Computer Science Department (KWASU)

KWARA STATE UNIVERSITY, MALETE

COLLEGE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

COURSE TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING

COURSE CODE: COS 101
CREDIT UNIT: 3

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Table of content
MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING..........................................................3
Basic Concepts………………………………………………………………………………………………….3-4
Brief history of computing……………………………………………………………………………….4
Classification of computers………………………………………………………………………………5
Classification based on technology innovation……………………………………………….5-6
Classification based on method of data representation…………………………………7
Classification based on purpose………………………………………………………………8-9
MODULE 2: COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER…………………………………………….10
Computer Hardware……………………………………………………………………………11
Difference between RAM and ROM………………………………………………………12-13
Diagram illustrating the major components of computer………………………14
Peripheral devices………………………………………………………………………………………15-16
Computer Software………………………………………........................................17
Operating systems……………………………………………………………………………….18-20
MODULE 3: APPLICATION OF COMPUTERS……………………………………………………21-23

Module1
Introduction to Computing
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Basic Concepts
Brief history of computing
Classification of computers
Classification based on technology innovation
Classification based on method of data representation
Classification based on purpose

Basic Concepts

1.0 Introduction
In the 21st century, computers have become indispensable tools in virtually all aspects of human lives.
The development of handheld computers such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers and
smart phones has helped computers to become ubiquitous. This unit presents background information
about computers by defining basic computer terms, providing a brief history of modern computing, and
describing the parts of a computer system.

1.1 BRIEF HISTORY OF COMPUTING

A digital computer unlike the analogue computer and hybrid computers represents data by a
coded set of discrete electrical pulses. The computer system as presently structured has passed
through several stages of conceptual development including:
I. The invention of ABACUS (otherwise called BEAD FRAME) in china around the 7th
century B.C. The ABACUS was for addition.
II. The design of a logarithmic scale by the Scottish mathematician John Napier(1550-1617)
in the 17th century A.D
III. The inventory of the slide rule 1620 by the English mathematician Edmund Gunter
(1581-1626).
IV. French mathematician Blaise Pascal (1624-1662) who invented a mechanical calculator
in 1642.
V. Sir Samuel Morland (1625-1695), an English mathematician who invented three
calculating machines between 1663 and 1666
VI. German philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Leibnitz (1646-1716) who in 1671
developed a calculator for multiplication and division.
VII. J.M.Jacquard a French weaver, in 1801 developed the punched cards.
VIII. Charles Babbages (1792-1872) the English mathematician who is regarded as the Father
of Computing .He it was who first made an attempt to design a machine different from

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hand calculator. His still-born machines were called “Difference Engine”(Which he

started designing in 1823) and “Analytical Engine”.
IX. American Statistician Hermann Hollerith(1860-1929) who in the 1880s started to develop
equipment and procedure for handling census data after being commissioned for the work
by the United State Bureau of the census.
X. British Mathematician George Boole (1815-1864) who in the late1853 published a paper
entitled “An investigation of the Laws of Thought”. The mathematician theories of logic
and probability are founded on these laws. His algebraic theory is now widely known as
“Boolean Algebra”
XI. The British mathematician Alan Turing who in 1936 proposed a test for determining
whether a machine can think. This lead to the theoretical concept known as “Turing
machine”.
XII. J.W. Mauchly and J.P. Eckert, two American Engineers who in 1939 designed the
ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator).
XIII. Howard Aiken, American mathematician who in 1944 invented a fully automatic
calculator after seven years of work
XIV. M.V. Milkes, an Englishman, who in 1949 built the first stored program computer called
EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer) at Cambridge University.
XV. The Hungarian-born American mathematician john Von Neuman (1903-1957) and the
American mathematician Herman Goldstine and A,W, Burks who in the series of historic
reports written between 1946 and 1949 (inclusive) consolidated the stored program
concept of computer architecture. They were responsible for laying down the design plan
for the present day computers. This design plan is sometimes referred to as the Von
Neumann architecture. Their work which was carried out in the Institute for Advanced
Study Princeton, New jersey, USA is considered as the most important contribution to the
development of modern computers
XVI. The development of EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Computer)

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1.2 Definition of Terms

What is computer science?

