CH 1
CH 1
CH 1
CHAPTER 1
Introduction to Computer
Haramaya University
Department of Information Technology
E-mail: lalimitiku@gmail.com
Definition of computer
Computer vs Human
Importance of Computer
Function of Computer
Generation of Computer
Classification of Computer
Type of Computer
Characteristics of Computer
Data Vs Information
Data processing life cycle
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The word computer is derived from the Latin word “computare” which means
to compute.
A computer is a device that accepts inputs (in the form of digitalized data) and
Do you agree ?
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Computer can save your time and money, increase your productivity, and process
Computers are now used in all aspects of education, both administration and teaching.
The offices where we work, the stores in which we shop, the schools we attend, the banks
that handle our money, even the device we use in our homes are being radically altered by
computers.
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Accounting:
Payroll preparation
Accounts payable, invoicing
Airlines and Railways:
Time Keeping
Reservation of Tickets
Hospital:
To store patient information
To store doctors information
Medicine information
Colleges and Universities:
Students Details Maintenance
Staff Details Maintenance
Students Attendance Calculation
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The first large scale electronic computer the grand parent of today’s hand held machines, was the Electronic
ENIAC contained approximately 18000 light bulb size electronic vacuum tubes, weighed 30 tons and
computers have been developed through four so called generations or stages, each characterized by smaller
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Computers of this generation were manufactured using vacuum tubes.
These computers were highly unreliable as the vacuum tubes failed very frequently
These computers were very huge in size, produced enormous amount of heat, very slow and very, very
expensive.
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They are very expensive
In early 1960s, transistors were developed and used in manufacturing computers
Transistor is an electronic switching device that alternatively allows or does not allow electronic
signals to pass and it was comparatively smaller than vacuum tube.
Transistors consumed less power and produced less heat when compared to the vacuum
This second generation computer tended to be smaller in size, more reliable, and considerably
faster than first generation of computers.
Merit/value of Transistor
It occupies less power, its accurate & its more powerful and can perform work of 1000 vacuum
tubes.
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Integrated Chips very popularly known as ICs, started replacing the usage of individual
Integrated Circuit is a complete circuit packed with hundreds of transistors and other
The size of the computers still got reduced with improved reliability and speed when
The usage of RAM (Random Access Memory) and magnetic disks as the storage media
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Large Scale Integrated (LSI) and Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits were developed which
contained thousands to millions of transistors on a tiny chip.
In 1971, Intel developed the microprocessor, which contained the entire CPU (the Control Unit, Memory
Unit, and ALU) on a single chip. leading to the process of miniaturization – the development of smaller and
smaller computers
As a result, the computers main memory capacity increased, the cost got decreased and speed also
increased, which directly affected the types and usefulness of software that could be used.
Software applications like Word Processing, Electronic Spreadsheets, Database Management Programs,
Painting and Drawing programs, and so forth became commercially available giving more people reasons to
use a computer
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The fifth generation computers are under development. These computers function with the
Artificial Intelligence provided to it.
Due to the artificial intelligence the computer will have the ability to learn by itself, can reason
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the field of computer science dedicated to developing machines that
will be able to mimic and perform the same tasks just as a human would.
The case of chess master Garry Kasparov vs IBM's Deep Blue program is a good illustration.
Although Kasparov had the advantage of human intuition, Deep Blue had the ability to calculate
200 million probabilities per second.
In the end Kasparov was overcome by Deep Blue's super-efficient ability to calculate those
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probabilities.
Generation Hardware
Software Technologies Characteristics Systems
(Period) Technologies
1st Machine Language Bulky in size ENAIC
Vaccume tubes
(1942-1955) Assembly language Expensive EDVAC
Electro-magnetic
Stored Program Unreliable EDSAC
relay memory
concept Limited UNIVAC-I
Punched cards
Scientific applications commercial IBM 701
production and use
2nd Faster Honeywell-
Transistors Batch OS
(1955-1964) Smaller 400
Magnetic core High-Level languages
Easier to program IBM 7030
memory Scientific &
Difficult CDC-1604
Magnetic tapes commercial
commercial UNIVAC
Disks applications
production Larc
Expensive
3rd ICs with SSI and Smaller
(1964-1975) MSI Faster IBM 360/370
Larger capacity Timesharing OS Easier and cheaper PDP-8
magnetic disks Multiprogramming to produce PDP-11
and magnetic Easier to upgrade CDC-6600
tapes than previous
Mini computers generation
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Generation
Hardware Technologies Software Technologies Characteristics Systems
(Period)
ICs with VLSI
Larger capacity hard GUI based OS for PCs Small
4th disks Multiprocessing Affordable
IBM PC
(1975-1980) Magnetic tapes and UNIX OS with C Reliable
Apple-II
floppy disks Object Oriented Easy to use
TRS-80
Personal Computers Languages General purpose
VAX-9000
Mainframe computers Network based Easy to upgrade
Super computers applications
Computer Networks
ICs with ULSI
Larger main memory IBM
Multi-threading Portable
Hard disks with RAID Notebooks
5th Distributed OS Powerful
support Sun
Multimedia applications Cheaper
(1980- Optical Disks systems
Internet applications Reliable
present) Notebooks Dell and hp
General purpose
Laptops Laptops
Commercially
Powerful server Android
feasible
computers Mobiles
Easy to upgrade
Advanced super Tablets
Rapid software
computers development
Internet
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• This classification is based on the way physical quantities are represented in a
computer.
