COMPUTER STUDIES

FORM 1

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INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS (UNIT 1)

 What is a computer?
 is an electronic device that processes data to information.
Or
 A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of
instructions stored in its own memory that can accept data (input), process
the data according to specified rules, produce information (output), and store
the information for future use.

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INTRODUCTION CONT…

 The most common computer is referred to as a Personal Computer (PC).

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INTRODUCTION CONT…

 A typical desktop computer is basically made up of a system unit and other

devices called peripheral devices.
 Examples of peripheral devices are;
 Monitor (screen)
 Keyboard
 Mouse
 The brain of the computer is called the Central Processing Unit (CPU).
 It is housed by the system unit.
 The system unit also houses other devices called drives.

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INTRODUCTION CONT…

 Why are drives important?

 Are used to store, record and read data.
 Two common types of system units are;
a. Tower type
b. Desktop type

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DATA AND INFORMATION

 Define data.
 Data can be defined as raw facts that do not have much meaning to the user
and may include numbers, letters and symbols.

 The term information means;

 Information is the processed data that is meaningful to the user.
Or
 It is a product of data and process.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT)

 Information technology (IT) refers to the use of hardware, software and their
technologies to collect, organize, process, secure, store, exchange or
disseminate information.

 Such hardware includes; Computers, PDAs, Smart Phones and Printers.

 Information may be inform of text and graphics, sound or video.

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COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (CT)

 Communication technology (CT) refers to the use of devices and

communication channels to transmit information correctly, efficiently and
cost effectively.

 Such devices include; radio transmitters and receivers, telephones, satellites,

fax machines etc.

 Communication channels include; telephone lines and radio waves.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY
 Information and communication technology (ICT) refers to the integration of
communication technologies and information technologies for the purpose of
acquiring, processing, storing, standardizing and disseminating information
for public consumption .

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS

 Information systems (IS) refers to a set of components.

 These components could be persons, procedures or hardware and software
resources that collect, process and deliver information in a given
organization.
 The difference between information technology and information system is
that IS may not necessarily rely on technological devices.
 Pen and paper or manual files may be used.
 IT enhances productivity by automating IS process.

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GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT (GIGO)

 This is a phrase which implies that if erroneous data (incorrect data) is

entered in a computer and a command to process is given, the computer will
output erroneous results.
 Therefore, we should not think of a computer as a machine that can do things
on its own.

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SELF ASSESSMENT.

1. Define the following terms:

a) Computer
b) Data
c) Information
d) Technology
e) Communication
f) Information technology (IT)
g) Information communication and technology (ICT)

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SELF ASSESSMENT CONT…

2. Draw a block diagram to show a computer’s data processing functionality.

3. Draw a sketch of a computer and label its main parts.

4. What phrase is used to emphasize the importance of feeding the computer

with the correct data in order to get the correct output?

5. State two major parts that make up a computer.

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HISTORY OF COMPUTER DEVELOPMENT

 Historical development of computers can be traced back to the time human

beings were struggling to invent non electronic tools that would simplify
arithmetic such as Abacus and Napiers bones.

 Today, millions of people are using computers in industries, offices and at

home.
 These computers help them to produce and store useful information about all
aspects of business, scientific research, government activities and personal
details.

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NON-ELECTRONIC COMPUTING DEVICES

 Non-electronic computing devices are tools that were used to perform

arithmetic computations manually or mechanically.
 These include sticks, stones, abacus etc.

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ABACUS

 Was a Chinese counting instrument which dates back 3000 BC.

 The Abacus has bead-like parts that move along rods.
 Each bead above the middle bar stands for five units while each bead below
stands for one unit.

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NAPIERS

 Napiers bones was developed by John Napier; a Scottish mathematician in

17th century.
 It was used for performing multiplication and division.

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LA PASCALINE MACHINE

 Is accounting machine that was made by Blaise Pascal in the !& century.
 It was used for addition and subtraction.

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THE ANALYTICAL ENGINE

 Was developed by an English mathematician, Charles Babbage in 1832.

 However, due to technological limitations, Babbage never implemented it.
 The engine is recognized as the first real computer and Babbage as the father
of computing.

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ANALYTICAL ENGINE PROTOTYPE

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ELECTRONIC COMPUTERS AND THEIR
GENERATIONS
 It took several years after Babbage designed the analytical engine to come up
with an electronic computer.
 The age of modern electronic computers can be traced back to 1951.
 These computers are generally classified into five generations depending on
the technology used to develop them.

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FIRST GENERATION COMPUTERS (1940’s-
1958)
 Were very large, physically and used thousands of electronic gadgets called
Vacuum tubes or thermionic valves.
 They consumed a lot of power, emitted a lot of heat and constantly broke
down.
 Examples of first generation computers include;
 Electronic Numeric integrator and Calculator (ENIAC) and the Electronic
Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC)

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SECOND GENERATION COMPUTERS (1958-
1964)
 Operated using tiny solid-state electronic devices called transistors that were
much smaller than the vacuum tubes.
 They produced less heat, were faster, smaller in size and more reliable than
those made of vacuum tubes.
 Examples
 IBM 1401 and 7070, UNIVAC 1107, ATLAS LEO Mark iii and Honeywell 200.

