Definition

The word computer comes from the word “compute” which means ‘to calculate’.
A computer may be defined as an electronic device, which can store, manipulate
data and provide result according to instructions given by the user.

A computer system includes the computer along with software and hardware that
are necessary to operate a computer. The actual machinery, the physical parts of
a computer system refer to as Computer hardware; the instruction (a program)
that tells the computer what to do or how to do, that is called Computer
software (often called just software).

Data: a data is a raw fact, figure or a symbol.

Information: organized, meaningful and useful data is known as information.

History
Characteristics:-
Advantages of Computers

High Speed
Computer is a very fast device.

It is capable of performing calculation of very large amount of data.

The computer has units of speed in microsecond, nanosecond, and even the
picosecond.

It can perform millions of calculations in a few seconds as compared to man who

will spend many months to perform the same task.

Accuracy
In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate.

The calculations are 100% error free.

Computers perform all jobs with 100% accuracy provided that the input is
correct.

Storage Capability
Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.
A computer has much more storage capacity than human beings.
It can store large amount of data.
It can store any type of data such as images, videos, text, audio, etc.

Diligence
Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness, and lack of
concentration.

It can work continuously without any error and boredom.

It can perform repeated tasks with the same speed and accuracy.

Versatility
A computer is a very versatile machine.

A computer is very flexible in performing the jobs to be done.

This machine can be used to solve the problems related to various fields.

At one instance, it may be solving a complex scientific problem and the very
next moment it may be playing a card game.
Reliability
A computer is a reliable machine.

Modern electronic components have long lives.

Computers are designed to make maintenance easy.

● Automation Computer is an automatic machine.

● Automation is the ability to perform a given task automatically. Once the
computer receives a program i.e., the program is stored in the computer
memory, then the program and instruction can control the program
execution without human interaction.

Reduction in Paper Work and Cost

● The use of computers for data processing in an organization leads to
reduction in paper work and results in speeding up the process.
● As data in electronic files can be retrieved as and when required, the
problem of maintenance of large number of paper files gets reduced.
● Though the initial investment for installing a computer is high, it
substantially reduces the cost of each of its transaction .

Disadvantages of Computers
Following are certain disadvantages of computers.

No I.Q.
● A computer is a machine that has no intelligence to perform any task.
● Each instruction has to be given to the computer.
● A computer cannot take any decision on its own.

Dependency
● It functions as per the user’s instruction, thus it is fully dependent on
humans.

Environment
● The operating environment of the computer should be dust free and
suitable.

No Feeling
● Computers have no feelings or emotions.
● It cannot make judgment based on feeling, taste, experience, and
knowledge unlike humans.
Application

Business

A computer has high speed of calculation, diligence, accuracy, reliability, or

versatility which has made it an integrated part in all business
organizations.
Computer is used in business organizations for −

● Payroll calculations & Budgeting

● Sales analysis
● Financial forecasting
● Managing employee database
● Maintenance of stocks, etc.

Banking
Today, banking is almost totally dependent on computers. Banks provide the
following facilities −
● Online accounting facility, which includes checking current balance, making
deposits and overdrafts, checking interest charges, shares, and trustee
records.
● ATM machines which are completely automated are making it even easier
for customers to deal with banks.

Insurance

Insurance companies are keeping all records up-to-date with the help of
computers. Insurance companies, finance houses, and stock broking firms are
widely using computers for their concerns.
Insurance companies are maintaining a database of all clients with information
showing −

● Procedure to continue with policies

● Starting date of the policies
● Next due instalment of a policy
● Maturity date
● Interests due
● Survival benefits
● Bonus
Education

The computer helps in providing a lot of facilities in the education system.

● The computer provides a tool in the education system known as CBE
(Computer Based Education).
● CBE involves control, delivery, and evaluation of learning.
● Computer education is rapidly increasing the graph of number of computer
students.
● There are a number of methods in which educational institutions can use
a computer to educate the students.
● It is used to prepare a database about performance of a student and
analysis is carried out on this basis.

Marketing
In marketing, uses of the computer are following –
● Advertising − With computers, advertising professionals create art and
graphics, write and revise copy, and print and disseminate ads with the
goal of selling more products.

● Home Shopping − Home shopping has been made possible through the
use of computerized catalogues that provide access to product information
and permit direct entry of orders to be filled by the customers.

