Fall 2023-2024

Semester 1

Introduction to computers

Course Coordinator
Dr. Rodaina Abdelsalam
rabdelsalam@eelu.edu.eg
Module 1

Introduction to Computer
and Information Systems
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Computer System Basic Components
3. Types of Computers
4. Personal Computer Hardware
5. Data, Connectivity, and forces of Technology
Types of Computers (1 of 11)

Industry experts typically classify computers based on the

computer’s size, speed, processing power, and price.
There are four types of computers:
Supercomputers
Mainframe computers
Minicomputers/ midrange computers
Microcomputers / Personal computers
Types of Computers (2 of 11)
Supercomputers are the most powerful, largest, fastest, and most expensive type of computers.
They can perform hundreds of millions of instructions per sec.
They can process and store huge amount of data.
They are special high-capacity computers used in very large organizations.
They are used in applications, such as:
NASA.
Weather forecasting
 Types of Computers (3 of 11)
Mainframe computers, are smaller in size, price and capacity and have
lower processing speed than super computers.
They can do very large jobs which require large data storage and great
processing speed.
They are designed for most intensive computational tasks. Example; insurance companies use mainframes to process
information about millions of policyholders.
Types of Computers (4 of 11)
are smaller in size, capacity and lower in price
Mini Computers/ Midrange Computers ,
and processing speed than mainframe computers.
It is a multi-user computer capable of supporting from 10 to hundreds of
users at the same time. Also referred to as servers.
Originally used by medium-size companies or departments of large companies, today they are most widely used to
support or serve end users for such specific needs as retrieving data from a database or supplying access to
application software.
Types of Computers (5 of 11)
Microcomputers / Personal computers, are the least powerful but they are the most frequently used and fastest-
growing type of computers.
They are smaller in size, price and capacity and lower processing speed
than minicomputers/ midrange computers.
They are single-user computer based on a microprocessor.
Types of Computers (6 of 11)

Personal Computer Types

Actual personal computers can be generally classified into
five types:
desktops,
laptops,
tablets,
smartphones, and
wearable.
 Types of Computers (7 of 11)
Personal Computer Types
Desktop Computers:
They are small enough to fit on top of or alongside a desk, yet they are too big to carry around.
 Types of Computers (8 of 11)
Personal Computer Types
Laptop Computers/Notebook computers:
They are portable and can be easily carried around and used in a variety
of locations as they are thin and have lightweight
It is often designed to fit on the users lap.
 Types of Computers (9 of 11)
Personal Computer Types
Tablet computers:
Tablets are smaller, lighter, and generally less powerful than laptops.
Tablets are special type of laptop computers as they don’t have a standard
keyboard, they allow you to write or draw on the screen using a digital pen
as the entire screen is touch-sensitive, or using a virtual keyboard that
appears on the screen.
 Types of Computers (10 of 11)
Personal Computer Types
Smartphone:
They are the most widely used handheld computers.
It is connected wirelessly to the internet by using Wi-Fi or by using 3G/4G/5G mobile phone
networks, and designed to run a variety of applications in addition to phone
service as they can be used for web browsing, watching videos, reading e-books, playing games and more
They have an operating system (iOS, Android, etc.).
 Types of Computers (11 of 11)
Personal Computer Types
Wearable Computing:
Wearable computing is a kind of computing devices in which the
user wears the computing device in order to free their hands.
The most common wearable computers are:
Smartwatches like Apple’s Watch.
Activity trackers like Fitbit’s Flex 2.
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Computer System Basic Components
3. Types of Computers
4. Personal Computer Hardware
5. Data, Connectivity, and forces of Technology
Personal Computer Hardware (1 of 5)
Hardware for a personal computer system consists of a variety of different devices.
This physical equipment falls into four basic categories:
System Unit.
Input/Output.
Secondary Storage.
Communication.
Personal Computer Hardware (2 of 5)
is a container that houses most of the electronic components that make up a
System unit,
computer system.
Two important components of the system unit are microprocessors and memory.
The microprocessor; controls and manipulates data to produce information.
Memory, is a holding area for data, instructions, and information.
One type, random-access memory (RAM), holds the program and data that is currently being processed.
This type of memory is sometimes referred to as temporary storage because its contents will typically be
lost if the electric power to the computer is disrupted.

