FUNDAMENTAL
COMPUTER CONCEPTS
All Rights Reserved:
ATENEO COMPUTER SCIENCE CENTER
Ateneo de Davao University
Outline
Computers
definition
reasons for studying
shaping up the workplace
capabilities and limitations
basic devices of a computer
types of computers
Terminologies
What’s a Computer?
An electronic device that can interpret and
execute program instructions to accept
data (input) and process such data to
produce and store useful information.
Why study computers?
Education
Employment
Productivity
Capability
Fun
Shaping up the Workplace
Multi-purpose workstations
prepare reports, compute budgets/payroll
Presentation tool
present reports, visual content
Networking
reservation systems, inventory systems
Design Tool
advertising, art, sound studio, engineering
Capabilities
Accuracy
Self-Checking
Automatic
Speed
Repetitiveness
Store and Recall Information
Accuracy – A computer can process data quickly with 100% corrections if it
is fed with the right data input.
Self Checking – it verifies the correctness of its work to ensure that all data
are accurate.
Automatic – can operate by itself all data and instructions are fed properly
into it.
Speed – can process and calculate large amount of data and problems at
very fast rate.
Repetitiveness – can do a job or a task as many times as you want it done.
Store and Recall Information – can keep information for later use. It can
also retrieve or get information from a disk or the memory.
Limitations
A computer cannot do what is not instructed
to do.
A computer cannot correct wrong
instructions.
A computer cannot perform creative thinking.
A computer is prone to viruses.
A computer is subject to physical failure and
occasional breakdown.
Synergy
- combined action or functioning.
- The interaction of two or more agents
or forces so that their combined
effect is greater than the sum of their
individual effects.
Computers can only carry out instructions that
humans give them.
Computers can process data accurately at far
greater speeds than people can, yet they are
limited in many respects.
Combining the strength
of machines with human
strengths creates
synergy.
Some people call synergy the “2 + 2 = 5” rule.
Synergy (from the Greek “work together”)
Occurs when combined resources
produce output that exceeds the sum
of the outputs of the same resource
employed separately.
A computer works quickly and accurately;
human work relatively slowly and make
mistakes.
A computer cannot make independent
decisions, however, or formulate steps for
solving problems, unless programmed to
do so by humans.
A human-computer combination
allows the results of human thought
to be translated into efficient
processing of large amounts of data.
HUMANS COMPUTERS
Think Calculate and perform programmed
logical operations extremely rapidly
Have common sense Store and retrieve data and
information extremely rapidly
Can make decisions Perform complex logical and
arithmetical functions accurately
Can instruct the computer Execute long, tedious operations
what to do
HUMANS COMPUTERS
Can learn new methods Perform routine tasks less
and techniques expensively than humans.
Can accumulate expertise Are adaptable (can be programmed
and reprogrammed)
Basic devices of a computer
4 Device Categories
InputDevices
Output Devices
Storage Devices
Communication Devices
Input Devices
Used to enter data into the computer for
processing.
Input Devices
Mouse
Keyboard Joystick
Touchscreen Trackball
Input Devices—The Keyboard
The keyboard is the most widely used input
device.
As you press keys on the keyboard, an
electrical signal representing that key is sent to
the computer.
Keyboards are divided into sections.
Input Devices—The Keyboard (cont.)
Typewriter keys: The standard alphabetic and
numeric characters you would find on a typewriter
Function keys: Special keys that perform some
specific function for the application being run
Numeric keypad: Used for mathematical
operations
Directional keys: Used to move the cursor around
the screen
Input Devices—The Mouse
The mouse is a pointing device that rolls
around on a flat surface and controls the
location of the pointer on the screen.
The mouse performs the following functions:
Pointing: Placing the on-screen pointer at a
specific place
Clicking: Pressing and releasing the
mouse button
Input Devices—The Mouse (cont.)
Mouse functions (cont.)
Dragging: Holding down the mouse button and
dragging an object to a new location by dragging the
mouse
Double-clicking: Pressing and releasing the mouse
button twice very quickly
Right-clicking: Pressing the right mouse button
Other Pointing Devices
Other devices that control the on-screen
pointer:
Trackball: This is like a mouse turned upside
down. You roll a ball around with your fingers
to control the location of the pointer.
These frequently are found on notebook
computers.
Other Pointing Devices (cont.)
Joystick and wheel: Joysticks consist of a
metal or plastic handle mounted on a base
that you can move in any direction to move
the pointer or other object.
These typically are used for video games.
Most have buttons that can be pushed or
clicked to control input/output.
Other Input Devices
Pointing stick: A pressure-sensitive device
that resembles a pencil eraser; found mostly on
notebook computers.
Graphics tablet: A flat drawing surface
connected to the computer
The user draws on the surface, and the figures or
writing on the tablet can be input to the computer for
processing.