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THIRD GENERATION COMPUTERS (1964-
1970)
 Used electronic devices called integrated circuits IC’s.
 An integrated circuit consists of thousands of small transistor circuits packed
on a semiconductor called a silicon chip.
 They emitted less heat, were smaller in size and were easier to program, use
and maintain compared to predecessors.
 Examples
 IBM 360, ICL 19000 series.

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FOURTH GENERATION COMPUTERS (170
to present)
 From 1970, further technological improvement was done on the silicon chip
design by compressing more tiny circuits and transistors into even smaller
space.
 This design produced what is called Large Scale Integrated (LSI) and Very
Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits which were used in the innovation and
technological development of the brain of the computer called the
microprocessor.
 Are characterized by very low emission of heat, are small in size and easier to
use and maintain.

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FOURTH GENERATION COMPUTERS (170
to present) CONT…..
 Examples;
 IBM 370 and 4300, Honeywell DPS-88 and Burroughs 7700.

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FIFTH GENERATION

 Falls today’s computers that have very high processing power and speed than
their predecessors.
 Their size is increasingly becoming small.
 Have special programs that allow them to support complex operations that
mimic human intelligence often referred to as artificial intelligence.
 Are characterized by artificial intelligence, connectivity to internet, superior
hardware and software and are very small in size.

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USES OF FIRST COMPUTERS

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1st COMPUTER GENERATION

FEATURES
Built during the 1st world war (WW1) using vacuum tubes.
USES
 For computation of very large mathematical and scientific figures
 ENIAC was developed during the 1st world war to make calculations for the
construction of hydrogen bomb.

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2nd GENERATION COMPUTERS

FEATURES
 Built using transistors.
 Had tape storage, printer and operating system and stored programs.
USES
 Were programmable computers that were used mainly for scientific, business
applications and computer games.

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3rd GENERATION COMPUTERS

FEATURES
 Built using integrated circuits and semiconductors (a type of material that
had the properties of insulator and a conductor).
USES
 Were the first computers to process more than one task concurrently
(multitasking).
 These computers had most of the applications used today such as word
processors, calculators and business applications.

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4th GENERATION COMPUTERS

 FEATURES
 Built using very large integrated circuits characterized by microcomputers
USES
 Were affordable due to low cost and could be used for most applications
 Financial applications such as VisiCalc and networks particularly the internet
became common.

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5th GENERATION COMPUTERS

FEATURES
 Today’s computers characterized by massive processing power and use of
artificial intelligence.
USES
Used for large number of applications, in particular expert systems used in
decision making.

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COMPUTERS AND THEIR USE (UNIT 2)

USES OF COMPUTERS
The following are some of the areas where computers are used;
1.Supermarkets
 Most retail stores use computers to help in management of the daily activities
like stock control.
 The management is automatically alerted whenever a particular item or
items are running out of stock that need reordering.

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USES OF COMPUTERS CONT…

2. OFFICES
Most modern office functions have been automated for faster information
distribution and document processing.
3. BANKS
Special cash dispensing machines called automated teller machines (ATM’s) have
enabled automation of cash deposits and withdrawal services.

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USES OF COMPUTERS CONT…

4. INDUSTRIES
 Computers are being used to monitor and control industrial processes
 The computer age has seen wide use of remote controlled devices called
robots.
 A robot is a machine that works like a human being but performs tasks that
are too unpleasant, dangerous or complex and tedious to assign to human
beings.

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USES OF COMPUTERS CONT…

5. HOSPITALS
 Computers are used to keep patients’ records in order to provide easy access
to a patient’s treatment and diagnosis history.
 Enables physicians to get proper diagnosis of the affected body parts with
high levels of accuracy.
 Computers also control life support machines in Intensive Care Units (ICU)

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USES OF COMPUTERS CONT…

6. TRANSPORT
 Computers are used to monitor vehicle traffic in busy towns, in aircraft
navigation and in making reservations.
7. COMMUNICATION
 Integration of computers and telecommunication facilities has made message
transmission and reception to be very fast and efficient.
 The world is said to have become a global village because of the speed at
which information is transmitted.

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USES OF COMPUTERS CONT…

8. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

 Information stored in computers such as finger prints, images, and other
identification details help law enforcers carry out criminal investigation.
9. Education.
 Computers are widely used in teaching and learning processes.
 Learning and teaching using computers is referred to as Computer Aided
Learning (CAL) and Computer Aided Instrument (CAI).