Computer science is the study of computers and computational system.
Computer: A computer system is an automatic electronic data processing system in the sense
that it collects, manipulates, distributes, facts and figures by electronic means in order to achieve
a desired output. Computer can also be define as
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.
Functionalities of a computer: Any digital computer carries out these functions in gross terms:
i. Accept data through an input device (e.g. keyboard or mouse)
ii. Process the data to convert it into information
iii. Display the information on an output device (e.g. visual display unit or printer)
iv. Store the information for future use in a storage device (e.g. hard disc or compact disc)

Data: Data refer to raw or unprocessed facts about a person, place or thing. Examples of data
include name, age, height and profession. Data is the plural for datum.

Information: Information is processed data or data that has been converted into useful form e.g.
the result of students in an examination or the net pay of an employee.

INPUT PROCESSING OUTPUT

Based on the component structure of the modern computer, at least four generation of computers
have up till the 1980s emerged.

1.3 CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS

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There are various ways by which computers are classified, the major ones are based on the
following:
1. Technological innovation.
2. Manner/method of data representation.
3. Purpose of the computer.
4. Processing speed.
CLASSIFICATION BASED ON TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
Classification of computers based on technological innovation involves the grouping of
computers in terms of their various generations i.e. stages of computer development. These
various generations of computers were triggered by the work of inquisitive researchers who took
it upon themselves to correct the mistakes or laxities in their previous discoveries at one
particular time or the other. Such generations of computers are as follows:
FIRST GENERATION OF COMPUTERS (mid1940s-1950s)
These are the computers that were in use in the early 1950s.The technological innovation that led
this group of computers was the Stored Program Concept. The logic part of these computers
was made of Vacuum Tubes while Magnetic Drum was used for the memory element. Because
of the vacuum tubes, first generation computers were very large, expensive and consumed a lot
of electricity hence generates a lot of heat. Examples of the first generation computers are
EDVAC, UNIVAC and IBM700 series.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FIRST GENERATION COMPUTERS
As a result of the vacuum tube used in this generation of computers, the machines possess the
following features:
1. They are very large in size.
2. They consume a lot of electricity, hence generates a lot of heat.
3. They are usually very expensive to maintain.
4. The memory element was made up of magnetic drum.
5. The programs were written in Machine Language.

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SECOND GENERATION OF COMPUTERS (late1950s-mid1960s)

This group of computer came about to correct or to reduce the problems of the first generation
computers. The invention of Transistor- a solid-state conductor made this generation of
computer possible. The transistors replaced the vacuum tubes as the logic circuit and because the
transistor is a solid-state device, computers processing speed became faster and the system
became smaller in size compare to the first generation computers was however retained.
Examples of computers in this generation are UNIVAC 1107, IBM 7030 and IBM 7090 series.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SECOND GENERATION COMPUTERS
1. The logic part of computers in the generation was made up of transistors.
2. The memory element i.e. the Magnetic drum was however retained.
3. The size is also reduced compared to the size of the first generation of computers.
4. They consume less electricity hence produce less heat.
5. Assembly language was used for the programming of these computers.

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THIRD GENERATION OF COMPUTERS (mid 1960s-1970)

The technological invention that led to this generation of computers is the Integrated
Circuit(IC). An integrated circuit consists of complex electronic circuits fabricated on a single
chip not more than two millimeters long. This reduced the size of the computers. They were also
faster than the computers of the previous generations. This generation of computers used cheap
Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) for their memory element. It was in this generation of
computers that high-level languages were introduced. Examples of computers in this generation
are PDP-11, CDC 6600, and CDC 7600 among others.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE THIRD GENERATION COMPUTERS.
1. The memory element was made up of Metal Oxide Semiconductors.
2. Small Scale and medium scale integrated circuit formed the logic part
3. Computers in this generation were able to process more than one task at a time (i.e.
Multi- processing ability).
4. High-level language were introduced. .
5. Operating system was also introduced in this generation.
6. These computers were faster than the previous ones.
7. Keyboard is used as input device
8. Monitor and printouts are used for output Users interacted with the third generation
computers through an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different
applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers
for the first time became accessible to a mass audience

FOURTH GENERATION OF COMPUTERS (1971)

The technological innovation that led to this generation of computers is the Very Large
Integrated Circuit of the microprocessor. A microprocessor is a central processing unit
fabricated on a single silicon chip. It worth nothing that the integrated circuit mentioned above is
a small-scale integration compared to the very large scale integration of the microprocessor. In

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fact, the introduction of microprocessors marked the beginning of varieties of application

software such as the word processing and desktop publishing packages. Examples of computers
in this generation are IBM 3033, Burroughs B7700 and mainframes.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FOURTH GENERATION COMPUTERS.

