Chapter 1
Introduction to the World of Computers
Computers in Your Life
• Why learn about computers?
– Pervasive computing
• Also known as ubiquitous
computing
• Computers have become an
integral part of our lives
– Basic computer literacy
• Knowing about and
understanding computers and
their uses is an essential skill
today for everyone
Computers in Your Life
• Before 1980
– Computers were large, expensive
– Very few people had access to them
– Computers were mostly used for high-
volume processing tasks
• Microcomputers in the early 80s
– Inexpensive personal computers
– Computer use increased dramatically
• Today
– More than 60% of US households
include a computer, and most use
computers at work
– Electronic devices are converging into
single units with multiple capabilities
Computers in the Home
• Computers used for a variety of tasks:
– Looking up information and news
– Exchange e-mail
– Shopping and paying bills
– Downloading music and movies
– Organizing digital photographs
– Playing games
– Telecommuting
• Convergence
– The computer has become the central
part of home entertainment
– Dual-mode mobile phones
Computers in the Home
• Wireless networking
– Computers can be used in nearly any
location
• Smart appliances
– Traditional appliances with built-in
computer or communication technology
• Smart homes
– Household tasks are monitored and
controlled by a main computer in the
house
Computers in Education
• K-12 schools now use the computer as an
overall student-based learning tool
• Colleges and universities are even more
integrated
– Classrooms, computer labs, dorms,
libraries
– Wireless hotspots and Internet
assignments
• Teachers
– Prepare handouts, exams, and class
presentations
– Maintain course Web pages
• Distance learning
– Students participate from locations
other than the traditional classroom
setting using computers and Internet
access
Computers in the Workplace
• Computers have become a universal on-the-job
tool for decision-making, productivity, and
communication
– Used by all types of employees
– Used for access control and other
security measures
– Use by service professionals is growing
– Used extensively by the military
– Employees in all lines of work need to
continually refresh their computer skills
Computers on the Go
• Computers are encountered in nearly every
aspect of daily life
– Portable PCs and handheld computers
– Wi-Fi hotspots and Internet cafes
– ATM machines and retail stores
– Self-checkout systems and consumer
kiosks
– M-commerce systems
– GPS systems
What Is a Computer and What Does It Do?
• Computer: A programmable, electronic device
that accepts data, performs operations on that
data, and stores the data or results as needed
– Computers follow instructions, called
programs, which determine the tasks
the computer will perform
• Basic operations
– Input: Entering data into the computer
– Processing: Performing operations on
the data
– Output: Presenting the results
– Storage: Saving data, programs, or
output for future use
– Communications: Sending or receiving
data
– What Is a Computer and What Does It
Do?
Data vs. Information
• Data
– Raw, unorganized facts
– Can be in the form of text, graphics,
audio, or video
• Information
– Data that has been processed into a
meaningful form
• Information processing
– Converting data into information
Computers Then and Now
• The computer as we know it is a fairly recent
invention
• The history of computers is often referred to in
terms of generations
• Each new generation is characterized by a major
technological development
 • Precomputers and early computers (before
1945)
– Abacus, slide rule, mechanical
calculator
– Punch Card Tabulating Machine and
Sorter
Computers Then and Now
• First-generation computers (1946-1957)
– Enormous and powered by vacuum
tubes
– Used a great deal of electricity, and
generated a lot of heat
– ENIAC and UNIVAC
• Second-generation computers (1958-1963)
– Used transistors
– Computers were smaller, more
powerful, cheaper, more efficient, and
more reliable
– Punch cards and magnetic tape were
used to input and store data
– Computers Then and Now
• Third-generation computers (1964-1970)
– Used integrated circuits (ICs)
– Keyboards and monitors introduced
– Fourth-generation computers (1971-
present)
– Use microprocessors
– IBM PC, Apple Macintosh
– Use keyboards, mice, monitors, and
printers
– Use magnetic disks, flash memory, and
optical disks for storage
– Computer networks, wireless
technologies, Internet introduced
– Computers Then and Now
• Fifth-generation (now and the future)
– Infancy stage
– No precise classification
– May be based on artificial intelligence
(AI)
– Likely use voice input
– May be based on optical computers and
utilize nanotechnology
Hardware
• Hardware: The physical parts of a computer
– Internal hardware
• Located inside the main box
(system unit) of the computer
– External hardware
• Located outside the system unit
and plug into ports located on
the exterior of the system unit
– Hardware associated with all five
computer operations
Hardware
• Input devices
– Used to input data into the computer
– Keyboards, mice, scanners, cameras,
microphones, joysticks, etc.
• Processing devices
– Perform calculations and control
computer’s operation
– Central processing unit (CPU) and
memory
• Output devices
– Present results to the user
– Monitors, printers, speakers, projectors,
etc.
Hardware
• Storage devices
– Used to store data on or access data
from storage media
– Hard drives, DVD disks and drives, USB
flash drives, etc.
• Communications devices
– Allow users to communicate with
others and to electronically access
information
– Modems, network adapters, etc.
