CHAPTER # 01

BASICS OF
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY

CLASS 11th ICS

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Created BY Hassan SSE (CS)

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 1.1 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

Hardware:
Computer Hardware is defined as the physical part or component of a computer system which
can be felt, seen, and touched.
The computer monitor which we use to view the display is a Hardware Device.

Hardware devices:

1) Input device

2) Output device

3) Main Memory ( RAM,ROM)

4) I/O device (Terminals and touch Screen)

5) Secondary Memory (Hard disk , floppy disk, compact disk Tape)

6) Interconnector (Cables, ports buses)

7) Networking device ( Modem, Router)

Computer Software:
Computer software can be defined as a set of instructions or collection of programs which are
designed and developed to perform specific tasks.
System Software:

System Software Is a type of computer program that is designed to run a computer's hardware
and application programs.

1) Operating system
2) Utility program ( Backup / Restore)

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 3) Drivers

Application Software:

Application Software is a type of computer program that performs specific functions. These
functions, performed by application software, can be personal, business as well as educational.
Thus, application Software is also known as end-user software or productivity software.

Functions of Application Software

• Manipulating data

• Managing information

• Calculating figures

• Constructing visuals

• Coordinating resources

• Writing reports

Application software categorized as under:

1) Custom built
2) Packaged
1) Custom built Software:

Custom built software is software that is specially developed for some specific organization or
other user is called Custom built Software.

Some Custom built Software is as:

• Streaming Services.

• Voice Recognition.
• Banking Services.
• Remote Dashboards.

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• Taxi and Private Hire Providers.
• Delivery Services.

Packaged Software:

Packaged software is a collection of programs that perform similar functions or have similar
features is called packaged Software.

For example, Microsoft Office includes multiple applications such as Excel, Word,
and PowerPoint. Video and audio editing software may also be available as packaged software,
used for editing music and video files used in a movie.

1.2 INPUT AND OUTPUT DEVICES

Input devices anything given to the computer such as data or instruction is called input
devices. Example: keyboard, Mouse.

Three are three general types of input hardware as:

1) Keyboard 2) Pointing devices 3) source data – entry devices

1) Keyboard

A keyboard is an input device and is the most basic way for the user to communicate with a
computer.

Note: A standard keyboard is normally called QWERTY keyboard.

Keyboard divided in to four parts as: 1) Main keyboard (Alphanumeric keys and special keys)
2) Numeric Keys 3) Function Keys 4) Additional keys (cursor control keys and more)

Function Keys: function keys from F1 to F12 are used to perform special functions is called
functions keys.

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Main keyboard: the main keyboard includes the keys found on typewriter keypad as
alphanumeric keys. It also contains some special keys.

101-key Enhanced Keyboard layout: 101 –key Enhanced keyboard has some additional keys
between the main keypad and the numeric keys.

Keyboard some Special keys are as:

1) ESC Key: This keys use to terminate a current task.

2) Caps Lock Key: Caps Lock is a key on a computer keyboard that allows users to generate letters in
uppercase once activated, as in "SAMPLE," without holding down the Shift key.
3) Tab Key: this key is used to move the cursor to next tab stop.
4) Shift Keys: this key is pressed in combination with other keys to produce upper case letters and the
upper symbols is called shift key.
5) Control keys: this key is pressed in combination with other keys to execute commands.
Example: CTRL+O are used to open a new file.
6) Alt Keys: this is also used in combination with other keys to execute commands.
7) Backspace key: this is used to delete single character on the left of cursor.
8) Enter Key: this is used to move the cursor to beginning of the next line.

Numeric keys: numeric keys are located on the right side of most keyboards. The numeric keys
are used for two purposes depending on the status of NUMLock key. If NUMLock is on, the keys
are used to enter numeric data and mathematical symbols like +,-,*, /.

Some numeric keys are used to move the cursor as follows:

1) End key: it is used to move the cursor to the right corner of screen.
2) Down Arrow: it moves the cursor down one line.
3) Page down: it is used to move the cursor one page down on the screen.

