1

FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTER
After completing this lesson, you will This is 10 periods Chapter
be able to: including practical work.
 Know about the evolution of computer
 Describe brief history and generations of
computer
 Define the types of computers (Analog,
Digital and Hybrid)
 Differentiate between mainframe, mini and
microcomputers
 Describe the use of computers in various
fields
 Know the scope of the careers in the field of
Information Technology
 Describe the components of computer
(input/output devices, system unit and
computer memory)
 Differentiate between port, expansion slot and expansion card
 Explain the input/output, processing and storage operations
 Define operating system, device drivers, utility programs and language processors
 Identify the use of productivity, business, entertainment and education software
 Elaborate open source software, shareware and freeware

UNIT INTRODUCTION
This Unit “Fundamentals of Computer” covers a foundational understanding of computer
hardware and software along with how to get the most value and impact from computer
technology. In this unit the history of computer is described so that students can understand how
have computers evolved from very simple calculating devices to the modern electronic
computing. It also provides material on application of computers in various fields to describe the
role of computer in modern society and its impact on our daily life.
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 9

1.1 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

Today’s world is an information-rich world and it has become a necessity for everyone to
know about computers. A computer is a general-purpose programmable machine. Computer is

Computer

Input Process Output

Fig.1-1 Computer processing system

an advanced electronic device that takes raw data as input from the user and processes it under
the control of set of instructions (called program), gives the result (output), and saves it for future
use. It has the ability to store, retrieve and process data. It processes data at very high speed
according to the instructions given to it and produces accurate results. The instructions given to
a computer to perform a particular task is known as computer program. Computer processing
system is shown in Fig.1-1.

1.1.1 EVOLUTION OF COMPUTER

Evolution of computers means how the computers evolved from the first mechanical
device, abacus, to electromechanical and then to the modern electronic digital computers.
TITBITS
Abacus
Abacus is still seen at some toy shops,
Abacus was the earliest calculating device most made of plastic or wood for small
probably invented in China. children.

It consisted of a wooden frame having parallel rods as

shown in Fig.1-2. These rods had a number of wooden beads
which could slide freely along the length of rods. While
performing calculations, beads were moved up and down with
fingers. Abacus was used to perform addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division. It has been used in China and
some other Asian countries till the end of 20th century.
Fig.1-2 Abacus
Napier’s Bone
John Napier, a Scottish mathematician invented a
calculating device called Napier’s Bone in 1614 which is
shown in Fig.1-3. It consisted of a wooden box containing
rotating cylinders each of which had the digits from 0 to 9.
It could multiply, divide and find square roots of numbers by
using simple addition and subtraction. His biggest
achievement was the invention of logarithm.
Fig.1-3 Napier’s Bone
10 1 Fundamentals of Computer

Pascaline
Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician invented a
calculating machine called Pascaline in 1642 when he was
only 19 years old. Pascaline used rotating wheels as shown in
Fig.1-4. Each wheel had ten parts having digits from 0 to 9.
Calculations were performed by the rotation of wheels. When
one wheel completes a rotation, the next wheel moves by one
digit. It had a number of small slots for displaying the result. It
Fig.1-4 Pascaline
could perform addition and subtraction on whole numbers.
Difference Engine and Analytical Engine
In 1822, the English mathematician Charles Babbage
started working on a big calculating machine about the size
of a room. He called it Difference Engine.
Babbage worked for many years on this machine but he could
not complete it. Later, he came up with idea of Analytical
Engine which is shown in Fig.1-5. He could not complete it
because the technology was not advanced enough but he laid
Fig.1-5 Analytical Engine
the foundation stone of modern digital computers. Today’s
modern digital computers are based on the idea of analytical
engine. Charles Babbage is known as the father of modern
digital computers.
Hollerith Desk
In 1890, Herman Hollerith built a tabulating machine called
Hollerith Desk as shown in Fig.1-6. This machine was invented
to help with the census of 1890 in America. Hollerith Desk
consisted of a card reader which sensed the holes in the
Fig.1-6 Hollerith Desk cards, a gear driven mechanism which could count and a large
set of dial indicators to display the results. After building a
Hollerith Desk, Hollerith started company by the name of Tabulating Machine Company.

Eventually this company changed its name to International Business Machines (IBM).
Slide Rule
Based on the idea of logarithm, English
mathematician, William Oughtred developed a
device called Slid Rule in 1614. It was very
useful for solving problems that involved

Fig.1-7 Slide Rule

 1 Fundamentals of Computer 11
multiplications and divisions. It has three parts, slide, rule
DO YOU KNOW?
and a transparent sliding cursor as shown in Fig.1-7. Slide rule was replaced by electronic
pocket calculator in the early 1970s.
Mark-I
The next successful computing machine
invented was a digital computer known as Mark-
I. It was invented by Howard Aiken in 1944. Mark-
I could add three numbers having eight digits in
one second. It could print out its results on
punched cards or on an electric typewriter. Mark-
I was 50 feet long, 8 feet high and weighed about
5 tons. It used 3,000 electric switches. Mark-I is
shown in Fig.1-8.
More over Mark II, Mark III and Mark IV were Fig.1-8 Mark-I Computer
also built under the supervision of Howard Aiken with extended capabilities.
Since computer evolution is a continuous process, it has not stopped in the modern era.
New systems are being developed to provide voice recognition and understand natural
languages. High performance computing (HPC) is being used in today’s data centers for fast
data processing. High-performance computing (HPC) is the use of parallel processing for
running advanced application programs efficiently, reliably and fast.
The concept of “Cloud Computing” has been introduced. In the simplest terms, cloud
computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of
computer's hard drive. The current advancements in computer technology are likely to transform
computer into intelligent machine having thinking power. The evolution of computers will
probably continue till their processing capabilities have become equal to human intelligence or
even beyond that.
1.1.2 GENERATIONS OF COMPUTER
History of computers is a chain that runs from the ancient abacus and the analytical engine
of the nineteenth century, through the modern computers of present age. It is generally divided
into five generations. Each generation of computers is characterized by
major technological developments of that time.
First Generation Computers (1940 – 1956)
Vacuum tubes were used in the first generation computers. Vacuum tubes
generated so much heat that they had to be cooled by air conditioner.
Vacuum tubes burnt out very often and it was difficult to repair and maintain
the computers of first generation. A vacuum tube is shown is Fig.1-9.
The following are the characteristics of first generation computers.
 First generation computers used vacuum tubes.
 Speed was slow and memory was very small.
 They were huge in size taking up entire room. Fig.1-9 Vacuum Tube
12 1 Fundamentals of Computer

