INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

& OPERATING SYSTEMS.

IT 111
(4 Credit Units)

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 Major Contents
• The Computer System
• Brief History of Computer Technology
• The Computer Hardware
• The Computer Operating System
• Basics of Computer Networks
• Computer Security and Safety Procedures
• Elements of Computer Programming
• Algorithms and Flowcharting
• Program Development Lifecycle
• Computer Programming Languages
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 Activities Necessary For the Module
• Attendance to every lecture
• Participation at Class Discussions
• 2 No Course Work (10 marks)
• 2 No Tests (24/02/2020 and 24/03/2020)
• Written Examinations (MCQ)

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 CLASS ARRANGEMENT
• There shall be 5 Groups based on Student Reg. No
• Group A: Students with Reg. No 2019/DIT/001 to 2019/DIT/020; 101 –
120; 201 – 220; etc
• Group B: Students with Reg. No 2019/DIT/021 to 2019/DIT/040; 121 –
140; 221 – 240; etc
• Group C: Students with Reg. No 2019/DIT/041 to 2019/DIT/060; 141 –
160; 241 – 260; etc
• Group D: Students with Reg. No 2019/DIT/061 to 2019/DIT/080; 161 –
180; 261 – 280; etc
• Group E: Students with Reg. No 2019/DIT/081 to 2019/DIT/100; 181 –
200; 281 – 300; etc
• NOTE: Your Course Work would strictly be assessed based on this
grouping.
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 Texts/Material
• There is NO Compulsory Text
• You can Consult the Virtual Library for any
material
• However, the Course Leader is using the Book:
Introduction to Computers and Programming.
By Emefoh Kene A.C. ISBN 978-978-936-155-7

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 Week One
• THE COMPUTER SYSTEM
• Various definition of the computer.
• It is an electronic device that can receive input, process & manipulate data,

produce output, and make some storage.

• What do you think is a computer?
• 2 major components:
• i. The Software
• ii. The Hardware
• There are 3 major principal characteristic of the computer
• i. It responds to a specific set of instructions in a well defined manner.
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 THE COMPUTER SYSTEM (contd)

• ii. It can execute a pre-recorded list of instructions (the stored program concept), and
• iii. It can quickly store, process and retrieve large amounts of data.

• The Software: The invisible part of the computer. You can not see them but your
computer cannot do anything without the Software. In some cases, it is just like a list of

instructions given to the computer to execute. Compared to the human system, the

software is like the soul; without which the human body is dead.
• 2 major components: the Systems Software and the Applications software.
• While the systems software refer to those group of software that seem to have direct

effect on the hardware, the Applications software are those software that a user uses to

accomplish a chosen task.

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 THE HARDWARE COMPONENT
• The Hardware: This is the physical component
of the computer. You can see and handle it.
This is the actual machinery – wires,
transistors and circuits – of the computer
system.
• Discussion:
• Why would you consider the
software/hardware to be more important than
the hardware/software?
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 Major components of the hardware
• 5 major components viz:
• i. Central Processing Unit (CPU): has 2 parts –
the Control Unit and the Arithmetic and Logic unit
• ii. Primary Memory: 2 common forms – the Read
Only Memory and the Random Access Memory.
• iii. Auxiliary Storage: like disk drives, hard disks
etc
• iv. Input Devices: e.g. keyboard and mouse
• v. Output Devices: e.g. printer, video display unit
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 Classifications of computers
• Computers classified based on many
considerations such as uses, mode of
operations, physical size, etc. 2 of which are:
i. Functionality: Digital, Analog and Hybrid
computers
ii. Sizes and power: Personal computers,
Workstation, MiniComputer, Mainframe ,
SuperComputer

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 Questions/Discussions
• i. What are the principal characteristics of the
computer?
• ii. List and discuss the 5 main components of
the hardware giving examples where
appropriate.
• iii. What is the difference between RAM and
ROM and explain why a computer would need
a secondary storage memory.

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 WEEK 2
The Computer Operating System
• Introduction
• Programming is an art used to control the
operations of the computer. Why?
• Computer is an ‘idiot’; it has no intelligence of
its own. How come?
• Computer is a very ‘intelligent’ machine. The
same machine?
• The operating system is a must for your
computer to work effectively.
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 TYPES AND FUNCTIONS OF O/S
• The O/S is a software designed for your
computer system to ensure your system is
working together smoothly and efficiently.
• The O/S is like a factory manager to the
computer; it is the computer master control
program.
• An o/s processes system data and user input,
and responds by managing tasks and internal
system resources.
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 Types and Functions
• Real time operating system: very fast,
relatively small and usually embedded in the
device.
• Single-user/Single tasking o/s: This can only
support one user at a time and only perform a
function at a time.
• Single-user/multi-tasking o/s: Allows a single
user to perform more than one task at a time.

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 Types and Functions (cont’d)
• Multi-user/multi-tasking o/s: Can allow more
than one user at a time and can allow more
than one task at a time also.