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4) Left Arrow: it moves the cursor one character to the left.
5) Right Arrow: it moves the cursor one character to the right.
6) Home Key: it is used in word processing.
7) Up Arrow: it moves the cursor one line up.
8) Page up: it is used to move the cursor one page up on the screen.
9) INSERT key: it is used to switch between insert mode and overtype mode.
10) DELETE key: It is used to delete files.

Additional keys:

1) Arrow Keys: The Arrow keys are used to move the cursor position.
2) Insert, delete, Home, End, Page up and page down keys: these keys are above the arrows key. The
functions of these keys are same as numeric keys 0, decimal point.
3) Print Screen: it is used to take a snap of the computer screen.
4) Scroll Lock: it locks and unlocks the cursor on screen in some programs.
5) Pause key: it is used to pause screen when information is too fast and read.

Pointing Devices: pointing devices is an input device used to control a pointer on the screen is called
pointing device.

Some important pointing devices are as:

1) Mouse
2) Trackball
3) Pointing Stick
4) Touchpad
5) Touch Screen
6) Light Pen
7) Digitizer / Graphic Tablet
8) Joystick
9) Pen-Based System

1) Mouse: Mouse is an input device that enables a user to select commands quickly and perform tasks
is called mouse. As the mouse moves, the arrow on the screen will move at the same time is called
mouse pointer.

A Mouse action has mainly four specific tasks perform as below:

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1) Click 2) Double Click 3) Dragging 4) Drop

1) Click: Quickly pressing and releasing the mouse button once is called click.
Example: 1) clicking on the left mouse button 2) clicking on the right mouse button.

2) Double Click: quickly pressing and releasing the left mouse button twice is called double click.
Example: open folder, run program.
3) Dragging: Dragging to press and continue to hold down the left mouse and move the mouse is called
dragging.
4) Drop: After Dragging, releasing the left mouse button to move an object is called drop.

2) Trackball:

A trackball can be used as an alternative to a mouse. This device has buttons similar to those on mouse.
It has a large rotating ball on top. The body of the trackball is not moved. The ball is rolled with fingers.
Example: laptop, computer

3) Pointing Stick: is a pressure-sensitive device. It is similar to a pencil eraser and exists between keys
on the keyboard. The pointer on the screen moves when the user pushes the pointing stick. It
requires an additional space like mouse. Example: Notebook computer.

4) Touchpad: is an input device. It is a small, flat surface over which the user moves his finger is called
touchpad. It is also known as track pad. Example: Notebook computers.

5) Touch Screen: is a touch-sensitive display device. The user can touch different parts of the screen
with finger. The user can use two fingers to enlarge and rotate an image on the screen. Example:
Mobile devices, Laptop, Desktop, Tablet, ATM.

6) Light Pen: is a hand held pointing device. It looks like a pen. It is connected by a wire to the
computer. The pen sends information to the computer when user touches the pen on specific areas
of a specially designed screen. Example: Graphic designers.

7) Digitizer / Graphic Tablet: consists of a flat pad connected to a stylus or puck by wire. A stylus is a
pen-like device used to create sketches and images. A puck is a copying device used to copy an
image as mouse. Example: drawing, create maps and so on.

8) Joystick: consists of a base and stick. The stick can be moved in any direction to move an object
around the computer screen. Example: mouse, trackball, playing computer games.

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9) Pen-Based System: is used to enter handwriting and marks in computer using pen-like device. This
input device is called stylus. The user writes words and symbols on the screen. This system uses
handwriting recognition software. Example: signature capture pad.

Source Data-Entry Devices: these devices are used for direct data entry to the computer system is called
source data entry devices.

Types of source data entry devices:

1) Barcode Reader
2) Mark and character Recognition Devices

I) Magnetic-ink Character Recognition reader (MICR)

II) Optical Mark Recognition (OMR)
III) Optical Character Recognition ( OCR)
IV) Magnetic Stripe
V) Smart Cards

3) Facsimile Fax Machine

4) Imaging System

1) Barcode Reader: uses a laser beam to reader barcodes and translate them into digital signals.
Barcode consists of vertical lines. The barcode system is called Universal Product Code (UPC).
Example: Different Product in the market.

