Unit 1

Computer : Computer is a high speed electronic device. Which accepts the data given by the user stores
it and processes it according to user needs. Finally displays the result. The word computer came from the word compute

Block diagram
Block diagram denotes the different parts in computer. They can be shown as Central Processing Unit Input device

1. Input device 2. C. P .U 3. Output device 1. Input device : This is the device through which we can send any type of data and instruction into the computer. The commonly used input devices are 1. Key board 2. Mouse 3. Scanner 4. Joy sticks 5. Bar code reader

6. Omr 7. Ocr 8. Micr 9. Micro phone 10. Touch screen e.t.c 1. Key board: this is the most important input device used in the computer. Using this device we can enter any type of data. Usually a normal keyboard may have 99 keys and a multimedia keyboard may have 112 keys. These keys are divided into following groups

a) Function keys (f1 f12) : these keys are numbered from f1 to f12. Usually these keys are present at the top of the keyboard. Here each key will have a function assigned to it. When we press any function key. It automatically performs the function assigned to it. These functions may vary according to the softwares we use. For example if we press f2 in most applications the save command will automatically be execute. b) Alpha numeric keys : these keys consists of alphabets from a-z, digits from 0-9, symbols like <,>, ? , $, &, @ e.t.c and modifier keys such as shift, ctrl, alt keys e.t.c. these modifier keys are used with combination of any keys. For example a small case letter can be converted to upper case letter by pressing the shift key and the alphabet. c) Arrow keys : these keys are used to change the position of the cursor on the screen. Cursor is a small blinking line on the screen which locates the present position of character on the screen. There are four arrow keys in four directions. d) Num pad : it is usually present on the right side of the keyboard and looks like a non scientific calculator with ten digits (0-9) and arithmetic operators ( +, - ,* , / ). e) Special keys : these are the keys for doing special type of works like home, end, insert, delete, page up, page down I Start this key has windows logo. When we press this key opens the start menu on the windows task bar Shortcut this key opens a on screen shortcut menu in windows based application programs. In addition to the above keys latest keyboards add internet and multimedia controls 2 Mouse : Mouse is also known as a pointing device. It is used to control the movement of the pointer on the screen. i.e the user can point where ever he wants, he can also draw lines and pictures. Mouse takes the good advantage of graphical user interface works. mouse is a small hand held box with three buttons on its top and a small ball at its bottom. The pointer on the desktop will moves in the direction of the rotation of the ball. There are two types of mouses. They are : 1. Ordinary mouse 2. Optical mouse

the mouse with a ball at the bottom of it is called ordinary mouse and the mouse with laser light in place of ball is called optical mouse.

3) Scanner : a scanner is also an input device. It works like a Xerox machine. Here in scanner instead of
giving the hardcopy to the user. It stores any document or picture into your computer. 4) Bar Code Reader : bar codes are the data coded in the form of dark bars with spaces between them. These are commonly used to identify the product. Now a day these bar codes are present on all the products. In order to enter the data in the bar code into computer the bar code reader are used. The bar code reader is a input device which send a laser beam on the bar code and receives a reflection from the label. This reflection is converted into data form and send into the computer.

5) Omr : optical mark reader (or) recognition this is input device used to read any marks on specially
designed omr sheets. It will detect the presence or absence of a mark on the paper. Omr is mostly used in competitive exams for valuation of paper. This device sends a light as the symbol given to it on to the answer sheet. if the mark matches the light doesnt reflect other wise it will be reflected back.

6) Micr (magnetic ink character reader ) : this a input device used to read data written on
documents or cheques with magnetic ink containing iron oxide.

7) Ocr ( optical character reader) : this is also an input device used to read the character in bit map
format (i.e image format) to readable format.

8) Joysticks: this is a popular input device used only for playing video games. Joy sticks are two
perpendicular sticks mounted on a surface. By moving the sticks in different directions the user can control the actions of the moving object on the screen.

