Computer Utilization in

Architectural Engineering

ARE 510
Dpt of Architectural Engineering
College of Environmental Design
KFUPM

D. Ouis
162
 Information systems

Microcomputers are common tools in all areas of

life. Writers write, artists draw, engineers and
scientists calculate — all on microcomputers.

People who are homebound, who work odd hours,

or who travel frequently may take Web courses.
 Computers, the timeline
The ”Difference computer”,
C. Babbage: 25,000 parts,
13.6 ton, 2.4 m tall. Later, he
designed the ”Analytical
engine”, using punched
The Abacus, Sumerian, cards for reading data and
2700-2300 BC printing results (1833-1871)

”Colossus” the first programmable

electronic computer, 1943. Built during
WWII for deciphering German army
communications.
Mark II, contains 2400 tubes and 5
times faster than Mark I (1500 tubes).
 Computers, the timeline

USA, ENIAC (for the Army, again!): Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer.
1943-45. Like the Colossus, a "program" on the ENIAC was defined by the states of
its patch cables and switches. Once a program was written, it had to be
mechanically set into the machine with manual resetting of plugs and switches.

The machine was huge, weighing 30 tons, using 200 kilowatts of electric power
and contained over 18,000 vacuum tubes, 1,500 relays, and hundreds of
thousands of resistors, capacitors, and inductors.
 The Transistor, and the IC
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals
and electrical power.
Invented in 1947, and from 1955 transistors replaced tubes.

The IC: a set of electronic circuits

on one single small flat piece of
semiconductor material. First
A bipolar junction
manufactured in 1958 by TI.
transistor.
This led to the invention of the
The IC, or microprocessor (Intel 4004, 1971)
microchip.

A microprocessor incorporates the

functions of a computer CPU,
processes digital data as input and
provides results as output
Evolution of the computer memory

1 letter = 8 bits = 1 Byte

1kB = 1024 Bytes

1MB = 1048576 Bytes

= 131072 characters

A page with usual font

size takes around 4000
characters.

So, 1 MB = 250 pages.

 Information systems
A microcomputer is more than just the computer itself. It is
part of an information system.
An information system is composed of 5 elements:

1. People, end users.

2. Procedures: rules and guidelines to follow when
using software, hardware and processing data.
3. Software: or program, a set of instructions
telling the computer how to do its job.
4. Hardware: the physical equipment, commended
by software for processing data.
5. Data: unprocessed facts, e.g. texts, numbers,
images, … to be processed by PC to give information.

6?. Connectivity: for connecting computers and

share information. Efficiency: mastering IT.
Information systems
Information systems
Information systems, People

Explorations. The informational

content of the Web is limitless; the
challenge is to locate the information
you are looking for.
Environment. Today it is more
important than ever to be aware
of our impact on the environment.
Ethics. Most people agree that we
should behave ethically. We should
follow a system of moral principles
that direct our everyday lives.
Information systems, Software

System Software
The user interacts primarily with application software.
System software:
enables the application software to interact with the computer
hardware. System software is “background” software that helps
the computer manage its own internal resources.
System software is not a single program, but rather a collection
of programs, including : Operative system (Windows 7), utilities
(like Defragmenter), device drives, …
 Information systems
Application Software: end user software. These programs
can be categorized as either:

Basic applications: used by almost everybody

anywhere, those kinds of programs necessary to be
considered computer competent. Ex. MS Explorer, MS
Office package, DBMS, Presentation Graphics, …

or

Specialized applications: other programs more narrowly

focused on specific disciplines and occupations. Ex:
graphics, audio, video, multimedia, Web authoring, artificial
intelligence programs, and cell phone apps.
Basic software
 Information systems, Hardware

4 types:
Supercomputers are the most powerful
type of computer. These machines are
special high-capacity computers used by
very large organizations: IBM’s Blue Gene
Mainframe computers occupy specially wired, air-conditioned rooms.
Insurance companies use mainframes to process information about
millions of clients.
Minicomputers , also known as midrange computers , are refrigerator
sized machines, medium-sized companies. For example, production
departments use minicomputers to monitor certain manufacturing
processes…
 Information systems, Hardware

Microcomputers are the least powerful, yet the most widely used and
fastest-growing type of computer. There are 6 types of microcomputers:
desktop, media center, notebook, tablet PC, netbook, and handheld
computers.
 Microcomputer Hardware
4 basic categories: system unit,
input/output, secondary
storage, and communication.
The system unit houses most of the
the electronic components .
2 important components :
microprocessor and memory.
Microprocessor:
data -> information.
Memory: holds data,
instructions, and information. RAM (random-access memory),
temporary storage, holds the program and data that is currently being
processed, and is erased at switching the computer off.
 Microcomputer Hardware
Input/output
Input devices: data and programs that humans
can understand into a form that the computer can process.
Input devices: the keyboard and the mouse .

Output devices:
computer -> humans.
Output devices:
monitors and printers .
 Microcomputer Hardware
Secondary storage: holds data and programs even after computer is
turned off: hard disks, solid-state storage, and optical disks.

Hard disks, HD: store programs and very large data files. Platters and
read/write heads that move across the platters, data and information
are stored using magnetic charges of the disk’s surface.

Solid-state storage: no moving parts => more reliable & more energy
efficient.
3 types: SSD, flash memory, external hard drive.

Optical discs: use LASER to engrave on surface:

CompactDisk, DigitalVersatileDisk, HighDefDisc.
Information systems, communication

The most widely used communication device is a modem , which

modifies telephone communications into a form that can be
processed by a computer. Modems also modify computer output
into a form that can be transmitted across standard telephone
lines.
 Information systems, data
Data is raw, unprocessed facts as text, numbers, images, and
sounds.
Processed data becomes information.
When stored electronically in files, data can be used directly as
input for the system unit.

4 common types of files:

Document: generated by
word processors.
Worksheet , generated by
Spreadsheet to analyze things.
Database: generated by DBMS,
ex a worker’s record
Presentation: with graphics, ex handouts, slides …
Information systems, connectivity
The capability of a PC to share information with other PCs.
2 latest trends: mobile or wireless communication devices and
cloud computing beginning of the wireless revolution.
Central to the concept of connectivity is
the network : A communications system
connecting two or more computers.

The largest network in the world

is the Internet .

Cloud computing uses the Internet and the Web to shift many
computer activities from a user’s computer to computers on the
Internet.