2) Mark and character Recognition Devices: are used to read information printed on paper. These
devices convert this information into a form that can be processed by computer.

I) MICR: MICR Stand for Magnetic-ink Character Recognition reader. It is used to read text printed
with magnetized ink. Example: Bank Check Processing. Check contain MICR Characters, check
number, bank number and account number.
II) OCR: OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. It reads printed character in particular font
and converts them into digital code. Most OCR device use a small optical scanner to read
characters. Example: utility Bills, Price tags in store.
III) OMR: OMR Stand for Optical Mark Recognition. It is also called mark sensing device. These
devices use light beam to read data. The data is converted into digital signals. The signals are
then sent to the computer for further processing. Example: printed forms, multiple choice test.
IV)

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V) Magnetic Stripe: has a magnetically encoded data on its back. The magnetic stripes are used in
many plastic cards such as personal identity cards. The magnetic stripe can store the personal
details of the card owner such as name, account, number and card expiration date etc.
VI) Smart Cards: smart cards are an alternative to a magnetic stripe card. A smart card is similar to
a credit card in size. It contains thin microprocessor and memory chip. The card is inserted into
card reader. The card reader reads the information on the smart card. Example: Mobile SIM
Card, ATM Card.

3) Facsimile Fax Machine: transmits and receives documents over telephone line. The document may
contain text image. Fax machine at sending side scans the document. It converts it into digital form
and then transmits. The fax machine at receiving side converts this digital form into its original form
and prints it.

Type of fax machine: There are two types of fax machine.

Dedicated Fax machine: it is a normal fax machine. It can send information to another fax machine. It
can also receive information from another fax machine.

Fax Modem: it is a circuit board inside the system unit. It can send and received information to and from
another computer. It can also send information to a fax machine.

4) Imaging System: image scanner is also called graphic scanner.it reads text, drawing and photos
printed on the paper.it convert them into digital from and stores it in computer for further
processing. The image scanner scans color or black and white image with light. Raster graphics is
technique that represents an image as matrix of dots.

Audio input: the process of entering any sound into the computer is called audio input. Example:
Speech and music. Audio can be entered through microphone. Audio input devices record the analog
sound and convert it into digital form for further processing.

Video Input: the process of entering full-motion recording into computer is called video input. It is also
known video capture. Video can be entered from an analog device like VCR. The analog signals of video

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must be converted into digital form before storing it in the computer. An expansion card convert’s
analog video signal into digital signal is called video capture card.

There are two types of video input as: 1) Frame-grabber video card 2) Full motion video card.

1) Frame-grabber video card : it can capture and convert a signal video frame at a time into digital
form.

2) Full motion video card: it can convert analog to digital signal at the rate of up to 30 frames per
second.

Digital Camera: is an input device. It allows a user to take pictures and make videos, then store them in
the computer. You can see a picture on the screen of the camera. Digital cameras have built-in memory
to store images. Digital camera provides a feature to delete and edit an image after taking it.

1.2.2 Output Devices

Output devices: The Hardware components that are used to receive information from the
computer are called output devices. Examples: 1) monitors 2) Printers 3) Plotters 4) Speakers

Soft copy: The output shown on display screen is called soft copy.

Hard Copy: The output printed on paper is called hard copy.

Display Screen: A display screen is an output that displays text, graphics and video is called
display screen or Monitor. Example: Monitor, Laptop, Tablet, smartphone.

Different display screen have some of the following features:

1) Size 2) Color 3) Resolution

1) Size: display screen are available in different sizes. Display computer range from 17 to 30
inches. Laptop screen are usually 14 to 17 inches. Tablet screen are between 7 and 10
inches.

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2) Color: color display screens display output in multiple colors. RGB display screen can create
256 colors. RGB stand for red. Green, blue.
3) Resolution: All characters and image on display screen are made of pixels. The of pixels
displayed on screen is called screen resolution.