 First generation computers were very expensive and unreliable.

 They consumed a lot of power and generated a lot of heat.
 Input was based on punched cards.
 Output was obtained on printouts through electric typewriter.
 Machine language was used in these computers.
Some examples of first generation Mini/Mainframe computers are ENIAC (Electronic
Numerical Integrator and Computer), UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer), IBM 604, Mark-I
and EDSAC. Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator.
Second Generation Computers (1956 – 1963)
In 1947, three scientists, William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter
Brattain invented transistor shown in Fig.1-10. Transistor functions like a
vacuum tube. It replaced the vacuum tubes in the second generation
computers. Transistor was faster, more reliable, smaller and much
cheaper than vacuum tube.
Fig.1-10 Transistor The following are the characteristics of second generation computers.

 Transistors were used instead of vacuum tubes.

 Transistors reduced the size of computers and increased the speed and memory
capacity.
 Computers became more reliable and cheaper.
 Second generation computers used punch card readers, magnetic tapes, magnetic disks
and printers.
 Assembly language was used in these computers.
 High level programming languages, FORTRAN and COBOL were introduced in this
generation of computers.
Examples of second generation computers are UNIVAC II, IBM 7030, 7780 and 7090, NCR
300 series, General Electric GE 635 and Control Data Corporation’s CDC 1604 computers.
Third Generation Computers (1963 – 1971)
Integrated Circuits (ICs), also known as
semiconductor chips were used in third generation of
computers instead of transistors. IC chips were
developed in early 1960s. A single IC chip contains a
large number of transistors. IC chips increased the
power and decreased the cost of computers. Invention
of IC chips was a great breakthrough in advancing
computer technology. IC chips are shown in Fig.1-11.
The following are the characteristics of third
Fig.1-11 IC Chips generation of computers.
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 13
 Third generation computers used IC chips. DO YOU KNOW?
 IC chips improved the speed and memory of Intel invented the world’s first
computers. microprocessor, the Intel 4004 in
November, 1971.
 Computers consumed less electricity, became smaller,
cheaper and more reliable than second generation computers.
 Keyboard and monitor were used with the computer.
 These computers could run different application programs at the same time.
Some examples of third generation computers are Burroughs 6700, IBM System/360,
System 3 and Control Data Corporation’s 3300 and 6600 computers.
Fourth Generation Computers (1971 – Present)
In this generation of computers LSI (Large Scale Integration) and VLSI
(Very Large Scale Integration) chips having millions of transistors were
developed. Microprocessor was also developed in fourth generation of
computers. A microprocessor is a single chip that can handle all the
processing of a computer. A microprocessor is shown in Fig.1-12.
The following are the characteristics of fourth generation of computers. Fig.1-12 Microprocessor

 Microprocessor was developed which resulted in the development of microcomputers.

 Fourth generation computers are very fast, have large storage capacity and use
advanced input/output devices.
 Microcomputers are very small in size, very reliable, consume less power and are
affordable.
 Large variety of software is available for use in microcomputers.
 Operating system having Graphical User Interface (GUI) was developed in this
generation.
 These computers support multimedia software that combines text, image, sound and video.
 These computers support modern programming languages such as Visual Basic, C++,
Java and Python for developing powerful software.
 Fourth generation computers support a large variety of portable and wireless input/output
devices.
Some examples of microprocessors developed in fourth generation of computers are Intel
Pentium series, Dual Core, Core2 Duo, Core i3, i5, i7 and AMD Athlon.
Some examples of fourth generation computers are IBM ThinkPad series, HP Pavilion
series, Dell Inspiron series and Apple’s MacBook Pro and MacBook Air series.
Fifth Generation Computers (Present and Beyond)
The goal of fifth generation of computers is to develop devices that For your Information
can understand natural languages and have thinking power. This is Artificial Intelligence is the
a big challenge for computer developers and programmers to design branch of computer
science concerned with
such systems and software for them.
making computer behave
The following are the characteristics of fifth generation of computers. like humans.
14 1 Fundamentals of Computer


Fifth generation computes are based on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In the fifth generation of computers, AI will minimize the need to write programs.