Healthcare
Computers have become an important part in hospitals, labs, and dispensaries.
They are being used in hospitals to keep the record of patients and medicines. It
is also used in scanning and diagnosing different diseases. ECG, EEG, ultrasounds
and CT scans, etc. are also done by computerized machines.
Following are some major fields of health care in which computers are used.

● Diagnostic System − Computers are used to collect data and identify the
cause of illness.
● Lab-diagnostic System − All tests can be done and the reports are
prepared by computer.
● Patient Monitoring System − These are used to check the patient's
signs for abnormality such as in Cardiac Arrest, ECG, etc.
● Pharma Information System − Computer is used to check drug labels,
expiry dates, harmful side effects, etc.
● Surgery − Nowadays, computers are also used in performing surgery.

Engineering Design
Computers are widely used for engineering purpose.
One of the major areas is CAD (Computer Aided Design) that provides creation
and modification of images. Some of the fields are −

● Structural Engineering − requires stress and strain analysis for design

of ships, buildings, budgets, airplanes, etc.
● Industrial Engineering − Computers deal with design, implementation,
and improvement of integrated systems of people, materials, and
equipment.
 ● Architectural Engineering − Computers help in planning towns,
designing buildings, determining a range of buildings on a site using both
2D and 3D drawings.

Military

Computers are largely used in defence. Modern tanks, missiles, weapons, etc.
Military also employs computerized control systems. Some military areas where
a computer has been used are −

● Missile Control
● Military Communication
● Military Operation and Planning
● Smart Weapons

Communication
Communication is a way to convey a message, an idea, a picture, or speech that
is received and understood clearly and correctly by the person for whom it is
meant. Some main areas in this category are −

● E-mail
● Chatting
● Usenet
● FTP
 ● Telnet
● Video-conferencing

Government
Computers play an important role in government services. Some major fields in
this category are −

● Budgets
● Sales tax department
● Income tax department
● Computation of male/female ratio
● Computerization of voters lists
● Computerization of PAN card
● Weather forecasting

Block diagram of computer

Input Unit
This unit contains devices with the help of which we enter data into the computer.
This unit creates a link between the user and the computer. The input devices
translate the data into a form understandable by the computer .

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

CPU is considered as the brain of the computer. CPU performs all types of data
processing operations. It stores data, intermediate results, and instructions
(program). It controls the operation of all parts of the computer.
CPU itself has the following three components −

● ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit):- ALU is a logical unit of CPU. This unit is
responsible for the processing of the data and instructions. When the CU
encounters instructions which are related to performing logical or arithmetic
operation on data, it passes that instruction to ALU. It carries out arithmetic
operations like additions, multiplication, divisions etc. The comparison
operations that arithmetic logical unit performs are comparison like less
than, greater than, less than or equal to, greater than or equal to, not equal
to etc. Logical operations includes OR, AND, NOT etc. The data on which

ALU performs operations are fetched from memory unit. After the
processing completes, the information or result is sent back to the storage
or an output device.

Control Unit:- Control unit is another part of CPU. It supervises the overall
operations of other units of the computer. The CU acts as the central
nervous system and controls the processing of data according to the
instruction given to the computer. It fetches instructions and data from the
memory unit and executes the instructions one at a time using time signal.
Control unit also determines the sequences of program and instruction’s

● Storage Unit:- The Memory unit of a computer system is what provides the
data that CPU needs for processing. There is a primary and secondary
memory in the computer system.
● Primary storage: - Primary memory holds the data so that CPU can process
it. The data that CPU process should be pulled to primary memory (RAM)
from secondary storage device.
● Secondary Storage:-
The Storage unit is also a part of a block diagram of computer. Storage unit
or secondary storage unit is a non-volatile device that holds programs, files,
documents. It provides facilities to store a large volume of data. CPU
executes the data stored on storage devices indirectly. The data are
transferred to RAM first and after an execution, the data can be again
written to Storage unit.
Output Unit
The output unit consists of devices with the help of which we get the information
from the computer. This unit is a link between the computer and the users.
Output devices translate the computer's output into a form understandable by
the users.

Types of computer:-

Analog Computers
Analog computers are used to process analog data. Analog data is of continuous
nature and which is not discrete or separate. Such type of data includes
temperature, pressure, speed weight, voltage, depth etc. These quantities are
continuous and having an infinite variety of values.