9) Touch screen : touch screen is device it takes input when a finger or object touches the screen. The
touch screen is a specially designed screen with touch sensitive panel. This device are used in bank ATMs, to railway stations e.t.c..

10) Micro phone: micro phone is a device used to record user voice into the computer . 2) C.P.U: Central Processing Unit :
The job of this unit is to storing the given data and performing calculations on it. Consists of 3 parts. a) C.U (control unit) b) A.L.U Arithmetic and logical unit c) M.U Memory unit. a) Control unit : this unit controls all the performed in a computer. the operations are 1. accepting the data came from the device 2. storing the data 3. sending the data to processing unit 4. finally sending the data to output operations involved input

device

b) A.L.U: this is the unit in which all the required arithmetic and logical operations will be performed. c) Memory Unit : memory is the place where we can store data. any activity in computer must take place through memory only. Memory is divided into many locations each location will have an address. To uniquely identify it. Memory is of two types. a) Primary memory b) secondary memory a) Primary Memory: - This is the minimum essential memory required for running a computer. This memory is supplied by the manufacturer of the computer. This memory is in the form of a chip. There are two types of chips 1. RAM 2) ROM 1. Ram (Random Access Memory ) : is also known as temporary memory (or) Volatile memory. The contents in this memory will be erased When the power is lost or when the program is closed. When any application is opened in a computer first it will be copied into ram and then it will be Displayed. This is also called read and write memory 2. ROM ( Read only memory ) : it is also know as permanent memory (or) non- volatile memory. The contents in this memory will not be erased even The power is lost. The contents in this memory are written permanently by the manufacturer of the computer. This is basically used to store settings of the computer. Here only reading is only possible writing any thing in this memory is not possible.

b) Secondary Memory : - this is the memory which is supplied by the user

for Storing data and programs and software permanently in your computer. this is also called auxiliary memory

Output Device :- This is the device thro which we can see the final result for our program.
The examples for these devices are 1. 2. 3. 4. Monitors. Printers Speakers Plotters

1. Monitors :- This is also known as VDU ( Visual Display Unit ). After processing, The softcopy of the final result will be displayed in monitors. The screen of the monitor is the collection of PIXELS (Picture element). A pixel is a dot. The number of dots on the screen denotes the resolution of the monitor. There are different sizes of monitors like 14, 15, 17, 19, and 21. There are two types of display in monitors a) Monochrome b) Color
Monochrome monitors are the single color monitors i.e. black and white monitors. these monitors are used to display text only and cannot be used for graphic works. Color monitors will display color. The color ranges from 16 to 256 colors. The different types of monitors are

1. CRT Monitor 2. LCD Monitor 3. Gas Plasma

1. CRT Monitor: (Cathode Ray Tube) :These monitors are made with Cathode Ray tube inside it. This monitor look like a T.V. the CRT monitors are less cost compared to other type of monitors. One disadvantage of LCD monitor ( flat panel display) is that their image can be difficult to see in bright light. A bigger disadvantage is their limited viewing angle.

2. L.C.D Monitor: - (Liquid Crystal Display).

These monitors are made with liquid Crystal technology for display. They are thin in size. And are mostly used in Laptop computers. Compared to CRT monitor they consume less power and less space.

3. Gas Plasma: - These Types of monitors are made using Gas Plasma Technology.
These monitors can be hanged on wall.

2. Printers: These are also output devices used for taking the hardcopy of the result.
There are different types of printers. These printers can be classified according to There printing speed and style of printing. The different types of printers are 1. Impact Printers 2. Non Impact Printers. Laser printers are more expensive than ink jet printer but their print quality is higher and is faster. A CPU and memory are built in this printer for printing. The speed of the laser printer depends on the amount of memory it is having.

Projectors: - There are two types of projector 1. Text projectors 2. Digital light projectors
1. Text Projectors: - Slide projectors and OHP (overhead projectors) comes under text projectors. These projectors are used as the sources of presentations.