These computers will allow users to give commands in any natural language such as
English.
Examples of fifth generation computers are robots and expert systems.
1.1.3 TYPES OF COMPUTERS
On the basis of data representation, processing, Input and Output, Computers can be
classified into the following three types.
 Analog Computers
 Digital Computers
 Hybrid Computers
Analog Computers
Analog computers represent and process data by
measuring quantities such as voltage and current to solve
a problem. They work on supply of continuous signals as
input and display output simultaneously. Analog
computers are special purpose devices, designed to
Fig.1-13 Analog computer perform single specific task. Mostly these devices are
used in engineering and scientific applications. The
accuracy of analog computers is low but they are faster in speed as compared to digital
computers. They mainly consist of electrical devices such as resisters, capacitors, transistors,
etc. An analog computer with volt meter is shown in Fig.1-13.
Digital Computer
Digital computer works with digits. Everything in a digital computer is represented with
binary digits 0s and 1s. It manipulates them at very fast speed. Data and instructions are fed into
the digital computer through an input device in the form of 0s and 1s. The computer performs
calculations on data according to the
instructions given in a computer program. The
results of calculations are displayed on
monitor or printed on printer. A digital
computer is shown in Fig.1-14.
Digital computers can store and process
large amount of information at high speed.
The results produced by digital computers are
reliable and accurate. Digital computers are
general-purpose computers, used in various
fields.
Fig.1-14 Digital Computer
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 15
Hybrid Computers
Hybrid computers are the combination of analog and
digital computers. They combine the characteristics of both
analog and digital computers. Hybrid computers are mainly
used for scientific applications. These computers are used in
spaceships, missile systems, scientific research, hospitals and
for controlling industrial processes.
A hybrid computer known as Vital Sign Monitoring Unit is
shown in Fig.1-15. It is used in hospitals to monitor patient’s
important data such as blood pressure, temperature, respiration Fig.1-15 A Hybrid Computer
(Vital Sign Monitoring Unit)
and heartbeat.
1.1.4 CLASSIFICATION OF DIGITAL COMPUTERS
Digital computers are classified into super, mainframe, minicomputer and microcomputer
based on their size, speed, storage capacity and the number of users they can support.
Super Computer
Super computers are the largest and the most
powerful computers. Super computers have been used for
scientific and engineering applications that must handle
very large databases and do a great amount of
computation. These computers are very expensive. Their
speed is measured in TIPS (Trillions of Instructions per
Second). These computers are used in nuclear research
and forecasting weather reports worldwide. Government
organizations use these computers to meet their extra Fig. A-1-16 Super computer
ordinary demand for processing data which require tremendous processing speed, memory and
other services. Fig A-1-16 shows The Columbia Supercomputer located at the NASA Ames
Research Center, USA.
Mainframe Computer
Mainframe computers were developed in early 1940s.
A mainframe computer is a very large, very powerful and
expensive computer that can support hundreds and even
thousands of users at the same time. Therefore, these
computers are used in large organizations. The modern
mainframe computers that use cutting edge technology are
the foundation of today’s business in banking, insurance,
education, air travel, research, health care, government and
Fig. B-1-16 Mainframe computer
many other public and private organization. These
computers can execute more than trillion instructions per second (TIPS). Some examples of
mainframe computers are IBM’s z Enterprise EC12, EC 196, HP 16500 Series and HP Integrity
Superdome. A mainframe is shown in Fig.B-1-16.
16 1 Fundamentals of Computer

Minicomputer
Minicomputer was introduced in the 1960s when IC chips were introduced. A minicomputer
is bigger than a microcomputer but smaller than a mainframe. These computers can execute
billions of instructions per second (BIPS).
Therefore, they can process more data than
microcomputers. Today, minicomputers
with cutting edge technology are playing an
important role in business organizations for
their data processing requirements. These
are used in organizations that have
hundreds of users such as PIA, NADRA,
police departments, hospitals, etc. A
minicomputer is shown in Fig.1-17.
Examples of minicomputers are IBM
Fig.1-17 Minicomputer System/36 and HP 3000.
Microcomputer
Microcomputers are the smallest and the low cost computers. These computers are most
commonly used in homes and offices. Microcomputer was introduced in 1970s when
microprocessor was developed. A microprocessor is a single chip that controls the operations
of the entire computer system. Modern microcomputers have large storage capacity and they
can execute millions of instructions per second (MIPS). A variety of software is available for use
in these computers.
Microcomputers are available in various forms such as Do you know?
desktop, laptop and tablet as shown in Fig.1-18. Some popular Today, microprocessor is not
companies that manufacture microcomputers are IBM, Dell, HP, only used in microcomputers,
they are also used in the
Toshiba and Acer. A microcomputer is also known as Personal devices including mobile
Computer or PC. IBM Lenovo series, Dell XPS series and HP phones, microwave ovens,
Envy series are some popular microcomputers. cameras, washing machines,

Fig.1-18 (a) Desktop (b) Laptop (c) Tablet Microcomputer

 1 Fundamentals of Computer 17

1.2 ROLE OF COMPUTER

Computer plays important role in modern society and it has changed it in many ways. It is
the best invention ever made in the history of modern technology. It has brought advancement
in various fields of life.
1.2.1 USE OF COMPUTERS IN VARIOUS FIELDS
Education
Role of computers in education has been given a lot of importance in the recent years.
Computer technology eases the process of learning. Many programs are available for students
to learn the subjects of Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, etc. Multimedia software
makes the process of learning interactive and interesting. It combines text, graphics, sound and
video for effective learning. Internet has enormous information on a wide variety of subjects.
Students can refer to Internet to find information on any topic. Nowadays computers with
multimedia projectors are being used in classrooms for effective teaching. All the activities
related to examinations are also being controlled using computers. Therefore, it plays an
important role in education. Today, computer education is a part of curricula from elementary to
university level. Use of computer in education is shown in Fig.1-19.

