INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

1. A computer is an electronic device which is under the control of

store program that is capable of accepting data as an input process
it an output to the user.

2. Computer is an electronic device that accept, store, change data

and give out its result.

Result is an output of a particular data given out by the computer after

processing.

We have two types of result

a. Soft copy
b. Hard copy

- Soft copy: this is output still in the memory of the computer that
has not been printed out
- Hard copy: this is the print out copy of the output of a particular
document

What is Data?
They are raw facts and figures that require processing in order to produce
information.
Examples of data include names of people, place and objects.

NB- processing is the work we do on data to give information.

FUNCTION OF A DATA

A. Processing functions of data include:

• Calculating
• Editing
• Sorting
 • Retrieving
• Saving
• Transcribing
• Summarizing
B. processing stages of data include:

Originating
Preparation
Input
Process
Output
Storage
Distribution or communication

INFORMATION
This is the processed data e.g management reports, Balance, Sheet record
etc.

QUALITIES OF GOOD INFORMATION

 It must be relevant
 It must be accurate
 It must be current
 It must be timely
 It must be easy to read and understand
 It must be cost effective

HISTORY OF COMPUTER

The old navigators and astronomers used calculator to solve mathematics

This served as a computer after the introduction of a counting frame known
as “Abacus”

1. ABACUS
 The first computer was made several years ago by a man called
Abacus. It was used for simple addition and subtraction, it is known as
the Abacus counting machine.

2. BLAISE PASCAL
A Frenchman called Blaise Pascal made the first adding machine in
1642 it was a very big machine. Blaise Pascal’s Father used this
machine in recording taxes and spent by the government.

3. SIR SAMUEL MORLAND

Sir Samuel Morland an Englishman invented three calculating
machines between 1663 and 1666. The first one was used for addition
and subtraction of money. The other two were used for difficult
arithmetic.

4. CHARLES BABBAGE
Charles Babbage another Englishman made the machine that
calculates and stores information. His computer was better than an
ordinary calculator it was a very big machine. Charles Babbage’s is
therefore known as the father of computer.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTER

Computer are classified into four groups

o By type
o By purpose
o By generation

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTER BY TYPE

There are three types, Analogue, Digital and Hybrid Computer.

1. ANALOGUE COMPUTER
An Analogue computer is a computer that is used in measuring things
that change from time to time e.g. Thermometer, Speedometers etc.
 2. DIGITAL COMPUTER
A digital computer is a computer that is used for counting, e.g. Calculator
computer used in officers and school etc.

3. HYBRID COMPUTER
The hybrid computer is used for counting and measurement e.g. Liquid
disperser machine, rocket etc.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTER BY SIZE

There are four different size of computer they are:

o Micro computers
o Mini computers
o Main frame computers
o Super computers

MICRO COMPUTERS
Micro computers are most widely used computers.

FEATURES OF MICRO COMPUTER

• Smallest in size
• Portable
• User friendly(can complain if there is any errors )
• Adaptable to any weather condition
• User small scale integration (SSI)

CATEGORIES OF MICRO COMPUTER

• Laptop
• Extended technology
• Advanced technology
• Desktop
• Note book
• Palm held computer
MINI COMPUTER

A Mini computer is larger than micro computer.

FEATURES OF MINI COMPUTER

 Smaller in size than mainframe

 Cheaper than mainframe
 Easier than mainframe
 Produces less heat
 Can access up to 500 terminals in network
 Requires less cooling than mainframe
 Uses medium scale integration (MSI)

MAINFRAME COMPUTER
Mainframe computer are much bigger faster and more powerful than mini. A
mainframe computer is made up of separate unit the. separate unit are
combined together to form a network.
FEATURES OF MAINFRAME COMPUTER
o Bigger in size than mini
o Posses’ large memory
o Produces a lot of heat
o Difficult to operate
o Uses different types of peripherals (printer)
o Can access many terminals/workstation on a network
o Uses large scale integration (LSI)
o Very expensive

SUPER COMPUTERS
Super computers are the most powerful and expensive computers, they
process billions of instructions in one second.
They are also the largest types of computers; super computers are used in big
organization like military, airports and other scientific organization.