2. Digital light projectors: - These projectors projects the video output on Wall or large screen. They can display images with more than 16 million colors at resolution up to 1024 X 764. Most projectors use LCD technology to create images hence these are called LCD projectors. They display images only in dark rooms. New model projectors are using DLP (digital light processing) technology to create images. DLP device use a special micro chip to control the image display. This projector can display image in normal light also. 3. Sound: The sound in pc is produced with the help of a sound card. The sound card translates digital sounds into the electric current and sends it to speakers. Speakers are common to multimedia pcs. Now days home theater sound systems are used for better sound quality.

4.

Ink jet printer: - Compared to laser printer the

operating cost of this printer is low. The only thing is the routine replacement of ink cartridge. Many ink jet printers uses color cartridge for color printing and black only cartridge for black and white printing. Color ink jet printers have four ink nozzles. Cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow, and black. Hence these printers are also called CMYK printers.

Plotter: - A plotter is a special kind of output device. Used to print large format images such as
construction or engineering drawing created in CAD system. Old plotters used mechanical devices to draw the image on a piece of paper. Now days mechanical plotters are replaced by thermal, electrostatic, and ink jet plotters. Plotters are of two types. A) Flat bed plotter (table plotter) b) Drum plotter (roller plotter)

a) Flat bet plotter: - Flat bed plotter draws on papers that are fixed over rectangular flatbed table. Table
plotter use two arms to hold colored ink pens or pencils. The two arms work simultaneously to draw lines on the paper. The table plotters are big in size, work slowly.

b) Drum plotter: - In drum plotter the paper is placed over a drum. Here the paper is moved front and
back instead of holding it. The drum printer consists of only one drawing arm. The arm and the drum work together to draw perfect circles, other shapes, lines of different sizes and colors.

Other High Quality Printers

These printers are used by publishers and print shops to create high quality color output. Thermal wax Printers :- These printers are primarily used for presentation graphics and handouts. They produce good quality color output with low cost per page. Thermal wax printers operate with a ribbon coated with panels of colored wax. The wax will melts and add to a plain paper. As the colored dots when passed over a focused heat source.

Dye- sub Printers:This printer is used by desktop publishers and graphic artists to get good quality, color for photo images. In Dye-Sub (dye sublimation) technology, a ribbon containing panels of color is moved across a focused heat source. The heated dye evaporate from the ribbon and print on specially coated paper or another material.

Photo Printers: - This printer is used to take the print of photos taken with digital camera or scanned
using scanner. Many photo printers use ink jet technology, few use dye-sub technology. Photo printer works slowly. they take two to four minutes to create a printout. Many photo printers can print multiple images on a single sheet of paper. This printer is also called as snapshot printer.

IRIS Printers: - IRIS printers are used by print shops to produce high resolution presentation graphics
and color proofs. The IRIS is a high tech form of ink jet printer. In which individual sheets of papers are mounted onto a drum. The nozzles on the ink jet pass form one end of the spinning drum to other spraying tiny drops of colored ink to form the image. This type of printer can produce an image with a resolution of 1800 dpi.

Ergonomic and specialty keyboards: - Many variations are made to the standard keyboard for
users comfort and reduce stress for fingers. Ergonomically designed keyboards enable the users hands to remain positioned correctly on the keyboard by reducing bending and strain. The keys on the ergonomic keyboard may be curved in such a way that the user hands are placed comfortably on the keyboard

Variants of the mouse

Although the mouse is a handy tool some people do not like using mouse or have difficulty in using it. For these reasons various types of mouses are made.

Trackball: - a track ball is a pointing device. It works like a mouse. But the difference is in track ball
there is no need to move the device to control the pointer here the ball is exposed outside and by moving the ball we can move the pointer. It will also have three buttons. Track balls gained popularity with the advent of laptop computers. Trackpad: - The track pad is also a pointing device. Here the movement of finger across a small touch surface is translated into pointer movement on the computer screen. The track pad is mostly used in laptop computers. The track pad also has two or three buttons that perform the same function as mouse buttons.

