FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTING

Notes

1.2.1. Overview

Today's world is an information-rich world and it has become a necessity for everyone to know
about computers. Purpose of this tutorial is to introduce you about computer systems and its
fundamentals.

The word computer comes from the word “compute” which means, “to calculate.” Thereby, a
computer is an electronic device that can perform arithmetic operations at high speed. A
computer is also called a data processor because it can store, process, and retrieve data whenever
desired. The activity of processing data using a computer is called data processing.

Definition

Computer System is an electronic data processing device, which does the following:

• Accept and store an input data.

• Process the data input.
• And output the processed data in required format.

A computer Is made up of two key components: the hardware and the software.

Any digital computer carries out five functions in gross terms:

• Takes data as input.

• Stores the data/instructions in its memory and can use them when required.
• Processes the data and converts it into useful information.
• Outputs the information.
• Controls all the above four steps.

Figure 1.1 Basic computer operation

Advantages

Following list demonstrates the advantages of Computers in today's arena.

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High Speed

• Computer is a very fast device.

• It is capable of performing addition of very big data.
• The computer has units of speed in microsecond, nanosecond and even the picosecond.
• It can perform millions of calculations in a few seconds as compared to man, who can
spend many months for doing the same task.

Accuracy

• In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate.

• The computer has performed calculations 100% error-free.
• Computers perform all jobs with 100% accuracy.

Storage Capability

• Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.

• The computer has much more storage capacity than human beings.
• It can store large amount of data.
• It can store any type of data such as images, videos, text, audio and any other type.

Diligence

• Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness and lack of
concentration.
• It can work continuously without creating any error and boredom.
• It can do repeated work with same speed and accuracy.

Versatility

• A computer is a very versatile machine.

• A computer is very flexible in performing the jobs to be done.
• This machine can be used to solve the problems relating to various different fields.
• At one instant, it may be solving a complex scientific problem and the very next moment
it may be playing a card game.

Reliability
• A computer is a reliable machine.
• Modern electronic components have failure-free long lives.
• Computers are designed to make maintenance easy.

Automation

• Computer is an automatic machine.

• Automation means ability to perform the task automatically.

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 • Once a program is given to computer, i.e., stored in computer memory, the program and
instructions can control the program execution without human interaction.

Reduction in Paper Work

• The use of computers for data processing in an organization leads to reduction in paper
work and speeds up the process.
• As data in electronic files can be retrieved as and when required, the problem of
maintenance of large number of files gets reduced.

Reduction in Cost

• Though the initial investment for installing a computer is high but it substantially reduces
the cost of each of its transaction.

Disadvantages

Following list demonstrates the disadvantages of Computers in today's arena.

No IQ
• A computer is a machine and has no intelligence of its own to perform any task.
• Each and every instruction has to be given to the computer.
• A computer cannot take any decision on its own.

Dependency

• It can perform function as instructed by user, so it is fully dependent on human

being. Environment
• The operating environment of computer should be dust-free and suitable to it.

No Feeling
• Computer has no feeling or emotions.
• It cannot make judgment based on feeling, taste, experience and knowledge unlike a
human being.

1.2.2. History of Computers

i. First generation computers (1946-1956)

They made use of vacuum tubes to store and process information. The tubes
consumed a lot of power and generated a lot of heat (overheating). They were huge in
size and occupy a room. They used magnetic tape. Storage capacity was very low i.e.
2kb and speed of processing was also very low. First machine in this category was
ENIAC (electronic discrete variable automatic computer) and later came UNIVAC
(universal automatic computers).

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ii. Second generation computers (1957-1967)

These computers used transistors after invention of transistors. The transistor is

smaller cheaper and produced less heat than vacuum tubes and consumed less power.
The cost of computers decreased and the speed increased. The second generation saw
the introduction of more complex ALU and CPU, the use of high level languages and
provision of system software with the computer. Data access time was measured in
micro-seconds. Removable disk storage units were developed for use on these
machines.

iii. Third generation computers (1965-1980)

This introduced the use of very small electronic circuit called integrated circuits (IC)
by combining several transistors together between 3 transistors to make 1 IC. With IC
you can house thousands of transistors in one IC. This change further decreased the
size, heat output and the maintenance complexity of the computers while increasing
its speed. The small circuitry that resulted improved the processing speed i.e. 10
times the past.

