Chapter 1: Introduction to Computer & Information Technology Computer Skills-1 4800150-2 1435/1436 Department of Computer Science Foundation Year Program.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Computer & Information Technology

Computer Skills-1

4800150-21435/1436

Department of Computer ScienceFoundation Year ProgramUmm Alqura University, Makkah

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The Objectives and the outcomes

Objectives:• To understand the basic concept of computer• To understand characteristics of computer• To understand the application of computers and its benefits• To understand the history of computersOutcomes:• Students should be able to understand how computer works• Students should be able to understand the basic elements of

computer• Students should be able to understand the benefits of

computers• Students should be able to understand the history of computers

Introduction

• At work, people use computers to analyze data, make presentations, conduct business transactions, communicate with customers and coworkers, control machines in manufacturing facilities, and do many other things.

• At home, people use computers for tasks such as paying bills, shopping online, communicating with friends and family, and playing computer games.

• A program is a set of instructions that a computer follows to perform a task.

• Microsoft Word is a word processing program that allows you to create, edit, and print documents with your computer.

Introduction

• Adobe Photoshop is an image editing program that allows you to work with graphic images, such as photos taken with your digital camera.

• Programs are commonly referred to as software. Software is essential to a computer because it controls everything the computer does.

• In brief, A computer is a programmable machine. It allows the user to store all sorts of information and then ‘process’ that information, or data, or carry out actions with the information, such as calculating numbers or organizing words.

Characteristics of a Computer

• Speed• Automation• Diligent• Accuracy.• Reliable• Storage Capacity.

Limitations of Computer

• Computer does not work on itself

• Computers are not intelligent

• Computers cannot take decisions on its own

• Computers, unlike humans cannot learn by experience.

Operation In Math In Computer

Addition + +

Subtraction - -

Multiplication × *

Division ÷ /

Definitions:

Arithmetic operations: The table shows four known math operations.

Description In Math In Computer

Greater than > >

Greater than or equal ≥ >=

Less than < <

Less than or equal ≤ <=

Equal = =

Not equal ≠ <>

Definitions:

Logical operations: the operations that have a result of either TRUE or FALSE but not together, such as comparisons in math.

Definitions:

• Data : is a set of facts , observations), remarks or

comments and Ideas collected from a particular statistical

society and entered to the computer for processing.

• Information: is a set of results that are output from the

computer after processing the data.

• Processing: means performing computer operations like

arithmetic & logical operations on an entered set of data, in

order to get output information that is useful for the user.

Definitions:

Data Information

Marks Sum, Average, Sorting

marks

Students names Arranging the in

alphabetic order

Dirty picture Clean picture

Noisy song Filtered song

The difference between Data and Information.

Definitions:

• User : is the one who makes use of the entered data to the computer and gets information useful for human or another computer

• IT (information technology): It is defined as the combination of computer technology (hardware and software) with telecommunications technology (data, image, and voice networks). For example;

• Telephone

• Fax

• Mobile

• Wireless communication

• Internet

• Computer

• Computer Networks etc.

Basic Elements of Computer System


The basic elements of a computer system are:

• Mouse

• Keyboard

• Monitor

• Memory

• CPU or Processor

• motherboard

• Hard Disk

• Speakers

• Modem

• power supply


• Mouse: Mouse is used for operating the system. Nowadays, optical and wireless mousses are more popular as compared to simple mouse.

• Keyboard: Keyboard is used to input data in to the system so that the system gives output to the user.

• Monitor: displays the actions that the computer performs on our command.

• Motherboard: Motherboard again a necessary element of the computer system that contains different elements as memory, processor, modem, slots for graphic cards and LAN card.


• Hard Disk: Hard disk is used to store data permanently on computer.

• Modem: Modem is used to make a connection with the Internet. Two types of modems are widely used, namely; software modems and hardware modems.

• Speakers: Speakers are also included in basic elements of a computer.

How Computer Works?

• The computer accepts the data from the user as an input.

• It stores the data until it is ready for use. The computer has memory chips, which are designed to hold data until it is needed.

• The computer has an electronic brain called the Central Processing Unit (CPU), which is responsible for processing all data and instructions given to the computer.

• Then it returns the processed information to the user. This is called output.

Computer Tasks

Uses of Computer systems

Use of Computers in Education:

Advantages and Disadvantages of Computers in Education:

• All schools and colleges have computer labs where they receive practical training from their teachers.

• Computers assist teachers in teaching their students easily and quickly.

• Students can search for the concepts or things which they wish to know, by referring to relevant websites.

• Increasing the knowledge of these students greatly.

• It enables the students to gain knowledge of various subjects and things which are out of their school syllabus to widen their learning.

• They help teachers to save time in teaching much more than they can do without them.

• Charts, diagrams and figures can easily be illustrated for the students while teaching practical oriented subjects


Uses of computer in business:

Computers can be used in business from the stage of manufacturing till the stage of its sale.

Uses of Computers in Hospitals:

Since almost 2 decades, computers have been included in hospitals and medical clinics throughout the world.


Application of Computers in Hospitals

• Handling Medical Data

• Scanning and Imaging

• Examination and Monitoring

Advantages of Computers in Hospitals

• Precise tests and medical examinations

• Faster medical alerts, which are more accurate time-wise

• Enhanced data about patients medical history

• Precision in diagnosis

• Precision in billing

• Automated updating of medical history


Uses of Computers in Airports

• Keep track of the planes' locations, speed, direction, status, etc.

• Monitor security devices like cameras, x-ray machines, and metal detectors

• Keep up with the departure/arrival status

• Communicate over screens audio systems, and paging devices

• It is used for saving, who have booked the tickets

History of Computers & Computer Generations

Using size and features as the bases, computers are classified into various generations. These generations of computers are discussed below:

FIRST GENERATION: 1946-1958 (The Vacuum Tube Era)

• The first generation computers were bulky in size. They were

able to execute

• hundreds of instructions per second and were expensive as

well. They used vacuum tubes as their main components.

Machine language is a first generation language, for example

EDVAC, UNIVAC etc.

Computer Generations

SECOND GENERATION: 1959-1964 (The Era of the Transistor)

• The second-generation computers were smaller in size as

compared to the first generation computers.

• These were capable of executing thousands of instructions per

second, with a transistor as its main component.

• Assembly language is the second generation language in which

programs were written using mnemonic codes, for example, PDP

(Programmed data processor), PDP1 etc.


THIRD GENERATION: 1965-1970 ( Miniaturizing the Computer )

• They were more advanced and used integrated circuits.

• These computers contained thousands of components per circuit.

• They were cheaper than second-generation computers.

• The languages used in this generation were BASIC, COBOL etc.

for example, IBM 307 Series, PDP II etc.


FOURTH GENERATION: over 1971 (The Microprocessor Era)

• They used complex circuits like the large-scale integrated

circuits called microprocessors or chips, which surprisingly cost

less than the third generation computers.

• These computers were able to execute millions of instructions

per second.

• The languages used in this generation are C++, SQL etc. for

example, CRAY 2, IBM 3090/600 Series.


FIFTH GENERATION: Updated (super/ultra large-scale integrated circuits Era)

• These computers work on artificial languages (AI) like LISP,

PROLOG etc.

• They use super/ultra large-scale integrated circuits, which is

also called parallel processing method.

• They execute billions of instructions per second.

• Different kinds of languages emphasize different parts about

the problem.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Computer & Information Technology Computer Skills-1 4800150-2 1435/1436 Department of Computer Science Foundation Year Program.

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