Information sheet on Introduction to computer

Introduction to Computer
What is Information Technology?

Information Technology defined as any form of computer based system that has the
capability of collecting, processing and out putting information, which may include data,
graphics, images, sounds and videos images.
I.T is a technology around information processing. In short it is the use of modern
technology to aid the capture, processing, storing, retrieval and communication of
information, whether in the form of numerical data, text, sound or image.

What is Technology?
Technology refers to all the means people use their inventions and discoveries to satisfy
their needs and desires. It is application of the science investigation.

Applications of ICT
It can be applied in various spheres of economic and social activities of human beings.
IT can be applied in the areas like:
1. In business:
 It helps to collect, analyze, plan and control information about the many
facts of the business.
 Financial analysis such as advertising, marketing and sales.
2. In education
 In colleges computers being used to teach courses
 Students use internet for their own purpose
3. In entertainment
 Movies: To edit during the production of films
 Music: To edit recorded music, to create your own music
 Animation: To make cartoon films.
4. In home
 Some people use computers just like office use such as word processing,
spreadsheet, and database program.
 Internet

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Information sheet on Introduction to computer

 Computer games
5. In Medicine
 To keep patient record
6. Engineering-
 To minimize cost and money using some software like CAD.

Data versus Information

Data is a collection of unorganized facts gathered about some entity, event or

observation, which can include words, numbers, images, and sounds that have little
meaning individually.
For example, 50 is a value, which must be representing some fact. Which fact? It
is currently unknown.
When data are processed, organized, structured or presented in a given context so as to
make them useful, they are called Information.
Example, “The price of a good marker is br.50”.

Input Processed
Facts and figures Output
(data) Information

Thus, Information is a collection of meaningful facts and figures that can be used as a
base for guidance and decision making. Any meaningful facts or figures to be called as
information they have to be useful and meaningful for an individual or group.

Concepts of Information
We collect and use information in one way or the other in our daily life. When we ask
someone what time it is, we are looking for spoken or written information that is
important for you. So, what is information?
 Information is the action of telling or informing that of which one is told.
 Information is something one did not know before.
 Information is something that reduces uncertainty.
 Information is a clue-it is the starting point for everything.

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Information sheet on Introduction to computer

Sources of Information
Information can be obtained from different sources like: text books, reference books,
news paper, radio, Television, peoples, etc. These various sources of information are
classified into two major categories: Documentary and non-documentary sources.
 Documentary sources are documented or recorded sources of information in
different form text, image/picture/graph, sound, and video. Example- books,
research reports, library video and music recorded on CD/cassette, etc.
 Non-documentary sources are those that are not properly recorded or
documented in the form of text, image/picture/graph, sound, and video for
public use. Non-documentary sources include professional societies, industries,
research organizations, universities, colleagues, visitors, etc.

The value of information

The value of information is directly related to how it helps the user or decision maker to
meet individual, organizational or societal objectives. The value of information can be
measured in terms of:
 The time it saves to make decision,
 The increase in profits it brings to the individual or the organization, and
 The decrease in costs it makes possible to the individual or the organization, etc,

Characteristics of Valuable Information

To be valuable to users, information should have the following characteristics:
 Accuracy: It has to be free from any errors.
 Completeness: It has to contain all important facts.
 Relevance: information presented to the user or decision maker should be related to and
necessary to the problem at hand.
 Reliable: information must be collected from the right source.
 Timeliness: it has to be delivered on time.
 Economical: information is said to be economical if the profit gained from the gathered
information exceeds its cost of collection.