iv. Fourth generation computers (1980s)

Use large scale integration circuits which housed hundreds of transistors and very
large IC which are between 200,000 to 400, 000 in one IC. Memory used includes
magnetic disc and optical disc. Memory size expanded up to several MB and speed
was 10 times faster. This generation marked the origin of mini computers in use
today.

v. Fifth generation computers (1990-current)

The design of these computers was based on VLSI (very large scale integration)
technology, the microchip technology that gave rise to the smaller computers known
as the micro computers in use today. These computers are used in networking.
Examples of microcomputers are IBM PCs BBC micro etc. the micro computers are
usually described as PCs or stand alone or desktop computers because they were
designed primarily to serve single person at a time. The fifth generation is still a state
of the art technology that relies on predictions and further technological refinements.

Research shows that the trend in computer technology revolution is that there is;

Continual decrease in computer size

Improved speed and power processing
Decrease in computers and the related facilities cost

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 Number of components in computer per circuit (IC) greatly increased over 500,000
physical elements e.g. transistors, capacities, diodes etc per chip(IC).

1.2.3 Classification of Computers

i. By Size

a) Micro-Computers

• Micro –Computers are the Smallest class of Computers

• Micro- Computers have one micro-processor in its Central Processing Unit • Micro-
Processor refers to Central Data Processing Unit of a Micro-Computers
• Micro- Computers can serve one user at ago.
• Micro- Computers are commonly used in modern Offices.

b) Mini- Computers

• Mini- Computers are Medium Sized Computers

• Mini- Computers can serve Two or more users at ago
• Mini- Computers have Two Micro-Processors in its Central Processing Unit
• Mini- Computers can support Telecommunication hence facilitate Sharing of Information
through computers which are Networked together.
• Mini- Computers are commonly in Banks and Super- Markets.

c) Main-frame Computers

• Main-frame Computers used in Large organization

• Main-frame Computers can serve several users at ago
• Main-frame Computers Several Micro-Processors in its Central Processing Unit
• Main – frame Computers can support Telecommunication hence facilitate Sharing of
Information through computers which are Networked together.
• Main – frame Computers are commonly used in Large Organization such as International
Monetary Fund and World Bank, Insurance Companies etc.

d) Super-Computers

• Super-Computers Computers used in Large organization

• Super-Computers can serve several users at ago
• Super-Computers Uncountable Micro-Processors in its Central Processing Unit
• Super-Computers can support Telecommunication hence facilitate Sharing of Information
through computers which are Networked together.
• Super-Computers are commonly used in Large Organization such as International
Monetary Fund and World Bank, Insurance Companies etc.

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ii. By purpose

a) Specific Purpose Computers

Specific Purpose Computers is a Computer Classification that performs a Specific Task at

ago or Time for example Computers designed to calculate wages and Salaries, Control
Stocks of goods etc

b) General Purpose Computers

General Purpose Computers is a Computer Classification that performs a General task at

ago or at a time example Computer that can perform arithmetic and Logical Operations at the
same Time iii. By Technology
a) Analog Computers

Analog Computer use continuous data. The common available Analog Computers are:

1. Car Speedometer - Measures Speed of the Approaching Bodies e.g. Cars

2. Hygrometer - Measures Humidity
3. Wind Anemometer - Measures Speed of the Wind.
4. Thermometer - Measures the Temperatures of a place.
5. Barometer - Measures Atmospheric pressure of a place
6. Voltmeter - Measures Voltage of the Electronic device

b) Digital Computers

Digital Computers a Computer Classification works on discrete/non-continuous data. The

Digital Computers have the capability of adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and
rearranges the data in predefined order they are commonly applied in Scientific and
Engineering World.

c) Hybrid Computer

Hybrid Computer is a Computer Classification by type that performs Arithmetic and

Logical operations and at the same time measures data in waveform.

Activity

In your surroundings, identify the types of computers in use. Are they

mainframe computers, mini-computers, workstations or personal
computers?

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1.2.4 Application of Computers

i. Schools
• Keep Record of School Fees
• Keep Record of Number of Students in the School
• Keep Record of Number of Parents
• Keep Record of Number of Staff in the School
• Keep Record of Rules and Regulations that govern the Schools.

ii. Government Institution

• Keep Record of Government Stocks of pre-numbered documents e.g. Cheques,
Receipt books
• Keep Record of Government Bills and Statements
• Keep Record Registers for easy retrieval and future reference.
• Keep Records of Government Budgets, which act as a base of planning
• Calculation of Civil Servants Salaries iii. Telecommunication.

