Fundamentals of Computers

Computer: A Computer is an electronic device which performs calculations automatically. It converts data into information.
BLOCK DIAGRAM OF COMPUTER

INPUT

PROCESSING

OUTPUT

C.P.U - Central Processing Unit.

BLOCK DIAGRAM OF C.P.U

R.A.M
Random Access Memory (Volatile)

M.U. A.L.U.

R.O.M
Read Only Memory (Non-Volatile)

INPUT

C.U.

OUTPUT

Memory Unit (M.U.): It is also called Primary memory. It consists of two parts R.A.M and R.O.M R.A.M (Random Access Memory): When the power is switched off the contents of RAM are lost. Hence it is called Temporary Memory. R.O.M (Read Only Memory): We can only read the contents of ROM but we cannot write into it. Hence it is called Permanent Memory. Arithmetic and Logical Unit (A.L.U): Computer performs arithmetic operations like +, -, *, /, % etc., and logical operations like <, >, <=, >=, != or <> (not equal to) etc. Control Unit (C.U): Control unit controls the entire C.P.U., input and output.

FEATURES OF COMPUTERS
Speed Storage Accuracy Diligence Speed: Computer performs many calculations with high speed. Even the 1000th calculations will be done as fast as fast the first one. The speed of C.P.U is Gigahertz. Storage: Computer stores huge amount of the data in a very less Space. Data is stored in the form of 1s and 0s hence it is called Binary Language
o

Bit Binary Digit

o One bit means either 0 or 1 4 Bits 1 Nibble 8 Bits (2 Nibbles) 1 Byte 10 2 or 1024 Bytes 1 Kilo Byte 1024 Kilo Byte (K.B.) 1 Mega Byte 1024 Mega Byte (M.B.) 1 Giga Byte 1024 Giga Byte (G.B.) 1 Terra Byte (T.B.) Accuracy: Computer performs many calculations with speed and with high accuracy. It is highly accurate in calculations. Diligence: Computer does not have the problem of tiredness, lack of concentration etc.

History of Computers
Year 3000 B.C. 1642 1671 1801 1822 1833 1887 1943 Name MESOPOTAMINAS Invention ABACUS

BLAISE PASCAL ADDING MACHINE OR PASCAL LINE GOTTFRIED LEIBNITZ LEIBNITZ CALCULATOR JOSEPH JACQUARD JACQUARDS LOOP OR PUNCHED CARDS CHARLES BABBAGE DIFFERENTIAL ENGINE
(FATHER OF COMPUTERS)

CHARLES BABBAGE
(FATHER OF COMPUTERS)

ANALYTICAL ENGINE ELECTRO-MECHANICAL PUNCHED CARDS, TABULATOR MARK-I

HERMAN HOLLERITH PROF.HOWARD AIKEN

GENERATIONS OF COMPUTER

Generation Period

Component Used
VACCUME TUBES or VALVES TRANSISTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT OR CHIP MICROPROCESSOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGNECE

1 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

st

1949 TO 1955 1956 TO 1965 1966 TO 1975 1976 TO 1990 1992 TO PRESENT AND BEYOND

The First Computer ENIAC Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator The computer with Binary Arithmetic EDVAC Electronic Delay Variable Automatic Computer The computer with Memory Delayed Lines EDSAC Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer The computer of Early 50s UNIVAC Universal Numerical Integrator Variable Automatic Computer

Abacus

Some old Computers

Integrated Circuit or Chip

Modern Computer

Input Devices
Scanner Joystick Light pen O.C.R (Optical Character Reader) O.M.R (Optical Mark Reader) Touch Screen or Touch Pad Barcode Reader

Microphone For Audio input. Webcam For Picture and Motion input. Mouse Keyboard or Keypad

Track Ball

Mouse: Mouse will have two buttons left and right button. Left is used for selection and right is used to open shortcut menu. It also has scroll wheel used to scroll pages up or down in the document. Mouse is of two types Mechanical (Ball Mouse) Optical Keyboard: Keyboard is divided into 4 parts General Keypad or Typewriter Keypad

Function Keypad Numeric Keypad

Special Keys

Normal Keypad: It is just like our normal typewriter along with some special keys. Tab: It is used to give 5 or 8 tab spaces or switch between options in a dialog box. Shift tab will switch in reverse direction. Caps Lock: When the caps lock is on we can type all in capital letters. If we want small letters we have to hold shift. When it is off we can type all in small letters. If we want capital letters we have to hold shift. Ctrl (control), Alt (Alternate), Window key (or Window Logo Key): These are used along with other keys as shortcuts to save time. Mouse Key (or Mouse Pointer Key): It is used as right click of mouse to open shortcut menu. Back Space: Deletes a character to the left of the cursor. Enter: It is used to execute a command or to create a new line. Function Keypad: There are 12 function keys from F1 to F12. The purpose of these function keys depends upon the application we use. These are used as shortcuts to save time. Numeric Keypad: When the Num Lock is on it works like a calculator. When the Num Lock is off it works as special keys. Special Keys: Navigation Keys: There are four navigation keys top, bottom, left and right. These are used to navigate the control to top, bottom, left or right. Home/End: Takes the control to the starting or ending of the line. Page up/Page down: Scrolls one page up or down. Esc (Escape): It is used to cancel a command or close small dialog boxes. Del or Delete: Deletes a character at current cursor position and right side text will be moved towards left side into the space of the deleted character position.

Ins or Insert: It works in two modes

Append Mode: In this mode the text will be added to the current cursor position and existing text is moved right side. Overwrite Mode: In this mode the old text is replaced with new text. This is generally used when the old text and new text are of same length.

OUTPUT DEVICES
Monitor- For Soft Copy Output Printer- For Hard Copy Output Plotter For large prints like flex banners etc. L.C.D. Projector It is connected to C.P.U. Speaker Used for Audio output.

Monitor: Monitor is also called V.D.U. (Visual Display Unit)

Monitor is of three types based upon the technology

C.R.T. Cathode Ray Tube L.C.D. Liquid Crystal Display Or T.F.T. Thin Film Transistor

L.E.D. Light Emitting Diode

Monitor is of three types based upon the display characteristics Monochrome (Black & White) V.G.A. Visual Graphic Adapter/Array

S.V.G.A. Super V.G.A. R - Red G - Green

There are three Basic colors RGB

B Blue

Each color can take a value from 0 to 255. Ex: (0, 0, 0) Black (255, 255, 255) White (255, 0, 0) Red (0, 255, 0) Green (0, 0, 255) Blue

Pixel Picture Element

A Combination of three dots (RGB) is called pixel. Resolution: The number of pixels per inch both horizontally and vertically is called resolution. Resolution will be in the order of Ex: 800 x 600, 1024 x 768 etc.

Printers: It is used to take hard copy of output. It is of two types

Impact Printers: There will be a physical stress on paper while printing Ex: Dot Matrix Non-Impact Printers: There will not have physical stress on paper while printing. Ex: Inkjet: The ink in inkjet printers is called cartridge. There will be thin pipes called Nozzles which spray ink on paper. Ex: LASER: Light Amplification by Simulated Emission of Radiation. A Paper is passed through hot drum which is heated with light falling on it and the parts that is heated will touch the paper and the powder on the drum is pasted to the paper.