Part one introduction_to_computer_2010[1]

Mugerwa Richard
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By
E-mail: mugex2002@yahoo.co.uk

Mugerwa Richard
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Part OnePart One
Introduction toIntroduction to
ComputerComputer
oror
Computer LiteracyComputer Literacy

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Lecture outline
 What is a Computer?
 Different parts of a Computer?
Hardware (parts of the hardware)
Software (different types of software)
 Introduction to Operating Systems
(OS)
Linux, Windows, Macintosh
 Review Question: What is Computer
Literacy and WHY do we study it?

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Lecture Objective
To enable students:
 Understand what a Computer is and its
use.
 Differentiate and describe the main
components of the Computer.
 Explain the basic operations of a
computer.
 Explain the Information Processing
Cycle.

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Lecture Outcome
 By the end of the Lecture, the
student will be able to:
know what a Computer is and how to used
it.
explain the main components of the
Computer.
tell the basic operations of a computer.
explain the Information Processing Cycle.
describe the Operating System.
explain what computer literacy is and why

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What is a Computer?
 A computer is an electronic toolbox
for working with information.
 An electronic device <toolbox> that
can input data, process it, output and
store information.
 A system.
 A collection of related components
that have all been designed to work
together smoothly to produce

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What is a Computer?
cont…
 A COMPUTER is an electronic device that
can:
 Receive information
 Perform processes
 Produce output
 Store infomartion for future use.
 Just as you use a knife and chisels to
create wood carvings, you use a computer
to create documents, such as letters,
drawings, etc.
 Basically you can use a computer for nearly

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What is a Computer?
cont…
 You can use a computer for the kind
of work that you do behind a desk.

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What is a Computer?
cont…
 Basic Operations of a Computer
(IPOS)
Inputting Data
Processing Data
Outputting Data
Storing Data
 Information Processing Cycle
Data (INPUT & PROCESSED)
Information (OUTPUT & STORE)

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What is a Computer?
cont…
Information Processing Cycle
(diagram) PROCESSING
IN
P
U
T
O
U
TPU
T
STORAGE

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What is a Computer?
cont…
 Why bother to use the computer? –
or Characteristics
Work faster
Re-Use Documents and information
Faster and more accurate calculations
Faster communication
Produce more copies
Store InformationFASTER &
EFFICIENT

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 Characteristics that make a computer
powerful
 Speed – A computer can do billions of actions per
second.
 Reliability – Failures are usually due to human error,
one way or another. (GIGO)
 Storage – A computer can keep huge amounts of data.
What is a Computer?
cont…

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What is a Computer?
cont…
 Types of computer – The world's
first general purpose, electronic,
digital computer, the Electronic
Numerical Integrator and Computer
(ENIAC), was developed in 1946. It
measured 18 feet by 80 feet and
weighed 30 tons.
 Invented by John Mauchly and
electrical engineer J. Presper
Eckert.

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What is a Computer?
cont…
Types of computer
Personal computer (PC) – IBM
compatible and Macintosh
computers
Laptop or notebook computer
because of the size.
Desktop (IBM)
iMac – (desktop) all-in-one

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What is a Computer?
cont…
 Other types of computer
 Palmtop - small computer that literally fits in
your palm. Also Personal Digital Assistant
 Workstation - similar to desktop computers,
but are more powerful and are usually
connected to a network.
 Server - specialized computers that store and
deliver, or “serve up,” information to other
computers on a network.
 Mainframe - powerful computers used mainly
by large organizations.
 …

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What is a Computer?
cont…
 Basic parts of a computer
These items are the things you notice
right away when you look at a desktop
computer.
 The computer case or system unit,
 The monitor or screen,
 The keyboard,
 The mouse,
 and the power cord and other

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What is a Computer?
cont…

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Exercise 1
Switch on the computer
Login into the computer
Logout
Shutdown the computer
Power switch
button

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Components of a ComputerComponents of a Computer
What are the components of aWhat are the components of a
computer?computer?

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Components of a
Computer
Two main components:
Hardware – The physical parts of
the computer system.
The tangible and moveable parts
of the computer system.
Software – The intangible parts
of the computer system.

