Chapter Three

Organization of Computer System

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1. Introduction for computer system
System: - is a group of components, consisting of subsystems or procedures that work in a coordination
fashion to achieve some objective.

A computer system: - composed of physical components (hardware) and non-physical component

Software: software consists of step by step instructions that tell the computer how to do its work. The
purpose of software is to convert data (unprocessed fact) into information (processed facts).

Hardware: is physical part of the computer that processes data to create information based on
instructions of software. It is controlled by the software.

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 Computer hardware
Computer Hardware: physical part the computer that you can see, you use and the parts you can touch.

The hardware part of a computer system is composed of a number of interacting physical parts based on
the need of the information flow. Information flows in the computer hardware. Based on information
processing, we can divide computer hardware into four:

1) Input Device

2) Storage Device

3) Output Device

4) Central Processing Unit (CPU)

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 1. Input device
Input devices are used to enter information into computer. They convert the data we give them into the form that can be
manipulated in the computer (electronic format).

A. Keyboard

is an input device consisting of a set of typewriter-like keys that enable one to enter data into a computer. The keys on the
keyboard are often classified as follows

Alphanumeric Keypad It consists of keys for English alphabets, 0 to 9 numbers, and special characters like + − / * ( ) etc.

 Function Keys There are twelve function keys labeled F1, F2, F3… F12. The functions assigned to these keys differ from
one software package to another. These keys are also user programmable keys.

 Special-function Keys These keys have special functions assigned to them and can be used only for those specific purposes.
Functions of some of the important keys are defined below.

 Enter It is similar to the ‘return’ key of the typewriter and is used to execute a command or program.

Spacebar It is used to enter a space at the current cursor location.

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 Cont…
Backspace This key is used to move the cursor one position to the left and also delete the character in that
position.

Delete It is used to delete the character at the cursor position.

Insert key is used to toggle between insert and overwrite mode during data entry.

 Shift This key is used to type capital letters when pressed along with an alphabet key. Also used to type
the special characters located on the upper-side of a key that has two characters defined on the same key.

Caps Lock is used to toggle between the capital lock features. When ‘on’, it locks the alphanumeric
keypad for capital letters input only.

Tab is used to move the cursor to the next tab position defined in the document. Also, it is used to insert
indentation into a document.

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 Cont…
Ctrl key is used in conjunction with other keys to provide additional functionality on the keyboard.

Alt Also like the control key, Alt key is always used in combination with other keys to perform specific
tasks.

Esc This key is usually used to negate a command. Also used to cancel or abort executing programs.
Numeric Keypad is located on the right side of the keyboard and consists of keys having numbers (0 to 9)
and mathematical operators (+ − * /) defined on them. This keypad is provided to support quick entry for
numeric data.

Cursor Movement Keys These are arrow keys and are used to move the cursor in the direction indicated
by the arrow (up, down, left, right).

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 B. Mouse
Mouse is a hand-operated device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on a display screen.

It is a small object that can be rolled along a rough flat surface.

It is easy to use.

Use:

making menu selection

editing documents

moving documents (i.e. dragging data from one location to another location)

Opening and closing programs

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C. Scanner

Data scanning devices are input devices used for direct data entry into the computer system from source
documents. A scanner is a device that reads text or image on a paper and translates the information into a
form that a computer can manipulate.

D. Bar code reader

Data coded in the form of small lines (known as bars) are known as bar codes. Bar codes represent
alphanumeric data by a combination of adjacent vertical lines (bars) by varying their width and spacing
between them. They are particularly used to unique identification of all types of goods, books, postal
packages, bags, tags etc.

The bar code reader is a device used for reading (decoding) bar-coded data. It uses a laser-beam scanning
technology, which stroked across the pattern of bars of a bar code. The bar code reader analyses the bars for
width and spacing and translates this data to electrical signals for the computer.

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E. Microphone

Microphone uses to input sound to the computer system. The computer with a voice recognition device (Microphone) follows the
following steps to recognize and act upon a spoken input data.

The person speaks to the microphone. Convert into electrical signals (analog form). Digitize- the analog-to-digital converter is used to
convert the analog form of data into its digital form.

F. Light Pen

Light pen is a light sensitive pen which is connected to a screen by wire and is used to write, draw, mark, or select objects on the screen.

G. Touch Screen

Touch screen is a type of screen that allows users to choose menu items or other objects displayed on the screen by touching.

