Chapter 1

Basic Introduction to Computers

Discovering
Computers 2012
Your Interactive Guide
to the Digital World

Objectives Overview

See Page 3
for Detailed Objectives

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

Objectives Overview

See Page 3
for Detailed Objectives

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

A World of Computers
Computers are everywhere

Pages 4 - 5
Figure 1-1

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

What Is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic device,
operating under the control of
instructions stored in its own memory

Information Processing Cycle

Page 6

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

What Is a Computer?

Page 6
Figure 1-2

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

Computer
7

Computer
a general-purpose electronic
device that accepts data as input,
processes the data according to
internal instructions (which are
executed without human
intervention), and produces
information.

Computer
an electronic device that receives
data and instructions,
manipulates/processes the data
into information, and then
furnishes/outputs the processed
results in a form that is readable,
either by a person or another
machine or device
9

Computers
Characteristics

It
It
It
It
It
It

is a machine
is electronic
is automatic
can manipulate data
has memory
has logic functions

10

Computers
Capabilities

Speed
Repetitiveness
Accuracy
Store and recall information
Logical Operations
Self checking and self operating

11

Computers
Limitations

The computer
is dependent
on the instructions and data
given
by any human being.

12

Computers
Limitations

Cannot generate information on its

own.
Cannot correct wrong instructions
Cannot come out original
decisions
Computer application must be
quantified
13

History of Computer
Ancient ways of counting and
computing
Human body
Objects

14

History of Computer
Abacus
the first man-made computing device
which is made up of small stones or
pebbles or beads or shells or chicken
bones
made in China in the 12th century

15

Abacus

16

History of Computer
Number System (0-9)
a Hindu-Arabic influence
Napiers Bones (John Napier in 1614)
a set of eleven rods, made up of
bones and ivory, with numbers
marked on them and used to multiply,
divide and extract the square root

17

Napiers Bones
18

History of Computer
Oughtreds Slide Rule
by William Oughtred in 1630, consists
of two movable rulers placed side by
side; by sliding the rulers one can
quickly multiply and divide

19

Oughtreds Slide Rule

20

History of Computer
Pascals Adding Machine
a machine developed by Blaise Pascal
in 1642 capable of adding and
subtracting numbers; it adopted the
principle of the abacus but instead of
using the hands to move the counters,
Pascal used wheels

21

Pascals Adding Machine

22

History of Computer
Babbages Analytical Engine
a machine that could have been the
first computer that performs all
mathematical operations, stores
information in its memory and
performs logical operations but it
lacked electronics (electromechanical)

23

History of Computer
Babbages Analytical Engine
invented by Charles Babbage who
was considered the father of the
modern computer
Lady Ada Byron was referred to as
the first programmer since she wrote
a demonstration program for
Babbages Analytical Engine
24

Babbages Analytical
Engine
25

History of Computer
Holleriths Tabulating Machine
a machine where data to be
processed where coded as holes in
cards that represent the digits and
letters which were passed on
electrical contacts that were either
turned on or of

26

History of Computer
Holleriths Tabulating Machine
the first commercially successful data
processing machine invented by
Herman Hollerith
in 1911, the Census Bureau with its
competitor and formed the
International Business Machines (IBM)

27

Holleriths Tabulating
Machine
28

History of Computer
MARK I
Automatic Sequence Controlled
Calculator (ASCC) completed in 1914
by Howard Aiken
the first automatic general purpose
digital computer

29

MARK I
30

History of Computer
ENIAC
Electronic Numerical Integrator and
Calculator developed during the
period 1943-1946
the first large-scale vacuum tube
computer

31

ENIAC
32

History of Computer
EDVAC
Electronic Discrete Variable
Automatic Computer developed in
1946 by John von Neumann
stored programs

33

EDVAC
34

History of Computer
EDSAC
Electronic Delay Storage Automatic
Calculator developed in 1949
the first stored program machine to
go on operation

35

EDSAC
36

History of Computer
Kenbak -1
First Personal Computer in 1971
Uses switches for input and light for
output
256 byte memory

37

Kenbak - 1
38

History of Computer
Alto
First work station with built in mouse
for input in 1974
Network, menus and icon
Can store several files

39

Alto
40

History of Computer
Apple II
First system sold with keyboard in
1977
Television was the monitor

41

Apple II
42

History of Computer
Apple 2
First true Personal Computer in
1977
Color graphics (16 colors)

43

Apple 2
44

Computer Generations
1st Generation Computers (19511959)
vacuum tubes

2nd Generation Computers (19591964)

transistors

45

Vacuum Tubes
46

Transistors
47

Computer Generations
3rd Generation Computers (1965-1970)
solid state technology and integrated
circuitry

4th and 5th Generation Computers

(1970-)
further miniaturization of circuits, increased
multiprogramming and by virtual storage
memory, time sharing, and operating
speed
48

IC, Microchips
49

Introduction to
Information
Technology

Classification of Computers

Classification of
Computers

Classified according to:

Purpose
Types of data handled
Capacity

51

According to Purpose
General-purpose Computers
designed to handle a variety of
diferent problems and to meet
diferent needs
strong in versatility but are normally
weak in speed and efficiency