1. Microcomputers were introduced due to the small size of microprocessors.
2. Computer became faster compared to those of the previous generation.
3. High-level languages were also used for programming this generation of computers.
4. Varieties of software application into this generation of computers.

FIFTH GENERATION OF COMPUTERS

Despite the aforementioned generations of computers new innovations are constantly springing
up. This makes strict classification based on technological innovations almost impossible. In
fact, under such new innovation of computer it is expected that normal or present computer
architectures it expected that normal or present computer architecture of Von Neumann model
would be emphasized. Computers would be data driven. It is also hoped that Artificial
Intelligence (AI) will play a major role especially in the area of software development. A good
example of the 5th generation computers are some special purpose computers like Robots find in
departmental stores and other electronic machines designed for the purpose of assisting human
being in business as well as house chores.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FIFTH GENERATION COMPUTERS
1. Very Large Integrated Circuit is used for the logical part.
2. The software of such computers is highly characterized with Artificial Intelligence.
3. Computers in this generation perform virtually all things.
The sixth generation of computers came into being in the late 1990s. The architecture is based
on neural networks.

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1.4 CLASSIFICATION BASED ON METHODS OF DATA PRESENTATION

Computers can also be classified according to the manner of data representation as follows:
1. Digital computers.
2. Analogue computers.
3. Hybrid computers.
Digital Computers: These are computers that records data by counting in discrete variables
which corresponds to ‘’on’’ and ‘’off’’ states of electricity. They can only be used for the
purpose of arithmetic. It is highly used for addition, subtraction, division and comparison
purposes. They are often used at homes, offices, factories, and shops. Digital computers. Are
either general or special purpose computers. Examples are calculator and adding machines.
Analogue Computers: These are computers, which records data by using physical quantities in
proportion to a given amount of number. They are used mainly for measurement for example
thermometer used for measuring temperature.
Hybrid Computers: These are computers, which imbibed the concepts and qualities of both
digital and analogue computers e.g. Microcomputers.

1.5 CLASSIFICATION BASED ON PURPOSE

Computers can also be classified based on the nature of purpose for which they are made. These
mainly consists of two; General purpose computers and Special Purpose computers.
General Purpose Computers: General purpose computers are those computers which can be
programmed and used for a variety of tasks. They are computers that are made for no special
purpose and can be used for multiple tasks.
Special Purpose Computers: Special purpose computers on the other hand are those which are
specially designed for a specific reason and have programs already hardwired to suit the specific
task for which they are made. Hence they are not programmable. Examples of special purpose
computers include those specially made for research and navigation purposes among others.

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1.6 CLASSIFICATION BASED ON PROCESSING POWER

This classification of computers is based on the processing power and the processing power is in
turn based on the computer’s word length. Computers in this group are as follows:
1. Mainframe computers.
2. Minicomputers.
3. Microcomputers.
Mainframe Computers: These are the traditional large-scale computers that have many
peripherals attached to them and so can be used for different purposes simultaneously. Such
computers have large main memory and many backup facilities. Therefore, they are usually very
large and expensive. Mainframes are normally used in research centres and educational
institutions. Examples of mainframe computers include NCR 9300 and the ICL 900 series.
Mini Computers: These are smaller in size, cost less and have less applicability. They have
smaller memory size and word lengths. Examples of mini computers include PDP 11, PDP 8 and
the VAX series.
Microcomputers: Microcomputers are that which has its processor and memory chip mounted
on a single board. Microcomputers are smaller and cheaper than minicomputers. However, like
the traditional mainframe computers, microcomputer, can be connected to other peripheral
devices like scanner, telephone lines e.t.c.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTER
Speed, accuracy, diligence, storage capability and versatility are some of the key characteristics of a
computer. A brief overview of these characteristics are—

 Speed The computer can process data very fast, at the rate of millions of instructions per second. Some
calculations that would have taken hours and days to complete otherwise, can be completed in a few
seconds using the computer. For example, calculation and generation of salary slips of thousands of
employees of an organization, weather forecasting that requires analysis of a large amount of data related
to temperature, pressure and humidity of various places, etc.