FEATURES OF SUPER COMPUTER

They are very expensive
They are largest in size
They are faster than mainframe computer
They are used in big organization like Airport.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTER BY PURPOSE

i. General purpose computers: these are used to solve a wide range of
problems as Science, Education, and Business etc.

ii. Special Purpose: these are designed to solve special problems. Eg

• Launching space programme

• Sending ballistics missiles
• Monitoring war situation
• Controlling robots etc.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTER BY GENERATION

Each new computer was better than the one before it. Each new type of
computer was therefore known as a generation of computer. Generation of
computers is the stages the computer has passed through before coming
what we now have as computer.
There are five stages of development or generation of the computer. Each
stages of development is a generation of the computer.
When computer were first made. They were large and costly. They gave out
heat when used. They were also slow in making calculation and could only
store very few items of information.
They also needed much electricity before they could be used. This era is
between 1945-1955

SECOND GENERATION OF COMPUTER

Soon, the large costly and slow computers were no longer used by many
people new computer which were cheaper and smaller than the first ones.
Had been made there were the second generation computers. This era was
1955-1964.
These new computers store many items of information than the earlier
computers. They also used less electricity.
These second generation computers worked faster than the first generation
computers.

THIRD GENERATION OF COMPUTER

These are computers that were produced using technology of 1979. in the
third generation computers the electronic pathways were joined together as
one. Inside the computer. This was called integrated circuit electricity
therefore moved very fast through the computer.
The third generation computers were cheaper, smaller and faster than the
second generation computers. They also used less electricity and gave out
less heat when used. Many people so began to use the third generation
computers.

FOURTH GENERATION OF COMPUTER

These types of computer we use today are the fourth generation of

computers. The electric pathways are even more completely joined together
inside the computer. They are therefore said to have large-scale integrated
circuit the large-scale integrated circuits have made the fourth generation
computers better than all the earlier ones. They are smaller, cheaper and
store more items of information than the third generation computers.
The fourth generation computers also use less electricity and are faster than
the third generation computers. This era was between 1980-1989 the fourth
generation computers have made computers to be well known all over the
world.

FIFTH GENERATION OF COMPUTER

The makers of computer are still working to make even better computer.
These are the fifth generation of computer. The fifth generation of
computers started in 1990 to date.

COMPONENT OF COMPUTERS
 i. Monitor or visual display unit (VDU)
ii. Central processing unit (CPU)
iii. Keyboard
iv. Mouse
v. Printer
vi. Speaker etc.

THE COMPUTER SYSTEM

This consist the Hardware and Human ware (computer personnel, the
computer operator)

HARDWARE
The hardware refers to the physical part of a computer and the associate’s
device.

COMPONENT OF HARDWARE
The hardware are classified into:
i. Input device
ii. Central processing unit
iii. Output devices
iv. Storage device

INPUT DEVICE
These are hardware device that enable user to enter data and program into
the following:-

1. Keyboard:- this is the standard input devices which may be

standard or enhanced keyboard
2. Mouse: - this is a hand held pointing device is in clicking option or
making selection.
3. Joystick: - also hand held pointing device used widely for
computer games.
4. Scanner: - used to scan images or import page of text into the
computer memory for image or text editing.
5. Light Pen:- this is used to write into the computer through the
screen of the monitor.
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNITS

This can be called system unit. It is often refers to as the brain of the
computer. It controls all the activities of the computer. It consist of three
main units.

i. Memory Unit
ii. Arithmetic and logic Unit (ALU)
iii. Control Unit

OUTPUT DEVICE

These are hardware device use to product information from the computer.
e.g.
1. Visual Display Unit (VDU) another name of VDU is monitor or
screen this is used to display information. The information produce is
called softcopy
2. Printer:- this is the common output devices in used today. The
information produced is hardcopy.
3. Speaker:- this produced sound information.

STORAGE DEVICES
Storage devices are part of the computer system in which we store
information. The two types of storage device are:-
1. Main memory storage device
2. Backing storage devices
Examples of Main memory storage devices are:-
• Read only memory this store data and System software only
• Random Access memory (RAM) this stores data. Programming
language and application soft ware

SOFT WARE
Software is computer programmes or instruction the computer user gives to
the computer to perform a particular task.