Software
• Software: The programs or instructions used to
tell the computer hardware what to do
– System software: Operating system
allows a computer to operate
• Boots the computer and
launches programs at the user’s
direction
• Most use a GUI to interact with
the user via windows, icons,
menus, buttons, etc.
• Windows, Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Software
• Application Software
– Application software: Performs specific
tasks or applications
• Creating letters, budgets, etc.
• Managing inventory and
customer databases
• Editing photographs
• Scheduling appointments
• Viewing Web pages
• Sending and receiving e-mail
• Recording / playing CDs
• Designing homes
• Playing games
Computer Users and Professionals
• Computer users (end users)
– People who use a computer to obtain
information
• Computer professionals include:
– Programmers
– Systems analysts
– Computer operations personnel
Computers to Fit Every Need
• Six basic categories of computers
– Embedded computers
– Mobile devices
– Personal computers
– Midrange servers
– Mainframe computers
– Supercomputers
Embedded Computers
• Embedded computer: Embedded into a product
and designed to perform specific tasks or
functions for that product
• Cannot be used as general-purpose computers
• Often embedded into:
– Household appliances
– Thermostats
 – Sewing machines
– A/V equipment
– Cars
Mobile Devices
• Mobile device: A very small device with some
type of built-in computing or Internet capability
• Typically based on cellular phones
• Examples:
– Smart phones
– Smart watches
– Handheld gaming devices
– Portable digital media players
Personal Computers/Desktop PCs
• Personal computer: a computer system
designed to be used by one person at a time
– Also called a microcomputer
– Can be desktop or portable computers
– Desktop PCs: fit on or next to a desk
– Can use tower case, desktop case, or
all-in-one
– Can be PC-compatible or Macintosh
– Not designed to be portable
Portable PCs
• Notebook (laptop) computers
– Typically use clamshell design
• Tablet PCs
– Can be slate tablets or convertible
• Handheld computers
– Size of a paperback book or pocket
calculator
– Some include phone capabilities
– Ultra Mobile Personal Computer
(UMPC): Fully-functioning handheld
Portable PCs
• Most include wireless networking capabilities
• Can synch (share information) with a desktop
computer as needed
• Can use a docking station or notebook stand as
needed
• Thin Clients and Internet Appliances
• Thin client or network computer (NC): PC
designed to access a network for processing and
data storage
– Lower cost and easier maintenance
– Limited or no local storage
– Not able to function as a computer if
network is down
• Internet appliance: Specialized network
computer designed for Internet access and/or
e-mail exchange
– Often set-top boxes
– Can include Internet-enabled gaming
consoles
• Thin Clients and Internet Appliances
Midrange Servers
• Midrange server: A medium-sized computer
used to host programs and data for a small
network
– Users connect via a network with a
computer, thin client, or dumb terminal
– May consist of a collection of individual
circuit boards called blades (blade
servers)
Mainframe Computers
• Mainframe computer: Powerful computer used
by several large organizations to manage large
amounts of centralized data
– Standard choice for large organizations,
hospitals, universities, large businesses,
banks, government offices
– Located in climate-controlled data
centers and connected to the rest of
the company computers via a network
– Larger, more expensive, and more
powerful than midrange servers
– Usually operate 24 hours a day
– Also called high-end servers or
enterprise-class servers
Supercomputers
• Supercomputer: Fastest, most expensive, most
powerful type of computer
– Generally run one program at a time, as
fast as possible
– Commonly built by connecting
hundreds of smaller computers,
supercomputing cluster
– Used for space exploration, missile
guidance, satellites, weather forecast,
oil exploration, scientific research,
complex Web sites, decision support
systems, 3D applications, etc.
– Grid computing: Using the unused
processing power of a large number of
computers to work together on a single
task
Computer Networks and the Internet
• Computer network: A collection of hardware
and other devices that are connected together.
– Users can share hardware, software,
and data
– Users can communicate with each
other
• Network servers: Manage resources on a
network
• Clients: Access resources through the network
server
• Computer networks exist in many sizes and
types
– Home networks
– School and small business networks
– Large corporate
– Public wireless networks
– The Internet
What Are the Internet and the World Wide Web?
• Internet: The largest and most well-known
computer network in the world
• Individuals connect to the Internet using an
Internet service provider (ISP)
• World Wide Web: One resource (a vast
collection of Web pages) available through the
Internet
– Web sites contain Web pages stored on
Web servers
– Web pages viewed using a Web
browser (Internet Explorer, Safari,
Firefox, Opera, etc.
• A wide variety of information is available
through the Web
 What Are the Internet and the World Wide Web?
• Accessing a Network or the Internet
• Need a modem or network adapter
• Some networks require a username and
password
• Internet connections can be:
– Direct (always-on) connections
– Dial-up connections
• Internet addresses are used to access resources
on the Internet
– IP address: Numeric address that
identifies computers (207.46.138.20)
– Domain name: Text-based address that
identifies computers (microsoft.com)