 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 or Consistency 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.

 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.

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 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. Computers have several limitations too. Computer can only perform tasks

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MODULE 2
COMPONENT OF THE COMPUTER
Computer Hardware
Difference between RAM and ROM
Diagram illustrating the major components of computer
Peripheral devices
Computer Software
Operating systems

COMPONENTS OF THE COMPUTER

There are two main components of the computer. They are:
1. The hardware components.
2. The software components.

1.0 HARDWARE COMPONENTS: Computer hardware is the collection of physical

elements that constitutes a computer system. Computer hardware refers to the physical parts or
components of a computer such as the monitor, mouse, keyboard, computer data storage, hard
drive disk (HDD), system unit (graphic cards, sound cards, memory, motherboard and chips),
etc. all of which are physical objects that can be touched. Hardware components can be further
classified into various units as follows:

1. Input unit
2. System unit
3. Output unit(Visual display unit or monitor)
THE INPUT UNIT: This refers to the device through which data is sent into the Central
Processing Unit(CPU) for processing. The most common input device is the keyboard and
mouse. 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. However all the input devices are important in data processing.
The first step in data processing is the sending of data(to be processed) into the CPU where the
actual processing takes place, from the CPU, it proceeds to the main memory where it is
temporarily stored to be viewed and accessed by the users through the visual display unit(i.e. the

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monitor). However failure to enter the data correctly yields no useful information or output in
accordance to a common computer parlance “ Garbage In Garbage Out (GIGO)”.
Example of Input Devices:-
1.Keyboard 2.Mouse(pointing device) 3. Microphone
4.Touch screen 5.Touch screen 6. Webcam
7.Touchpads 8. MIDI keyboard 9.Graphics Tablets
10.Cameras 11.Pen Input 12.Video Capture
13.Video Capture 14.Microphone 15.Trackballs
Hardware
16.Barcode reader 17.Digital camera

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Keyboard: The keyboard is the most important input device on a computer. Computer
keyboards have the same layout as standard typewriters. The layout is called QWERTY, because
the first six letters on the top row of letters are Q, W, E, R, T and Y. in addition to typing keys,
computer keyboards have arrow keys for navigation, function keys for computer-specific tasks,
and a calculator-like numeric keypad.

Mouse: A mouse is a device for controlling the movement of a pointer or cursor on the screen.It
consists of a ball which is rolled on a surface. The mouse derives its name from its resemblance
to a real mouse.

Joystick: A joystick resembles a car’s gear stick. Moving the stick in any direction results in a
corresponding movement of an on-screen object such as a pointer. Joysticks are mostly used for
playing computer games.

Digital cameras: They are used to capture still or moving images, which can be transferred to a
computer and manipulated using image or video processing software.

THE SYSTEM UNIT: This is the central part of the computer. It comprises of the micro
processor (i.e. the CPU) and the secondary storage. This is also where peripheral devices such as
the mouse, scanner, and telephone etc. are connected for use when they are needed

Central Processing Unit (CPU) otherwise called the Microprocessor. A CPU is brain of a
computer. It is responsible for all functions and processes. Regarding computing power, the CPU
is the most important element of a computer system.
The CPU is comprised of three main parts :
 Arithmetic Logic Unit (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): controls and co-ordinates computer components.
1. Read the code for the next instruction to be executed.
2. Increment the program counter so it points to the next instruction.
3. Read whatever data the instruction requires from cells in memory.
4. Provide the necessary data to an ALU or register.
5. If the instruction requires an ALU or specialized hardware to complete, instruct
the hardware to perform the requested operation.
 Registers : Stores the data that is to be executed next, "very fast storage area".
Primary Memory:-

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1. RAM: Random Access Memory (RAM) 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.
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.

1.1 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RAM AND ROM

NO RAM ROM
1 It is volatile It is not volatile
2 It is possible to write and read from RAM It is not possible to write to it .it can only
be read.
3 Instructions are alterable by the users Instructions are not alterable by the users
4 It is the word pad of the computer It is not the word pad of the computer
5 It occupies a larger position in the main It occupies a smaller position in the main
memory memory

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Secondary Memory:- Stores data and programs permanently :its retained after the power is
turned off.
1. Hard drive (HD): A hard disk is part of a unit, often called a "disk drive," "hard drive," or
"hard disk drive," that store and provides relatively quick access to large amounts of data on an
electromagnetically charged surface or set of surfaces. Hard disks are used to store your operating
system, your application programs (i.e. your word processor, games etc) and your data. They are much
faster than CD-ROMs and floppy disks and can also hold much more data.