It measures continuous changes in some physical quantity e.g. The

Speedometer of a car measures speed, the change of temperatures measured by
a Thermometer, the weight is measured by Weights machine. These computers
are ideal in situations where data can be accepted directly from measuring
instrument without having to convert it into numbers or codes.

Analog computers are the first computers being developed and provided the
basis for the development of the modern digital computers. Analog computers
are widely used for certain specialized engineering and scientific applications, for
calculation and measurement of analog quantities. They are frequently used to
control process such as those found in oil refinery where flow and temperature
measurements are important. They are used for example in paper making and in
chemical industry. Analog computers do not require any storage capability
because they measure and compare quantities in a single operation. Output
from an analog computer is generally in the form of readings on a series of dial
(Speedometer of a car) or a graph on strip chart.

Digital Computers A Digital Computer, as its name implies, works with digits
to represent numerals, letters or other special symbols. Digital Computers
operate on inputs which are ON-OFF type and its output is also in the form of
ON-OFF signal. Normally, an ON is represented by a 1 and an OFF is represented
by a 0. So we can say that digital computers process information which is based
on the presence or the absence of an electrical charge or we prefer to say a
binary 1 or 0.

A digital computer can be used to process numeric as well as non-numeric data.

It can perform arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division and also logical operations. Most of the computers available today are
digital computers. The most common examples of digital computers are
accounting machines and calculators.

The results of digital computers are more accurate than the results of analog
computers. Analog computers are faster than digital. Analog computers lack
memory whereas digital computers store information. We can say that digital
computers count and analog computers measures.

Hybrid Computers
A hybrid is a combination of digital and analog computers. It combines the best
features of both types of computers. It has the speed of analog computer and
the memory and accuracy of digital computer. Hybrid computers are used mainly
in specialized applications where both kinds of data need to be processed.
Therefore, they help the user, to process both continuous and discrete data. For
example a petrol pump contains a processor that converts fuel flow
measurements into quantity and price values. In hospital Intensive Care Unit
(ICU), an analog device is used which measures patient’s blood pressure and
temperature etc, which are then converted and displayed in the form of digits.
Hybrid computers for example are used for scientific calculations, in defence and
radar systems.

Size & speed

PC (Personal Computer)
A PC can be defined as a small, relatively inexpensive computer designed for an
individual user. PCs are based on the microprocessor technology that enables
manufacturers to put an entire CPU on one chip. Businesses use personal
computers for word processing, accounting, desktop publishing, and for running
spreadsheet and database management applications. At home, the most popular
use for personal computers is playing games and surfing the Internet.
Although personal computers are designed as single-user systems, these systems
are normally linked together to form a network.
Workstation

Workstation is a computer used for engineering applications (CAD/CAM), desktop

publishing, software development, and other such types of applications which
require a moderate amount of computing power and relatively high quality
graphics capabilities.
Workstations generally come with a large, high-resolution graphics screen, large
amount of RAM, inbuilt network support, and a graphical user interface. Most
workstations also have mass storage device such as a disk drive, but a special
type of workstation, called diskless workstation, comes without a disk drive.
Common operating systems for workstations are UNIX and Windows NT. Like PC,
workstations are also single-user computers like PC but are typically linked
together to form a local-area network, although they can also be used as stand-
alone systems.
Minicomputer
It is a midsize multi-processing system capable of supporting up to 250 users
simultaneously.
Mainframe
Mainframe is very large in size and is an expensive computer capable of
supporting hundreds or even thousands of users simultaneously. Mainframe
executes many programs concurrently and supports many simultaneous
execution of programs.

Supercomputer
Supercomputers are one of the fastest computers currently available.
Supercomputers are very expensive and are employed for specialized
applications that require immense amount of mathematical calculations (number
crunching).
For example, weather forecasting, scientific simulations, (animated) graphics,
fluid dynamic calculations, nuclear energy research, electronic design, and
analysis of geological data (e.g. in petrochemical prospecting)

Purpose
General-Purpose Computers

Most computers in use today are General-Purpose computers — those built for
a great variety of processing jobs. Simply by using a general purpose computer
and different software, various tasks can be accomplished, including writing and
editing (word processing), manipulating facts in a data base, tracking
manufacturing inventory, making scientific calculations, or even controlling
organization’s security system, electricity consumption, and building temperature.
General purpose computers are designed to perform a wide variety of functions
and operations. You will probably use this type of computer reading this article
and I am using a general purpose computer typing this article in some software
(MS Word). A general purpose computer is able to perform a wide variety of
operations because it can store and execute different programs in its internal
storage.