– Uniform resource locator (URL):
Identifies Web pages
(http://www.pbskids.org)
– E-mail address: Identifies people for e-
mail exchange (jsmith@cengage.com)
– IP Addresses and Domain Names
• IP addresses are numeric and unique
• Domain Names: Correspond to IP addresses
– Top-level domains (TLDs) identifies type
of organization or its location
Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)
• URL: Uniquely identifies a Web page
• Consists of:
– Information identifying the Web server
– Names of folders in which the Web
page files are stored
– Web page’s filename
• Protocols:
– Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http) is
typically used to display Web pages
(https is used for secure Web pages
– File Transfer Protocol (ftp) is often used
for file exchange
E-Mail Addresses
• E-mail addresses consist of:
– Username: A persons’ identifying name
for a particular domain
– The @ symbol
– Domain name for the computer that
will be handling the person’s e-mail
(mail server)
• Pronouncing Internet addresses
• Surfing the Web
• Web browser: Used to display Web pages
• Browser home page: The first page displayed
when the browser is opened
• To load a Web page, you can:
– Type a URL in the Address bar
– Click a hyperlink on a displayed Web
page
– Select a Favorite/Bookmark or page
from the History list
Surfing the Web
• Searching the Web
• Search site: Web page that helps you find Web
pages containing the information you are
seeking
– Typically search using keywords
• Reference sites: Look up addresses, telephone
numbers, ZIP codes, maps, etc.
E-Mail
• Electronic mail (e-mail): electronic messages
exchanged via a private network or the Internet
– Can be conventional or Web-based
– Can contain photos, attached files, etc.
Computers and Society
• The vast improvements in technology over the
past decade have had a distinct impact on daily
life, both at home and at work
• Many benefits of a computer-oriented society
• Also risks
– Computer viruses
– Identity theft and phishing
– Privacy issues
• Differences in online communications
• The anonymity factor
• Information integrity (not all information on the
Internet is accurate)
Summary
• Computers in Your Life
• What Is a Computer and What Does It Do
• Computers to Fit Every Need
• Computer Networks and the Internet
• Computers and Society
Computer Concepts
I. THE COMPUTER:
An electronic digital device
- built to perform routine calculations with
speed, reliability, and ease.
- capable of processing, interpreting and
executing commands in the form of
numbers, words, pictures, and even
sounds for input, output, computation
and logical operation.
- capable of accepting an input, process
the given input to produce a meaningful
output.
A computer, when translated literally, is a device that
computes. Man used to look for ways of making life
easier for himself. Man initially counted using his
fingers, then with things like sticks and stones.
Afterwards, the abacus came about. Then came the
slide rule, then the ordinary electronic calculator, then
the scientific calculator.
A computer is not just a computer, but it is a machine
that can do things that help man make life simpler. It
can perform computations at speeds billions of times
faster than a human mind. It can be used to enter and
print documents, which previously was the task of a
typewriter. A computer nowadays can give you news,
information and even gossips previously tasked to the
media people. It can give you music and recreation.
Characteristics of a Computer:
 It is a machine
 Electronic
 It has memory
 Has logical functions
Capabilities of a Computer:
 Speed
 Accuracy
 It can perform logical/mathematical
operations
 It can store and recall information
 Self-checking/parity-checking
 Repetitiveness
Limitations of the Computer:
 It cannot generate information on its own.
 It cannot detect wrong data (GIGO) and
cannot correct wrong instruction.
 Computer applications must be quantified.
II. ELEMENTS OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM:
1. HARDWARE
- refers to the physical components of the
EDP system, which is tangible.
Computer hardware refers to the physical aspect of the
computer. Hardware is divided into 4 major
components. These components include the input
devices, the processors, the output devices, and the
storage devices.
Input Control
Storage
Unit Unit
Unit
Output ALU
Unit
I/O bus CPU
Input devices refer to the components of hardware
that allows the user to enter data, commands, and
other information into the computer. Some
examples of input devices include the keyboard, the
mouse, the scanner, the microphone, the video and
digital cameras, joystick, track point, track ball,
track pad, pen, etc.
Examples: light pen, mouse, keyboard, bar
code scanner, joystick, microphone, web
cam
Output devices refer to the components of hardware
that are responsible for displaying or showing the data
and information to the user.
Examples include:
Monitors : CGA, EGA, VGA, SVGA, XGA
Printers : Impact and Non-impact
Speakers
Plotters
Input/Output (I/O) devices refer to hardware
components that are used both for input and output
of data or information
Ex: touch screen, disk drives, MODEM
Processors refer to the components of hardware that
are used to manipulate or process data. These are
responsible for generating information.
4 major components of a processor:
1. the motherboard
2 Audio/video card
3 Central processing unit ( ALU, the memory and the
control unit)
4 The ROM-BIOS
THE CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU) –
brain of the computer
Parts of the CPU
1. MEMORY UNIT (MAIN STORAGE OR
PRIMARY STORAGE)
-referred to as the main or internal storage.