• There are three basic types of computer w.r.t their working principal.
Analog computers
Digital computers
Hybrid computers
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• They do not require any storage capability because they measure and compare quantities in a single
operation.
• Output of an analog computer is generally in the form of readings ona series of dial or a graph on strip
chart.
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• For measuring
Speed (Speedometer)
Temperature (Thermometer)
• In specialized engineering and scientific applications for calculation and measurement of analog
quantities
• To control processes found in oil refinery where flow and temperature measurements
are important
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• Digital computers operates on digital data such as numbers.
• They use binary number system in which there are only two digits 0 and 1 known as bits.
• They give more accurate and precise results than analog computers.
• They provide long term storage and can store huge amount of information.
• They are well suited for solving complex problems in engineering, business and technology.
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• Hybrid computer utilize the best qualities of both analog and digital computers.
• They incorporate the measuring feature of analog and the counting feature of digital computers.
• They are suited for situation where digital processing of data collected in analog form is
desirable.
• These computers are designed to perform special tasks where measurements are converted to
digits.
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• Computers can be divided into two types w.r.t purpose.
General Purpose Computer
Special Purpose Computer
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These computers can store different programs and can thus be used in countless
applications.
Examples
• Personal computers, tablets, laptops, computer,
It can perform any kind of job with equal efficiency simply by changing the
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• A Special Purpose Computer is the one that is designed to perform only one special task.
• They are very quick but cannot be used for any other purpose.
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• Size wise computers can be divided into four types w.r.t size, cost
and speed.
Micro Computer
Mini Computer
Mainframe Computer
Super computer
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• A microcomputer is a computer whose CPU is a microprocessor.
• Micro computers are designed for personal use, therefore they are also known as
personal computers.
• They are smallest in size, least in price and small in memory as compared to
other types of computer.
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• They are used for variety of applications like computer literacy, fun and games,
business applications, programming etc.
• Due to their small size, they are easily accommodatable on table or lap. Some of
its types are handheld also.
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• Minicomputers are larger and more powerful than microcomputers but smaller and
less powerful than mainframes.
• They are cheaper in cost, smaller in size and small in memory as compared to
mainframe computers .
• They do not require air conditioning and can be operated in room temperature.
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• It is normally accessed by users via personal computer or terminal.
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• They are very big in size and offer the maximum computing power.
• They are capable of handling data processing needs of head office of a bank, or a
big multinational company or may be a public utility office.
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• They have larger storage and the speed of processing is also very high.
• They can execute 10 to 100 millions of instructions per second and cost
somewhere between 1 to 5 million dollars.
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• They are most expensive of all the computers.
• They are capable of executing more than 10,000 millions instruction per second and have
• These computers are used to solve complex Mathematical problems related to nuclear physics
• They are quite expensive and cost somewhere around 10-30 million dollars depending
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• They are best for highly calculation intensive tasks such as weather
forecasting, climate research, molecular modeling, physical simulation.
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• Automatic
• Reprogrammable
• Data Processor
• Speedy
• Accurate
• Diligent
• Versatile
• Power of remembrance
• No IQ
• No feelings
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• Automatic
It carries out instructions with minimum human
intervention.
• Reprogrammable
It stores instructions in the form of programs which can
be changed to perform other tasks.
• Data Processor
It carries out operations on data to produce information.
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• Speedy
It can perform its operations at very high speed usually measured in
milliseconds, microseconds, nanoseconds and picoseconds.
• Accurate
Its accuracy is high and its degree of accuracy depends on its design.
Computer errors caused by incorrect input or unreliable programs are often
referred to as Garbage-In-Garbage- Out (GIGO).
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• Diligent
It is free from tiredness .
It can continuously work for hours without creating any
error .
• Versatile
It is capable of performing almost any task, if the task
can be reduced to a finite series of logical steps.
• Power of remembrance
It can store and recall any amount of information
whenever desired.
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• No IQ
It does only what it is programmed to do.
It cannot take its own decision in any regard without
programming.
• No feelings
Computers have no emotions.
Their judgment is based on the instructions given to
them in the form of programs that are written by human
beings.
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Data
• Datais raw material used as input.
• Anything in raw form not Like necessarily meaningful numbers, words and
facts are known as data.
Information
• Information is processed data obtained as output after data processing.
• Information is that data which has been manipulated and organized in such
a form that it can help people in taking necessary decisions.
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Data Input Processing Output Information
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• Three types of data
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