Fig.1-19 Use of computer in education

18 1 Fundamentals of Computer

Business
Computers are used in all types
of businesses as shown in Fig.1-20, to
improve productivity. They help in
running business activities efficiently.
They are used to prepare business
documents, reports, charts,
presentations, invoices, etc. They help
in staying in contact with employees
and customers. The following are some
important business areas where
Fig.1-20 Use of computer is business
computers are used.
 Computer technology has revolutionized the banking business. Deposits and withdrawals
are instantly logged into a customer’s account. Accurate monthly bank statements are
generated with the help of computer. Computer networks allow amount of bill to be
transferred from customer’s bank account to the store. People can obtain cash any time
anywhere through Automated Teller Machine (ATM).
 Computers are used in retail stores. Bar code readers are linked to computer system that
are used to read the bar code printed on each product sold to prepare the bill. With the use
of computers at retail stores, the checkout process is faster and the bill produced is
accurate.
 Electronic commerce, also known as e-commerce allows to sell products and services by
means of computer networks such as Internet.
 Computers are very helpful in running many other types of businesses that include hotel,
hospital, school, travel agency, real estate, stock exchange, etc.
Defense
There are various applications of
computer technology in defense. Computers
are used in tanks, planes and ships to target
enemy forces. They help in tracking missiles
and destroying them. Modern defense
weapons and other equipment are
controlled by computers. Computers are
used for designing and testing of weapons.
Computers are also used in communication
systems in defense. Fig.1-21 shows
Fig.1-21 Use of computer in cockpit of fighter plane
application of computer in a fighter plane.
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 19
Media
Computers have lot of applications in
print and electronic media. Print
media refers to mass communication
through printed material. Computer
technology helps in preparation and
production of newspapers, magazines,
booklets and brochures, flyers, press
releases and books. Electronic media
refers to broadcast media that includes
radio broadcast, cable and satellite
television broadcast and the new-age
media like Internet and mobile devices.
Computer is used for television Fig.1-22 Use of computer in television broadcasting
broadcasting as shown in Fig.1-22.
Manufacturing
Now days, computer technology is
widely used in manufacturing industry. It
has improved the accuracy, quality and
speed of manufacturing. Computers are
used for product design and automation of
manufacturing process in factories as
shown in Fig.1-23. This is known as
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and
Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM).
CAD involves the use of computer
hardware and graphics software to create
Fig.1-23 Computer controlled manufacturing machines
product designs. CAM involves the use of
computer in planning and management of production operation. It helps in automatically
producing finished products. CAD/CAM technology has been applied in many industries,
including automobile, electronics, machine components, textiles, fashion, etc.
1.2.2 CAREERS IN INFORMATION TECHONOLOGY (IT)
Information Technology (IT) refers to anything related to computing technology, such as
networking, hardware, software, the Internet, or the people that work with these technologies.
Many companies now have IT departments for managing the computers, networks, and other
technical areas of their businesses. Many jobs are offered in these departments. A few are
discussed as below.
Software Engineer
Software engineer is a highly skilled person in the field of IT whose responsibilities involve
the analysis, design, implementation and maintenance of computer software. Software engineer
can be further classified into programmer and system analyst.
20 1 Fundamentals of Computer

 Programmer
Computer programmers are IT professionals who have extensive knowledge and expertise in
programming languages. Computer programmers write programs to solve problems related with
business, education, engineering, government offices, hospitals, entertainment, etc.
 System Analyst
System analysts analyze the data processing requirements of organizations and develop
information systems to implement them. They investigate problems, plan solutions, and
recommend the type of hardware and software required for implementing the solution.
Hardware Engineer
Hardware engineers design and manufacture computer hardware. Their work also involves
repair and maintenance of computer hardware. They have in-depth knowledge of internal
working of computers, processors, circuit boards and other electronic equipment.
Network Administrator
Network administrators are responsible for installation, configuration and maintenance of
computer networks in organizations. They are in charge of maintenance of computer hardware
and software that make up a computer network.
Database Administrator
Database administrator is a person who is responsible for the design, implementation and
maintenance of a database in an organization. He is also responsible for maintaining security
and monitoring the performance of database.
Web Designer
Web designer is a person whose job is to plan and create websites. He designs web pages
that include text, images, sound, video clips and make the website interactive. HTML (Hypertext
Markup Language) is the most commonly used language for creating websites.
Multimedia Designer
Multimedia designers are people who organize and present information in an easy to
understand and attractive manner. They combine text, graphics, animation, audio and video.
Multimedia designers create digital images and arrange them in sequence for animation using
computer software. They have the skills to edit and manipulate audio/video files. They usually
work in film/TV industry, computer software companies and advertising companies.
Information Security Analyst
Information security analyst is a person whose job is to protect information and information
systems from unauthorized access, use, modification, recording or destruction. He implements
procedures and policies to ensure information security within the organization.
Computer Teacher
Computer teacher teaches the subject of computer science to students to make them
computer literate. He conducts lessons on how to operate computers and the working principles
and concepts of computer hardware. He also teaches how to develop computer programs using
various programming languages.
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 21