Video display adapter: a video display adapter must be attached to the computer to display
graphics is called video display adapter.

There are three types of video display adapters as:

1) VGA 2) SVGA 3) XGA

1) VGA: VGA stand for video Graphics Array. It is supports 16 to 256 colors on screen
resolution. It supports 16 colors at 320*200 pixels. It supports 256 colors at 640*840. It is
called 4-bit color.
2) SVGA: SVGA stand for Super Video Graphics Array. It supports 256 color is higher resolution
than VGA. It has two Graphics modes. These are 800*600 pixels and 1024*768 pixels are
called 8 –bit color.
3) XGA: XGA stand for Extended Graphics Array. It supports up to 16.7 million colors at
resolution of 1024*768 pixels is called 24-bit color.

There are two type of display screen: 1) CRT Monitor 2) Flat panel Display

1) CRT Monitor: CRT Monitor is an older type of display screen. It can display text, graphics,
and videos.

Working of CRT monitor: it uses cathode Ray Tube to display an image on the screen. CRT
consists of one or more guns and fire a beam of electrons inside the screen.CRT in color
monitors consists of three guns. These guns generated red, green and blue (RGB) colors.

2) Flat Panel Display: Flat Panel Display takes less space and is light weight. They also consume
less power than CRTs but are more expensive than CRTs.

There three types of technology used in flat panel display screens:

1) Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): this type of display screen contains a substance called liquid
crystal.
2) Electro Luminescent Display (ELD): These types of display screen contain a substance that
glows when it is charged by electric current are called LED.

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3) Gas Plasma Display: this type of display screen is similar to neon bulb. The display uses a
gas that emits light in the presence of an electric current is called Gas Plasma Display.

Printer: A printer is an output device that prints characters, symbols and graphics on paper is
called printer. Printed output is called hard copy.

There are two categories of printer are as: 1) Impact printer 2) NON- impact printer

1) Impact printer: it prints characters or images by striking a print hammer a linked ribbon and
impact printer works like a typewriter.

There are three types of impact printer: 1) Dot matrix printers 2) daisy wheel printer 3) Line
printer

1) Dot matrix printer: it produces printed images when tiny pins on a print head strike a linked
ribbon. The print head on a dot matrix printer can contains 9 or 24 pins. The speed of most
dot matrix printers ranges from 350 to 1100 character per second.
2) Daisy wheel printer: Daisy wheel printer is similar to a typewriter. It uses a print wheel. The
print wheel is called Daisy wheel. A hammer strikes a petal against the ribbon when the
desired reaches the position on the paper.
3) Line paper: line paper is a fast impact printer .its speed is measured in lines per minute.
Many line printers can print 3000 lines per minutes.

Two type of line printer: 1) band printer 2) Chain printer

Non-Impact: A non-impact printer prints characters and graphics on a piece of paper without
striking the paper.

There are types of non-impact printers: Laser printer, inkjet printer, thermal printer.

1) Laser printer: Laser stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Its
working is similar to photocopying machine. The printing speed of laser printers is 5 to 300
pages per minutes. The laser printer provides a resolution of 1200dpi.
2) Inkjet printer: it prints characters and graphics by spraying tiny drops of liquid ink on paper.
An inkjet printer resolution of 300 dots per inches. Most inkjet printers can print from 10 to
35 pages per minutes.

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3) Thermal printer: thermal printer’s uses color waxes and heat to produce images on special
paper. The color wax sheet is not required for black and white output.

Plotter: it is used to print high quality graphics in a variety of colors. It is used to print large
posters, graphics, map and engineering drawings.

Type of platters: 1) Flatbed plotter 2) Drum Plotter

1) Flatbed plotter: it is used to plot or draw images.it contains pens for drawing images.
Software instructs the pens to move down on the paper.
2) Drum plotter: it is use a rotating drum. The drawing pens are mounted on the drum. The
pen move to the left and right as the drum rotates. The width of the image depends on the
width of the drum.

Audio output devices: these components that produce voice, music and other sounds.