TYPE OF SOFT WARE

These are three type of soft ware
 1. System software
2. Programming Language
3. Application software

SYSTEM SOFTWARE
The system software controls the computer system. It also form the
background for which the application programmes function. It can be
divided into two:-
• Operating system
• Utilities

OPERATING SYSTEM
An operating system is a set of programs that enable the computer to manage
its own resource. Examples are.
 Micro soft Disk operating system {Ms-Dos}
 Personal computer Disk operating system {PC-DOS}
 Control programmes for micro-computer {CP/M}
 Digital research Disk operating system {DR-DOS}
 Novell lit is used in network environment where you have many
computer connected together to share resources.
 UNIX {it is used in a multi-user environment where one big.
Computer could be used by many people.

UTILITIES
Utilities are used for general work keeping like back up, sorting copying and
printing data.
Examples are:-
Dos shell, pc tools, worton utilities and Dr. solomon’s Antivirus

PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE.

These are computer language used for writing software and other programes.
Examples are:-

FOTRN (formula translation)

BASIC (Beginners All-purpose symbolic instruction code)
COROL (common business oriented language) etc.

APPLICATION SOFTWARE

Application software are program that help the computer and uses to solve a
problem or to perform a specific task or operation.
Examples are:-
• Word processor:- used by typist, Authors etc. for writing letters,
books, etc. eg. Microsoft word, word perfect note pad and word star
• Electronic spreadsheet:- this is used mostly accounting for calculation
graphing etc. examples are Lotus 1,2,3, Microsoft excel
• Data Base Management:- these are programs used for the collation
and organization of data examples are Microsoft Access, Data Base
etc.

DESKTOP PUBLISHING
This is software enables you to combined text and graphics to produce type
set document such as News Letter, Brochure, Pamphets, Books and manuals
examples are: Corel Draw, Page maker, Microsoft Publishers.

WINDOWS AN OPERATING SYSTEM

In most personal computer. The operating system is the windows. In this

section, we shall learn how to use computer with window as operating
system.

STARTING THE COMPUTER

Starting the computer system is also known as booting the computer system.
There are types of booting.

i. Cold Booting: - when the computer is switched on from the sockets

and CPU is also switched on and then the monitor. We have the
cold booting
 ii. Warm Booting: - this is refers to restart s computer system that is
already in used. Warm booting is done by clicking the start button
o the window screen.
GENERAL MAINTENACE OF THE COMPUTER (PC)
- Avoid direct contact with motive
- Take away from the reach of children
- Operate under instruction
- Switch off the computer when ever power goes off
- Switch off the computer properly
- Use ups on computer always
- Service the computer periodically

DESKTOP

What is desktop?
When you start your computer the first thing you see is the desktop. The
desktop is your work area
The desktop contains icons eg. My Computer, My Document, Recycle Bin
etc.

INTRODUCTION TO WINDOW

Window is an operating system by which action are performed by clicking.

The following steps must be taken before any of the application softwares
can be used they include:-

• On the windows desktop click the start button with the mouse A menu
shows with several items
• Move to programs A sub-menu show listing all the packages in the
computer system.
• For example if the application packages needed is Microsoft word
click on the items- Microsoft word package show on the screen

TO CLOSE WIDOW
1. Click Start button on window desktop
2. On the menu, Click shutdown and a dialogue box appears
 3. On this box select shutdown the computer.
4. Then click ok or Yes

WINDOW MAINTENANCE

- Proper booting
- Shutting down proper
- Scanning of external devices
- Usage of Antivirus
- Environmental Sensitivity work only on formula environment
- Operating under instruction (obey displayed message when error
occurred)

EXTERNAL DEVICES
External devices are those devices that can be used externally.

EXAMPLES OF EXTERNAL DEVICES

Flash Disk or Derive

It is a moveable storage device that is used to store information from the

computer. And it is varies in size i.e. 128mb, 256mb, 512mb, 1gb, 2gb, 4gb,
etc.

Diskette

It is a storage device that has a storage capacity of 1.44mb and it is 3 by 2

inches in size.

Compact Disk

This is the plate we use in watching films and it is also called CD Plate.