H. Digital Camera

A digital camera looks much like an ordinary camera but it captures the image it takes in a format that can be stored on disk. The image
can then be manipulated using graphics software. The technology allows the user to insert the image into data files, documents, or
presentations.

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 2. Central processing unit
CPU executes instructions and performs the computer's processing activities. It is also known as
processor or microprocessor.

It functions the same purpose as the human brain for human being. It is called the brain of the computer.

CPU has three sub-components:

Control Unit (CU)

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

Register

The three sub components are connected by a cable like device called bus. It facilitates communication
between the parts. It is used to transfer data between these sub components.

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 A. Control unit
As human brain control the body, control unit controls the computer. Control Unit does not execute instruction by
itself, i.e. does not carry out instruction, but it directs other processing elements to execute instruction.

It retrieves instruction from memory and this process is called fetch instruction. After fetching instruction, it translates
that instruction into computer understandable format and sends signals to other computer hardware units to carry out
the instruction. This process (the process of translating instruction) is called decoding.

B. Arithmetic Logic Unit

Arithmetic operation

Logic Operation

Arithmetic operation: this includes mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc. If
you give your computer the instruction 2+3, this will be included in arithmetic operation and it is executed by
Arithmetic Unit.
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 Cont…
Logical Operation: this is concerned with the comparison of data and it is called logical operation. It
includes operators like less than, greater than, equal to, less or equal to, greater or equal to, different
from, etc. e.g. if mark>80, grade is 'A'.

Arithmetic Logic Unit has two parts:

Arithmetic Unit: perform arithmetic operations

Logic Unit: performs logical operations

C. Registers

When instruction is loaded from main memory, it is placed first in registers to wait instruction from
control unit. Registers are temporary storage location for data prior to execution in ALU.

There are different types of registers. E.g. data register, program counter, address register, etc.

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 Cont…
How CPU works?

4 operations – instruction execution

Decode instruction - ∆ instruction in to computer can process.

Execute instruction - actual processing of commands by ALU. Execution cycle

Store result - write result of executed instruction in to memo.

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 3. Output device
Output devices are used to get data out of a computer so that it can be examined, analyzed or distributed to
others. It converts information from machine-understandable form to a human understandable form.

Two types of output:

Soft copy: displayed on monitor, projector, or similar devices

Hard copy: printed on paper

E.g.
Monitors
Printers
Plotters
Speakers

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 A. Monitor
Monitor is the most frequent type of output device. It consists of a display surface called screen which displays output to
the user. Image is displayed on monitors using pattern of lighted dots. Each of these lighted dots is called pixel a short
form of picture element.

There are two types of monitor:

1) CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)

2) LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

CRT Monitor

CRT is similar in size and technology to televisions. It uses electron guns that emit electrons. These electrons are
directed towards phosphorous coated screen. The phosphorous coat glows (emits light) when hit by electron from
electron guns, thus creating visible things that we see.

Disadvantage: -large size (bulky)

- consumes much power

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 Cont…
LCD Monitor

Crystal display is most commonly used in digital watches, clocks, calculators, etc. In computer, they
are commonly used for portable computers. E.g. laptop.

Liquid crystal uses liquid crystal for display purpose, not electron guns. The liquid crystal is deposited
between sheets of polarizing material.

Advantage over CRT: -small size which makes it easy to transport

-consumes less power which makes it suitable for laptop.

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 B. Printer
Printer is a device that enables us to produce a hard copy of data/information. They have varying
speeds, capabilities, and printing methods.

Based on the way they print, printers are divided into two:

Impact printers

Non-impact printers

•Impact printers use the typewriting printing mechanism wherein a hammer strikes the paper through a
ribbon in order to produce output. Dot-matrix and Character printers fall under this category.

• Non-impact printers do not touch the paper while printing. They use chemical, heat or electrical
signals to etch the symbols on paper. Inkjet, Deskjet, Laser, Thermal printers fall under this category of
printers.

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 C. Plotter
Plotters are used to produce high-quality drawings such as bar charts, maps, architectural drawings, and three-
dimensional drawings.

Can produce high quality multi-color documents

Can print on large size papers, which most printers can’t handle.

D. Speakers
These devices are useful for sound output, which were recorded using microphone, and they are useful for
music and sound output recording in multimedia.