• Computers can be Networked to facilitate between Government departments

• Keep Record of Civil Servant, Terms of Service and Terminal Benefits
• Keep Record of Rules and Regulations that govern the Government Institutions.

iv. Police Station

• Keep Record of Criminal Finger Prints in the Society
• Keep Record of Police Force Staff
• Calculation of Staff Salaries
• Telecommunication - Computers can be Networked to facilitate between Police
Force departments
• Keep Record of Police Abstracts
• Keep Record of Rules and Regulations that govern the Police Staff.

v. Weather Station
• Keep Record of Weather and Climatic conditions in the World
• Calculation of Staff Salaries
• Keep record of Meteorological Station Staff
• Keep Record of Rules and Regulations that govern the Weather Station Staff.

vi. Post Office

• Keep Record of Post Office Staff
• Calculation of Post Office Staff Salaries
• Keep Record of Rental Boxes Customers Names and Dates expired.
• Keep Record of Post bank Account holders, the amount and balances.
• Keep Record of Rules and Regulations that govern the Post Office Staff.

vii. Banks
• Keep Record of Bank Staff • Calculation of Bank Staff Salaries
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 • Keep Record of Account holders.
• Keep Record of Post bank Account holders, the amount and balances
• Telecommunication - Computers can be networked to facilitate between
communication between the Bank’s Head Office and its Branches.
• Keep Record of Rules and Regulations that govern the Banking Industry

viii. Insurance Company

• Keep Record of Insurance Staff
• Calculation of Insurance Company Staff Salaries
• Keep Record of Policy document and Premiums paid by Clients. To the Insurance Co
• Keep Record of Bonuses paid to the Client by the Insurance Co
• Telecommunication - Computers can be Networked to facilitate between
communication between the Insurance’s Head Office and its Branches country wide
• Keep Record of Rules and Regulations that govern the Insurance Firms

ix. University and Colleges

• Keep Record of University Fees
• Keep Record of Number of Students in the University
• Keep Record of Number of Parents/Guardians
• Keep Record of Admission Numbers of University Students
• Keep Record of Rules and Regulations that govern the University.

x. Industry and commerce

• Maintain Orders and Bills
• Control Stocks
• Manage large Volumes of Financial Transactions, Information and Data
• Ensure the Customers and Supplies demand are fulfilled.

xi. Hospital
• Keep Record of Medical Staff
• Keep Record of Number of Patients and their Diseases
• Keep Record of Stocks of Drugs, the Amount of Cash in the Bank and the Pre –
Numbered documents.
• Calculation of Wages and Salaries of Medial Staff
• Keep Record of Rules and Regulations that govern the Hospital Staff.

TOPIC 2: COMPUTER HARDWARE

2.2 This topic is divided into three sub-sections as follows:

Sections 1: Basic Computer Operations

Sections 2: Computer Components
Sections 3: Computer Organization

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 2.2.1 Basic Computer Operations
A computer as shown in Fig. 2.1 performs basically five major operations or functions
irrespective of their size and make. These are 1) it accepts data or instructions by way of input,
2) it stores data, 3) it can process data as required by the user, 4) it gives results in the form of
output, and 5) it controls all operations inside a computer. We know that a computer is used to
(i) Collect (ii) Organise (iii) Sort and, (iv) transform raw facts into meaningful information form,
which logic conclusions can be drawn.

We discuss below each of these operations.

1. Input: This is the process of entering data and programs in to the computer system. You
should know that computer is an electronic machine like any other machine which takes as
inputs raw data and performs some processing giving out processed data. Therefore, the input
unit takes data from us to the computer in an organized manner for processing.

Figure 2.1: Basic computer Operations

2. Storage: The process of saving data and instructions permanently is known as storage.
Data has to be fed into the system before the actual processing starts. It is because the processing
speed of Central Processing Unit (CPU) is so fast that the data has to be provided to CPU with
the same speed. Therefore the data is first stored in the storage unit for faster access and
processing. This storage unit or the primary storage of the computer system is designed to do the
above functionality. It provides space for storing data and instructions.
The storage unit performs the following major functions:

• All data and instructions are stored here before and after processing.
• Intermediate results of processing are also stored here.