Processor: - The procedure that transforms raw data into useful information is called processing. To
perform this transformation the computer uses two components the processor and memory. The processor is like the brain of the computer it organize and carries out instructions that come from either the user or the software. A processor is a microprocessor. A micro processor is a single chip or

Parts of a Computer:A complete computer system consists of four parts. Hardware, software, user and data

Hardware: - Computer hardware is nothing but collection of all the physical components used in making
a computer. Computer hardware consists of interconnected electronic devices which are used to control the computer operations, input, and output.

Software: - Software is a set of programs written for doing a particular task. The main objective of the
software is to utilize the capabilities of the computer system. There are two types of software. 1 .System software 2. Application software

1. System Software: - System software is the set of programs written to control the operations of a
computer system. The system software helps users in using the computer system effectively. System software are used in a) Running of other software b) Communicating with peripheral devices (input, output devices) c) Monitoring the use of various hardware resources. System software is classified into the following categories a) Operating system b) Language translators c) System utilities

2. Application Software: - Application software is the set of programs written to do

job of the user. Application software is broken into two classes: general-purpose software and application-specific software. General-purpose software is purchased from a software developer and can be used for more than one application. Examples of general-purpose software include word processors, database management systems, and computer-aided design systems. They are labeled general purpose because they can solve a variety of user computing problems. Application-specic software can be used only for its specific purpose. A general ledger system used by accountants and a material requirement planning system used by a manufacturing organization are examples of application-specic software. They can be used only for the task for which they were designed; they cannot be used for other generalized tasks

3. Computer user: - The people who use the computer are called computer users or computer operators. Users, sometimes called end users. End users are the people who need output
from computer systems. Users, or end users, are the people in the computing environment who need .the output that computer systems produce

4. Computer data: - Data consists of individual facts or bits of information. The computers reads and
stores all types of data ( words, numbers, images, or sounds) in the form of numbers.

Computer :- A computer is an electronic device that process data, converting it into information that is
useful to a people. There are two types of computers they are 1. Analog computers 2. Digital computers Digital computers : - Digital computers are so called because they work by numbers. This computer uses numbers to represent each of information. It follows a sequence of steps for processing each unit of information. Analog computers: - Analog computers use data as variable points along a continuous spectrum of values. Early analog computers were mechanical devices weighing several tons and using motors and gears to perform calculations.

Then main difference between the analog and digital computers is the way of representing the data.

Categorization of Computers
Computers can be categorized in several ways. Some computers are designed for using of a single person while other is used by a group of people. Computers are categorized according to there speed, price, type of hardware, type of software they are using.. soon. The computers are categorized like

Computers for Individual Users:These systems are examples of personal computers (PCs). PCs is term used for any computer that is designed for use by a single person. Personal computers are also called micro computers. A technological development in the early 1970s made it possible to produce an entire CPU on a single silicon chip. These computers-on-a-chip, or microprocessors, can be produced at a very low cost. Microprocessors also made it possible to build inexpensive computer systems small enough to fit on a desk or your lap. The small computers are called microcomputers or personal computers (PCs). Although most microcomputers designed for home or business use are desktop computers, smaller PCs are available. Portable PCs include notebook, tablet, handheld, and pocket computers. The term personal computer is commonly used for desk top computers. Even thou these computers are used by individual users they can also connected to create networks. There are six types of computers. They are 1. Desktop computers 2. Workstation computers 3. Notebook computers 4. Tablet computers 5. Handheld computers 6. Smart computers