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 Both Input– Output Devices
1. Modems

2. Network cards

3. Touch Screen

4. Headsets (Headset consists of Speakers and Microphone. Speaker act Output Device
and Microphone act as Input device)

5. Facsimile (FAX) (It has scanner to scan the document and also have printer to Print
the document)

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 Storage devices
Two types of storage devices:

Primary storage device

Secondary storage device

1. Primary Storage Devices (Main Memory)

Primary memory refers to integrated circuit that stores program instructions and data. Memory stores three things:

Operation system software instructions

Application software instruction

Data that is being processed

There are two types of primary memory:

RAM (Random Access Memory)

ROM (Read Only Memory)

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 Cont…
RAM

RAM is temporary storage i.e. the data is lost when the computer is off unlike secondary storage. Because of this it is called
volatile memory. Why is it volatile? It uses electric power to store data. When you write anything on your computer, first it
is stored on RAM. When you save the file, it is transferred into secondary storage. RAM has differing capacity, the
common ones being 128, 256, and 512.

It is directly accessible by CPU. It is called RAM because each memory location can be accessed randomly using memory
address. Each unit in RAM has memory address by which it can be easily accessed/referenced.

ROM

ROM store information permanently. They have programs built into them at the factory and that program could not be
changed or erased by the user, but read.

It is non-volatile, read-only (not changeable). Read-only means data can't be altered or erased but read.

ROM contain special instruction that the computer uses when it is turned on. E.g instruction that starts the computer,
instruction that displays information on screen, etc.

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 Secondary storage device
Secondary storage (also called auxiliary storage), takes many forms. It includes punched cards, punched
paper tape, magnetic tape, magnetic disk and optical disk. Based on information access, secondary
storage devices are divided into two:

1. Sequential Access: information is accessed sequentially. To access information on such media, we

2. Random Access: information can be accessed in any order. You can access the first or the last part of
information by jumping others. E.g. floppy disk

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 1. Random Access Storage Media
A. Magnetic Disks

Magnetic disk is the most widely used storage medium on all computers. It consists of a round piece of plastic or metal the surface of which is covered with
magnetic material. Magnetic disks offer:

I. High storage capacity

II. Reliability

III. Fast date access during reading or writing to disk.

IV. They allow for random access of information and overcome the slow access time commonly found in tape files.

Examples: floppy disk, hard disk

Floppy Disk: They are also called diskette. It is made up of thin Mylar plastic which is coated with metal oxide. Data is stored as electromagnetic charges
on the plastic coat. It stores data by means of magnetizing and demagnetizing the metal oxide.

Floppy is an easily removable storage used to transport data from one computer to another. It is used to store programs and data for a longer period outside
the computer system. Often used with mini and micro computers. Data is stored in concentric circles called tracks.

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 Cont…

Hard Disk

A high capacity magnetic disk made up of metal which can be fixed in the system unit of the computer. It
serves as a secondary storage and it enables very fast accessibility of data. Accessing data from hard disk is
faster than from floppy disks.

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Internal hard disk
External hard disk

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 Cont…
B. Optical Disk

Optical disks use laser light to read or write data from optical disk. Laser: light amplified stimulated
emission of rays.

Optical disks use high powered laser light to burn microscopic holes on the surface of the disk to store
data. Burned out part is called pit, and the non-burnt part is called land. Land may represent binary 0
and pit binary 1.

Optical disks use low powered laser to read data

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 Cont…
There are two most common types of optical disks:

CD (Compact Disc)

DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)

CD (Compact Disc)

CD can store 700BM of information. Data is stored only on one side of the disc. There are three basic types of CDs:

1) CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory)

2) CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable)

3) CD-RW (Compact Disc Read-Write)

CD-ROM

This kind of is read only i.e. you can’t write data to such CDs or you can’t erase from them.

Data is only accessed/read from these CDs.

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 Cont…
CD-R

It is also called WORM (Write Once and Read Many). These CDs can be written on once. But then after, you
can’t rewrite on it or erase data from it. After you first wrote data on such discs, then only thing you can do to
read data from them.

CD-RW

They are also called erasable optical discs. You can write data as many times as you want on such CDs. You
can also erase the content of such CDs.

DVD

DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc. But some people mistakenly call it Digital Video Disc.

It is a new technology that is introduced recently. It is similar to CD except that it can store large amounts of
data and it has narrow tracks than CD.

It can store 4.7-17GB of information.

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 Computer software application
A computer hardware is directed by a set of instructions. Without these instructions, computer can do
nothing. These set of instructions are called software (also called programs).

Application software performs useful work for the user. These useful work could be:

1. Word processing-document creation

2. Spreadsheet-electronic calculation

3. Email/communicating-email sending and reading

Users use these software to perform different activities like calculation, video editing, word processing,
presentation, etc.

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