2. Optical Disk: an optical disc drive (ODD) is a disk drive that uses laser light as part of the
process of reading or writing data to or from optical discs. Some drives can only read from discs,
but recent drives are commonly both readers and recorders, also called burners or writers.
Compact discs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs are common types of optical media which can be read
and recorded by such drives. Optical drive is the generic name; drives are usually described as
"CD" "DVD", or "Bluray", followed by "drive", "writer", etc. There are three main types of
optical media: CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disc. CDs can store up to 700 megabytes (MB) of data and
DVDs can store up to 8.4 GB of data. Blu-ray discs, which are the newest type of optical media,
can store up to 50 GB of data. This storage capacity is a clear advantage over the floppy disk
storage media (a magnetic media), which only has a capacity of 1.44 MB.
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.
OUTPUT UNIT: This refers to the channels or mediums through which processed data is
displayed. 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) which converts the electronically generated information into human readable form.

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Examples of output devices:

1.Monitor 5.LCD Projection Panels
2.Computer Output Microfilm(COM) 6.Plotters
3. Projector 7.Printers (all types)
4.Speaker(s)

Monitors: The monitor is the computer’s display screen. It is also known as visual display unit.
The two commonly used technologies for monitors are liquid crystal display and light emitting
diodes, which have replaced cathode ray tube monitors that resembled bulky old-fashioned
televisions.

Printers: A printer is a device that expresses text or illustration on paper and other media. The
two most commonly used types of printers today are inkjet and laser printers. Inkjet printers
work by spraying ink on papers to produce text and characters. On the other hand, laser printers
pass abeam on a cylindrical drum, which collects powdered ink (toner) and transfers the toner to
paper. Laser printers work in the same way as photocopiers.

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Plotters: A plotter is a device that draws pictures by moving one or more pens on paper. Plotters
can be used to produce large printouts. They are typically used by engineers, architects and
interior designers who require more precision than can be offered by printers.

1.2 THE MAJOR COMPONENT OF COMPUTER SYSTEM UNIT.

Input Unit:
Computers need to receive data and instruction in order to solve any problem. Therefore, we
need to input the data and instructions into the computers. The input unit consists of one or more
input devices. Keyboard is the one of the most commonly used input device. Other commonly
used input devices are the Mouse, Scanner, Microphone etc.
All the input devices perform the following functions.
• Accept the data and instructions from the outside world.
• Convert it to a form that the computer can understand.
• Supply the converted data to the computer system for further processing.

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Storage Unit: The storage unit of the computer holds data and instructions that are entered
through the input unit, before they are processed. It preserves the intermediate and final results
before these are sent to the output devices. It also saves the data for the later use.
The various storage devices of a computer system are divided into two categories.
a) Primary Storage: Stores and provides very fast. This memory is generally used to hold the
program being currently executed in the computer, the data being received from the 2 input unit,
the intermediate and final results of the program. The primary memory is temporary in nature.
The data is lost, when the computer is switched off. In order to store the data permanently, the
data has to be transferred to the secondary memory. The cost of the primary storage is more
compared to the secondary storage. Therefore, most computers have limited primary storage
capacity.
b) Secondary Storage: Secondary storage is used like an archive. It stores several programs,
documents, data bases etc. The programs that you run on the computer are first transferred to the
primary memory before it is actually run. Whenever the results are saved, again they get stored
in the secondary memory. The secondary memory is slower and cheaper than the primary
memory. Some of the commonly used secondary memory devices are Hard disk, CD, etc.,
Memory Size: All digital computers use the binary system, i.e. 0’s and 1’s. Each character or a
number is represented by an 8-bit code. The set of 8 bits is called a byte. A character occupies 1-
byte space. A numeric occupies 2-byte space. Byte is the space occupied in the memory. The
size of the primary storage is specified in KB (Kilobytes) or MB (Megabyte). One KB is equal to
1024 bytes and one MB is equal to 1000KB. The size of the primary storage in a typical PC
usually starts at 16MB. PCs having 32 MB, 48MB, 128 MB, 256MB memory are quite common.
Output Unit: The output unit of a computer provides the information and results of a
computation to outside world. Printers, Visual Display Unit (VDU) are the commonly used
output devices. Other commonly used output devices are Speaker, Headphone, Projector etc.
Arithmetic Logical Unit: All calculations are performed in the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) of
the computer. It also does comparison and takes decision. The ALU can perform basic operations
such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, e.t.c and does logic operations viz, >,

