Chapter 1 Computing Fundamentals

History of Electronic Computers

 First

computer

ABC (Atanasoff Berry Computer) at Iowa State U. 1930s Solved large numbers of simultaneous equations
 First

all-purpose computer

ENIAC (Electronic Numeric Integrator And Calculator) Main idea developed from ABC notes
 Both

had set wiring data was input to memory

Lesson 1.1

John von Neumann

 Mathematician  Proposed

alternative to hard wiring  Introduced concept of stored program instructions

Both data and instructions were stored Led to development of multipurpose computers
Lesson 1.1

Computer Categories
Supercomputers Mainframe computers Workstations Personal computers (microcomputers) Laptops
More powerful than ENIAC

Palmtops
Speed and size! Lesson 1.1

Architecture
 Four

main parts

CPU (central processing unit) Main memory Controllers Peripheral devices

 Hardware

Electronic and mechanical devices integrated or connected to computer

Lesson 1.2

Schematic
CPU
Arithmetic Logic Unit Register Register Register Control Unit Motherboard Main Memory

Peripheral Devices

Controllers

Lesson 1.2

Main Memory
 Stores

information to be process or instructions to be executed  Information stored in bits (binary digits)

Two states: on or off Byte is 8 bits (character of information like b) Grouped into packets called cells or words Bit pattern is code
Lesson 1.2

Memory Sizes
 Represented

by 2 raised to a power
1,099,511,627,776 1,073,741,824 1,048,576 1,024 240 = terabyte 230 = gigabyte 220 = megabyte 210 = kilobyte 23 = 8 bits (byte)

Trillion Billion Million Thousand

Lesson 1.2

Memory Access
 RAM

Random access memory Allows access to cells in no particular order Volatile

 ROM

Read only memory Cannot be modified by user Information is permanent (non-volatile)

 Serial

access

Sequence of cell followed to extract information

Lesson 1.2

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

 Control

Unit

Controls activities of CPU Directs flow of instructions Communicates with ALU

 Registers

Rapid access memory cells

 Arithmetic-Logic

Unit (ALU)

Arithmetic operations Logic operations (compares, etc)

Lesson 1.2

Peripheral Devices
 Two

categories

Mass storage
Disk drives  Tape drives  CD drives, etc.


Input-output (I/O)
Monitors  Keyboards  Printers  Speakers, etc.


Lesson 1.2

Mass Storage Devices

 Store

information  Devices that rotate, write to or read from called drives  On/Off (binary)
Magnetic spots on disks or tape Pits or lands on CDs (optical disks)

Lesson 1.2

Major Differences between Main and Mass Storage

 Slower

access in mass storage than main  Mass storage portable  Mass storage usually have greater capacity and can hold large amounts of information  Main memory is volatile and disappears when power is off, but mass storage permanent (unless deliberately erased)
Lesson 1.2

Input-Output Devices
 Input

Convert information coming in to computer compatible form Examples: keyboards, scanners, microphones
 Output

Convert computer codes into user understandable format Examples: monitors, printers, speakers
Lesson 1.2

Controllers
 Coordinate

actions of peripheral devices with actions of computer flow between peripheral equipment and controller
Need to know what peripheral equipment is doing

 Constant

Lesson 1.2

Networks
 Groups

of individual computers and peripheral devices linked together to share information and resources categories
Wide area network (WAN) Local area network (LAN)

 Two

 Topology

is shape of connection

Lesson 1.3

Network Topologies
Bus Ring

Tree Irregular

Lesson 1.3

Data Representation
 Each

bit is either on or off, 1 or 0  ASCII code 8 bits make a byte  Integers represented by base 2, binary system
Each place position is power of 2 (23+22+21+20)
 Two

other number systems used

Octal (powers of 8) Hexadecimal (powers of 16)

Lesson 1.4

Memory Addresses
 Every

memory cell needs to be addressed code represent address of cell

 Binary  One

cell can contain address of another memory cell

Lesson 1.4

Programming Languages
 Assembly

language language

One level above machine language

 High-level

Designed to simplify writing programs Four types  Procedural (imperative)  Functional  Declarative  Object oriented
Lesson 1.5

Software
 Set

of instructions read into computers memory and later executed on demand  Two types
System  Operating systems  Utility programs  Language translators Application
Lesson 1.6

Operating System Software

 Software  Interface

written into memory upon startup

between user, computer and peripherals categories

Multiple-user computers Single-user computers

 Two

Lesson 1.6

Utility Programs
 Perform

basic operations necessary for performance of computer system

File operations  creating, copying, saving  deleting, merging, sorting

 Encapsulated

with operating systems

Lesson 1.6

Language Translators
 Convert

programmer-made instructions (source code) into machine-language instructions (object code)  Three types
Assemblers: Convert assembly language programs to object code Interpreters: Converts an instruction to object code then executes it Compilers: Converts entire program to object code
Lesson 1.6

Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

 Full

package

Compiler Text editor Debugging tools

 Allows

creation, repeated execution and modification of a program

Helps find violations of language rules

Lesson 1.6

Application Software
 Many

types exist  Examples of common types

Games Word processing Database management Graphics
 Program

solves practical problem or does specific tasks

Lesson 1.6

Software Engineering
 Describes

process of software development  Process involves many steps (Figure 1.10)

Definition of problem Design scheme (breaking into modules) Coding modules Testing Program never done Assemble modules Test until working correctly
Lesson 1.7

Structured Programming
 Top-down  Tasks

design

Defines all tasks program is to perform

separated and functions developed

Can be designed separately Two types  Library Included in C++ development environment  Programmer-defined Custom made by user
Lesson 1.7

Development of C++ Language

 Middle

1980s at Bell Laboratories  Bjarne Stroustrup  Improvement upon C language  Standardized in 1997
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) International Standards Organization (ISO)
 Object-oriented

Lesson 1.7

C++ Development Environment

 Primary  Allows

goal to produce executable file

Machine language instructions

user to

Create source code Test it Modify it Convert it to executable format

Lesson 1.7

C++ IDE Operations

 Editing

text to create source code  Preprocessing source code  Compiling source code and code attached by preprocessor  Linking object code generated in step 3 with other object code

Lesson 1.7

Summary
Learned about:
 Computer

history  Basic computer architecture  How bits are stored  Differences between programming languages  Software engineering  C++ language background  Using IDE to create executable programs
Chapter 1