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Information sheet on Introduction to computer

Definition of computer

A computer is an electronic device that follows sets of instructions, computer programs

or software, which have been written by computer programmers to perform a specific
task.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPU

Fig 1 Computers Communication

Characteristics of computers

Speed
Computers make calculations at very fast rate, which is very essential for fast rate of
job executions. The speed of the computers calculated in terms of picoseconds,
nanoseconds, microseconds.
Accuracy
The accuracy of the computers is very high. They can do the same task with same
accuracy consistently and repeatedly with out getting tired or bored like human
beings.
Storage
A computer system can store large amounts of data in it. Modern computers can
retrieve any data out of its stored memory in a few nano-seconds. Storage capacity is
measured in Bytes .A byte is equivalent to a single character. This character can be a
letter (A-Z, a-z), one of the digits (0-9), or another special symbol like $, #, =, +,-,
etc.
1byte (1B) = 8bits=1 character
1 Kilo Byte (1KB) = 103B
1Mega Byte (1MB) = 103KB = 106B
1Giga Byte (1GB) = 103MB = 106 KB = 109B
Diligence
Since computer is a machine it does not suffer from the human traits of tiredness and
lack of concentration. It maintains the same accuracy and fastness at any time, even
after a long period of continuous non-stop work.

Classification of Computers by size, capacity & performance

A. Microcomputers: are called personal computers or just PC. These are smallest in
size and capacity and are applicable for office, home and personal use.
Types of PC:
i. Palmtop computers
Hand-held or palmtop computers are gaining popularity. It is normally used for
limited number of functions as grammar and dictionary checking, calendar
checking notebook, etc.
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Information sheet on Introduction to computer

ii. Laptop computers

They are briefcase sized designed for portability. You can use laptop computers
on top of your lap when going in a car, on airplane, or even in a café. These
computers are very convenient because they are designed for portability.
iii. Desktop/Tower computers

Laptop Desktop Tower

Fig 2 Personal Computers
B. Minicomputers: are larger in size and capacity than PCs. They are popularly
used in banks, universities and colleges.
C. Main frame computers: these types of computers process a vast amount of
information and have much higher processing speed and capacity than the above
two. They can be used in higher organizations like Ethiopian airlines designed for
complex operations.

Fig 3 Main frame Computers

D. Supercomputers: are the most powerful computers, fastest, and the most
expensive type of computers. An example can be computers in NASA. The
supercomputer is the top of the heap in power and expense. These are used for
jobs that take massive amounts of calculating, like weather forecasting,
engineering design and testing, serious decryption, economic forecasting, etc.

Fig 4 Supercomputers

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Information sheet on Introduction to computer

Computer Systems
Computer systems have two major components that can be classified as hardware and
software. Hardware is the equipment you use, part of computer you can touch and feel
where as software is the set of instructions, called programs, that tells the computer
hardware what, when and how to do tasks.

Computer

Hardware Software

Input Processo Storage Output Application

device
System software
r device devices Software

Fig 5 Structure of computer system

Computer Hardware
1. Input Devices
Input devices enable a computer user to enter data, commands, and programs into the
computer and interact with computer. Different input devices handle different types of
information. Examples: Keyboard, Mouse, microphone, scanners, Digital Camera, etc.
 The Keyboard

The standard keyboard has four groups of keys. The alphanumeric keys and the
numeric keys enter text and number into the computer. The function keys are used by
programs as keyboard shortcuts to commands. The cursor-movement keys allow you to
move the cursor to various positions on the screen.

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Information sheet on Introduction to computer

 The Mouse
A mouse allows you to move the pointer or cursor that is on the screen and to select items
by clicking on them.
The mouse rests on a mouse pad or desk top, and when the mouse is
moved around, the pointer on the screen imitates the motion of the
mouse.
The mouse has buttons, which send a signal to the computer when
clicked. Most mouse have three buttons, the left button commonly
performing a function, the right button revealing the options available from the current
position and the middle button called scroll/wheel that scrolls documents not seen on one
screen at a time.

 Microphone:
It converts sounds and human voices to computer information. A PC
captures sound input through a microphone and gives the output through a
speaker.
 Scanner:
Scanners scan paper and photographic images and convert them to digital
images.
The scanner works like a copy machine.

2. Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The CPU, or Central Processing Unit, is the main part of a computer in which all
processing is carried out. This is the part of the computer that does the "thinking" and
also named as “the brain of computer.” The CPU has two major functions:

 It co-ordinates and controls the computer’s activities. For example:

retrieving/opening files from disks, interpreting data and commands entered from
input devices like keyboard, and sending data to output devices like printer, etc.
 It performs arithmetic and logic operations using binary number system.

