is a small piece of software that uses computer

networks and security holes to replicate itself.
• worm scans the network for another machine that has a
specific security hole.
Malicious Software

• How do you know if you have a virus?

– Lack of storage capability
– Decrease in the speed of executing programs
– Unexpected error messages
– Halting the system
Tips to avoid viruses and lessen their impact?

1. Delete e-mails from unknown or suspicious,

untrustworthy (unreliable) sources, especially
those with files attached to an e-mail.
2. Never open a file attached to an e-mail unless
you know what it is, even if it appears to come
from a friend.
3. Download files from the Internet only from
legitimate and reputable sources.
4. Update your antivirus software at least every two
weeks as over 200 viruses are discovered each
month.
5. Backup your files periodically