Lesson 1.

Fundamentals of hardware and software: Nature of computers

Objectives:

Students should be able to:

1. Define the term computer
2. Explain the uses of computers
3. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of computer use.
4. Describe the various types of computers

Content

Define the term computer

A computer is a programmable electronic device that processes data following a set of input instructions
to produce information; which it can output or store for future use.

Advantages/uses of computers
 Processing speed
 Data processing accuracy
 Storing large amounts of data
 Their ability to work continuously without for very long periods, only stopping for upgrades or
maintenance.
Disadvantages
 Redundancy in the work place
 Misuse of information
 Down time when a computer breaks down or data is corrupted
 Expensive
 Health risks

Types of computers
Personal computers PC, also referred to as a microcomputers are computers that are designed to be
used by one person at a time. A PC usually refers to a general purpose computer which is made up of a
system unit, keyboard, mouse and display screen. It is intended to be operated directly by an end-user
with no intervening computer operator. This is contrasted with the larger, more expensive
minicomputer and mainframe systems to be used by many people, usually at the same time. A PC
operates on a microprocessor in that it places all the functions of the CPU on a single chip.
A personal computer may be a desktop computer or a laptop, tablet, or a handheld PC.
Types of PC’s

1. Desktop
A desktop computer is made up of separate system unit, keyboard, mouse and monitor.

Advantages

 Spare parts and connections tend to be standardized, which results in low costs.
 The large casing usually allows for large dissipation of heat build –up.
 They tend to have a better specification for a given price.
Disadvantages
 They are not portable
 All the components need to be hooked up by wiring which can be quite complex and clutter up
desktop space
 It is necessary to copy files when you want to work elsewhere since they are not portable

2. Laptop
Refers to a type of computer where the monitor, keyboard, pointing device and processor are all
together in one single unit. As a result it is portable, equipped with an LCD screen and weighing
about one to 4 KG. Their key features are: low weight, low power consumption and a processor
that does not generate too much heat. The two principal types of laptops are notebooks and
subnotebooks.

A notebook computer is a portable that weighs 2 -4 kg and is roughly the size of a large thick
notebook around 35x25x4cm. They have fairly large LCD colour screens and fairly large
keyboards usually with a small touch sensitive pad. They use power from an electrical outlet or
rechargeable batteries.

Sub-notebook computer weighs about half a kg. It has a small screen, sometimes in colour and a
small keyboard without the mouse functions. It can perform many of the functions of notebooks
but not with the same degree of complexity. These computers are often confused with the
"ultra-mobile PC" category, which is the name of a platform of small PCs. Unlike UMPCs, they
generally are found to run full desktop operating systems such as Windows or Linux, rather than
specialized software such as Windows CE, Palm OS, or Internet Tablet OS. They are also
sometimes confused with netbooks which are a different category of devices that branched off
from subnotebooks. Netbooks are most often much less expensive than subnotebooks, as they
are optimized for use as portable Internet capable devices and generally lack processing power.
Netbooks typically have CPUs that sacrifice performance for power efficiency, when compared
to subnotebooks.
 Advantages
 Portable
 There are no trailing wires
 They can take full advantage of WIFi
 They can link into multimedia systems

Disadvantages
 They are easy to steal
 They have limited battery life so the user must carry an adaptor
 The keyboard and pointing devices can sometimes be awkward to use
 Heat dissipation is sometimes more difficult because of the structure of the laptop.

3. Netbook
Is a term used to describe a computer that can almost fit into a hand, and is a smaller version of
a laptop; with smaller screens and keyboards. These used to be known as palmtop computers,
but this term now generally applies to much smaller devices which use touch screens and often
a stylus to key in data.
Advantages
 Similar advantages to laptops
Disadvantages
 Netbooks don’t have optical drives
 The keyboards are only about 80% the size of laptop keyboards
 They lack some of the features of laptop computers due to their size constraints and the
fact that they are cheaper to purchase.