There are some audio outputs devices are as:

1) Speaker: speaker connects to a sound card in the system unit and provides audio output for
computer games, music, video clips and other application.
2) Headphone: headphone can be used instead of speaker so that other people are not
disturbed at places.
3) Headset: headset is a headphone with a built –in microphone. It used for telephone calls.

1.4 Basic Units of Data Storage

1) Bit: the binary digit 0 or 1 is called bit. One bit takes one storage location in memory.
2) Byte: A collection of eight bits is called byte.
3) Kilobyte: A kilobyte consists of 1024 bytes (KB). Number of bytes (2)10
4) Megabyte: A megabyte consists of 1024 Kilobytes (MB). Number of bytes(2)20
5) Gigabyte: A gigabyte consists of 1024 megabytes (GB). Number of bytes(2)30
6) Terabyte: A terabyte consists of 1024 gigabytes (TB). Number of bytes(2)40

1.4.3 Word: A computer word is the number of bits in common unit of data defined by the computer
system is called word. The length of word is different in different computer.

Different word sizes as below:

One byte: 8 bits, Two Byte: 16 bits, Single Word: 32 Bits, Double Word: 64 Bits.

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1.5 System Development
Components of system are as follows:

1) Hardware
2) Software
3) Users
4) Data / information
5) Communication setup

SDLC: stands for System development life cycle. It consists of different phases as:

1) Preliminary investigation
2) System analysis
3) System design
4) System coding
5) System testing
6) System implementation
7) System maintenance

1) Preliminary investigation: is the first phase. The objective of this phase is to conduct and initial
analysis and findings of system as follows.

1) System identification
2) System scope
3) Alternative Solutions
4) Feasibility Study
5) Preliminary Plan

1) System identification: the phase is used to identify the need for a new system.
2) System scope: the scope of a system can be reduced due to financial and political problems.
3) Alternative Solutions: it is used to select the best solutions that fulfill the requirements.
4) Feasibility Study: A feasibility study is used to find whether the proposed system is feasible.
5) Preliminary Plan: it is consists of all findings in written form for approval.

2) System Analysis: is a phase in SDLC in which the current business system is studied in the detail.

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1) Need Analysis: it consists of all requirements of the system from users and managers.
2) Data gathering Techniques: Data gathering Techniques are used to collect detailed information
about system.
a) Written Documents: The written documents of the current system are important source of
information for analyst.
b) Interviewing: is used to get information from managers and users by discussing the problems.
c) Questionnaires: are used to collect information from a large number of people.
d) Observation: is a process of watching the people while they are working.
e) Sampling: is a method of selecting users or unit for getting information.

3) Data analysis: is process of analyzing the data to obtain accurate information.

4) Analysis Report: is produced at the end of the system analysis.

3) System Design: the system design states how the new system will meet the requirement identified
in the system analysis phase.

1) Logical Design: logical design describes the general functional capabilities of new system.
2) Physics Design: describes how the proposed system will deliver the capabilities specified in the
logical design.
3) Report: is prepared at the end of design phase.

4) Coding: This phase consists of writing programs for the system. Single programmers develop the
system using different tools.

5) Testing: a system must be test to detect and remove errors in it.

There are two type of testing 1) Unit testing 2) System testing

1) Unit testing: individual units of the system are tested by using sample data.
2) System testing: all units are combined to make a complete system.

6) Implementation: it consists of installing the hardware, software and files.

There are following ways:

1) Direct implementation
2) Parallel Implementation
3) Phased implementation
4) Pilot implementation

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1) Phase implementation: is a type of implementation in which individual components of new system
are implementation one by one.
2) Direct implementation: is a type of implementation in which old system is directly replaced by new
system.
3) Parallel Implementation: is a type of Implementation in which both new and old systems operate
together for a period of time.
4) Pilot implementation: is a type of implementation in which one part of organization uses the new
system and the rest of the organization uses the old system.

7) System maintenance: is a process of checking the working of the system. Maintenance includes the
following activities: correcting the problems in the system. Updating the system.

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