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Computer Basics
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Definition of the computer

 A computer is an electronic device that
process data, converting it into information
that is useful to people. Any computer
regardless of its type is controlled by
programmed instructions, which give the
machine a purpose and tell it what to do.
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Computer for individual user

• 1. Desktop Computer
• 2. Workstations
• 3. Notebook
Computers
• 4. Tablet Computer
• 5. Handheld
Computers
• 6. Smart Phones
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Computer for individual user

• 1. Desktop Computer:- The most common type
of personal computer is the desktop computer- a
pc that is designed to sit on a desk or table.
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Computer for individual user

• 2. Workstations:- A workstation is a specialized
single user computer that typically has more
power and feat user than a standard desktop PC.
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Computer for individual user

• 3. Notebook Computers: - Notebook computer
have the power and feature of desktop PCS but
are light and portable.
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Computer for individual user

• 4. Tablet Computer:- The tablet PC is the
newest development in portable, fully- featured
computers. It offers all the functionality of a
notebook PC.
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Computer for individual user

• 5. Handheld Computers:- Handheld personal
computers are computing devices small enough to
fit in your hand. A popular type of handheld
computer is the personal digital assistant (PDA).
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Computer for individual user

• 6. Smart Phones:-Some cellular phones double
as miniature PCs. Because these phones offer
advanced feature not typically found in cellular
phones, they are sometime called smart phones.
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Computer for organizations

• Network Servers
• Mainframe Computer
• Mini Computers
• Super computer
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Computer for organizations

• Network Servers:-Today most organizations
network is based on personal computer. Individual
users have their own desktop computers, which
are connected to one or more centralized
computer called network servers.
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Computer for organizations

• Mainframe Computer:- Mainframe computer
are used in large organizations such as insurance
companies and banks where many people
frequently need to use the same data.
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Computer for organizations

• Mini Computers:- The capabilities of a
minicomputer are somewhere between those of
mainframes and personal computers. For this
reasons mini computer are offer called midrange
computers.
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Computer for organizations

• Super computer:- It is the most powerful
computer and physically they are some of the
largest. It process huge amounts of data and
calculating one trillion per second.
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Computer in Society


§ Home: -
 Communication
 Business work done at home
 School work
 Entertainment
 Finances
§ Education: -
§ Small Business: -
§ Industry: -
 Design
 Shipping
 Process
§ Government: -
 Population
 Taxes
 Military
 Police
§ Health care: -
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Computer in Society


§ Home: - Home user needs their computer to



 Communication
 Business work done at home
 School work
 Entertainment
 Finances
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Computer in Society


§ Education: - Educators see computer

technology as an essential learning
requirement for all students, starting as
early as preschool.
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Computer in Society


§ Small Business: - Many of today’s

successful small companies simply could not
exist without computer technology.
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Computer in Society


§ Industry: - Computer are applied to industry.



 Design
 Shipping
 Process
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Computer in Society


§ Government: - Today computer play a

crucial part in nearly every government
agency.


 Population
 Taxes
 Military
 Police
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Computer in Society


§ Health care: -
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The part of computer system

• 1. Hardware
• 2. Software
• 3. Data
• 4. User
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The part of computer system

• 1. Hardware:- The mechanical devices that

make up the computers are called hardware.
Hardware is any part of the computer you can
touch.
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The part of computer system

• 2. Software: - Software is set of instruction that

makes the computer perform tasks. In other
word, software tells the computer what to do.
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The part of computer system

• 3. Data:- Data consists of individual facts or

pieces of information that by themselves may not
make much sense to a person.
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The part of computer system

• 4. User:- People are the computers operators,

also known as user. It can be argued that some
computer systems are complete without a
person’s involvement; however no computer is
totally autonomous.
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The information processing cycle

• Input
• Processing
• Output
• Storage
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The information processing cycle

• Input:- During this part of the cycle the computer

accepts data from some sources, such the user
or a program for processing.
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The information processing cycle

• Processing:- During this part of the cycle the

computer processing components perform action
on the data, based on instructions from the user
or a program.
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The information processing cycle

• Output:- Here the computer may be required to

display the result of its processing.
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The information processing cycle

• Storage:- In this step the computer permanently

stores the result of its processing on a disk,
tape, or some other kind of storage medium.
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Essential computer hardware

• 1. Processor
• 2. Memory
• 3. Input and output
• 4. Storage
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Essential computer hardware

• 1. Processor:- The procedure that raw data into

useful information is called processor. The
processor is like the brain of the computer
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Essential computer hardware

• 2. Memory:- In a computer, memory is one or more sets of
chips that store data and program instruction, either
temporarily or permanently. The two types of memory work
in very different ways and perform distinct function.
§ RAM (Random Access Memory)
§ ROM (Red-Only Memory)


Units of measure for computer memory

Unit Abbreviation Approximate value Actual value (byte)
(bytes)

Kilobyte KB 1000 1024

Megabyte MB 1000000 1048576

Gigabyte GB 1000000000 1073741824

Terabyte TB 1000000000000 1099511627776

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Essential computer hardware

• 3. Input and output:- Input devices accept

data and instruction from the user and output
devices return processed data to the user.
• Input devices Output device
• Keyboard Monitor
• Mouse Speaker
• Scanner Printer
• Microphone
• Digital camera
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Essential computer hardware

• 4. Storage:- To be really useful, a computer also

needs a place to keep program files and related
date when they are not in use. This place name
is Storage devices.
• Magnetic storage: -
• Optical storage : -
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Essential computer hardware

• Magnetic storage: -
§ round, flat object that spins around
its center. Exam:-
 Floppy disk

 Hard disk
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Essential computer hardware

• Optical storage : -
§ In addition to magnetic storage, nearly
ever computer sold today include at
least one form of optical storage-
devices that use laser to read data
from or write data to the reflective
surface of an optical disc. Exam:-
 CD
 CD-R
 CD-RW
 VCD
 DVD
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Software brings the machine life

• System software
• Application software
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Software brings the machine life

• System software:- System software is any
program that controls the computer’s hardware
or that can be used to maintain the computer in
some way so that it runs more efficiently. There
are three types of system software:
• Operating system
• Network system
• Utilities system
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Software brings the machine life

• Application software:- Application software
tells the computer how to accomplish specific
tasks, such as word processing or drawing for
the user. Some of the major categories of
these application include
• Word processing
• Spreadsheets
• Database management
• Presentation program
• Graphics program
• Multimedia authoring application
• Entertainment and education software
• Web design tools
•