1.3 COMPUTER HARDWARE

Computer hardware refers to the physical components that make up a computer system.
1.3.1 HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER
Hardware components of a computer system are classified into input devices, system unit,
storage devices, output devices and memory.
INPUT DEVICES
POINT TO PONDER:
All the devices used to feed data into the computer are
Why the keys on keyboard are
known as input devices. Input devices allow us to not arranged in alphabetical
communicate with the computer. Some commonly used order?
input devices are keyboard, mouse, microphone, scanner,
barcode reader, digital camera and touch screen.
Keyboard: It is the main input device
to communicate with the computer. It
allows the computer user to enter
letters, numbers and special
symbols into the computer. A
keyboard is shown is Fig.1-24.
Fig.1-24 A standard keyboard
Mouse: It is a hand-held device used
to control the movement of cursor or
pointer on the screen. It has two or three buttons at the front that allows the
computer user to make selection in menu, draw
graphics or open files, folders and programs. A mouse
is shown is Fig.1-25.
Joystick: A joystick is a pointing device with a vertical
Fig.A-1-25 Mouse
lever mounted on a base. The lever usually includes
Fig.B-1-25 Joystick
buttons called triggers, which activate certain events when pressed.
Joysticks are mainly used for computer games.
Microphone: It is a device that allows computer user to input audio into
the computer. It changes audio signals into electrical signals which are
translated into digital form by the sound card for processing in the
computer. A microphone is shown in Fig.1-26.
Scanner: It is a device that captures images from
photographs, magazines, books etc. and stores Fig.1-26 Microphone
them in computer in digital form. These images
can be edited, displayed on the screen or inserted in documents. Many
scanners also include optical character recognition (OCR) software,
which can convert an image of text into a text file that can be edited. A
Fig.1-27 Scanner scanner is shown in Fig.1-27.
22 1 Fundamentals of Computer

Barcode Reader: It is a device that reads the barcode printed on

products that represents product code, description and price. This
information is used by the computer to print bill for the customer. A
barcode reader is shown in Fig.1-28.
Digital Camera: It is a device used to
capture pictures and store them in digital
form. These pictures can be downloaded to
Fig.1-28 Barcode Reader
computer for editing, viewing or inserting in
documents. A digital camera is shown in Fig.1-29.
Touch Screen: It is a pressure-sensitive display screen that is used
to interact with the computer by touching pictures or words with
Fig.1-29 Digital Camera finger. Touch screen is more commonly used with mobile phone and
tablet. A touch screen is shown in Fig.A-1-30.
Touchpad: A touchpad is an input device on laptops and some keyboards to move a cursor
with finger. As user moves finger on the surface, the mouse cursor moves in that same
direction. A touchpad is shown in Fig. B-1-30.

Fig.A-1-30 Touch Screen Fig. B-1-30 Touch Screen

SYSTEM UNIT
System unit is the main part of computer. It includes motherboard, power supply and drives
(such as DVD and hard disk) inside the computer casing. All the input/output devices of a
computer are connected to system unit through the ports.
 Motherboard
Motherboard is the main circuit board inside the system unit. It contains microprocessor,
main memory, expansion cards, many IC chips, connectors and other electronic components. It
has many buses (electric pathways) printed on it. These are used to transmit information
between various components of the computer. All the input/output devices are connected to the
motherboard. A motherboard is shown in Fig.1-31.
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 23

Expansion slots

RAM memory slots

Ports for connecting

Socket for microprocessor input/output devices

Fig.1-31 Motherboard

 Microprocessor
A microprocessor is the main chip on the motherboard that controls all the activities of the
computer. It is also known as Central Processing Unit (CPU) or simply processor. It contains
Control Unit (CU), Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) and registers. A microprocessor and the block
diagram of CPU are shown in Fig.1-32.

ALU CU

REGISTERS

(a) (b)

Fig.1-32 (a) Microprocessor (b) Block diagram of microprocessor

ALU is the part of the computer that performs all the calculations and comparisons. It consists
of arithmetic unit and logic unit. Arithmetic unit performs all the arithmetic operations such as
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Logic unit performs logical operations which
include comparisons of numbers or alphabets.
24 1 Fundamentals of Computer

Control unit controls the operations of all the components of the computer. It controls the
working of all the input/output devices, storage devices and ALU. CU loads programs into
memory and executes them. It consists of very complicated circuits.

Registers are small memory units inside the microprocessor used to temporarily store some
information during the execution of a program. Some commonly used registers are Instruction
Register, Accumulator Register, Data Register and Memory Address Register.

STORAGE DEVICES
Storage devices are used to store programs and data that are not currently used by the
computer. They have huge storage capacity. Therefore, they are also known as mass storage
devices or secondary memory. Hard disk is the most commonly used storage device that is fixed
inside the system unit. Portable storage devices are CD, DVD, memory cards and USB flash
drive. Portable storage devices have less storage capacity than hard disk but they are cheap
and easy to carry.

 Hard Disk
A hard disk is a magnetic storage device used to store computer data. It
has storage capacity of hundreds of Gigabyte (GB). It is fixed inside the
computer casing. Portable hard disk is also available that is attached to
Fig.1-33 Hard Disk USB port.

 CD
CD stands for Compact Disk. It is a portable optical storage device with a storage capacity
of 700 Megabytes (MB). A CD is 1.2 millimeter thick with a diameter if 120 millimeters. CD drive
is used to read data from or write data to a CD.

 DVD
DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disk. It has the same thickness and
diameter as CD but has more storage capacity. Its storage capacity is in
the range of 4 to 16 GB. A DVD writer is installed in the computer to read
Fig.1-34 CD/DVD data from or write data to a DVD. A CD can also be used in a DVD writer.

