Saba institute of higher education

Faculty of Computer Science

Computer Fundamentals

Khalil Ahmad Faizi

1
What is in this course?
● Basics of Computer
– Computer system
– hardware Computer
– memory
– Input and Output devices
● User-Computer Interface
Data representation
– Interaction of user and
– computer Operating Systems
–
Computer Programming
– Fundamentals

– Data communication and computer networks 2

The Internet and Internet Services

What is in this course? Cont...
● Application and security
– Information Systems
– Fundamental of Database
– Multimedia
–
Computer Security
–

3
Introduction: What is a Computer?
●
Device that accept input, process and store
data, and gives output.

●
Device that can execute specific set of
instructions well defined manner.

4
Introduction: What is a computer? Cont...
● Processor brains
● Memory scratch paper
● Disk long term memory
● I/O communication (senses)

● Software reconfigurability

5
Introduction: What is Computer Science? Cont...
●
Gibbs and Tucker definition of computer science

– The study of algorithms

●
Formal and mathematical properties

●
Hardware realizations

●
Linguistic realizations

●
Applications
6
Introduction: What is Computer Science? Cont...
●
Computer scientist designs and develops algorithms
to solve problems
●
Operations involved in designing algorithms
– Formal and mathematical properties
●
Studying the behavior of algorithms to determine
whether they are correct and efficient
– Hardware realizations
●
Designing and building computer systems that are able
to execute algorithms

7
Introduction: What is Computer Science? Cont...

– Linguistic realizations
●
Designing programming languages and translating
algorithms into these languages

– Applications
●
Identifying important problems and designing correct
and efficient software packages to solve these problems

8
Introduction: What is Computer Science? Cont...
Algorithm
●
–

definition
●
Procedure for solving a mathematical problem in a
finite number of steps that frequently involves
repetition of an operation
●
A step-by-step method for accomplishing a task
– Informal description
●
An ordered sequence of instructions that
is guaranteed to solve a specific problem

9
Introduction: What is Computer Science? Cont...
●
An algorithm is a list that looks like
– STEP 1: Do something.
– STEP 2: Do something.
– STEP 3: Do something.
– . .
– . .
– . .
– STEP N: Stop. You are finished.

10
Computer History!

11
History of Computer: Charles
Babbage
• English inventor

• 1791-1871

• invented a viable mechanical

computer equivalent to
modern digital computers
Babbage’s first computer
- built in early 1800’s
special
purpose
calculator
naval
navigation
charts
More
you
study!
Computer Generations: 1950 to the Present

●
First generation of computing (1950-1959)

– Vacuum tubes used to store data and programs

– Each computer was multiple rooms in size

– Computers were not very reliable

14
Computer Generations: 1950 to the Present
(cont)
●
Second generation of computing (1959-1965)
– Transistors and magnetic cores replaced
vacuum tubes
– Dramatic reduction in size
●
Computer could fit into a single room
– Increase in reliability of computers
– Reduced cost of computers
– High-level programming
languages
●
The programmer occupation was 15
born
Computer Generations: 1950 to the Present
(cont)
●
Third generation of computing (1965-1975)
– Integrated circuits rather than individual
electronic components were used
– Further reduction in size and cost of computers
●
Computers became desk-sized
●
First minicomputer developed

– Software industry formed

16
Computer Generations: 1950 to the Present
(cont)
●
Fourth generation of computing (1975-1985)
– Reduced to the size of a typewriter
– First microcomputer developed
– Desktop and personal computers common
– Appearance of
●
Computer networks
●
Electronic mail
●
User-friendly systems (graphical user interfaces)
●
Embedded systems
17
The Altair 8800, the World’s First Microcomputer
18
Computer Generations: 1950 to the Present
(cont)
●
Fifth generation of computing (1985-?)
– Recent developments
●
Massively parallel processors
●
Handheld devices and other types of personal digital
assistants (PDAs)
●
High-resolution graphics
●
Powerful multimedia user interfaces incorporating
sound, voice recognition, touch, photography, video,
and television
19
The Modern Era: 1950 to the Present
(continued)
●
Recent developments (continued)
– Integrated global telecommunications
incorporating data, television, telephone, fax, the
Internet, and the World Wide Web
– Wireless data communications
– Massive storage devices
– Ubiquitous computing
20
Some of the Major Advancements in Computing 21
Some of the Major Advancements in Computing 22
The Parts of a Computer System

23
Parts of the Computer System
●
Computer systems have four parts
– Hardware
– Software
– Data
– User

24
Parts of the Computer System (Cont)
●
Hardware
– Mechanical devices in the computer
– Anything that can be touched
●
Software
– Tell the computer what to do
– Also called a program
– Thousands of programs exist