52

According to Purpose
Special-purpose Computers
designed to handle a specific problem
or to perform a specific task
inflexible and cannot be used for
tasks other than for which it is
designed

53

According to Data
Analog Computers
deal with continuously changing
physical data such as pressure,
temperature, current; can only
provide approximate results

54

According to Data
Digital Computers
computers that specialize in counting

55

According to Capacity
Storage
Capacity

Speed

Microcomput 64,000 7M 64,000

er
characters
16M
characters
Minicompute 1 50 M
4 64M
r
characters
characters

60,000 1
MIPS

Main Memory

Mainframe

1-5 MIPS

32 200M
characters

Above 32M
Characters

5 MIPS
and up

Supercomput 64 M 2B
er
characters

No
Limitations

10 MIPS
and up
56

Advantages and Disadvantages

of Using Computers
Advantages of
Using Computers

Pages 9 - 10

Disadvantages of
Using Computers

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57

The Components of a
Computer
A computer contains many electric, electronic,
and mechanical components known as
hardware

Pages 6 - 8

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The Components of a
Computer

Page 7
Figure 1-3

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

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Advantages and Disadvantages

of Using Computers
Green computing involves reducing the
electricity consumed and environmental
waste generated when using a computer
Strategies include:

Page 10

Recycling
Regulating manufacturing processes
Extending the life of computers
Immediately donating or properly disposing of replaced
computers

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

60

Networks and the Internet

A network is a
collection of
computers and
devices connected
together, often
wirelessly, via
communications
devices and
transmission media

Pages 10 - 11
Figure 1-6

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

61

Networks and the Internet

The Internet is a worldwide collection of
networks that connects millions of businesses,
government agencies, educational
institutions, and individuals

Page 11
Figure 1-7

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62

Networks and the Internet

People use the Internet for a variety of
reasons:

Pages 12 - 13
Figure 1-8

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

63

Networks and the Internet

A social networking Web site
encourages members to share their
interests, ideas, stories, photos, music,
and videos with other registered users

Page 14
Figure 1-9

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

64

Computer Software
Software, also called a program, tells
the computer what tasks to perform and
how to perform them

Pages 15 - 16
Figures 1-10 - 1-11

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65

Computer Software
Installing is the process of setting up
software to work with the computer,
printer, and other hardware

Pages 16 - 17
Figure 1-12

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

66

Computer Software
A programmer
develops software
or writes the
instructions that
direct the
computer to
process data into
information

Page 18
Figure 1-13

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

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Categories of Computers

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68

Personal Computers
A personal computer can perform all
of its input, processing, output, and
storage activities by itself
Two popular architectures are the PC
and the Apple
Desktop computer

Pages 19 - 20
Figures 1-15 - 1-16

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69

Mobile Computers and Mobile

Devices

Pages 20 - 23

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Mobile Computers and Mobile

Devices

Pages 20 - 22
Figures 1-17 1-20

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Mobile Computers and Mobile

Devices

Pages 22 - 23
Figures 1-21 1-23

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Game Consoles
A game console is
a mobile
computing device
designed for
single-player or
multiplayer video
games

Page 24
Figure 1-24

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Servers
A server controls
access to the
hardware, software,
and other resources
on a network
Provides a
centralized storage
area for programs,
data, and
information

Page 25
Figure 1-25

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Mainframes
A mainframe is a
large, expensive,
powerful computer
that can handle
hundreds or
thousands of
connected users
simultaneously

Page 25
Figure 1-26

Discovering Computers 2012: Chapter 1

75

Businesses today rely on the

mainframe to:
Perform large-scale transaction
processing (thousands of transactions per
second)
Support thousands of users and
application programs concurrently
accessing numerous resources
Manage terabytes of information in
databases
Handle large-bandwidth communication
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Supercomputers
A supercomputer is the fastest, most
powerful computer
Fastest supercomputers are capable of
processing more than one quadrillion
instructions in a single second

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Figure 1-27

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77

 The fastest type of computer.

Supercomputers are very expensive and are
employed for specialized applications that
require immense amounts of mathematical
calculations.
For example, weather forecasting requires a
supercomputer.
Other uses of supercomputers include animated
graphics, fluid dynamic calculations, nuclear
energy research, and petroleum exploration.
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Difference of a mainframe
and a supercomputer
A supercomputer channels all its power
into executing a few programs as fast as
possible
A mainframe uses its power to execute
many programs concurrently.

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Embedded Computers
An embedded computer is a specialpurpose computer that functions as a
component in a larger product

Page 26

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Embedded Computers

Page 26
Figure 1-28

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81

Elements of an Information
System

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Elements of an Information
System

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Figure 1-29

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Computer Applications in
Society

Pages 34 - 36
Figures 1-36 1-39

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Computer Applications in
Society

Pages 36 - 38
Figures 1-40 1-43

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85

Summary

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Chapter 1
Basic Introduction to Computers

Discovering
Computers 2012
Your Interactive Guide
to the Digital World

Chapter 1 Complete