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Introduction to Computers
Deepa Sreedhar
Department of CSE
Amrita Viswa Vidyapeetham
 Introduction

• Basics of a Computer.
• Evolution of a Computer.
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 What is a Computer Place your
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• A computer is an electronic machine that manipulates data

based on a list of instructions.
• Performs computational and logical operations much faster
than humans.
• It takes data as input, process it, store it and output the result.
• Data means any raw facts and the processed output is known
as information.

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 Functionalities Place your
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• Receives input data and instructions.

• Store data and instructions.
• Process data.
• Produce results.
• Control the above functionalities.

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 Functionalities Place your
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• Input refers to whatever is sent to a Computer system.

• Data refers to the symbols that represent facts, objects, and

ideas.

• Processing is the manipulation of data with instructions.

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 Hardware and Software Place your
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• Hardware means basically anything that you can touch with

your fingers.
• It refers to the physical components of your computer such as
system unit, mouse, keyboard, monitor etc.
• Software means the set of instructions that makes the
computers work
• Software is held in a storage device and is loaded to
computer’s RAM as and when required

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 Hardware Components Place your
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Input Devices
• Data or Instructions are entered into the computer with the
help of input devices.
• eg. keyboard, mouse, joystick, webcam, scanner etc.
Output Devices
• Computer communicates to outside world through output
devices
• Eg. monitor, printer, plotter, video projector, speakers etc.

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 Hardware Components Place your
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Storage Devices
• A large amount of data can be stored on computers.
• The data entered into a computer is stored on its hard disk.
• The Hard Disk, CD-ROM, DVD, Pen Drives etc. are used to
store data/information permanently.

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 Software Components Place your
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• The term software refers to the set of instructions that directs

the hardware to accomplish a task.
• Mainly classified into
1. System Software
2. Application Software
3. Utility software
• System Software/Operating System controls all the components
of a computer.
• It serves as an interface between user and hardware.
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 Software Components Place your
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• Application software is designed for a specific purpose of the

user.
• For example;
• Word Processing: MS-Word, Lotus Pro
• Spreadsheets: MS-Excel, Lotus 123
• Database: MS-Access, Lotus Approach
• Presentation: MS-PowerPoint, Lotus Freelance
• Multimedia: Windows Media Player, VLC Player

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 Software Components Place your
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• Utility software:
• Designed to solve any issues or a complex situation in a
computer.
• It is used to support the whole computer infrastructure.
• Utility software are mainly categorized into;
• System utilities
• File management
• Storage management
• Miscellaneous

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 Characteristics Place your
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• High Processing Speed

• Accuracy
• Reliability
• Versatility
• Diligence

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 Evolution Place your
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• Abacus
• Invented around 500BC used by many cultures (China, Mesopotamia,
Japan, Greece, Rome, etc.).
• Pascaline
• In 1642, Blaise Pascal (French mathematician) this mechanical
calculator.
• Stepped Reckoner
• In 1671, Gottfried von Leibniz (German mathematician) modified
Pascaline with multiplications, divisions, and square roots.
None of these machines had memory, and they required human intervention
at each step.

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 Evolution Place your
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Difference Engine
• Simple mechanical computer.
• Developed by Charles Babbage (English mathematician
also called as father of
computer)in 1822.
Analytical Engine
• Mechanical general purpose computer.
• Proposed by Charles Babbage.
• Successor of difference engine.

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 Objectives

• Generation of computers.

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 Computer Generations Place your
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• First Generation (1940-56)

• Second Generation(1956-63)
• Third Generation(1964-71)
• Fourth Generation(1971-80)
• Fifth Generation(1980 – Beyond)

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 First Generation Place your
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Technology Vacuum Tubes

Size Very large

Example ENIAC,UNIVAC

Language Machine Language

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Vacuum Tubes

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 First Generation Place your
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• Uses large amount of electricity.

• Input was based on punched cards.
• Output was displayed on printouts.
• Produces large amount of heat.
• Difficult to program and use.