RAM (RANDOM ACCESS MEMEORY) -
temporary memory storage
ROM (READ ONLY MEMORY) -
permanent preprogramed instructions are
stored
2. ALU(ARITHMETIC LOGIC UNIT)
- contains the circuitry for performing arithmetic
and logical operations
3. CONTROL UNIT
- regulates the operations of the main storage
and the ALU
Storage Devices refer to the components of hardware
where data, information, or software are stored for
future use.
Types of Storage Devices
1. Primary Storage Devices – refers to the memory
unit of the CPU. Memory types include the ROM,
the RAM, and the Cache memory ( high speed
memory that interfaces between the processor and
the system memory). Acts as a buffer or a
temporary storage.
2. Secondary Storage Devices – also referred to as the
external memory of the computer
2.a. Flash Drives/Memory Sticks
2.b. Floppy Disks
2.c. Memory Cards
2.d. External Hard Disks
2.e. Optic Media – CD-ROM and DVD ( Digital
Versatile Disk)
2.f. Magnetic Optic Drives
CDROM/Optical disks – data is encoded by means of
“burning” by laser a series of pits(holes) and flats(no
holes). Data is read by a laser light which reflects it back
to a photo diode which would then convert these digital
data to analog signals
Removable disks/Tape – used for backup purposes only.
ROM-Read Only Memory – these are computer memory
chips where computer programs (like BIOS ) are stored.
Types of Hardware
Hardware is classified into four major types: the
PCs and workstations, the portable computers, the
global servers (formerly called mainframes), and the
embedded (or special purpose) computers. This
classification of hardware is based on the computer’s
purpose or role, the computer’s physical size, and the
computer’s capability and capacity.
2. Software
Software is the general term given for the
instructions to the computer by the user or
manufacturer. It tells the hardware what tasks are to be
done and how.
General Types of Software
1. System software is the type of software that
controls the operations of the other two types of
software. The operating system and its graphical
user interface (GUI), both system software are at
the heart of the software action. All other software
depends on and interacts with the operating
system, the software that controls everything that
happens in a computer.
2. Utility software is the type of software that controls
the computer’s day-to-day housekeeping
operations. These are normally supplied with the
system software, thus the distinction between
systems software utilities software is hard to see.
Utility software control operations such as making
copies of operations, displaying a list of user
information and the like.
e.g.
diskcopy, chkdsk, format, etc. for MS-DOS
scandisk, defrag, etc. for MS Windows
3. Applications Software
These are software that perform specialized
tasks, including calculating payrolls,
guiding space shuttles, word processing,
etc. Application programs may either be
custom written or packaged. A
customized application is prepared in
accordance with the requirements of
particular business operations application.
Application packages have been prepared
by software companies for general use (eg.
MSOffice).
Application Programs
 Wordprocessors – an application package
that creates, edits, manipulates and prints
text. Generally used for writing documents
such as letters and reports. (Examples:
WordStar, WordPerfect, and Word)
 (Electronic Spreadsheets) Financial Analysis
– software package initially used to track
the finances of a company. This kind of
software allows users to enter data in
tabulated form and also perform operations
on these data. Common features include:
(Examples: Lotus-123, SuperCalc, VisiCalc,
and Excel)
 Graphics – application software that allows
the user to create, edit, display, and print
graphic images. May be separate software
or integrated into another software
program. (Examples: CorelDraw,
Photoshop, Picasa and Paint)
 Database applications - programs are used
when very large amounts of data are to be
stored in a structured manner, maintaining
various relationships among the data - for
example, information of all employees in a
company. A very powerful feature is the
ability to rapidly answer a variety of queries
from the user about the data in the
database.
 Network applications - programs that
enable us to communicate with and use
facilities of remote computers. These
applications have proliferated with the
spread of the Internet and the introduction
of the WWW.Commonly used programs are
- E-Mail, Newsgroups, Chat, Games, File
transfer,...
 Desktop Publishing – application software
normally used for fixing typeset and layout
of print materials. (Examples: Ventura,
Pagemaker, and Publisher)
3. Peopleware
Systems / Software Management
Computer/ Network Hardware
Systems/Network Administrators
Computer vendors
Systems Analysts
Network engineers
Systems engineers
Computer technicians
Developers Academic
Programmers
Computer teachers
Encoders
Students
Hackers - computer hobbyists who display a high
level of programming expertise who attack
computer systems and computer networks.
Computer Networks
Computer Networks – interconnection of computers for
the purpose of sharing resources like CPU, databases,
and Input-Output devices. A central server serves the
file and program needs of workstations.
LAN –local area network – networks confined in a small
geographical location
WAN – wide area network – networks covering a wide
area, usually spanning countries.
Bridge – it connects networks
Router – used to locate nodes on a network
Hub – used to route data to various nodes.
Nodes – individual computer terminals identified
through IP address( like 131.120.1.5)