 Memory Card
Memory card is a small storage device having storage capacity of
few Gigabytes. It is available in different sizes and storage capacities.
Memory cards are generally used in laptop computers and portable
devices such as mobile phone and digital camera for storing pictures,
audio and video. A memory card is shown in Fig.1-33.
Fig.1-35 Memory Card
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 25
 USB Flash Drive
USB flash drive is a small portable drive that is connected to
computer through USB port. It is also known as USB memory. It is very
fast in operation and its storage capacity is up to 128 GB till now. A
USB flash drive is shown in Fig.1-34.
OUTPUT DEVICES Fig.1-36 USB Flash Drive
Output devices are used to display text, graphics, and images on the monitor or to print
information on paper. Information displayed on monitor is known as softcopy and anything
printed on paper is known as hardcopy or printout. Commonly used output devices are monitor,
printer, plotter and speaker.
 Monito
It is an output device that has a screen on
which information is displayed. It has two
common types i.e. CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)
monitor and LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
monitor. CRT monitor is very similar to old
television. It is almost obsolete due to its big
size and low display quality. LCD monitor is
slim, uses less power and has better display (a) (b)
quality than CRT monitor. CRT and LCD
monitors are shown in Fig.1-35. Fig.1-37 (a) CRT Monitor (b) LCD Monitor

 Printer FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

The first high-speed printer was developed in 1953
Printer is an output device that prints text and
by Remington Rand (an early American business
graphics on paper which is known as machines manufacturer) for use on UNIVAC
hardcopy. There are two types of printers computer.
which are impact and non-impact printers.
Impact printer
Impact printer uses electro-mechanical mechanism which causes the character shape to strike
against the paper and leave an image of the character on the paper. Dot matrix printer is the
most commonly used impact printer. The printing speed varies from 50 to 500 cps (characters

(a) (b) (c)

Fig.1-38 (a) Dot Matrix Printer (b) Inkjet Printer (c) Laser Printer
26 1 Fundamentals of Computer

per second). Their printing is very cheap but print quality is poor. They produce lot of noise while
printing. These printers are still in use for printing invoices, bank statements, utility bills, etc. A
Dot matrix printer is shown in Fig.1-36(a).
Non-Impact printer
Non-Impact printer prints without striking the paper. There are two types of non-Impact printers
which are inkjet and laser printers. Inkjet printer stores ink in cartridge and sprays on paper
through fine nozzles on the print-head. Laser printer uses technology similar to photocopying
machine. Laser printer is more expensive, faster and has very high print quality compared to inkjet
printer. Inkjet printers are used in all sectors such as homes and simple businesses. Laser printers are
perfect for large scale businesses. Inkjet and laser printers are shown in Fig.1-36.(b,c).
 Plotter
Plotter is an output device used for printing engineering drawings, machine parts, building
designs, maps, charts and panaflexes etc. on large size papers/sheets. Such large size printing
is not possible on printers. It is more expensive than
printer. There are two types of plotters, that is, ink plotter
and pen plotter. Ink plotter is used for printing images
whereas pen plotter is used for printing engineering
drawings, machine parts, building designs, etc. Plotter is
a slow output device but its printing quality is good. A
Fig.1-39 Plotter plotter is shown in Fig.1-37.

 Speaker
Speaker is a device used to produce audio output. A pair of speakers
is attached to the sound card on the motherboard. Speakers are
commonly used with multimedia software and for playing music and
videos on computer. A pair of speakers is shown in Fig.1-38.
MEMORY
Fig.1-40 Speakers
Memory unit stores data and programs that are being executed by the
computer. It also stores the results produced by the ALU after processing the data. There are three
types of memories on the motherboard which are ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random
Access Memory) and Cache. These are known as main memory or
primary memory of computer.
ROM (Read Only Memory)
ROM is a single IC chip which is installed on the motherboard
as shown in Fig.1-39.
It stores the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) of computer that
Fig.1-41 ROM chip controls input/output devices and the start-up or boot process. BIOS
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 27
programs test the computer’s components when it is turned on and then load the operating
system into the RAM to make the computer ready for operation.
BIOS programs are permanently stored in ROM when it is manufactured. It is non-volatile
memory, that is, the programs stored in it are not lost when the computer is turned off. There are
three common types of ROM which are PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable
Programmable ROM) and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM).
RAM (Random Access Memory)
RAM is high speed memory installed on the motherboard. It is READ/WRITE memory.
Information can be read from or written into it. Programs are loaded into RAM from secondary
storage devices such as hard disk or USB
flash drive for execution by the
microprocessor. It is volatile memory which
means information stored in it, is lost when
the computer is turned off.
RAM modules are installed in the
memory slots on the motherboard. RAM
modules are shown in Fig.1-40 Fig.1-42 RAM modules
Cache Memory
Microprocessor
Cache is a very small amount of extremely fast memory inside
L1 cache
the microprocessor or on the motherboard. It is faster and more
expensive than RAM. It stores information that is most frequently
used by the computer. The purpose of using cache is to improve the L2/L3 cache
processing speed of computer.
There are three types of cache memories which are Level 1 (L1), Main Memory
Level 2 (L2) and Level 3 (L3) as shown in Fig.1-41. L1 cache is built (RAM)
inside the microprocessor whereas L2 and L3 are on the
Fig.1-43 L1, L2 and L3
motherboard. L1 cache is faster than L2 and L3 cache. Cache Memories
1.3.2 PORTS, EXPANSION SLOTS AND EXPANSION CARDS
PORTS
Port is an interface for connecting
various devices to the system unit.
These are located on the motherboard
and are usually seen at the back of the
system unit. There are various types of
ports for connecting keyboard, mouse,
monitor, microphone, speakers and Fig.1-44 Ports on motherboard
other input/output devices as shown in
28 1 Fundamentals of Computer

Fig.1-42(a). In modern computers, USB (Universal Serial Bus), HDMI (High Definition
Multimedia Interface), DVI (Digital Visual Interface), Audio and LAN (Local Area Network) ports
are used for connecting various devices to the computer. These devices include digital camera,
scanner, printer, external hard disk or DVD writer and USB memory, etc.
EXPANSION SLOTS AND EXPANSION CARDS
Expansion slots are long narrow sockets on the motherboard
used for installing expansion cards. Expansion cards are small
circuit boards. These cards add new capabilities to the
computers. Commonly used expansion cards are sound card,
graphics card, modem card and network card. In modern
computers these cards are built-in on the motherboard. A
Fig.1-45 Network card network card is shown in Fig.1-43.