Other Input Devices (cont.)
Touch display: Screens that contain pictures or
shapes that the user can press to input that data.
Stylus/digital pen: Used with mobile devices to input
data.
Other Input Devices (cont.)
Touchpad: Used mostly in laptop/notebook
computers.
Other Input Devices (cont.)
Audio/voice input: Inputting sound and/or
voice
These usually require a microphone and
special voice recognition software to be
installed on the computer.
Other Input Devices (cont.)
Scanners: Devices that can convert a graphical
image into a digital image and input it to the computer.
Types of scanners include
Image scanners for scanning images and text
Bar code scanners to read product bar codes
Magnetic scanners to read the magnetic strip on a
credit card
Other Input Devices (cont.)
Digital cameras: Used to take pictures and store them on a
magnetic disk instead of on film
Their images can be input directly into the computer.
Video input: Input from a camcorder or VCR using video
capture cards
Other Input Devices (cont.)
Biometric input: Uses fingerprint, face,
handwriting, and voice for identification
Output Devices
Used to display/present the results of
data processing to the users.
Output Devices
Speaker
Printer
Monitor
Storage Devices
Used to store data/instructions before and after they are
used or processed.
Main Storage, Secondary Storage.
Storage Devices
Compact Disc
Diskette Hard Disk
Magnetic Storage Devices
Floppy disks: Small, portable disks that hold
a limited amount of data
Hard disks: Large-capacity and fast-access
storage devices
Zip disks: Auxiliary storage devices that can
hold large quantities of data and can be
portable
Magnetic tape drives: Used for making
system backups and storing large quantities of
data
Optical Storage Devices
CD-DA: Audio CD
CD-R: This drive allows you to read and to
write to a compact disk
CD-ROM: Can hold large amounts of data,
but is read-only access
Optical Storage Devices (cont.)
CD-RW: Can be written on several times
DVD-ROM: Read-only DVD format
DVD-R: Similar to CD, but holds more data;
read-only
DVD-RW: Can be written on several times
PhotoCD: Used for storing digital
photographs on a CD
Solid-State Storage Media
Non-volatile removable media
Miniature mobile media
Uses integrated circuits
USB flash drive
Connects to the computer via a USB port
Communication Devices
Used to transmit/receive data and “talk”
with other computers.
Communication Devices
Modem
Router
Hub
Multiplexer
Switch
Types of Computers
Microcomputers
Minicomputers
Mainframes
Supercomputers
*Based on size, capacity and purpose
Microcomputers
also called personal computers.
smallest, cheapest, most popular type.
power and speed are ever-increasing.
size and cost are ever-decreasing.
Microcomputers
Microcomputers
Portable Computer
Desktop Computer
Laptop Computer
Home Computer
Microcomputers
Minicomputers
the middle-class of computer size and
power.
popular with small and medium-size
businesses.
used mainly as servers (file, web,
process).
Minicomputers
Mainframes
big, powerful, fast and expensive.
serve hundreds of users at the same time.
executes millions of instructions per
second.
used for high-volume data processing.
kept in carefully controlled environment
(cool and dust-free).
Mainframes
Supercomputers
extremely fast and expensive.
serve hundreds of users at the same time.
executes billions of instructions per
second.
perform vital tasks.
mostly used in scientific, industrial and
military research.
Supercomputers
Terminologies
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
referred to as the “brains of the computer”.
supervises the execution of program instructions.
System Unit
the hardware unit that houses the CPU, memory,
disk drives, ports and other circuit boards.
System Board / Motherboard
the main circuit board to which all computer system
components connect.
Terminologies
Random Access Memory (RAM)
the computer’s main memory.
it is volatile since the contents of the memory are lost
when there is no power.
Read-Only Memory (ROM)
a software in hardware module from which the
computer can read data, but not write.
Ports
a socket on the exterior of a computer’s system unit into
which a peripheral device may connect.
Terminologies
Keyboard
primary device for entering data and telling the computer what to
do.
Mouse
a small device that simplifies the task of positioning the cursor on
the monitor screen.
Light Pen
an electronic device that is used to point/click at the monitor.
Graphics Tablet
can trace the movement of a pen-like device over a board-type
tablet to form graphical shapes.
Printer
primary output devices used to generate information
outputs are called “hard copies” or “printouts”
Monitor
used to present visual output such as text and graphics
Multiplexers
receives data at low speed from several terminals and
transmits them at high speed to the computer
Modem (Modulator-Demodulator)
converts digital signals to analog and vice-versa so that
it can transmit data through telephone lines
NEXT
Assignment
1. What is information?
2. What are the characteristics of Information?
3. What is Data Processing System (DPS)?
4. What are the elements of a DPS?
5. What are the 3 components of an EDP
system?
6. Cite some advantages and disadvantages of
an EDP System?