Special-Purpose Computers

As the name states, a Special-Purpose Computer are designed to be task specific

and most of the times their job is to solve one particular problem. They are also
known as dedicated computers, because they are dedicated to perfom a single
task over and over again. Such a computer system would be useful in playing
graphic intensive Video Games, traffic lights control system, navigational system
in an aircraft, weather forecasting, satellite launch / tracking, oil exploration, and
in automotive industries, keeping time in a digital watch, or Robot helicopter.
While a special purpose computer may have many of the same features found in
a general purpose computer, its applicability to a particular problem is a function
of its design rather than to a stored program. The instructions that control it are
built directly into the computer, which makes for a more efficient and effective
operation. They perform only one function and therefore cut down on the amount
of memory needed and also the amount of information which can be input into
them. As these computers have to perform only one task, therefore, they are fast
in processing. A drawback of this specialization, however, is the computer’s lack
of versatility. It cannot be used to perform other operations.

Data organization: - the method of classifying and organizing data sets to

make them more useful. Some IT experts apply this primarily to physical records,
although some types of data organization can also be applied to digital records.
One main component of data organization is the analysis of relatively structured
and unstructured data. Structured data is comprised of data in tables that can be
easily integrated into a database and, from there, fed into analytics software or
other particular applications. Unstructured data is data that is raw and
unformatted, the kind of data that you find in a simple text document, where
names, dates and other pieces of information are scattered throughout random
paragraphs.

File System :- it is a method for storing and organizing computer files and the
data they contain to make it easy to find and access them. File systems may use
a data storage device such as a hard disk or CD-ROM .we have different types of
file for different purpose e.g.:-image file, audio file, video file with different file
formats.

Drive:- it is a location (medium) that is capable of storing and reading

information that is not easily removed, like a disk or disc. All drives
store files and programs that are used by your computer. For example, when you
write a letter in a word processor the program is loaded from you hard drive and
when you save the document it is saved to the hard drive or other disk or drive.
Generally drive A: is the floppy drive, C: is the primary hard drive, D: and E:
are partitions of the hard drive, and F: is the CD-ROM drive.

Directory: - a directory is a file system cataloguing structure which

contains references to other computer files, and possibly other directories. On
many computers, directories are known as folders, or drawers it is a location for
storing files on your computer. Directories are found in a hierarchical file system,
such as Linux, MS-DOS, OS/2, and Unix. Files are organized by storing related
files in the same directory.
In a hierarchical file system (that is, one in which files and directories are
organized in a manner that resembles a tree), a directory contained inside another
directory is called a subdirectory. The terms parent and child are often used to
describe the relationship between a subdirectory and the directory in which it is
catalogued, the latter being the parent. The top-most directory in such a file
system, which does not have a parent of its own, is called the root directory.
MEMORY

Cache Memory
Cache memory is a very high speed semiconductor memory which can speed up
the CPU. It acts as a buffer between the CPU and the main memory. It is used to
hold those parts of data and program which are most frequently used by the CPU.
The parts of data and programs are
Transferred from the disk to cache memory by the operating system, from where
the CPU can access them.

Advantages
The advantages of cache memory are as follows −

● Cache memory is faster than main memory.

● It consumes less access time as compared to main memory.
● It stores the program that can be executed within a short period of time.
● It stores data for temporary use.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of cache memory are as follows −

● Cache memory has limited capacity.

● It is very expensive.

Primary Memory (Main Memory)

Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on which the computer
is currently working. It has a limited capacity and data is lost when power is
switched off. It is generally made up of semiconductor device. These memories
are not as fast as registers. The data and instruction required to be processed
resides in the main memory. It is divided into two subcategories RAM and ROM.

Characteristics of Main Memory

● These are semiconductor memories.