1.4 BASIC OPERATIONS OF A COMPUTER

The following four basic operations are performed by computers which are shown in Fig.1-44.
 Input operation
 Processing operation
 Storage operation
 Output operation

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

STORAGE
Fig.1-46 Basic operations of a computer
Input Operation
A computer is a data processing machine. Users enter data and instructions into the
computer through keyboard or mouse. It can also be provided to the computer from a storage
device such as hard disk, CD or USB memory. The input data/instructions are stored in memory
for further processing.
Processing Operation
Microprocessor processes the data according to the instruction given to it. The microprocessor
fetches the data/instructions from the memory and stores it in instruction register. The control unit
then decodes the instruction to find out which operation is to be performed. After decoding the
instruction, it sends signals to other parts of the computer to execute it.
Storage Operation
The results produced after processing are stored in memory before they are sent to the
output device or permanent storage device like hard disk.
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 29
Output Operation
The results of data processing stored in memory must be output so that they can be seen
by the user. The control unit displays the results on the monitor or prints it on the printer. Results
can also be saved in a storage device such as hard disk for use in the future.

1.5 COMPUTER SOFTWARE

Computer programs are known as computer software. Computer program is a set of
instructions that tells a computer what to do and how to do. It is classified into two categories,
system software and application software.

1.5.1 SYSTEM SOFWARE

System software is a collection of programs which makes the use of computer easy and
efficient. Highly experienced computer programmers develop system software. Following are
the types of system software.
 Operating system
 Device drivers
 Utility programs
 Language processors
Operating System
An operating system is system software that is responsible for the management and
coordination of all the activities performed by the computer. It provides the environment in which
the user can interact with the computer hardware to operate the computer. The most popular
operating system used in microcomputers is the Windows.
The following tasks are performed by the operating system.
i. It loads programs into memory and executes them.
ii. It controls the operation of input/output and storage devices.
iii. It manages files and folders.
iv. It allows to create password to protect computers from unauthorized use.
v. It detects hardware failures and displays messages to fix them.
Device Drivers
A device driver is system software that controls the operation of a computer device. When
users attach a device such as printer or scanner to their computer, they should install its driver
to make it operational. Device drivers are provided by device manufacturers.
Utility Programs
Utility programs perform specific tasks that are related to the management of the computer.
The following are some commonly used utility programs that perform specific tasks.
 Windows Explorer: It is used to manage files and folders.
 Backup utility: It is used to make backup of data.
30 1 Fundamentals of Computer

 WinZip utility: It is used to compress files.

 Diagnostic utility: It is used to detect hardware and software problems.
 Antivirus software: It is used to detect and remove viruses.
Language Processors
A language processor is a system program used to translate computer programs into
machine language. Machine language is directly understood by the computer. Therefore, all the
programs must be translated into machine language before execution by the computer. Compiler
and interpreter are language processors used to translate high level language programs into
machine language. A program called assembler is used to translate assembly language
programs into machine language.
1.5.2 APPLICATION SOFTWARE
Application software is developed for computer users to solve their problems such as
preparing a letter, creating a presentation or managing a database. Commonly used application
software includes productivity software, business software, entertainment software and
education software.
Productivity Software
Productivity software includes word-processing, spreadsheet and database management
software packages. These software packages are used by individuals to speed up their daily
routine tasks by doing their work in an organized and efficient way.
Business Software
Any software that helps in running business in a more efficient way to improve
productivity is known as business software. Some examples of commonly used business
software are accounting, sales and marketing, inventory control, project management and
payroll software.
Entertainment Software
Software developed to entertain people is known as entertainment software. Video games
are one of the most popular forms of entertainment software. Many games are lot of fun to play
but sometimes they can also help to improve skills such as typing or reading. The term
edutainment merges games and education software into single software. Edutainment software
is used mainly for entertainment but it educates as well.
Education Software
Software developed for educational purpose is known as education software. A large
variety of education software has been developed. Education software includes typing tutor,
spelling tutor, language learning, medical and healthcare, driving test and flight simulation
software, etc.
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 31
1.5.3 OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE, SHAREWARE AND FREEWARE
Open Source Software
It is computer software that is available in the form of source code that allows users to
study, change and improve it. Open source software is free for use, modification and distribution.
Some examples of open source software are Linux operating system, OpenOffice (office
productivity software), Flight Gear (flight simulator) and Java programming language, etc.
Shareware
Shareware is distributed free of cost for a limited period, usually one or two months. It is
trial version of software given to people to decide whether they would like to buy the full version
of the software. Some shareware is installed on new computers when they are sold. Examples
of shareware are antivirus software and computer games, etc.
Freeware
Freeware is given free of cost and it is full version of software for an unlimited period of
time. It may have some restrictions such as allowed for personal or academic use only.
Examples of freeware are Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, VLC media player, etc.