1.3 PERIPERAL DEVICES

They are devices attached to the system to help perform one given task or the other. They can be
classified as input devices, output devices or storage devices like tape units.
Peripheral input devices are those that are used to read or pass instructions to the computer
Examples of peripheral input devices includes card reader, mouse, joystick etc.
Peripheral output devices are those that are used to receive the result of processed data from the
Central Processing unit (CPU)e.g. printer ,graph plotter etc .

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Peripheral storage devices are those devices used to store or back up useful information. Such
devices can also be used to save work for future use. E.g. diskettes ,flash drive and memory
cards.
PRINTER
This peripheral output device attached to the central processing unit (CPU)to print out processed
information.
TYPES OF PRINTERS
 Dot Matrix Printers(DMP)
 Daisywheel Printer(DP)
 Laser jet Printer (LP).

Dot Matrix Printers (DMP): These are the most popular and cheapest printer. They form each
by a combination of dots usually in a pattern of 8rows by 11 columns. While 7rows by 9
columns are used for the characters, the remaining 1 row and 2 columns are used for spacing
between characters. They are fast, versatile, economical and multi-purpose printers e.g. EPSON
FX 1050. They can print graphics, spreadsheet charts and different types of fonts or characters
that are not necessarily as sharp as those of electronic typewriters.
Daisywheel Printer (DP): These adopt a thimble shaped printing element called Daisywheel to
generate Letter Quality (LQ)
Laser jet Printer (LP): These are high revolution printers that produce typeset quality texts and
graphics .They are essentially based on the same technology as photocopy machines. They are
high quality printers and give high density to produce per inch. E.g. 300 0r 600 per inch.
However, the most recently designed printers are the inkjet and heat sensitive printers

TAPEUNIT
This is also a peripheral storage device designed to provide cheap and reliable back up for vital
information. This is because hard disk a prone to corruption or damage particularly by power
surges. Hence it provides a very convenient remedy to backup large volumes of information e.g.
diskettes.
KEYBOARD
This is one of the unit devices used to send data into the system. There are two types of
keyboard. They are:

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1. Standard keyboard
2. Enhanced keyboard

1. 4 Introduction to Computer Software

Introduction

Unlike hardware which refers to the physical parts of the computer that can be touched, software
is the set of intangible instructions that tell the computer what to do. This unit discusses the two
major categories of computer software, namely application and system software, as well as the
types of software in each category.

Categories of Computer Software

Software is broadly divided into two categories:

System Software: These are the software that interact with the computer at a very basic level.
They help the computer to carry out its basic operating functions such as managing files,
interacting with input/output devices, and removing viruses from the computer. Examples of
system software are operating systems, utilities and language translators.

Application Software: These are the software that help users to do real work such as creating
documents, editing photos or tracking finances. Application software do not interact with the
computer directly. Rather, they do so through system software such as operating systems and
utilities.

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Comparison Application Software and System Software

System Software Application Software

Computer software, or just software is a general Application software, also known as an
term primarily used for digitally stored data such as application or an "app", is computer
computer programs and other kinds of information software designed to help the user to
read and written by computers. App comes under perform specific tasks.
computer software though it has a wide scope
now.
Example: 1) Microsoft Windows 1) Opera (Web Browser)
2) Linux 2) Microsoft Word (Word Processing)
3) Unix 3) Microsoft Excel (Spreadsheet software)
4) Mac OSX 4) MySQL (Database Software)
5) DOS 5)MicrosoftPowerPoint(Presentation
Software)
6) Adobe Photoshop (Graphics Software)
Interaction: Generally, users do not interact with system Users always interact with application
software as it works in the background. software while doing different activities.
Dependency: System software can run independently of the Application software cannot run without
application software. the presence of the system software.

Figure 1.0, provides an overview of application software and system software, as well as the
types of software in each category.