● It is known as the main memory.
● Usually volatile memory.
● Data is lost in case power is switched off.
● It is the working memory of the computer.
● Faster than secondary memories.
● A computer cannot run without the primary memory.
Random Access Memory (RAM) –
● It is also called as read write memory or the main memory or the primary
memory.
● The programs and data that the CPU requires during execution of a program
are stored in this memory.
● It is a volatile memory as the data loses when the power is turned off.
● RAM is further classified into two types- SRAM (Static Random Access
Memory) and DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).
2. Read Only Memory (ROM) –
● Stores crucial information essential to operate the system, like the program
essential to boot the computer.
● It is not volatile.
● Always retains its data.
● Used in embedded systems or where the programming needs no change.
● Used in calculators and peripheral devices.
● ROM is further classified into 4 types- ROM, PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM.
Types of Read Only Memory (ROM) –
1. PROM (Programmable read-only memory) – It can be programmed
by user. Once programmed, the data and instructions in it cannot be
changed.
2. EPROM (Erasable Programmable read only memory) – It can be
reprogrammed. To erase data from it, expose it to ultra violet light. To
reprogram it, erase all the previous data.
3. EEPROM (Electrically erasable programmable read only
memory) – The data can be erased by applying electric field, no need of
ultra violet light. We can erase only portions of the chip.
Secondary Memory
This type of memory is also known as external memory or non-volatile. It is
slower than the main memory. These are used for storing data/information
permanently. CPU directly does not access these memories, instead they are
accessed via input-output routines. The contents of secondary memories are first
transferred to the main memory, and then the CPU can access it. For example,
disk, CD-ROM, DVD, etc.

Characteristics of Secondary Memory

● These are magnetic and optical memories.
● It is known as the backup memory.
● It is a non-volatile memory.
● Data is permanently stored even if power is switched off.
● It is used for storage of data in a computer.
● Computer may run without the secondary memory.
● Slower than primary memories.
Hard Disk Drive(Magnetic disk)
Hard disk drive is made up of a series of circular disks called plattersarranged
one over the other almost ½ inches apart around a spindle. Disks are made of
non-magnetic material like aluminum alloy and coated with 10-20 nm of magnetic
material.

Standard diameter of these disks is 14 inches and they rotate with speeds varying
from 4200 rpm (rotations per minute) for personal computers to 15000 rpm for
servers. Data is stored by magnetizing or demagnetizing the magnetic coating. A
magnetic reader arm is used to read data from and write data to the disks. A
typical modern HDD has capacity in terabytes (TB).

CD Drive (optical disk)

CD stands for Compact Disk. CDs are circular disks that use optical rays, usually
lasers, to read and write data. They are very cheap as you can get 700 MB of
storage space for less than a dollar. CDs are inserted in CD drives built into CPU
cabinet. They are portable as you can eject the drive, remove the CD and carry
it with you. There are three types of CDs −
 ● CD-ROM (Compact Disk – Read Only Memory) − the data on these CDs
are recorded by the manufacturer. Proprietary Software, audio or video
are released on CD-ROMs.
● CD-R (Compact Disk – Recordable) − Data can be written by the user once
on the CD-R. It cannot be deleted or modified later.
● CD-RW (Compact Disk – Rewritable) − Data can be written and deleted
on these optical disks again and again.

DVD Drive
DVD stands for Digital Video Display. DVD are optical devices that can store
15 times the data held by CDs. They are usually used to store rich multimedia
files that need high storage capacity. DVDs also come in three varieties – read
only, recordable and rewritable.

Pen Drive
Pen drive is a portable memory device that uses solid state memory rather than
magnetic fields or lasers to record data. It uses a technology similar to RAM,
except that it is non-volatile. It is also called USB drive, key drive or flash
memory.
Blu Ray Disk
Blu Ray Disk (BD) is an optical storage media used to store high definition (HD)
video and other multimedia filed. BD uses shorter wavelength laser as compared
to CD/DVD. This enables writing arm to focus more tightly on the disk and hence
pack in more data. BDs can store up to 128 GB data.

INPUT-OUTPUT DEVICES:-
Following are some of the important input devices which are used in a computer

● Keyboard
● Mouse
● Joy Stick
● Light pen
● Track Ball
● Scanner
● Graphic Tablet
● Microphone
● Magnetic Ink Card Reader(MICR)
● Optical Character Reader(OCR)
● Bar Code Reader
 ● Optical Mark Reader(OMR)

Keyboard
Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device which helps to input
data to the computer. The layout of the keyboard is like that of traditional
typewriter, although there are some additional keys provided for performing
additional functions.