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 Second Generation Place your
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Technology Transistors
Size Smaller compared to
first generation
Example IBM 1620, UNIVAC
1108
Language assembly Language

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is licensed under CC BY

Transistors

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 Second Generation Place your
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• Good speed.
• Use less amount of energy.
• Portable.
• More accurate than first generation.

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 Third Generation Place your
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Technology Integrated Circuits

Size Smaller compared to
first two generations
Example IBM 360,HONEYWELL
6000
Language ALGOL,BASIC,C
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

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 Third Generation Place your
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• High speed.
• Reduced size hence portable.
• Reduced energy usage.
• Keyboard and monitor for input output.
• Operating System for user interface.

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 Fourth Generation Place your
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Technology LSI and VLSI chips

Size Smaller
Example IBM , Apple
Macintosh,Intel 4004
series
Language Perl, PHP, Python
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licensed under CC BY-SA

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 Fourth Generation Place your
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• Less expensive.
• Portable.
• Powerful, compact and low maintenance.
• Greater Storage capacity.

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 Fifth Generation Place your
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Technology ULSI Technology

Size Smaller
Example Laptops, super
computers
Language OPS5, Mercury

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC

BY-SA

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 Fifth Generation Place your
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• Parallel Computing
• Artificial Intelligence Development
• Intricate and diverse operating system.

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 Takeaways

• Different generations of
computers.

• Technology used in each

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generations.

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 Objectives

• Classification of computers.

• Logic Based Classifications.

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• Capacity based Webcam Video here

classifications.
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Classification based on Logic Place your
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Computer

Analog Digital

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 Analog Computers Place your
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• Works on mechanical motion

or flow of electricity.
• Process continuous data.
• Limited Memory.
• Less Accurate.

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 Digital Computer Place your
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• Processing data in the form of binary number system.

• More Accurate.
• High Speed.
• Two types:
• General Purpose Digital
Computer.
• Special Purpose Digital
Computer.
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 Hybrid Computers Place your
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• Combination of Analog and Digital Computers.

• Input data is analog form.
• For processing analog data is converted into digital
form.

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 Classification Based on Size Place your
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Micro Computer

Mini Computer
Digital
Computer
Mainframe Computer

Super Computer

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 Micro Computer
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• Smallest memory.
• Less power.
• Portable personal computer.
• Usually a single chip.
• Can be a home computer or
personal computer.

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is licensed under CC BY-SA

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 Mini Computer
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• More powerful than micro computer.

• High Speed.
• Multiple processing units in single chip.
• Used in process control systems.

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 Mainframe Computer
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• Very large machines.

• Process data at high speed.
• Linked to networks with other
micro/mini computers.
• Used in large organization.

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under CC BY-NC

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 Super Computers
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• Fastest and most powerful.

• Expensive.
• Doing complex tasks.
• Multiple processors.

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 Takeaways

• Analog Computer.
• Digital Computer.
• Micro Computer.
• Mini Computer.
• Mainframe Computer. Place your
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• Super Computer. Size 100%

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 Objectives

• Basic operations
performed by a
Computer.
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• Basic Building Blocks of a Webcam Video here

Computer.
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 Basic Operations Place your
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• Input Operations : The process of entering data and

instructions in to the computer.
• Storing : Data and instruction can be stored for future
processing.
• Processing : Operations that are performed on the data
and to produce useful information.
• Outputting : The process of producing results to the
outside world.
• Controlling: The process of controlling the above four
operations.
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 Computer System Place your
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 Computer System Place your
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• A typical computer system consists of :

• CPU (central processing unit)
• ALU (arithmetic-logic unit).
• Control Logic.
• Registers, etc.
• Memory.
• Input / Output interfaces.
• Interconnections between these units:
• Address Bus.
• Data Bus.
• Control Bus.

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 Central Processing Unit
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Controls the entire system.

• Arithmetic and Logic Unit(ALU).
• Control Unit.
• Registers.
ALU
• Execute instructions.
• Perform arithmetic and logic operations.

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 Central Processing Unit
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Control Unit
• Controls the operations performed by the other units.
• Controls the transfer of data and instructions among
other units.
• Decode the instructions.
• Communicates with input/output for transfer of data and
results.
Registers
• Temporary Storage area.