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Components of a Computer
cont…
 Hardware is any part of your computer
that has a physical structure, such as
the computer monitor or keyboard. If
you can touch it, it is hardware.
 Software is any set of instructions
that tells the hardware what to do. It
is what guides the user to tell the
hardware how to accomplish different
tasks.
 NOTE: Neither the hardware nor

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cont…
 Hardware component is classified
according to the main functions of a
computer
 Inputting Devices
Keyboard
Mouse
Microphone
Scanner
Cameras

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cont…
Processing Devices
Central Processing Unit (CPU) –
the “brain” of the computer.
It interprets instructions to the
computer (control unit), and performs
the arithmetic and logical processing
(ALU).

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cont…
Processing Devices: Memory –
Random Access Memory (RAM)
 Instructions waiting to be executed
 Data needed by those instructions
 Results of processed data
Any information stored in RAM is
lost when the computer is turned
off.
It is volatile

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cont…
 Memory – We measure the size of memory by
telling how many bytes it can hold.
 Data in memory is stored as binary digits (BITS)
e.g. 011100101010
 1 BYTE = 8 bits
 1 byte usually stores 1 text character.
 1 kilobyte = 210
bytes = 1024 bytes
 1 megabyte = 220
bytes = ~1 million bytes
 1 gigabyte = 230
bytes = ~1 billion bytes
 1 terabyte = 240
bytes = ~1 trillion bytes
 One megabyte can hold approximately 500 pages of text
information.

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cont…
Storage Devices – Auxiliary /
secondary storage devices are used
for permanent storage of data.
hard disks
compact discs – CD, VCD and DVD drives
flash cards
floppy disks

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cont…
Output devices – make the
information resulting from the
processing available for use.
printer - produces a hard copy
Screen or monitor - produces a
soft copy
speakers,
…

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cont…
Output devices – screen or
monitor works with a video card
inside case.
 There are two main types:
 The cathode ray tube (CRT) – big,
like a tube television take big space
and cheap.
 And liquid crystal display (LCD) – thin
and saves energy, but costs more.

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cont…
Printer
(output)
Monitor
(output)
Speaker
(output)
Scanner
(input)
Mouse
(input)
Keyboard
(input)
Storage devices
(CD-RW, Floppy,
Hard disk, zip,…)
Camera
(input)
Speaker
(output)
Zip Drive
(storage)
System unit
(processor, memory…)

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cont…
 Software – A computer program or
set of instructions that tells the
hardware exactly what to do.
 A computer program is a set of
instructions to the computer.
 Software is a program that enables a
computer to perform a specific
tasks.

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cont…
Computer software is the key to
productive use of computers.
Software can be categorized into
two types:
System software
Application software
Programming language

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cont…
 System software – computer
software designed to operate the
computer hardware and to provide
and maintain a platform for running
application software
 Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) – It
starts and loads the OS
 Operating systems (OS)
Utility software
Device drivers

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cont…
 Application Software consists of programs
that tell a computer how to produce
information.
 It is a computer software designed to help
the user to perform singular or multiple
related specific tasks.
 Some of the more commonly used packages
are:
 Word processing
 Electronic spreadsheet
 Database

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cont…
 Programming language – software
which computer programmer use to
write/design instructions for a
computer to execute
 COBOL
 FORTRAN
 Pascal
 C, C++
 Java
 PHP
 Visual Basic
 …

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Introduction to OperatingIntroduction to Operating
Systems (OS)Systems (OS)
What is Operating Systems (OS)?What is Operating Systems (OS)?

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Introduction to Operating
Systems (OS) cont…
 An OS is a computer program that:
Controls the hardware of the computer,
Enables the user to communicate with
the computer.
 The most common operating systems:
DOS, Microsoft Windows, Apple
Macintosh, UNIX, Linux

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Review Questions
 What is a Computer?
 Differentiate and describe the main
components of the Computer?
 What do you understand by term the
Operating System (OS). Give some
examples of OS you know.
 Explain the Information Processing
Cycle.
 What is computer literacy is and why

Part one introduction_to_computer_2010[1]

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Part one introduction_to_computer_2010[1]