Keyboards are of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102 keys, but now keyboards with
104 keys or 108 keys are also available for Windows and Internet.
The keys on the keyboard are as follows −

S.No Keys & Description

Typing Keys
1
These keys include the letter keys (A-Z) and digit keys (09) which
generally give the same layout as that of typewriters.

Numeric Keypad

2 It is used to enter the numeric data or cursor movement. Generally, it

consists of a set of 17 keys that are laid out in the same configuration
used by most adding machines and calculators.

Function Keys

3 The twelve function keys are present on the keyboard which are
arranged in a row at the top of the keyboard. Each function key has a
unique meaning and is used for some specific purpose.

4 Control keys
 These keys provide cursor and screen control. It includes four directional
arrow keys. Control keys also include Home, End, Insert, Delete, Page
Up, Page Down, Control(Ctrl), Alternate(Alt), Escape(Esc).

Special Purpose Keys

5 Keyboard also contains some special purpose keys such as Enter, Shift,
Caps Lock, Num Lock, Space bar, Tab, and Print Screen.

Mouse
Mouse is the most popular pointing device. It is a very famous cursor-control
device having a small palm size box with a round ball at its base, which senses
the movement of the mouse and sends corresponding signals to the CPU when
the mouse buttons are pressed.
Generally, it has two buttons called the left and the right button and a wheel is
present between the buttons. A mouse can be used to control the position of the
cursor on the screen, but it cannot be used to enter text into the computer.

Advantages

● Easy to use
● Not very expensive
● Moves the cursor faster than the arrow keys of the keyboard.

Joystick
Joystick is also a pointing device, which is used to move the cursor position on a
monitor screen. It is a stick having a spherical ball at its both lower and upper
ends. The lower spherical ball moves in a socket. The joystick can be moved in
all four directions.
The function of the joystick is similar to that of a mouse. It is mainly used in
Computer Aided Designing (CAD) and playing computer games.

Light Pen
Light pen is a pointing device similar to a pen. It is used to select a displayed
menu item or draw pictures on the monitor screen. It consists of a photocell and
an optical system placed in a small tube.

When the tip of a light pen is moved over the monitor screen and the pen button
is pressed, its photocell sensing element detects the screen location and sends
the corresponding signal to the CPU.

Track Ball
Track ball is an input device that is mostly used in notebook or laptop computer,
instead of a mouse. This is a ball which is half inserted and by moving fingers on
the ball, the pointer can be moved.
Since the whole device is not moved, a track ball requires less space than a
mouse. A track ball comes in various shapes like a ball, a button, or a square.

Scanner
Scanner is an input device, which works more like a photocopy machine. It is
used when some information is available on paper and it is to be transferred to
the hard disk of the computer for further manipulation.

Scanner captures images from the source which are then converted into a digital
form that can be stored on the disk. These images can be edited before they are
printed.

Digitizer
Digitizer is an input device which converts analog information into digital form.
Digitizer can convert a signal from the television or camera into a series of
numbers that could be stored in a computer. They can be used by the computer
to create a picture of whatever the camera had been pointed at.
Digitizer is also known as Tablet or Graphics Tablet as it converts graphics and
pictorial data into binary inputs. A graphic tablet as digitizer is used for fine works
of drawing and image manipulation applications.

Microphone
Microphone is an input device to input sound that is then stored in a digital form.

The microphone is used for various applications such as adding sound to a

multimedia presentation or for mixing music.

Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)

MICR input device is generally used in banks as there are large number of
cheques to be processed every day. The bank's code number and cheque number
are printed on the cheques with a special type of ink that contains particles of
magnetic material that are machine readable.
This reading process is called Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR). The
main advantages of MICR is that it is fast and less error generate.

Optical Character Reader (OCR)

OCR is an input device used to read a printed text.

OCR scans the text optically, character by character, converts them into a
machine readable code, and stores the text on the system memory .

Bar Code Readers

Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in the form of
light and dark lines). Bar coded data is generally used in labelling goods,
numbering the books, etc. It may be a handheld scanner or may be embedded
in a stationary scanner.
Bar Code Reader scans a bar code image, converts it into an alphanumeric value,
which is then fed to the computer that the bar code reader is connected to.

Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

OMR is a special type of optical scanner used to recognize the type of mark made
by pen or pencil. It is used where one out of a few alternatives is to be selected
and marked.

It is specially used for checking the answer sheets of examinations having

multiple choice questions.

