INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Introduction to Computer
 DEFINITION OF 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.
 Types of Computers
Computers can be categorize in three ways, on the basis of:
• 1. Purpose
• 2. Data handling
• 3. Size

[Link] the basis of Purpose we have 2 types:

I. General – Purpose computer
II. Special – Purpose computer

[Link] the basis of Data handling capabilities, we have 3 types:

III. Analogue
IV. Digital
V. Hybrid
 Types of Computers
[Link] the basis of Size, we have 5 types:
I. Super computer
II. Mainframe computer
III. Minicomputer
IV. Workstation
V. Microcomputer

Based on Purpose:
• General Purpose Computer: this computers perform basic
input/output functions or activities like calculation and small
scale data storage e.g. calculators, laptops, desktops and
mobile phones.
 Types of Computers
• Special purpose computers: this computer perform a specific
function e.g. thermometer (for temperature reading), simulation
computers used by engineers, diagnosis computers used by medical
practitioners etc. Specifically, they are used in different professions.

• Based on data handling capabilities

Analog Computers: this process analogue data, i.e
continuous data which keeps changing without a discrete
value e.g. speed, temperature, pressure and current.
The continuous measure changes in physical quantity and
deliver result on a dial or scale.
– Examples of analogue computers are: speedometer, mercury
thermometer, Blood pressure kit/machine,
 Types of Computers

• Digital Computers: this type of computer is used

for calculating and performing logical operations, it
operates at a very high speed. It accepts data in digits
or binary numbers process it and gives output or
results. All modern devices fall under this category
examples are Laptop, desktop, smart phones, note
books, palm tops, and tablets.
• Characteristics of Digital Computers
a) Can store large amount of data
b) Allows different applications programs to run
concurrently on the device
 Characteristics of Digital Computers

c. Perform its operations at very high speed.

d. Uses error correction codes to become very
reliable.
e. Not affected by external factors such as
noise, weather which makes its
reproducibility higher.
f. It is affordable due to its improved integrated
circuit technology.
 Types of computer
• Hybrid Computers:
This type of computer combines the features of
analog and digital computers. This is how it was
invented, it uses the speed of analogue and the
memory of a digital device. It uses continuous and
discrete data and it mostly used in specialized
fields e.g. airplanes, hospitals, scientific applications,
petrol pumps etc.
 Assignment
• Read up and form a note (4 pages) and submit
to:
 lasustechlib@[Link]
[Link] of computer based on size and their
characteristics.
2. History of computers
 Functionalities of Computer
Any digital computer carries out five functions:
1. Takes data as input
2. Stores the data/instructions in its memory
and use them when required
3. Processes the data and converts it into useful
information.
4. Generates the output
5. Controls all the above 4 steps
 Computer Components
• Any kind of computers consists of the

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 seen and 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,
joystick, remote control, scanner, microphone, light-
pen, camera, and webcams etc.
 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• A CPU is the 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 (e.g.
OR , AND, NOR operations)
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,
it instruct the hardware to perform the requested operation.
3. Registers : Stores the data that is to be executed next, "very fast storage
area".
 COMPUTER MEMORY
Primary Memory:-
1. 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.
 Primary Memory:-
2. 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 e.g.

1. Hard drive disk (HDD): 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 Surface.
 Secondary Memory:-
2. 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 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", followed by "drive", "writer",
etc. There are three main types of optical media: CD, DVD
 Secondary Memory:-
• 3. 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.
 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. Examples are: monitor, printer, speakers,
projector etc
 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 e. g. OS
Application software which is used by users to
accomplish specific tasks e.g. Microsoft office
 Types of 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.
 Types of software
• 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.
 Types of 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;
 Types of software
• 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.
 Examples of System Software
• 1) Microsoft Windows
2) Linux
3) Unix
4) Mac OS
5) DOS
 Examples of Application Software
• 1) Opera (Web Browser)
2) Microsoft Word (Word Processing)
3) Microsoft Excel (Spreadsheet software)
4) MySQL (Database Software)
5) Microsoft PowerPoint (Presentation
Software)
6) Adobe Photoshop (Graphics Software)
 Characteristics of Computer
• Speed, accuracy, diligence, storage capability
and versatility are some of the key
characteristics of a computer.

• A brief overview of these characteristics are:

 Characteristics of Computer
• Speed: The computer can process data very fast, at
the rate of millions of instructions per second. Some
calculations that would have taken hours and days to
complete otherwise, can be completed in a few
seconds using the computer.

For example, calculation and generation of salary

slips of thousands of employees of an organization,
weather forecasting that requires analysis of a large
amount of data related to temperature, pressure and
humidity of various places, etc.
 Characteristics of Computer
• Accuracy: Computer provides a high degree of
accuracy. For example, the computer can
accurately give the result of division of any
two numbers up to 10 decimal places.
• Diligence: When used for a longer period of
time, the computer does not get tired or
fatigued. It can perform long and complex
calculations with the same speed and
accuracy from the start till the end.
 Characteristics of Computer
• Storage Capability: Large volumes of data and
information can be stored in the computer
and also retrieved whenever required. A
limited amount of data can be stored,
temporarily, in the primary memory.

