Ag. Stat. 1.

1 Agricultural Informatics (2+1=3)

Theory

1. Introduction to Computers,
2. Anatomy of Computers,
3. Memory Concepts, Units of Memory,
4. Operating System, definition and types,
5. Applications of MS-Office for creating, Editing and Formatting a document,
6. Data presentation, tabulation and graph creation, statistical analysis, mathematical
expressions,
7. Database, concepts and types, creating database, uses of DBMS in Agriculture,
8. Internet and World Wide Web (WWW), Concepts and components.
9. e-Agriculture, concepts, design and development.
10. Application of innovative ways to use information and communication
technologies (IT) in Agriculture.
11. Computer Models in Agriculture: statistical, weather analysis and crop simulation
models, concepts, structure, inputs-outputs files, limitation, advantages and
application of models for understanding plant processes, sensitivity, verification,
calibration and validation.
12. IT application for computation of water and nutrient requirement of crops,
13. Computer-controlled devices (automated systems) for Agri-input management,
Smartphone mobile apps in Agriculture for farm advises, market price,
postharvest management etc;
14. Geospatial technology, concepts, techniques, components and uses for generating
valuable agri-information.
15. Decision support systems, concepts, components and applications in Agriculture,
16. Agriculture Expert System, Soil Information Systems etc for supporting Farm decisions.
17. Preparation of contingent crop-planning and crop calendars using IT tools.

Practical
1. Study of Computer Components, accessories, practice of important DOS
Commands.
2. Introduction of different operating systems such as windows, Unix/ Linux,
Creating, Files & Folders, File Management.
3. Use of MS-WORD and MS Power-point for creating, editing and presenting a
scientific Document.
4. MS-EXCEL - Creating a spreadsheet, use of statistical tools, writing expressions,
creating graphs, analysis of scientific data, handling macros.
5. MS-ACCESS: Creating Database, preparing queries and reports, demonstration of
Agri-information system.
6. Introduction to World Wide Web (WWW) and its components. Hands on practice on
Crop Simulation Models (CSM), DSSAT/Crop-Info/Crop Syst/ Wofost.
7. Preparation of Inputs file for CSM and study of model outputs, computation of water and
nutrient requirements of crop using CSM and IT tools.
8. Use of smart phones and other devices in agro-advisory and dissemination of
market information.
9. Introduction of Geospatial Technology, for generating information important for
Agriculture.
10. Hands on practice on preparation of Decision Support System. Preparation of
contingent crop planning
 Basics of Computer
Computer
A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions
stored in its own memory that can accept data (input), process the data
according to specified rules, produce information (output), and store the
information for future use

Functionalities of a computer (Data processing cycle)

Any digital computer carries out five functions in gross terms:
[Link] data as input
[Link] the data in memory and use them when required
[Link] the data and convert in useful instruction
[Link] the output
[Link] all of above steps.

Data Information
Processing
(Output)
(Input)
i
Data Processing Cycle

Computer Components
Any kind of computers consists of HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

Hardware:
Computer hardware is the collection of physical elements that constitutes a
computer system. Computer hardware refers to the physical parts or
components of a computer such as the monitor, mouse, keyboard, computer data
storage, hard drive disk (HDD), system unit (graphic cards, sound cards,
memory, motherboard and chips), etc. all of which are physical objects that can
be touched

Input Devices
Input device is any peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment to
provide data and control signals to an information processing system such as a
computer or other information appliance.
Input device Translate data from form that humans understand to one that the
computer can work with. Most common are keyboard and mouse
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
A CPU is brain of a computer. It is responsible for all functions and processes.
Regarding computing power, the CPU is the most important element of a
computer system
The CPU is comprised of three main parts :
1. Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU):
Executes all arithmetic and logical operations. Arithmetic calculations like as
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Logical operation like
compare numbers, letters, or special characters

2. Control Unit (CU): controls and co-ordinates computer components.

1. Read the code for the next instruction to be executed.
2. Increment the program counter so it points to the next instruction.
3. Read whatever data the instruction requires from cells in memory.
4. Provide the necessary data to an ALU or register.
5. If the instruction requires an ALU or specialized hardware to complete,
instruct the hardware to perform the requested operation
[Link]: Stores the data that is to be executed next, "very fast
storage area".

***Just For Note : Instruction cycle --------- cycle that the cpu follows from boot-up until the
computer has shut down in order to process instruction. It contain following stage :
[Link] stage 2. Decode stage [Link] stage***

Output devices-
An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to
communicate the results of data processing carried out by an information
processing system (such as a computer) which converts the electronically
generated information into human-readable form.