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 Personal Computer Hardware (3 of 5)
Input / Output Devices:
Input devices.
Translate data that humans can understand into computer language (a form that the computer can process)
Example: Keyboard and Mouse.
Output devices..
Translate the processed information from the computer into a form that humans can understand..
The most common output device is a display or monitor

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 Personal Computer Hardware (4 of 5)
Secondary Storage – Unlike memory, secondary storage holds data and programs even after the electrical
power has been turned off
Examples of secondary storage include USB drives, hard drives and optical drives
• Hard disks are typically used to store programs and data files. They use rigid metallic platters and
read/write heads for writing and reading data
• Solid-state storage does not have any moving parts, is more reliable, and requires less power to
operate.
• Similar to RAM but not volatile

• Optical disks use laser technology.

• Examples of optical disks include:
• compact discs (CDs)
• digital versatile or video discs (DVDs)
• Blu-ray discs

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Personal Computer Hardware (5 of 5)
Communication: one computer communicating with another computer or other computer systems using communication
devices such as a modem.

Communication devices.
Provide the ability for personal computers to communicate.
Modems.
Modify audio, video and other types of data for Internet usage.
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Computer System Basic Components
3. Types of Computers
4. Personal Computer Hardware
5. Data, Connectivity, and forces of Technology
Data
Data is raw, unprocessed facts, that can be stored electronically in files.
Processed data becomes information.
Digital data is stored electronically in files.
•Four common types of files include:
• Document files – created by word processors to save documents such as memos, term papers, and letters
• Worksheet files – created by electronic spreadsheets to analyze things like budgets and to predict sales
• Database files – created by database management programs to contain highly structured and organized data
• Presentation files – created by presentation software to save presentation materials
Connectivity and the Mobile Internet
Connectivity; is the capability of your personal computer to share information with other computers
Wireless /mobile communication and cloud computing over the past 5 years has been the 2 most dramatic changes in
connectivity.
Network; is central to the concept of connectivity. It is a Communications system connecting two or more devices.
Largest network is the Internet.
The Word Wide Web (WWW) provides a multimedia interface for Internet resources.
Forces of Technology
1. Cloud computing; using computing resources from the cloud to complete tasks instead of relying solely on your PC
.
Computers on the Internet.
Access to more resources.
Cloud computing can be used to create and store your work
2. Wireless technology.
Changing the way we communicate.
Tablets, smartphones, wearable devices.
The Wireless Revolution and cloud computing promise the potential to dramatically affect the entire computer
industry and how you interact with computers.
3. Internet of Things (IoT).
The continuing development of the Internet.
Allowing all types of devices to communicate.

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Review Questions
True/False
1. Minicomputers are the most frequently used computers
F
2. Solid state, unlike hard disks, this type of storage does not have any
moving parts, is more reliable, and requires less power.
3. Input devices translate the processed information from the computer into T
a form that humans can understand
4. Laptop is a type of computer that is small enough to fit on top of or F
alongside a desk yet is too big to carry around.
F

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MCQ
1. The largest, fastest, most powerful, and most expensive type of computers
a. Mainframe computer
b. Supercomputer
c. Microcomputer / Personal computer
d. Minicomputer / Midrange computer
B

2. Although not as powerful as a supercomputer, this type of computer is capable of great processing speeds and data storage
a. Mainframe computer
b. Supercomputer
c. Microcomputer / Personal computer A
d. Minicomputer / Midrange computer
3. They can be used for web browsing, watching videos, reading e-books, playing games and more
a. E-readers
b. Hand-held computers
c. Smart phones C
d. Game console
4. Apple’s Watch is what type of computer?
a. laptop
b. tablet
c. smartphone D
d. wearable

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