BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS

M.Sc ECONOMICS I

A Computer System

In general, a computer is a machine which accepts data, processes it and returns new information as output.

Processing
Data Information

What is a computer?

An electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory unit, that can accept data (input), manipulate the data according to specified rules (process), produce information (output) from the processing, and store the results for future use.

Types of Computers
1.Analog Computers

Analog computers are used to process continuous data. Analog computers represent variables by physical quantities. Thus any computer which solve problem by translating physical conditions such as flow, temperature, pressure, angular position or voltage into related mechanical or electrical related circuits as an analog for the physical phenomenon being investigated in general it is a computer which uses an analog quantity and produces analog values as output. Thus an analog computer measures continuously. Analog computers are very much speedy. They produce their results very fast. And their results are approximately correct. All the analog computers are special purpose computers.

Cont
2. Digital Computers Digital computer represents physical quantities with the help of digits or numbers. These numbers are used to perform Arithmetic calculations and also make logical decision to reach a conclusion, depending on, the data they receive from the user. 3. Hybrid Computers Various specifically designed computers are with both digital and analog characteristics combining the advantages of analog and digital computers when working as a system. Hybrid computers are being used extensively in process control system where it is necessary to have a close representation with the physical world.

The hybrid system provides the good precision that can be attained with analog computers and the greater control that is possible with digital computers, plus the ability to accept the input data in either form.

Data and Information

All computer processing requires data, which is a collection of raw facts, figures and symbols, such as numbers, words, images, video and sound, given to the computer during the input phase. Computers manipulate data to create information. Information is data that is organized, meaningful, and useful. During the output Phase, the information that has been created is put into some form, such as a printed report. The information can also be put in computer storage for future use.

Why Is A Computer So Powerful?

The ability to perform the information processing cycle with amazing speed. Reliability (low failure rate). Accuracy. Ability to store huge amounts of data and information. Ability to communicate with other computers.

How Does a Computer Know what to do?

It must be given a detailed list of instructions, called a

compute program or software, that tells it exactly what to do. Before processing a specific job, the computer program corresponding to that job must be stored in memory. Once the program is stored in memory the compute can start the operation by executing the program instructions one after the other.

What Are The Primary Components Of A Computer ?

Input devices. Central Processing Unit (containing the control unit and the arithmetic/logic unit). Memory. Output devices. Storage devices.

Input Devices

Keyboard. Mouse. Mic Scanner Light pen

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The Keyboard

The most commonly used input device is the keyboard on which data is entered by manually keying in or typing certain keys. A keyboard typically has 101 or 105 keys.

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The Mouse
Is a pointing device which is used to control the movement of a mouse pointer on the screen to make selections from the screen. A mouse has one to five buttons. The bottom of the mouse is flat and contains a mechanism that detects movement of the mouse.

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Using a Mouse
Secondary Button: The right, or secondary, mouse button brings up special pop-up menus

Primary Button: The left mouse button is used most frequently; most commands are issued with this button

Output Devices
Output devices make the information resulting from the processing available for use. The two output devices more commonly used are the printer and the computer screen. The printer produces a hard copy of your output, and the computer screen produces a soft copy of your output.

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Printers
Laser
Fast, higher initial cost, less cost per page

Ink Jet
Slower, lower initial cost, higher cost per page Excellent for printing photos

DOT Matrix Printer

Print with the help of dots

The Central processing Unit

The central processing unit (CPU) contains electronic circuits that cause processing to occur. The CPU interprets instructions to the computer, performs the logical and arithmetic processing operations, and causes the input and output operations to occur. It is considered the brain of the computer.

The System Board

Video expansion slot
Expansion slots Microprocess or slot

RAM modules plug in here Hard drive and CD drive connection

Memory

Memory also called Random Access Memory or RAM (temporary memory) is the main memory of the computer. It consists of electronic components that store data including numbers, letters of the alphabet, graphics and sound. Any information stored in RAM is lost when the computer is turned off. Read Only Memory or ROM is memory that is etched on a chip that has start-up directions for your computer. It is permanent memory.

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Defining Units of Measure

Bits/Bytes

Storage Devices

Auxiliary storage devices are used to store data when they are not being used in memory. The most common types of auxiliary storage used on personal computers are floppy disks, hard disks and CD-ROM drives.

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Data Drives
Drive Types
Hard Drive USB Flash CD/CDRW DVD/DVD-RW External Hard Drive Floppy

Floppy Disks

A floppy disk is a portable, inexpensive storage medium that consists of a thin, circular, flexible plastic disk with a magnetic coating enclosed in a square-shaped plastic shell.

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Hard Disks
Another form of auxiliary storage is a hard disk. A hard disk consists of one or more rigid metal plates coated with a metal oxide material that allows data to be magnetically recorded on the surface of the platters. The hard disk platters spin at a high rate of speed, typically 5400 to 7200 revolutions per minute (RPM). Storage capacities of hard disks for personal computers range from 10 GB to 120 GB (one billion bytes are called a gigabyte).

