WELCOME TOC5-CE1-20

Chapter 1:
Exploring a Computer
Exploring a Computer

Objectives
In this Chapter you will learn:

▪What is a Computer?
▪Computer Types
▪Benefits and Limitations of Computers
▪Basic components of a Computer
▪Storage Devices
Exploring a Computer
What is a Computer?
▪Definition: A computer is an electronic device that
processes data and performs tasks according to
instructions provided by software or hardware.
▪Key Components:
▪Hardware: Physical parts of the computer (e.g., CPU,
RAM, hard drive).
▪Software: Programs and applications that run on a
computer (e.g., operating systems, applications).
 Exploring a Computer

Computer Types:
▪There are various types of Computers and they are categorized according to their
sizes and here we are going to mention the four types
Personal computers
▪This is a computer designed to be used by one person at a time and it is relatively
cheap to acquire. The Personal computer will range from being a Desktop computer, a
Laptop, Tablet or a Palmtop
 Exploring a Computer

Minicomputers
▪This is a class of small computers as the word “mini” implies
and they cost much less than the price of Mainframes. The
Minicomputers are sometimes referred to as Midrange
Computers because they have high processing power and
capacity as compared to the Personal Computers
 Exploring a Computer

Mainframe computers
▪These are Computers that are used by big Organizations and Governments
for critical processing and bulk processing like Census and transaction
processing.
▪The Mainframe computer is very expensive as they can support hundreds or
even thousand users simultaneously
 Exploring a Computer

Supercomputers
▪These are very expensive Computers and are used for specialized
applications that require immerse computations like weather forecasting,
animated graphics and others. The Super Computer executes few programs as
fast as possible
 Exploring a Computer
Benefits of using Computers
There are many benefits of using Computers here we will just mention a few
Benefits:
▪One can create, edit, print and store documents to be retrieved later
▪Using a Computer you can get connected to the Internet where you access everything
from Education, Internment, News, Social Networks and others
▪Computers are fast and many things can be processed in a matter of seconds or
minutes that would have consumed days if doing it the manual way
▪Computers save Organizations a lot of money each year because Companies now
they need to hire few people as more work can be done using a Computer
▪The Computers helped in the field of Research and Development and you can attest
to that also like the Smart Phones, Social Networks, On-line Shopping, Medicine,
Communication and others
 Exploring a Computer

Limitations:
▪Since a Computer’s working is based on a set of instructions called a program
developed by a Human being and without those instructions a Computer will not
function, so in a nutshell a Computer will only function according to a set of
instructions and if the instructions are not accurate then the result will be false
▪A Computer cannot think for itself and there comes a time when a decision needs
to be made and when the decision is not included in the program then the
Computer will fail to give the best decision
▪The Computer can only function in defined rules like in a linear manner but a
human mind is not bound to rules of operation
▪A Computer is costly to purchase and carries with it high maintenance costs
 Exploring a Computer

Basic components of a Computer

▪The Computer is made up of a number of components connected together to make
the Computer work but however here we just want to look at only few basic
components . These components that we can see with our naked eyes are referred to as
the hardware of a computer
 Exploring a Computer

Keyboard
▪The Keyboard has characters printed on the keys. The Keyboard is used for inputting text
and numbers into the Computer

Visual Display Unit (VDU)

▪This is sometimes called the Monitor and it is used for displaying the output on the screen

Mouse
▪This is used for pointing purposes on the VDU and the Mouse moves according to the
movement of the hand on it

System Unit
▪This is a box like structure that contains the essentials components to run the Computer
System
 Exploring a Computer

Storage Devices
▪Data is usually stored in a Computer for later use and that data can be stored
in the Primary storage or Secondary storage devices
Primary storage devices
▪This is sometimes referred as Main Memory and it works directly with the
Central Processing Unit (CPU).
Random Access Memory:
▪ This is small in size but very expensive and it is mounted on the
Motherboard of the Computer. The RAM is volatile which means once the
power is switched off, all the information is lost
 Exploring a Computer
• Input and Output Devices
• Input Devices:
• Keyboard: Used to input text and commands.
• Mouse: Used to navigate and interact with the
computer's interface.
• Touchscreen: Allows direct interaction with what is
displayed on the screen.
• Output Devices:
• Monitor: Displays visual output from the computer.
• Printer: Produces a hard copy of documents and
images.
• Speakers: Output sound from the computer.
 Exploring a Computer
• Basic Components of a Computer
• Central Processing Unit (CPU):
• Known as the "brain" of the computer.
• Executes instructions from software and coordinates the activities of all other
hardware components.
• Memory (RAM - Random Access Memory):
• Temporarily stores data and instructions that the CPU needs while performing tasks.
• Volatile memory, meaning it loses its contents when the computer is turned off.
• Storage (Hard Drive, SSD - Solid State Drive):
• Permanently stores data and software.
• Non-volatile memory, meaning it retains data even when the computer is turned off.
• Motherboard:
• The main circuit board that connects all components of a computer.
• Houses the CPU, memory, and provides connectors for other peripherals.
• Power Supply Unit (PSU):
• Converts electricity from an outlet into a usable form for the computer components.
• Powers all the hardware in the computer.
 Exploring a Computer
• Software Components
• Operating System (OS):
– Manages computer hardware and software resources.
– Provides a user interface and controls peripheral devices
(e.g., Windows, macOS, Linux).
• Applications:
– Programs designed to perform specific tasks (e.g., word
processing, web browsing, gaming).
– Examples: Microsoft Word, Google Chrome, Adobe
Photoshop.
• Drivers:
– Specialized programs that allow the operating system to
communicate with hardware devices.
 Exploring a Computer
• Types of Computers
• Desktop Computers:
– Typically used in homes and offices.
– Consists of a separate monitor, keyboard, mouse, and CPU tower.
• Laptops:
– Portable computers with integrated screens, keyboards, and
touchpads.
– Powered by batteries, making them ideal for mobile use.
• Tablets:
– Handheld devices with touchscreens.
– Often used for browsing, reading, and light computing tasks.
• Servers:
– Powerful computers that manage network resources and provide
services to other computers on a network.
 Exploring a Computer
• How Computers Work
• Data Processing Cycle:
– Input: Data is entered into the computer via input devices.
– Processing: The CPU processes the data according to
instructions from software.
– Output: The processed data is presented to the user via
output devices.
– Storage: Data is saved to storage devices for later use.
• Binary System:
– Computers use a binary number system (0s and 1s) to
represent and process data.
– Every piece of data, whether it’s text, image, or video, is
converted into binary for processing.
 Exploring a Computer

RAM Picture
 Exploring a Computer
Secondary Storage devices:
▪This is also called external memory and the Secondary storage differs from the
Primary storage because it is not directly accessed by the Central Processing Unit
(CPU).
Types of Secondary storage devices
Hard Disk Drives (HDD)
▪HDD is used for storing and retrieving information by using rotating disks coated
with a magnetic material. The HDD retains its information even when power is
switched off.
 Exploring a Computer

Mass Storage Device

▪MSD is primarily related to storage devices that provide consistent and
permanent storage capacity. MSD is connected to the computer via a data
transfer interface, such as USB. Some of the common MSDs include floppy
disk drives, hard disk drives, external hard drives and USB storage devices.
Currently, typical MSD devices provide anywhere from a few gigabytes to
petabytes of data
 Exploring a Computer

Summary of Chapter 1
▪In this Chapter you learnt what is a Computer?
▪ You also learnt about the benefits and limitations of the Computer
▪We also identified the different components that make up a Computer.
Thank you!