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USES OF COMPUTERS CONT…

10. DOMESTIC AND ENTERTAINMENT

 Computers can used at home for recreational activities such as watching
movies, playing music and computer games.
 Can also be used for storing personal information, calculating, keeping home
budgets and research.
11. LIBRARY SERVICES
 Enables library personnel to easily access and keep updated records of books
 Library users can use computers to search for titles instead of using the
manual card catalogue.

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TYPES OF COMPUTERS

a. Digital computers

b. Analog computers

c. Hybrid computers

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DIGITAL COMPUTERS

 Digital computers process data that is discrete in nature.

 Discrete data also known as digital data is usually represented using a two-
state square waveform.
Digital signal

 Apart from PCs, most modern appliances such as digital TVs, microwaves, wall
clocks and other electronic home appliances are digital in nature.

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ANALOG COMPUTERS

 These are computers that process data that is continuous in nature.

 Continuous data, also known as analog data, is usually represented using a
continuous waveform.

 Analog computers are used in manufacturing process control like monitoring

and regulating furnace temperatures and pressures.
 They are also used in weather stations to record and process physical
quantities e.g. wind, cloud speed and temperature.

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Hybrid computers

 Hybrid computers are designed to process both analog and digital data.

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COMPARISON OF DIGITAL AND ANALOG
COMPUTERS
1. Digital computers are simpler to develop than analog computers
2. Digital computers are more reliable than analog computers
3. Digital computers are smaller in size than analog computers of the same
functionality
4. Digital computers consume less power compared to analog computers.

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CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS

 Computers are classified either according to size or purpose.

CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO SIZE
Based on physical size, computers can be classified into four main categories
namely;
1.Super Computers
2. Mainframe Computers
3. Minicomputers
4. Microcomputers

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1.SUPER COMPUTERS

 Supercomputers are fastest, largest, most expensive and most powerful

computers.
 They are able to perform many complex operations in a fraction of a second.
 A supercomputer is kept in a special room.
 Due to their huge processing power, supercomputers generate a lot of heat.
 Special cooling system are therefore required.
 Sometimes the whole CPU is immersed in an aquarium-like tank containing
liquid fluorocarbon to provide cooling.

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1.SUPER COMPUTERS cont …

 Supercomputers are mainly used for research, which requires enormous

calculations.
 Applications that justify use of supercomputers include; aerodynamic design
and simulation, petroleum research, defense and weapon analysis.
 Supercomputers are mainly found in developed countries such as USA and
Japan where they are used for advanced scientific research such as nuclear
physics.

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2. MAINFRAME COMPUTERS

 Are less powerful and less expensive than supercomputers

 Are said to be big in size
 They are used to process data and perform complex mathematical
calculations
 They have a large storage capacity and can support a variety of peripherals.
 They handle all kinds of problems whether scientific or commercial.
 They are mostly found in government agencies, big organizations and
companies such banks, hospitals, and airports.

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3. MINICOMPUTERS

 They resemble the mainframes but they are slightly smaller.

 Thus they are referred to as small-scale mainframe computers.
 They support fewer peripheral devices and are not as powerful and fast as the
mainframe computers.
 They were developed as a cheaper alternative to the mainframes for smaller
organizations.
 They are used mainly in scientific laboratories, research institutions,
engineering plants and places where processing automation is required.
 They are adapted for functions such as accounting, word processing, database
management and specific industry applications.

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4. MICROCOMPUTERS

 Is the smallest, cheapest and relatively least powerful type of computer.

 It is called a microcomputer because its CPU is called microprocessor which is
very small compared to that of minicomputers, mainframe and
supercomputers.
 Microcomputers are commonly used in training and learning institutions, small
business enterprises, communication centres, among others.
 The following are the various types of microcomputers in operation today
arranged in descending order according to size.

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4. MICROCOMPUTERS Cont…

1. Desktop computer is designed to be placed on top of an office desk.

2. Notebook or laptop computer such as the one shown below is a portable PC
hence convenient for mobile users.

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4. MICROCOMPUTERS Cont…

3. Palm note or Personal Digital assistant (PDA) as shown below is small enough to
fit in the pocket.

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CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO
PURPOSE.
 Computers can be classified according to the tasks they perform either as
general or specific purpose computers.

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GENERAL PURPOSE COMPUTERS

 Have been designed to be able to perform a variety of tasks when loaded with
appropriate programs.
 They are the most common types of computers in use today.
 Their flexibility enables them to be applied in a wide range of applications
like; document processing, performing calculations, accounting, data and
information management among others.

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SPECIAL PURPOSE COMPUTERS

 Are designed to serve a specific purpose or to accomplish one particular task.

 Such computers can perform no other task except the one they were meant
to do.
 This means that the sets of instructions, which drive a special purpose
computer, are limited in number at the time of manufacture.
 Examples of such computers are; robots used in manufacturing industries,
basic phones for voice communication only and electronic calculators that
carry out calculations only.
 These computers can perform the task quickly and very efficiently because
are dedicated to a single task.

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