Desktop Computers:The most common type of personal computer is desktop computer. These are the systems mostly found in schools, homes, offices e.t.c. todays desktop computers are far more powerful then those of few years ago. They are not only used for doing user jobs but are also used to communicate, produce music, edit photographs and videos e.t.c. a desk top computer is a full sized computer too big to carry. There are two common types of designs of desk top computers. They are 1. Horizontal Oriented System 2. Vertical Oriented Tower Model Workstation: A workstation is a specialized single user computer that has more power and features than a desk top computer. These computers are popular among scientists, engineers and animators. Workstation computers are having large high resolution monitors and high graphics supporting capabilities Notebook computers: Notebook computers are the laptop computers at a size of 8.5 by 11 inch notebook and weighing around 2kg weight. They can be easily fit in a briefcase. Notebook computers can operate on alternating current (or) special batteries. Notebook computers are having thin LCD

monitor, a built in keyboard, track pad. The notebook computers are having additional ports which enable the computer to connect to different devices or to any network. Tablet PCs: The tablet pc is the newest model in portable, full featured computers. Tablet computer offers all the functionality of a notebook Pc. These computers are lighter and can accept input from a special pen called a stylus or a digital pen. Many tablet PCs also have built in microphone and special software which accepts the input from the user voice. Tablet Pcs can connect to any network. Handheld PCs: Handheld personal computers are small enough to fit in our hand. A popular type of handheld computer is the PDA ( personal digital assistant). It is normally used for special applications such as taking notes, displaying telephone numbers and addresses e.t.c. this PDA can be connected to large computer to exchange data. some PDAs have a pen for the user to write on the screen, tiny built in keyboard, micro phone for accepting user voice as input. Many PDAs lets the user to connect to internet through a wireless connection. Smart phones: Some cellular phones works as a small PCs. This phones offer advanced features not found in cellular phones

Computers for organization:Some computers perform the needs of many users at a time. These powerful computers are often used by organizations. 1. Network Servers: - Most organizations networks are based on personal computers. Individual users have their own desktop computers and are connected to one or more centralized computers called network servers. A network server is usually a powerful personal computer with special software and equipment to function as a primary computer in the network. Depending on how the network is setup users may be able to access the server in many ways. For example large organizations may have hundreds of Individual servers working together in a network. 2. Mainframe Computers: - Mainframe computers are used in large organizations such as insurance companies and banks where many people frequently use the same data. Their each user has access to the mainframes resources through a device called a terminal. There are two kinds of terminals. They are 1. Dump terminal 2.Intelligent terminal A dump terminal does not process or store data it is simply an input/ output device. An intelligent terminal can perform some processing operations. But it usually does not have any storage. the largest mainframe can handle the processing needs of thousands of users at any given time. 3. Mini Computers: - in the 1960s minicomputers came. because of their small size compared to other computers these are called mini computers. The capabilities of the mini computers lie between mainframe and personal computers. Hence these are also called midrange computers. Like mainframes, minicomputers can handle more inputs and outputs than a personal computer. The most powerful mini computer can handle the input and output needs of hundreds of users at a time.

4. Super Computer: - Super computers are the most powerful computers any time. These systems can process huge amounts of data. The fastest super computer can perform more than one trillion calculations per second. Some Super computers have thousands of processors. Super computers are ideal for handling large and highly complex problems that require extreme calculating power. Super computers are used in the fields of forecasting of weather, designing of super sonic aircrafts, e.t.c. Some organizations, such as large scientific research laboratories, have extraordinary demands for processing power . To meet application needs such as very fast speeds and extreme degrees of accuracy, a few vendors offer very powerful computers, called super computers. Many supercomputers today are created by linking together multiple PCs or microprocessor chips.

The Information Processing Cycle: A computer can perform a mathematical operation on two numbers or the computer can perform logical operation on two numbers and then display the result. These operations are the part of a process called the information processing cycle. The information processing cycle has four parts. They are 1. Input: - During this process the computer accepts data from some source for processing 2. Processing: - During this part of the cycle the computer performs some actions on the data based on the instructions from the user or the program. 3. Output: - Thru this device computer can display the final result. The result may appear as text, numbers or graphic on the computer screen or as a sound in its speakers. 4. Storing: - In this step the computer permanently stores the results of its processing on any storage medium. Storage is optional and may not always be required by the user or program. .Programmers are the people who write the programs that produce the output for the users Programs are the instructions that tell the computer how to process data to produce the results you want. .Programs are written in a programming language, such as Visual Basic, C++, Java, or FORTRAN