• All desktop computers have operating

systems. The most common examples are:
Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS x

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 Primary Functions of the O/S
• Displays the on-screen elements with which the
user interact i.e. user interface
• Loads programs such as MS-Word, into the
computers main memory.
• Coordinates how programs work with the
computer hardware and other software.
• Provides ways to manage and organize the way
information is stored on and retrieved from
disks.
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 Differences between Systems programs,
Application programs and O/S
• Systems software/system programs: group of
software/programs that enables the computer
hardware to run effectively. They more or less
tend to have direct effect on the hardware;
examples – the o/s, the device drivers etc.
• Application software/application programs:
group of programs used in solving (or carrying
out) a given task on the computer. Example
include MS word, Excel etc.
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 Differences between Systems programs,
Application programs and O/S (cont’d)
• The o/s is the group of software that acts as
an interface between the system user and the
hardware. It provides the platform under
which the application software run.

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The Programming Language and Translators

• The Programming Language and Translators : these

are software that are used to convert (or translate)
a source program (written in a chosen
programming language) to its equivalent object
code.
• A Translator is a program that converts a source
code to equivalent object code. E.g. include
compiler, the interpreter and the assembler.
• NB: There are Low Level Languages (LLL) and High
Level Languages (HLL)
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• Machine language: the language of the computers
consists of 1s and 0s combined in groups of eight
to form characters. This is because computers
operate on switches that can be either ON (1) or
OFF (0). Each 1 or 0 is a bit, and eight bits form a
byte. Machine language is the native tongue of the
computer i.e. the language closest to the
hardware.
• The computer programs are either translated or
compiled.
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• Low level languages are closer to machine language
and a far more cryptic than the high level languages.
• Assembler is the commonest LLL on most computers.
• Assembly Language: represents an effort to make
programming easier for the human. The machine
language instructions are replaced with simple
mnemonics (abbreviations e.g. ADD, MOV). They are
machine dependent.
• What is the difference between Assembler and
Compiler?
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 Computer networks
• Unless and until computers are interconnected, its full
potential cannot be fully appreciated. We can do lots of things
with a computer but, connect it up to other computers and
peripherals (such as modems, printers and scanners) and we
can do a lot more.
• A computer network is a collection of computers and other
hardware components interconnected by communication
channels that allow sharing of computer resources.
• Computer networks may be classified according to a wide
variety of characteristics, such as the medium used to
transport the data, communications protocol used, scale
topology, and organizational scope.
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• Computers are all about logic.
• Not all computers networks are the same.
• All the nodes are connected in an orderly pattern known
as network topology.
• Just because a machine is on a network, it doesn’t
automatically follow that every other machine and device
has access to it (or can be accessed by it). The internet is
an obvious example.
• Permissions and security are central to the idea of
networking: you can only access files and share resources
only if someone gives you permission to do so.
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 Components of a Network
• You need nodes and connections /links between them to
make a network. Connections can be wired or wireless.
• These include the computers, connections, peripherals,
network interface card.
• The bigger the network the more extra parts are needed to
add to make it function efficiently.
• Because signals can travel to certain distances, sometimes in
big networks you need to add devices called REPEATERS .
Other devices such as bridges, switches and routers are also
needful.
• Communication protocols are define the set of rules and data
format for exchanging information in a computer network.
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 Common properties of a network
• Common features include but not limited to the
following:
• Facilitates communication
• Permit sharing of files, data, and other typed of
information.
• Share network and computing resources
• May be insecure
• May interfere with other technologies
• May be difficult to set up
• Communication media.
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 Network Topology
• These are :
– Star topology
– Ring topology
– Bus topology
– Tree topology
– Mesh topology
– Hybrid topology
• NB: Each has its characteristic, advantage and
disadvantage.
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Elements of Programming concepts
• Computer programming is an art/process.
• A computer program is a finite logical set of step-by-step
instructions that direct the computer to do the tasks you
want it to do and possibly produce the results you want.
• The programming process
Defining the problem
Planning the solution
Coding the program
Testing the programs
Documenting the program
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 Characteristics of good program
• Accuracy
• Efficiency
• Maintainability
• Robbustness

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 Algorithms and Flowcharts
• Characteristics of algorithms
– Well ordered
– Have unambiguous operations
– Have effective computable operations
– Produce a result
– Halt in a finite amount of time

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 Features of Algorithm
• Based on the SCRAP presentation
– It is Simple
– It is Complete
– It is coRrect
– It has appropriate level of Abstraction
– It is Precise

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 Flowcharts and Flowcharting
• Guidelines for flowcharting
– Ensure all necessary requirements should be listed
logically
– Flowchart should be clear, neat and easy to follow
– Usual direction of flow is from left to right or top
to bottom
– Only one line should come out from a process
symbol.

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 Advantages / Disadvantages of flowchart

• Ease of communication
• Effective analysis
• Proper documentation
• Effective coding
• Proper debugging
• Efficient program maintenance

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 Limitations

• Complex logic
• Abstractions and modifications
• Reproduction
• The essentials of what is done can easily be
lost in the technical details of how it is done.

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