CPU has three parts:

A. Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU): The ALU is designed to perform basic
arithmetic and logic operations.
1. The arithmetic operations include addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication
(*) and division (/).
2. The logic operations include AND, OR, and NOT functions, <, >, =, ≠, <=,
>=. The ALU can only do one thing at a time but can work very, very fast.

B. Control Unit (CU): The Control Unit is responsible for controlling the overall
operation of the computer system. The control unit directs and co-ordinates all
units of the computer.

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Information sheet on Introduction to computer

C. Registers: in order to retain intermediary results, the ALU requires a provision

for storing operand and instructions used for control unit. These storing devices
with in CPU are called registers. Registers have a very fast access time.

3. Output Devices
An output device is a peripheral device that enables a computer to communicate (send
out) information to the user.
In general, there are three types of output from a computer. These are:
 Printed or hard copy output
 Display output or soft copy output
 Voice output
 Printed out put
There are two types of devices used to produce Printed out put. These are printer and
plotter.
i. Printer
Printers are devices for producing permanent output on paper. Such output is
sometimes referred to as hard copy. e.g. Report, chart, etc.
ii. Plotters: - devices that produce hard copy graphical output for engineering design,
weather map, etc.
 Display output
In addition to hard copy output, a significant share of the output produced by a computer
system appears visually on the display screen (or Monitor) of a computer. The output the
monitor display is named as soft copy.
 Voice output
In voice output systems, the user hears synthesized speech over headphones or speakers.

4. Storage Devices
Storage refers to the media and methods used to keep information available for later use.
A computer has two types of storages; one that store data or instruction currently being
processed (main memory) and the other store data or software that retain with in
computer for a long time (auxiliary storage).

A. Main Memory (Internal or primary memory)

Internally, temporary instructions or data can be stored in silicon Random Access
Memory (RAM) chips that are mounted directly on the computer's main circuit board
(motherboard). Each memory location can be referred by its memory address.

RAM is a storage area where the computer stores the data and commands that are
currently being used or processed by CPU. When the computer is turned off, all data
in Main Memory (RAM) vanishes. A data storage method of this type is called
volatile since the data "evaporates." For this reason RAM requires a constant power
supply to maintain its contents. RAM chips are like pieces of paper that can be
written on, erased and used again. Its capacity is measured in Kilobytes, Mega Bytes,
Giga bytes, etc.

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Information sheet on Introduction to computer

B. Auxiliary Storage Devices (External or Secondary Storage Devices)

When you create data on the computer or write (load) programs, you can not save
them permanently in the computers main memory. Primarily, main memory (RAM) is
not large enough to store all of the programs and data that are used. In addition, main
memory loses its data when the computer is turned off. For these reasons, the
computer has another form of memory for permanent storage. This memory is known
as auxiliary storage also called external or secondary storage.

Secondary storage devices consists use magnetic storage media in the form of floppy
disks, hard disks, flash disks or tapes and optical storage media like CD and DVD to
store programs and data.

An ordinary CD-ROM can hold 650,000,000 bytes (650 megabytes) of data; the disk
can accommodate extensive digital graphics, video and sound clips.

The diagram below shows how the various components of computer work together.

Computer Software

Software or a program is a complete set of instructions written by humans, which enables

the computer to obtain solution of a certain problem.
Software is a collection of programs and routines that support the operations of
performing a task using a computer. Software also includes documentations, rules and
operational procedures.

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Information sheet on Introduction to computer

Software is often divided into two categories:

 System software:-includes the operating system and all utilities that enable the
computer to functions.
 Application software:-includes programs that do real task for users.
1. System Software

The important categories of system software are:

Operating system and Language software

OS (Operating system) have the following functions:

 manage the computer resources;
 interpret and process commands;
 manage input/output devices;
 allow the system to understand application software, &
 allow the user to communicate with the application software.

2. Application Software
 Is software that is designed to perform tasks for the specific purpose.
 Are usually called application packages as they may include a number of
programs along with operating instruction, documentation and so forth.
Example- Word Processors/ Word processing,
Spreadsheet, Database management system.

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