The Internet
- global network of networks which
communicate using a standard called TCP-
IP(transmission control protocol/internet
protocol). Networks are physically
interconnected by wired and cables. The
internet provides access to graphics, text,
sound, video, and software through a variety
of means:

History :

1960s - an experiment was carried out by US

government using networks to transfer military
information in case of nuclear war.
1970s – American universities began to use the
internet for communications to assist in research.
1994 – Browser (with graphical user interface)
software was introduced (Mosaic, Netscape)
Present – up to 20-40 million are connected on-line
with growth between 6%-20% per month.

Internet Services:

1. Hypertext (World Wide Web) – view web sites

through web browsers.
2. Electronic mail(email) – send and receive mail
electronically
3. News (usenet or network news) – get news
and info from news sources and lists.
4. Remote login (telnet) – login to another server
site
5. File transfer protocol (ftp) – download files
from other servers.

Internet terms:

URL- Uniform Resource Locator - defines the

location of a resource (the domain name), the type
of resource (HTTP, FTP, etc)
Web Site – a collection of web pages, located at
the same domain usually focused on the same
topic
HTTP- Hypertext Transfer Protocol – the transfer
protocol used to manage communication between
browsers and servers.
HTML-hypertext Markup Language – programming
language used to design how a web site would look
like.
ISP – Internet Service Provider – the company or
institution from where you get your internet
connection.
Modem – modulator-demodulator – converts
digital data to analog signals and vice versa for
transmission over the telephone line.
Protocol – Rules or procedures that control how
data are transmitted between computers.
Leased line - refers to the phone line that is rented
for exclusive 24-hour, 7 days a week use from your
location to another location. The highest speed
data connections require a leased line.