Key Points

 Computer is a general-purpose programmable machine that has the ability to store, retrieve
and process data that is represented in the form of 0s and 1s.
 First generation computers used vacuum tubes and their period was from 1940 to 1956.
 Second generation computers used transistors and their period was from 1956 to 1963.
 Third generation computers used IC chips that were developed in early 1960s and their
period is from 1963 to 1971.
 Fourth generation computers use LSI and VLSI chips and their period is from 1971 to
present.
 Fifth generation of computers is concerned with development of devices that can understand
natural languages and have thinking power.
 Analog computer represents and processes data by measuring quantities such as voltage
and current to solve a problem. It works on supply of continuous signals as input and displays
output simultaneously.
 Digital computer works with binary digits 0 and 1. Data and instructions are fed into
digital computer through an input device such as keyboard. The computer performs
32 1 Fundamentals of Computer

calculations on data according to the instructions and displays results on monitor or prints
on printer.
 Hybrid computer is a combination of analog and digital computers. It combines the
characteristics of both analog and digital computers.
 Mainframe computer is a very large, very powerful and expensive computer that can support
hundreds and even thousands of users at the same time.
 Minicomputer is bigger than microcomputer but smaller than mainframe. It is used in
organizations that have hundreds of users.
 Microcomputer is the smallest and the low cost computer. It is the most commonly used
computer in homes and offices.
 Software engineer is a highly skilled person in the field of IT whose responsibilities involve
the analysis, design, implementation and maintenance of computer software.
 Computer programmer is an IT professional who has extensive knowledge and expertise in
programming languages. He programs the computer by writing step-by-step instructions that
tell the computer what to do.
 System analyst analyzes the data processing requirements of organizations and develops
information systems to implement them.
 Hardware engineer is an IT professional who designs and manufactures computer hardware.
 Network engineer is a person who is responsible for installation, configuration and
maintenance of computer networks in organizations.
 Database administrator is a person who is responsible for the design, implementation and
maintenance of a database in an organization.
 Web designer is a person whose job is to plan, design and develop websites.
 Multimedia designer is a person who designs multimedia software by combining text,
graphics, animation, audio and video.
 Information security analyst is a person whose job is to protect information and
information systems from unauthorized access, use, modification, recording and
destruction.
 Computer teacher is a person who teaches the subject of computer science to students.
 Computer hardware refers to the physical components that make up a computer system.
 Computer software is a set of instructions that tells a computer what to do and how to do.
 System software is a collection of programs which makes the use of computer easy and
efficient.
 Operating system is system software that is responsible for the management and
coordination of all the activities performed by the computer.
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 33
 Application software is developed to solve the problems of computer users such as writing
letter, creating presentation or managing a database.
 Open source software is a program that is freely available in the form of source code that
allows users to study, change and improve it.
 Shareware is trial version of software that is distributed free of cost for a limited period,
usually one or two months.
 Freeware is software given free of cost for an unlimited period of time.

Exercise
Q1. Select the best answer for the following MCQs.
i. Who invented logarithm?
A. Blaise Pascal B. John Napeir
C. Charles Babbage D. Herman Hollerith
ii. Which generation of computer used transistor?
A. 1st Generation of Computers B. 2nd Generation of Computers
C. 3rd Generation of Computers D. 4th Generation of Computers
iii. In which generation of computer microprocessor was introduced?
A. 1st Generation of Computers B. 2nd Generation of Computers
C. 3rd Generation of Computers D. 4th Generation of Computers
iv. Which of the following computer supports thousands of users at the same time?
A. Microcomputer B. Minicomputer
C. Mainframe computer C. Laptop computer
v. Who is responsible for protecting information and information systems from unauthorized
people in an organization?
A. System Analyst B. Information Security Analyst
C. Network Administrator D. Hardware Engineer
vi. Which of the following is the fastest memory?
A. USB flash drive B. RAM
B. ROM D. Cache
34 1 Fundamentals of Computer

vii. What type of software a device driver is?

A. Application software B. Business software
C. System software D. Productivity software
viii.Which of the following is volatile memory?
A. RAM B. ROM
C. USB flash drive D. Hard disk
ix. Which software is distributed free of cost for a limited period as a trial version?
A. Open source software B. Shareware
C. Freeware D. Productivity software
x. When were IC chips developed?
A. Early 1960s B. Early 1970s
C. 1980s D. 1990s
Q2. Write short answers of the following questions.
i. Describe Napier’s Bone and Slide Rule.
ii. Compare 1st and 3rd generation computers.
iii. Differentiate between analog and digital computers.
iv. Ahmed, a class IX student is asking his father to replace his home computer CRT
monitor with LCD monitor. How will you justify his demand?
v. What will happen if storage devices are removed from a computer?
vi. Differentiate between systems software and application software.
vii. How a student can use computer to improve academic performance?
viii. Give any three uses of computers in a school library.
ix. Name few house hold appliances in which microprocessor is used.
x. What are the tasks performed by operating system?
Q3. Write long answers of the following questions.
i. Describe the five generations of computers.
ii. Write a note on mainframe, minicomputer and microcomputer.
iii. Explains the basic operations of a computer.
iv. Write short note on the following.
a. Hardware Engineer
b. Network Administrator
c. Database Administrator
d. Web Designer
 1 Fundamentals of Computer 35
e. Multimedia Designer
v. Describe the following types of application software.
a. Productivity software
b. Business software
c. Entertainment software
d. Education software

Lab Activities
Activity 1: Demonstrate how input/output devices are connected to the system unit of the
computer.
Activity 2: Students should be shown components of computer such as RAM, ROM,
microprocessor, ports, expansion slots and power supply attached to the computer system.