Primary Memory:-
RAM:
Random Access Memory (RAM) is a memory scheme within the computer
system responsible for storing data on a temporary basis, so that it can be
promptly accessed by the processor as and when needed.
It is volatile in nature, which means that data will be erased once supply to the
storage device is turned off.
RAM stores data randomly and the processor accesses these data randomly
from the RAM storage.
RAM is considered "random access" because you can access any memory cell
directly if you know the row and column that intersect at that cell.

ROM :
Read Only Memory. ROM is a permanent form of storage.
ROM stays active regardless of whether power supply to it is turned on or off.
ROM devices do not allow data stored on them to be modified.

Secondary Memory:-
Stores data and programs permanently: its retained after the power is turned off
• Hard drive (HD): A hard disk is part of a unit, often called a "disk drive,"
"hard drive," or "hard disk drive," that store and provides relatively quick access
to large amounts of data on an electromagnetically charged surface or set of
surfaces.
• Optical Disk: an optical disc drive (ODD) is a disk drive that uses laser light as
part of the process of reading or writing data to or from optical discs. Some
drives can only read from discs, but recent drives are commonly both readers
and recorders, also called burners or writers. Compact discs, DVDs, and Blu-ray
discs are common types of optical media which can be read and recorded by
such drives. Optical drive is the generic name; drives are usually described as
"CD" "DVD", or "Bluray", followed by "drive", "writer", etc. There are three
main types of optical media: CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disc. CDs can store up to
700 megabytes (MB) of data and DVDs can store up to 8.4 GB of data. Blu-ray
discs, which are the newest type of optical media, can store up to 50 GB of data.
This storage capacity is a clear advantage over the floppy disk storage media (a
magnetic media), which only has a capacity of 1.44 MB.
Flash Disk
• A storage module made of flash memory chips. A Flash disks have no
mechanical platters or access arms, but the term "disk" is used because the data
are accessed as if they were on a hard drive. The disk storage structure is
emulated

Software
Software is a generic term for organized collections of computer data and
instructions, often broken into two major categories: system software that
provides the basic non-task-specific functions of the computer, and application
software which is used by users to accomplish specific tasks.

Software Types
A. System software
  System software is responsible for controlling, integrating, and
managing the individual hardware components of a computer system
so that other software and the users of the system see it as a functional
unit without having to be concerned with the low-level details such as
transferring data from memory to disk, or rendering text onto a
display.
 Generally, system software consists of an operating system and some
fundamental utilities such as disk formatters, file managers, display
managers, text editors, user authentication (login) and management
tools, and networking and device control software
B. Application software
 Application software is used to accomplish specific tasks other than just
running the computer system.
 Application software may consist of a single program, such as an image
viewer; a small collection of programs (often called a software package)
that work closely together to accomplish a task, such as a spreadsheet or
text processing system; a larger collection (often called a software suite)
of related but independent programs and packages that have a common
user interface or shared data format, such as Microsoft Office, which
consists of closely integrated word processor, spreadsheet, database,
etc.;or a software system, such as a database management system, which
is a collection of fundamental programs that may provide some service to
a variety of other independent applications

Unit of Measurements
Storage measurements: The basic unit used in computer data storage is called a
bit (binary digit). Computers use these little bits, which are composed of ones
and zeros, to do things and talk to other computers. All your files, for instance,
are kept in the computer as binary files and translated into words and pictures
by the software (which is also ones and zeros). This two number system, is
called a “binary number system” since it has only two numbers in it. The
decimal number system in contrast has ten unique digits, zero through nine.
1 byte = 8 bit
1KB = 1024 Byte
1MB = 1024 KB
1 GB = 1024 MB
1TB = 1024 GB

(1024 =210 Byte)

Speed measurement: The speed of Central Processing Unit (CPU) is measured by Hertz
(Hz), which represent a CPU cycle. The speed of CPU is known as Computer Speed
Operating System
It is a control program that provides an interface between the computer
hardware and the user. Part of this interface includes tools and services for the
user.

Types of Operating System:

Real-time
Multi-user vs. Single-user
Multi-tasking vs. Single-tasking
Distributed
Embedded
Real-Time
• A real-time operating system is a multitasking operating system that aims at
executing real-time applications.
• Responds to input instantly.

Multi-user vs. Single-user

• A multi-user operating system allows multiple users to access a computer
system concurrently.

• Time-sharing system can be classified as multi-user systems as they enable a

multiple user access to a computer through the sharing of time.
• Single-user operating systems, as opposed to a multi-user operating system,
are usable by a single user at a time

Multi-tasking vs. Single-tasking

• When a single program is allowed to run at a time, the system is grouped
under a single-tasking system
• While in case the operating system allows the execution of multiple tasks at
one time, it is classified as a multi-tasking operating system.