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Compact Discs
A compact disk (CD), also called an optical disc, is a flat round, portable storage medium that is usually 4.75 inch in diameter. A CD-ROM (read only memory), is a compact disc that used the same laser technology as audio CDs for recording music. In addition it can contain other types of data such as text, graphics, and video. The capacity of a CD-ROM is 650 MB of data.

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Computer Software
Computer software is the key to productive use of computers. Software can be categorized into two types: Operating system software
Application software.

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Operating System Software

Operating system software tells the computer how to perform the functions of loading, storing and executing an application and how to transfer data. Today, many computers use an operating system that has a graphical user interface (GUI) that provides visual clues such as icon symbols to help the user. Microsoft Windows 98, 2000, XP, VISTA e.g is a widely used graphical operating system. DOS (Disk Operating System) is an older but still widely used operating system that is text-based.

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Application Software
Application Software consists of programs that tell a computer how to produce information. Some of the more commonly used packages are:
Word processing Electronic spreadsheet Database Presentation graphics

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Computer History

Ages of Computer
At the early age people used pebbles, stones, sticks, scratches, symbols and finger tips to count, which were later replaced by numbers. The history of computing is divided into three ages during which man invented and improved different types of calculating machines. These ages are, Dark age - 300 BC to 1890 Middle age - 1890 AD to 1944 Modern age - since 1944 AD

Dark Age (3000 BC to 1890 AD)

ABACUS
About 3000 years BC, Chinese developed the first calculating machine named Abacus or Soroban. Abacus consists of a rectangular wooden frame having rods which carry round beads. Counting is done by shifting the beads from one side to another.

 OUGHTREDS SLIDE RULES

In 1632 AD William Oughtred, an English mathematician developed a slide rule. This device consists of two movable rules placed side by side on which number were marked.

PASCALS CALCULATOR
Blas Pascal (1623-1662), a French developed the first mechanical calculating machine in 1642. This machine consists of gears, wheels and dials. It was capable of adding and subtracting operations.

 JACQUARDS LOOM In 1801, a French, Joseph Marie Jacquard developed the first punch card machine.

first stored program metal cards first computer manufacturing still in use today!

BABBAGE DIFFERENCE ENGINE

Charles Babbage (1792-1871) an English mathematician also called Father of modern computer. As he gave the true concept of computer at Cambridge University, he developed Babbage Difference Engine in 1823 and Babbage Analytical Engine in 1833. Lady Ada Augusta an assistant of Babbage is called the first programmer.

Babbages first computer

built in early 1800s
special purpose calculator charts

difference engine

Babbages second computer

Analytical engine general-purpose used binary system punched cards as input branch on result of previous instruction

analytical engine, 1834

Middle Age (1890 AD TO 1944 AD)

DOCTOR HERMAN HOLLERITH

In 1880s Herman Hollerith an American developed a machine which used punch card system. The machine could sense and punch holes, recognize the number and make required calculations. This machine was first used in 1890s by American Census Bureau.
ABC (ATANASOFF BERRY COMPUTER)

ABC a special purpose computer was developed in 1938 by Dr. John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry at Iowa State College, USA.

Modern Ages (Since 1944 AD)

JOHN VON NEUMAN In 1945, Dr. John Von Neuman suggested the concept of Automatic Data Processing (ADP) according to the stored program and data. ENIAC(FIRST ELECTRONIC COMPUTER) Electronic Numerical Integrator And Calculator (ENIAC) was the first electronic computer made in 1946 by John Presper Eckert and John Williams Mauchly, at the University of Pennsylvania, USA. This was based on decimal number system and it has no memory. It could perform 5000 additions or 350 multiplications in one second. It contained 18000 vacuum tubes, 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors and 60,000 switches and occupied a two room car garage. It consumed 150 kW of power. It weighed 27 tons.

 HOWARD AIKEN- MARK-1 COMPUTER

In 1937, Professor Howard Aiken build the first electro-mechanical computer Mark-1, by trying to combine Babbages theory and Holleriths punching technologies. He completed his project in 1944 with the help of IBM Engineers. Mark 1 could multiply two twenty(220) digit numbers in 5 seconds and made a lot of noise. It had a shape like a monster about 50 feet long, 8 feet high, having wiring of length equal to distance from Lahore to Gilgit or Karachi to Bahawalpur (800km) and had thousand ends of electro-magnetic relays.

 EDSAC (FIRST STORED PROGRAM COMPUTER) Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer (EDSAC) was first computer based on stored program concept. It was completed by Mourice Wilkes at Cambridge University in 1949. EDVAC Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC) was built by John Williams Mauchly, John Presper Eckert at Moore School, Pennsylvania in 1951. UNIVAC (FIRST COMMERCIAL COMPUTER) Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC) was the first commercially used computer made by John Presper Eckert and John Williams Mauchly in June 14,1951.

Generations of Electronic Computers

First Generation Technology Vacuum Tubes Second Gen. Transistors Third Gen. Integrated Circuits (multiple transistors) Smaller Fourth Gen. Microchips (millions of transistors) Tiny - Palm Pilot is as powerful as old building sized computer

Size

Filled Whole Filled half a Buildings room

Types of Computers
Supercomputers and Mainframes Microcomputers
Desktops Laptops (Notebooks) Handhelds

THE END