OUTPUT DEVICES
Following are some of the important output devices used in a computer.

● Monitors
● Graphic Plotter
● Printer
● Speaker
● Headset

Monitors
Monitors, commonly called as Visual Display Unit (VDU), are the main output
device of a computer. It forms images from tiny dots, called pixels that are
arranged in a rectangular form. The sharpness of the image depends upon the
number of pixels.
There are two kinds of viewing screen used for monitors.

● Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT)

● Flat-Panel Display

Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) Monitor

The CRT display is made up of small picture elements called pixels. The smaller
the pixels, the better the image clarity or resolution. It takes more than one
illuminated pixel to form a whole character, such as the letter ‘e’ in the word help .

A finite number of characters can be displayed on a screen at once. The screen

can be divided into a series of character boxes - fixed location on the screen
where a standard character can be placed. Most screens are capable of displaying
80 characters of data horizontally and 25 lines vertically.
There are some disadvantages of CRT −

● Large in Size
● High power consumption
Flat-Panel Display Monitor
The flat-panel display refers to a class of video devices that have reduced volume,
weight and power requirement in comparison to the CRT. You can hang them on
walls or wear them on your wrists. Current uses of flat-panel displays include
calculators, video games, monitors, laptop computer, and graphics display.
The flat-panel display is divided into two categories −
● Emissive Displays − Emissive displays are devices that convert electrical
energy into light. For example, plasma panel and LED (Light-Emitting Diodes).
● Non-Emissive Displays − Non-emissive displays use optical effects to
convert sunlight or light from some other source into graphics patterns. For
example, LCD (Liquid-Crystal Device).

Plasma display panel (PDP) is a type of flat panel display that

uses small cells containing plasma; ionized gas that responds to electric fields.

A plasma display is a computer video display in which each pixel on

the screen is illuminated by a tiny bit of plasma or charged gas,
somewhat like a tiny neon light. Plasma displays are thinner than
cathode ray tube (CRT) displays and brighter than liquid
crystal displays (LCD )

Printers
Printer is an output device, which is used to print information on paper.
There are two types of printers −

● Impact Printers
● Non-Impact Printers

Impact Printers
Impact printers print the characters by striking them on the ribbon, which is then
pressed on the paper.
Characteristics of Impact Printers are the following −

● Very low consumable costs

● Very noisy
● Useful for bulk printing due to low cost
● There is physical contact with the paper to produce an image
These printers are of two types −

● Character printers
● Line printers

Character Printers
Character printers are the printers which print one character at a time.
These are further divided into two types:

● Dot Matrix Printer(DMP)

● Daisy Wheel

Dot Matrix Printer

In the market, one of the most popular printers is Dot Matrix Printer. These
printers are popular because of their ease of printing and economical price. Each
character printed is in the form of pattern of dots and head consists of a Matrix
of Pins of size (5*7, 7*9, 9*7 or 9*9) which come out to form a character which
is why it is called Dot Matrix Printer.
Advantages

● Inexpensive
● Widely Used
● Other language characters can be printed
Disadvantages

● Slow Speed
● Poor Quality

Daisy Wheel
Head is lying on a wheel and pins corresponding to characters are like petals of
Daisy (flower) which is why it is called Daisy Wheel Printer. These printers are
generally used for word-processing in offices that require a few letters to be sent
here and there with very nice quality.

Advantages

● More reliable than DMP

● Better quality
● Fonts of character can be easily changed
Disadvantages
 ● Slower than DMP
● Noisy
● More expensive than DMP

Line Printers
Line printers are the printers which print one line at a time.

These are of two types −

● Drum Printer
● Chain Printer

Drum Printer
This printer is like a drum in shape hence it is called drum printer. The surface of
the drum is divided into a number of tracks. Total tracks are equal to the size of
the paper, i.e. for a paper width of 132 characters, drum will have 132 tracks. A
Character set is embossed on the track. Different character sets available in the
market are 48 character set, 64 and 96 characters set. One rotation of drum
prints one line. Drum printers are fast in speed and can print 300 to 2000 lines
per minute.
Advantages
Very high speed
Disadvantages

● Very expensive
● Characters fonts cannot be changed

Chain Printer
In this printer, a chain of character sets is used, hence it is called Chain Printer.
A standard character set may have 48, 64, or 96 characters.
Advantages

● Character fonts can easily be changed.