Distributed
• A distributed operating system manages a group of independent computers
and makes them appear to be a single computer.
• The development of networked computers that could be linked and
communicate with each other, gave rise to distributed computing.

Embedded
• Embedded operating systems are designed to be used in embedded computer
systems.

Computer History

The first mechanical computer called “Analytical Engine” designed by

Charles Babbage between 1830 and 1850
Generation Electronic Advantages Disadvantag Comments/
component e Examples
1st Gen. Vacuum Vacuum Large size, Use machine
1940-52 tubes e.g. tubes were generated lang.
ENIAC the only heat, A.C. instructions.
electronic required, ENIAC,
components Unreliable EDSAC,
available constant EDVAC
main-tenace UNIVAC,
IBM-
2nd Gen. Transistors Small size, As above Developmen
1952-64 e.g. IBM less heat t of assembly
1401 generated, lang. IBM-
more reliable 162,CDC-
3600, RCA-
501, IBM
1401
3rd Gen. Integrated Even smaller Initially, Higher level
1964-72 Circuits on size, Even problems languages
silicon chips lower heat with were used
(IC generation, manufacture for
less power instructions.
Developmen
t of
software
side. IBM-
360 Series,
ICL-1900,
ICL-2900,
PDP-11,
HONEYWE
LL-6000
Series

4th Gen. Large Scale Hardware Remarkable

1972- Integrated size- very development
Circuits compactable, of software
developed Internal side,
(LSIC ) storage Developmen
capacity t of net-
increased working,wor
d processing
INTEL-
 4004,
APPLE
Series I & II,
DCM‟s
TANDY,TR
S-80,DCM‟s
SPECTRUM
-7

5th Gen. Very Large Japan and many countries are working on
1984 and Scale "Expert System" will considerably the man-
above Integrated machine interaction would facilitate
Circuits computer-aided problem solving with the
VLSIC help of organised information in many
specialised area and Development using
ideas of artificial intelligence will be
known as fifth `

Booting
Booting is a process of starting a computer and specifically handing over the
control to the operating system. There are two forms of booting, Cold Booting
and Warm Booting; The notable difference between them is that the Cold Boot
occurs at the beginning where the state of the primary components of the
computer and RAM is checked with the help of Power On Self Test (POST)
before loading the operating system. Conversely, Warm Boot skips the primary
self-test and starts loading the operating system directly.

Cold Booting
It is the first thing that a computer does when we turn it ON from OFF position.
In the very first stage, the microprocessor is initialized.
Warm booting
If your computer hangs due to some reason while working, and requires to be
restarted to make it functional. The resetting or restarting of the computer is
known as warm booting. It can be performed using the reset button or pressing
the particular keys (i.e., Ctrl+Alt+Del) concomitantly.

Computer Viruses*
Viruses: A virus is a small piece of software that piggybacks on real programs.
For example, a virus might attach itself to a program such as a spreadsheet
program. Each time the spreadsheet program runs, the virus runs, too, and it has
the chance to reproduce (by attaching to other programs) or wreak havoc.
•E-mail viruses: An e-mail virus travels as an attachment to e-mail messages,
and usually replicates itself by automatically mailing itself to dozens of people
in the victim's e-mail address book. Some e-mail viruses don't even require a
double-click -- they launch when you view the infected message in the preview
pane of your e-mail software [source: Johnson].
•Trojan horses: A Trojan horse is simply a computer program. The program
claims to do one thing (it may claim to be a game) but instead does damage
when you run it (it may erase your hard disk). Trojan horses have no way to
replicate automatically.
•Worms: A worm is a small piece of software that uses computer networks and
security holes to replicate itself. A copy of the worm scans the network for
another machine that has a specific security hole. It copies itself to the new
machine using the security hole, and then starts replicating from there, as well.
What are some tips to avoid viruses and lessen their impact?*
 Install anti-virus software from a reputable vendor. Update it and use it
regularly.
 In addition to scanning for viruses on a regular basis, install an "on access"
scanner (included in most anti-virus software packages) and configure it to start
each time you start up your computer. This will protect your system by
checking for viruses each time you run an executable file.
 Use a virus scan before you open any new programs or files that may contain
executable code. This includes packaged software that you buy from the store as
well as any program you might download from the Internet.
 If you are a member of an online community or chat room, be very careful
about accepting files or clicking links that you find or
that people send you within the community.
 Make sure you back up your data (documents, bookmark files, important
email messages, etc.) on disc so that in the event of a virus infection, you do not
lose valuable work.