• Secondary storage devices like floppy disk and

compact disk can store a large amount of data
permanently.
• Versatility: Computer is versatile in nature. It can
perform different types of tasks with the same ease. At
one moment you can use the computer to prepare a
letter document and in the next moment you may play
music or print a document.
•
Computers have several limitations too. Computer
can only perform tasks that it has been programmed to
do.
•
Computer cannot do any work without instructions
from the user. It executes instructions as specified by
the user and does not take its own decisions.
 Peopleware
• Peopleware is the third term of the core concepts in
Information Technology, others are Hardware,
Software which we have discussed extensively.
• Peopleware is anything that has to do with the role
of people in the development or use of computer
software and hardware components.
• Peopleware is divided into two distinct groups:
• 1. Computer Professionals
• 2. Computer Users
•
 Peopleware

[Link] Professionals:
These are individuals with formal education or
certification in the use of computers. Examples of such
professionals include:
1. Computer Managers
2. Computer Programmers/Software developers
3. Computer operators
4. Computer Engineers
5. System Analysts
6. Software Engineers
7. Database Administrators
 Peopleware

2. Computer Users:
These are individuals or people that uses the computer system in discharging their
day-to- day activities or simply those who work with their computer system. These
people may not have any formal training in computer but can engage with the
services of the computer professionals.

Examples of Computer users include:

1. Administrator
2. Hacker
3. Teachers
4. Gamers
5. Artists
6. Researchers
7. Programmers
8. Scientists
9. Scholars
 Computer Networking
• Computer Networking refers to interconnected
computing devices that can exchange data and share
information resources with each other.

• It is a system in which multiple computers are connected

to each other to share information and resources e.g.
files, printers, scanners etc.

• The Computing devices include mobile phone, computer

system, server etc which are connected using physical
wires such as fiber-optics or through a wireless device.
 Types of Networks
Networks can be classified based on different criteria such as medium of
transmission, geographical scale, network size, topology, and organizational intent.

Based on Geographical scale, the different types we have are:

I. Local Area Network

II. Metropolitan Network
III. Wide Area Network

• Local Area Network (LAN): The LAN network connects devices within a limited
geographical area such as schools, hospitals or office building.

• Metropolitan Network (MAN): This is a network that spans across a city.

• WIDE AREA NETWORK (WAN): WAN covers large area such as cities, states and
even countries
 Types of Networks
• Based on organizational intent, networks are classified as:
1. Intranet
2. Internet

• An intranet is a private network commonly used within an organization.

It is used to securely share company information and computing
resources among employees. An intranet can also be used for working
in groups and teleconferencing.

• Intranets encourage communication within an organization. It allows

employees to easily access important information, links, applications,
forms and databases of company records.
• A database that includes all the usernames of employees who have
access rights to the network is often used to maintain intranet security.
 Network Topology
• Network topology is the prototype or
hierarchy (Physical arrangement) in which
computer nodes are connected to each other.
• Topology can speed up, slow down, or even
break the network based on the organization’s
infrastructure and requirements.
• Before setting up a network from scratch,
network experts must choose the right one.
Some common topologies include:
 Network Topology
• Assignment
Read up the Advantages and Disadvantages of
each topology.
 Network Topology
• Point-To-Point: As the name suggests, the point-to-point is a
network topology with a dedicated link between two
endpoints, hence it is the simplest topology.
• Star network: In this type of topology, a central node server is
linked to multiple other nodes. This is faster since data
doesn’t have to travel through each node.
• Ring network: Each node is linked to two other nodes, thus
forming a ring.
• Bus network: Each node is linked to only one other node.
• Mesh network: Each node must strive to be connected to
every other node in the system.
• Tree network: Here, nodes are arranged in hierarchies.
 Electronic Databases

• Electronic databases are electronic information

resources organized in a systematic way with
searchable elements or fields.
• electronic databases as specialized records
of related published information documents
which are not available on Google or other
common search engines, especially in a full
text.
 Electronic Databases
• These databases allow the University Library to provide
students and staff with access to thousands of  journals, as
well as eBooks, newspaper articles, reports; pictures, and
streaming video content.

• The University Library uses the term eResources to include all

our databases as well as apps and other electronic content
that we subscribe to. The database contents and most of the
eResources are not owned by the University but licensed from
the various providers. 

• It consist of textbooks, articles, instructional videos, audio etc.

 Electronic Databases Examples
• Ebsco
• PubMed
• JSTOR
• Scopus
• Web of science
• DOAJ
• Gale
• Google Scholar
• ScienceDirect
 Electronic Databases Examples Examples
• HeinOnline
• Academic search
• ProQuest
• PsycoINFO
• arXiv
• LexisNexis
 Uses of Electronic Databases
• A database is a collection of information
stored within a computer.
• Databases are used for everything from
storing pictures on your computer to buying
items online and analyzing the stock market.
Databases allow computers to store essential
information in an organized and easily
searchable way.
 Uses of Electronic Databases
• For academic pursuit
• For storing Organization’s information
• For record keeping, easy tracking and retrieval
of information.
 THE INTERNET

1. Definition of the Internet

2. Definition of Internet concepts
3. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
4. World Wide Web (WWW)
5. Electronic Mail Services (E-MAIL)
6. Universal Resources Locator (URL)
 THE INTERNET

7. Identification of various Search engines like

[Link], [Link], [Link], [Link]
8. Definition of Internet/Online materials (Web-
based Information Resources)
9. Formats of Internet/Online materials (Web-
based Information Resources)
10. Advantages and Disadvantages of
Internet/Online materials (Web-based
Information Resources)