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Operating Systems

System Software Utilities

Software
Language translators

Wordprocessors

Spreadsheet Software

Application Software Database management systems

Presentation software

Graphics software

Figure 1 Overview of types of software

1.5 Operating Systems

Operating systems are the most important programs that run on a computer, because they control
all activities that take place in a computer. Operating systems perform basic tasks such as
keeping Strack of files, management of memory allocated to programs and data, and controlling
input/output devices such as keyboard and printer.

Examples of operating systems for general-purpose computers are Microsoft Windows, Mac OS,
UNIX and Linux. Handheld devices use operating systems such as Windows Mobile OS, iOS
and Android OS.

Utilities

A utility is a program designed to perform tasks such as optimizing a computer’s performance,

protecting data and facilitating communication. Examples of utility programs are:

i. Antivirus software for protecting the computer from computer virus.

ii. Backup software that help store copies of files, which can be restored in case the files
get lost or damaged.
iii. Compression utilities (or zip software) that shrink files so that they require less storage
space. Compression utilities can also return files to their original form when required.
iv. Email software for managing the flow of data to/from an electronic post office box.

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v. Language Translators Computers understand only machine language, in which

instructions are written as strings of zeros and ones. However, programming in machine
language is tedious and error-prone for humans. As a result, programs are usually written
in high level languages which contain English commands and mathematical symbols that
humans are familiar with.

Language translators are system software that convert high level language programs to machine
language programs which the computer understands. Examples of language translators are:

i. Compilers which translate all instructions in a high level language program to machine
language before executing any instruction.
ii. Interpreters which translate and execute an instruction in a high level language program
before moving to the next instruction.

Word Processors
A word processor is a program for producing documents such as letters, memos, reports and
manuscripts. Word-processing software allow you to create, edit, format and spell-check
documents on the screen before orienting on paper. Examples of word processors are Microsoft
Word and Open Office Writer.

Spreadsheets
A spreadsheet is an arrangement of rows and columns containing values that can be manipulated.
An electronic spreadsheet is a program for working with spreadsheets. Because electronic
spreadsheets allow users to simple or complex formula, they can be used for performing tasks
such as budgeting, tracking finances, calculating loan payments, computing student grades and
estimating project costs. Electronic spreadsheets allow users to display varieties of colorful
graphs. They often support what-if-analysis, for analyzing different scenarios such as “What if I
score B’s in all my courses this semester? But what if I score only C’s?” examples of electronic
spreadsheets are Microsoft Excel and Open Office Calc.

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Database Management Systems

A database is a collection of data stored on one or more computers. A database can contain data
such as details of books in a library, university student records, or bank customer details. A
database management system (DBMS) is a program for storing, modifying, finding and reporting
data contained in a database. DBMS allow users to query the database, that is, to extract
information that meets certain criteria. For example, a query could request the DBMS to list all
students who scored at least a B grade in COS 101, arranged according to their matriculation
numbers. Examples of popular DBMS are Microsoft Access, Oracle and My SQL.

Presentation Software
Presentation software enable users to combine text, graphs, photos, sound clips and animation
into series of electronic slides. For one-on-one presentations, the slides can viewed on the
monitor. However, group presentations are commonly viewed using a computer projector.
Presentation slides can also be posted on the Internet. Electronic slides can be used by instructors
and students to deliver lecturers and oral presentations. They are also useful for presenting ideas
in meetings and conferences. Examples of common presentation software are Microsoft
PowerPoint and Open Office Impress and Google Presentations.

Graphics Software
Graphics software allow users to create, edit and manipulate graphics. These graphics could be
pictures, images, drawings, icons or photographs. There are different types of graphics software:

i. Paint software help you paint images by providing pens, brushes and paints. They
represent images using bitmap graphics formats such as BMP, PNG, TIF and JPEG.
Examples of paint software are Microsoft Paint and Corel Painter.
ii. Drawing software are designed to for combining lines, shapes and colors into diagrams.
They represent diagrams using vector graphics files such as WMF and EPS. Examples of
drawing software are Adobe Illustrator and Corel DESIGNER.
iii. Photo editing software allow you to enhance poor-quality photos by adjusting
brightness and contrast, cropping out unwanted portions, and so on. A popular example
of photo editing software is Adobe Photoshop.