 ● Different languages can be used with the same printer.
Disadvantages

● Noisy
Non-impact Printers
Non-impact printers print the characters without using the ribbon. These printers
print a complete page at a time, thus they are also called as Page Printers.
These printers are of two types −

● Laser Printers
● Inkjet Printers
Characteristics of Non-impact Printers

● Faster than impact printers

● They are not noisy
● High quality
● Supports many fonts and different character size

Laser Printers
These are non-impact page printers. They use laser lights to produce the dots
needed to form the characters to be printed on a page.

Advantages

● Very high speed

● Very high quality output
● Good graphics quality
 ● Supports many fonts and different character size
Disadvantages

● Expensive
● Cannot be used to produce multiple copies of a document in a single printing

Inkjet Printers
Inkjet printers are non-impact character printers based on a relatively new
technology. They print characters by spraying small drops of ink onto paper.
Inkjet printers produce high quality output with presentable features .

They make less noise because no hammering is done and these have many styles
of printing modes available. Colour printing is also possible. Some models of
Inkjet printers can produce multiple copies of printing also.
Advantages

● High quality printing

● More reliable
Disadvantages

● Expensive as the cost per page is high

● Slow as compared to laser printer

PLOTTER
The plotter is a computer printer for printing vector graphics. Plotters draw
pictures on paper using a pen. In the past, plotters were used in applications such
as computer-aided design, as they were able to produce line drawings much faster
and of a higher quality than contemporary conventional printers, and small
desktop plotters were often used for business graphics. Although they retained a
niche for producing very large drawings for many years, plotters have now largely
been replaced by wide-format conventional printers.
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
A programming language is a formal language, which comprises a set of
instructions that produce various kinds of output. Programming languages are
used in computer programming to implement algorithms.
Types of Programming Languages

There are two types of programming languages, which can be categorized into the
following ways:
1. Low level language
a) Machine language (1GL)
b) Assembly language (2GL)
2. High level language
a) Procedural-Oriented language (3GL)
b) Problem-Oriented language (4GL)
c) Natural language (5GL)

MACHINE LANGUAGE:-
Machine language is the lowest and most elementary level of programming
language and was the first type of programming language to be developed.
Machine language is basically the only language that a computer can understand
and it is usually written in hex. In fact, a manufacturer designs a computer to
obey just one language, its machine code, which is represented inside the
computer by a string of binary digits (bits) 0 and 1. The symbol 0 stands for the
absence of an electric pulse 1 stands for the presence of an electric pulse.
Advantages Disadvantages Machine language makes fast and efficient use of the
computer. All operation codes have to be remembered It requires no translator to
translate the code. It is directly understood by the computer. All memory
addresses have to be remembered. It is hard to amend or find errors in a program
written in the machine language.

ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE:-
Assembly language was developed to overcome some of the many
inconveniences of machine language. This is another low-level but very important
language in which operation codes and operands are given in the form of
alphanumeric symbols instead of 0’s and l’s. These alphanumeric symbols are
known as mnemonic codes and can combine in a maximum of five-letter
combinations e.g. ADD for addition, SUB for subtraction, START, LABEL etc.
Because of this feature, assembly language is also known as ‘Symbolic
Programming Language. The instructions of the assembly language are converted
to machine codes by a language translator and then they are executed by the
computer.
 Advantages Disadvantages Assembly language is easier to understand and use
as compared to machine language. Like machine language, it is also machine
dependent/specific. It is easy to locate and correct errors. Since it is machine
dependent, the programmer also needs to understand the hardware. It is easily
modified.

HIGH LEVEL LANGUAGE:-

High-level computer languages use formats that are similar to English. The
purpose of developing high-level languages was to enable people to write
programs easily, in their own native language environment (English). High-level
languages are basically symbolic languages that use English words and/or
mathematical symbols rather than mnemonic codes. • Each instruction in the high-
level language is translated into many machine language instructions that the
computer can understand.
Advantages Disadvantages High-level languages are user-friendly A high-level
language has to be translated into the machine language by a translator, which
takes up time They are easier to learn They are easier to maintain They are
problem-oriented rather than 'machine'-based A program written in a high-level
language can be translated into many machine languages and can run on any
computer for which there exists an appropriate translator The language is
independent of the machine on which it is used.

COMPILER & INTERPRETER:-