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 Input and Output Unit
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Input Unit
• Directs the data and instructions supplied by the user to
the computer system for processing.
Eg. Keyboard

Output Unit
• Displays the results of the processing.
Eg. Monitor

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 Storage Unit
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Function is to store the following.

• Data and instructions entered by the user.
• Intermediate results produced during the processing.
• Final results produced.

Two types
• Primary Storage.
• Secondary Storage.

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 Primary Storage
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• Stores program in execution.

• Volatile.
• High Speed.
• Expensive.
• Small size.

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 Secondary Storage
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• Holding stored programs and data.

• Less expensive compared to primary memory.
• Larger than primary memory.
• Slower than primary memory.
• Permanent storage of data.

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 Takeaways

• Operations of a computer.
• Basic Building Blocks.
• Central Processing Unit
• Input and Output Unit.
• Primary storage. Place your
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 Objectives

• Computer Memory.

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 Memory Unit Place your
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• Cache Memory.
• Primary Memory.
• RAM
• ROM
• Secondary Memory.

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 Cache Memory Place your
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• Place for frequently accessed data.

• Giving stored data to CPU at a faster rate.
• Located between RAM and CPU.
• No system bus for accessing cache memory.
• High Speed memory.
• Very expensive.

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 Primary Memory Place your
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• Main memory of the computer.

• Storing data and instructions.
• Limited storage capacity.
• 2 types
• Random Access Memory(RAM)
• Read Only Memory(ROM)

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 Random Access Memory Place your
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• Read/write memory.
• Temporary Storage/Volatile Memory.
• Two types

• Static RAM
• Dynamic RAM

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 Random Access Memory Place your
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SRAM
• Retains stored data as long as the power supply is ON.
• Each cell made up of 6 transistors.
• High speed than DRAM.
DRAM
• Frequent refreshing needed.
• Capacitor and transistor in a cell.

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 Read Only Memory Place your
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• Permanent memory.
• Non Volatile.
• Stored by the manufacturer.
• Read Only Memory.
4 variants
• Programmable ROM(PROM)
• Electrically PROM(EPROM)
• Electrically Erasable PROM
• Flash EPROM

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 Read Only Memory Variants Place your
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PROM:
• Information can be written only once.
• Manufactured as blank memory.
• PROM programmer or PROM burner for updates.
EPROM
• PROM that can be erased and programmed.
• Content can be retained till exposed to ultra violet light.
• PROM programmer or PROM burner for updates.

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 Read Only Memory Variants Place your
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EEPROM:
• Can be programmed and erased by exposing to special
electric light.
• No replacement needed for programming.
Flash PROM
• Flash memory.
• Erasing at a faster rate.
• Entire device is erased, not the required word.

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 Secondary Memory Place your
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• Stores data and instructions permanently.

• Non volatile memory.
• High storage capacity.
• Cheaper.
• Slow compared to primary memory.

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 Takeaways

• Different types of storage

in computer.

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 Objectives

• Memory Addressing.

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 Memory Cell Place your
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• Cell: A unit of main memory (typically 8 bits which is one byte)

• Most significant bit: the bit at the left (high-order) end

• Least significant bit: the bit at the right (low-order) end

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Memory Cell Place your
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 Main Memory Address Place your
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• Address: A “name” that uniquely identifies one cell in the

computer’s main memory
• The names are actually numbers.
• These numbers are assigned consecutively starting at zero.
• Numbering the cells in this manner associates an order with
the memory cells.

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Main Memory Address Place your
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 Main Memory Address Place your
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• Two types of byte ordering.

• Big endian
• Little endian

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 Takeaways

• A cell in primary memory.

• Address of a memory Place your

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• Byte ordering.

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 References

[1] Fundamentals Computers, V Rajaraman, Neeharika Adabala, Phi

Learning Pvt. Ltd

[2] J. Glenn Brookshear,”Computer Science: An Overview”, Addision-

Wesley, Twelfth Edition, 2014

[3] Computer Fundamentals, Anita Goel, Pearson

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