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MODULE 3

APPLICATION OF COMPUTERS

APPLICATION OF COMPUTERS

Computers have proliferated into various areas of our lives. For a user, computer is a tool that
provides the desired information, whenever needed. You may use computer to get information
about the reservation of tickets (railways, airplanes and cinema halls), books in a library, medical
history of a person, a place in a map, or the dictionary meaning of a word. The information may
be presented to you in the form of text, images, video clips, etc. Some of the application areas of
the computer are listed below—

 Education: Computers are extensively used, as a tool and as an aid, for imparting
education. Educators use computers to prepare notes and presentations of their lectures.
Computers are used to develop computer-based training packages, to provide distance
education using the e-learning software, and to conduct online examinations. Researchers use
computers to get easy access to conference and journal details and to get global access to the
research material.

 Entertainment Computers have had a major impact on the entertainment industry. The
user can download and view movies, play games, chat, book tickets for cinema halls, use
multimedia for making movies, incorporate visual and sound effects using computers, etc.
The users can also listen to music, download and share music, create music using computers,
etc.

 Sports A computer can be used to watch a game, view the scores, improve the game, play
games (like chess, etc.) and create games. They are also used for the purposes of training
players.

 Advertising Computer is a powerful advertising media. Advertisement can be displayed on

different websites, electronic-mails can be sent and reviews of a product by different

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customers can be posted. Computers are also used to create an advertisement using the visual
and the sound effects. For the advertisers, computer is a medium via which the
advertisements can be viewed globally. Web advertising has become a significant factor in
the marketing plans of almost all companies. In fact, the business model of Google is mainly
dependent on web advertising for generating revenues

 Medicine Medical researchers and practitioners use computers to access information about
the advances in medical research or to take opinion of doctors globally. The medical history
of patients is stored in the computers. Computers are also an integralpart of various kinds of
sophisticated medical equipment like ultrasound machine, CATscan machine, MRI scan
machine, etc. Computers also provide assistance to the medical surgeons during critical
surgery operations like laparoscopic operations, etc.

 Science and Engineering Scientists and engineers use computers for performing complex
scientific calculations, for designing and making drawings (CAD/CAM applications) and
also for simulating and testing the designs. Computers are used for storing the complex data,
performing complex calculations and for visualizing 3– dimensional objects. Complex
scientific applications like the launch of the rockets, space exploration, etc., are not possible
without the computers.

 Government The government uses computers to manage its own operations and also for e-
governance. The websites of the different government departments provide information to
the users. Computers are used for the filing of income tax return, paying taxes, online
submission of water and electricity bills, for the access of land record details, etc. The police
department uses computers to search for criminals using fingerprint matching, etc.

 Home Computers have now become an integral part of home equipment. At home, people
use computers to play games, to maintain the home accounts, for communicating with friends
and relatives via Internet, for paying bills, for education and learning, etc. Microprocessors
are embedded in house hold utilities like, washing machines, TVs, food processors, home
theatres, security devices, etc. The list of applications of computers is so long that it is not
possible to discuss all of them here. In addition to the applications of the computers discussed
above, computers have also proliferated into areas like banks, investments, stock trading,

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accounting, ticket reservation, military operations, meteorological predictions, social

networking, business organizations, police department, video conferencing, telepresence,
book publishing, web newspapers e.t.c.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. What did first generation of computers use for circuitry?
2. What is the main technology used in third generation computers
3. Which of the following device was not invented by Babbage?
a: Pascaline
b: Difference Engine
c: Analytical Engine
4. Which part of the computer is used for calculating and comparing?
5. The hard drive is
a:Volatile
b:Non –volatile
c:Both
d:None
6. The hardware that is responsible for processing information and processing instructions
given to is
a:The motherboard
b:The CPU
c:The hard drive
d:The compact disk
7. All the following are widely used input devices except the
a:Keyboard and mouse
b:Microphone and scanner
c:Digital camera and PC camera
d:Printer and monitors
8. Which of the following is/are functions that a mouse CANNOT do?
a:Scrolling
b:Drag and drop
c:Clicking
d:Make a copy of a document
9. A joy stick is primary used to/for
10. The software can best be described as
a:The team of people who used the computer
b:Programmed instruction for the computer perform tasks
c:Computer generated printed output
d:The physical parts of a computer that cannot be seen
11. Abacus is otherwise known as
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12. Who invented Mechanical calculator and which year was it

13. Who is referred to as the father of computing
14. The term GIGO is related to ……………………..
15. Microsoft Word is an example of ……………………………. Software

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