4. Tablet PC
A computer that looks like a notebook computer except that data can be entered through the
use of a touch screen. I-pad, black berry playbook, Samsung, etc. A tablet computer, or a tablet,
is a mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a
flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen rather than using a physical
keyboard. It often uses an onscreen virtual keyboard, a passive stylus pen, or a digital pen.
Advantages

 Usage in environments not conducive to a keyboard and mouse such as lying in bed,
standing, or handling with a single hand.
 Lighter weight, lower power models can function similarly to dedicated E-book readers
like the Amazon Kindle.
 Touch environment makes navigation easier than conventional use of keyboard and
mouse or touch pad in certain contexts such as image manipulation, musical, or mouse
oriented games and for people with certain disabilities.
 Digital painting and image editing are more precise and intuitive than painting or
sketching with a mouse.
 Some users find it more direct and pleasant to use a stylus, pen or finger to point and
tap on objects, rather than use a mouse or touchpad, which are not directly connected
to the pointer on screen.
 Tablets typically have longer battery life than laptops or netbooks.
 The virtual keyboard is lit, thus more suitable to dark places.

Disadvantages

 Slower input speed – handwriting or typing on a virtual keyboard can be significantly

slower than typing speed on a conventional keyboard.
 Less user-friendly ergonomics – a tablet computer, does not provide room for a wrist rest,
and the user's arm must move constantly while writing.
 Weaker video capabilities – Most tablet computers have embedded graphics processors
instead of distinct video cards.
 Higher screen risk – Tablet computers are handled more than conventional laptops, yet
many are built on similar frames; in addition, since their screens also serve as input
devices, they run a higher risk of screen damage from impacts and misuse.
 Higher risk of dropping the device
 Slow internet speeds

5. Personal digital assistants, palmtops, handhelds and mobile computers

These computers are handheld computers that come with a touch screen that is activated using
a stylus. Data is entered using an onscreen keyboard. These devices are used as personal organizers – to
store information, schedule appointments, store addresses, view files, input notes, and retrieve phone
numbers and to do list or for the internet when you are on the move and away from your home or
office. They are less powerful than notebooks and subnotebooks, can fit in a shirt pocket and weigh
about 300 grams.
Advantages
 They can be used anywhere because of their size
 They are lightweight and more portable than laptops, netbooks.

Disadvantages
 It is difficult to enter text quickly
 They have very limited capabilities due to the software and the operating system used.

Supercomputer (Monsters)
They are the largest, fastest and most powerful computers. They are used in research centers and
laboratories, in number crunching in scientific calculations and simulations, in areas such as energy,
space exploration medicine and industry, nuclear energy research, weather forecasting. They are
designed for complex scientific applications. They are the most expensive computers in the world.
E.G.NEC earth simulator and California Digital Corporation’s Intel Itanium 2 Tiger4.

Advantages
 Fast
 Very powerful
 High storage capacity
 Used in research centers, laboratories etc

Disadvantages

 Expensive
 Large

Mainframe
A term used for a very powerful, large computer system that is therefore very expensive. They offer
larger processing speeds and storage capacities than PC’s and mini computers. A mainframe can handle
more than a thousand users at a time. They are found in large organization such as banks, insurance
companies, and government agencies. E.G IBM zseries 990 model D32 is one of the most powerful
mainframes. The features of mainframes are;
 They have several CPU’s
 Fast processor speeds
 They can support multiple operating systems
 Huge amounts of storage capacity
 Huge internal memory
 They support multiple users
Advantages
 They can perform complex mathematical calculations
 They support multiple users
 They are fast, store large amounts of data, and are very powerful

Disadvantages
 Must be permanently housed in a large room, so cannot be moved around
 Very expensive to operate and maintain

Other categories of computers

6. Embedded computer
7. Workstation
8. Minicomputer
9. Server

Embedded computer
An embedded computer is a special purpose computer used inside a device, and dedicated to a specific
function. It is stored on a single microprocessor board with the programs stored on a ROM chip. It is
connected to sensors- devices which detect changes in the environment such as light, temperature and
pressure- and output devices that convert an electrical signal into a physical action. They are used in
washing machines, microwaves, cars.

Workstation
A powerful desktop computer with a high resolution screen used for specialized work such as 3D
animated graphics and computer aided design in industries. It functions from a mainframe rather than a
CPU.

Minicomputer
These computers have become outdated and are rarely used today. They were popular in the 1960’s.
Their cost, processing and storage capabilities were somewhere between those of a PC and a
mainframe. They were mainly used in small manufacturing plants and businesses. They were used to
handle the processing needs of multiple users simultaneously. They allowed many users to share access
to central hardware through terminals.

Server
A dedicated computer that serves other computers on a network by managing resources such as files
databases and printers.