25
Parts of the Computer System (Cont)
●
Data
– Pieces of information
– Computer organize and present data
●
Users
– People operating the computer
– Most important part
– Tell the computer what to do

26
Information Processing Cycle
●
Steps followed to process data
– Input
– Processing
– Output
– Storage

27
Essential Computer Hardware
●
Computers use the same basic hardware
●
Hardware categorized into four types
– Processing devices
– Memory devices
– Input and Output devices
– Storage devices

28
Essential Computer Hardware
●
Processing devices
– Brains of the computer
– Carries out instructions from the program
– Manipulate the data
– Most computers have multiple processors
– Central Processing Unit (CPU)

29
Essential Computer Hardware

30
Essential Computer Hardware

31
Essential Computer Hardware
What are two main components on the motherboard?

• Central Processing Unit (CPU)

• Also called a processor
• Carries out instructions
that tell computer what to do

• Memory
• Temporary holding place for data
and instructions

32
Essential Computer Hardware (Cont)
●
Memory devices
– Stores data or programs
– Random Access Memory (RAM)
●
Volatile
●
Stores current data and programs
●
More RAM results in a faster system
– Read Only Memory (ROM)
●
Permanent storage of programs
●
Holds the computer boot directions

33
Essential Computer Hardware (Cont)
●
Input and output devices
– Allow the user to Interact
●
Some devices are input and output
– Touch screens

34
Essential Computer Hardware (Cont)
input devices
Hardware used to enter data and
instruction
Keyboard, mouse ...

35
Essential Computer Hardware (Cont)
Output device
 Hardware that
conveys information
to a user

36
Essential Computer Hardware (Cont)
●
Storage devices
– Hold data and programs permanently
– Different from RAM
– Magnetic storage
●
Hard drive
●
Uses a magnet to access data
– Optical storage
●
CD and DVD drives
●
Uses a laser to access data

37
Floppy disk

38
 Hard disk

39
Compact disc
Flat, round, portable metal disc
CD-ROM
CD-RW
Capacity:
673~768
MB

DVD-ROM

DVD+RW
Capacity:4.7
~ 17.1 GB

40
Miniature storage media

Digital
Portable, thin cameras
memory cards
used in:
Handheld
computers
41
Software
●
Runs the Machine
●
Tells the computer what to do
●
Reason people purchase computers
●
Two types
– System software
– Application software

42
Software (Cont)
●
System software
– Most important software
– Operating system
●
Windows XP
– Network operating system (OS)
●
Windows Server 2003
– Utility
●
Symantec AntiVirus

43
Software (Cont)
●
Application software
– Accomplishes a specific task
– Most common type of software
●
MS Word
– Covers most common uses of computers

44
Categories of Computers
• Personal computers (desktop)
• Midrange servers
• Mainframe computers
• Supercomputers
• Mobile Computers & Mobile devices

45
Personal Computers
 PC and compatibles  Apple Macintosh uses
use the Windows the Macintosh
operating system operating system
(Mac OS)

46
Personal Computers
Desktop computer
• Designed so all of the components fit on or
under a desk or table

47
Personal Computers
Notebook computer

 Portable, small enough to fit on

your lap(2 lbs to 9 lbs )

 Also called a laptop

 Generally more expensive than a

desktop computer

48
Hand-held Computers
Tablet PC
 Resembles a letter-sized slate
 Allows you to write on the screen
using a stylus
 Smaller version is the modular
computer

49
 Categories of Computer (Cont)
What types of servers are there?

Midrange server Powerful, large

computer that supports up to a few
thousand computers

Mainframe Very powerful,

expensive computer that supports
thousands of computers

Supercomputer The fastest, most

powerful, most expensive
computer. Used for applications
requiring complex mathematical
calculations
50
Examples of Computer Usage
What are five categories of computer
users?

Home Small Mob ile

Office/ Home
Office
(SOHO)

Large Pow er
51
Bu sine s s
Examples of Computer Usage
What software is available for a home user?
• Web access

• Entertainment

• Communications

• Personal finance management

52
Examples of Computer Usage
What software is available for a small
office/home office (SOHO) user?
 Local area network (LAN)

 Productivity software

 Specialty software

 Web usage

 E-mail

53
Examples of Computer Usage
What is available for
a mobile user?
 Hardware Software


54
Examples of Computer Usage
What are the needs of the large business user?
 Web access
 Telecommuting
 Network
 Productivity software
 Scheduling

55
Computer Applications in Society
What are some examples
of computer applications
in society?
 Education
 Finance
 Government
 Health-care
 Science
 Publishing Travel
 Industry


56
Thank You for your attention!

57