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3. Processing: The task of performing operations like arithmetic and logical operations is
called processing. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) takes data and instructions from the
storage unit and makes all sorts of calculations based on the instructions given and the type of
data provided. It is then sent back to the storage unit.

4. Output: This is the process of producing results from the data for getting useful
information. Similarly the output produced by the computer after processing must also be kept
somewhere inside the computer before being given to you in human readable form. Again the
output is also stored inside the computer for further processing.

5. Control: The manner how instructions are executed and the above operations are
performed. Controlling of all operations like input, processing and output are performed by
control unit. It takes care of step by step processing of all operations inside the computer.

2.2.2 Computer Components

All types of computers follow a same basic logical structure and perform the following five basic
operations for converting raw input data into information useful to their users
No. Operation Description
1 Take Input The process of entering data and instructions into the
computer system.
2 Store Data Saving data and instructions so that they are available for
processing as and when required.
3 Processing Data Performing arithmetic, logical operations on data in order to
convert them into useful information.
4 Output Information The process of producing useful information or results for
the user, such as a printed report or visual display.
5 Control the workflow Direct the manner and sequence in which all of the above
operations are performed.

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 Table 2.1: Five basic operations for converting raw input data into information

Figure 2.2 Components of Computer system

Activity
In the computer lab, look at the manuals that come with the computers. Review
the manuals to find out what type of microprocessor is in the computer. Look
also at the computer screen when the computer is turned on to see if information
about
the computer is shown there.

2.2.3 Computer Organization

2.2.3.1 Input Hardware

This unit contains devices with the help of which we enter data into computer. This unit makes
link between user and computer. The input devices translate the human being information into
the form understandable by computer. An input unit of a computer System performs the
following functions:

i. It accepts (or reads) instruction and data from outside world

ii. It converts thee instruction and data in computer acceptable form
iii. It supplies the converted instruction and data to the computer system for further
processing

Following are few of the important input devices, which are used in Computer Systems:
a) Keyboard
b) Mouse
c) Joystick
d) Light pen
e) Track Ball

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 f) Scanner
g) Graphic Tablet
h) Microphone
i) Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)
j) Optical Character Reader (OCR)
k) Bar Code Reader
l) Optical Mark Reader

Keyboard

Most common and very popular input device is keyboard. The keyboard helps in inputting the
data to the computer. The layout of the keyboard is like that of traditional typewriter, although
there are some additional keys provided for performing some additional functions.

Keyboards are of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102 keys, but now 104 keys or 108 keys keyboard is
also available for Windows and Internet.

The keys are following

No. Keys Description
1 Typing Keys These keys include the letter keys (A-Z) and digits keys (0-9)
which generally give same layout as that of typewriters.
2 Numeric Keypad It is used to enter numeric data or cursor movement. Generally, it
consists of a set of 17 keys that are laid out in the same
configuration used by most adding machine and calculators.
3 Function Keys The twelve functions keys are present on the keyboard. These are
arranged in a row along the top of the keyboard. Each function
key has unique meaning and is used for some specific purpose.
4 Control keys These keys provide cursor and screen control. It includes four
directional arrow key. Control keys also include Home, End,
Insert, Delete, Page Up, Page Down, Control(Ctrl), Alternate(Alt),
Escape(Esc).
5 Special Purpose Keys Keyboard also contains some special purpose keys such as Enter,
Shift, Caps Lock, Num Lock, Space bar, Tab, and Print Screen.

Table 2.2: Description of keys on a keyboard

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 Figure 2.3: Computer Keyboard

Mouse

Mouse is most popular Pointing device. It is a very famous cursor-control device. It is a small
palm size box with a round ball at its base which senses the movement of mouse and sends
corresponding signals to CPU on pressing the buttons.

Generally, it has two buttons called left and right button and scroll bar is present at the mid.
Mouse can be used to control the position of cursor on screen, but it cannot be used to enter
text into the computer. Advantages
• Easy to use
• Not very expensive
• Moves the cursor faster than the arrow keys of keyboard.

Table 2.4: Mouse

Joystick

Joystick is also a pointing device, which is used to move cursor position on a monitor screen. It
is a stick having a spherical ball at its both lower and upper ends. The lower spherical ball moves
in a socket. The joystick can be moved in all four directions. The function of joystick is similar
to that of a mouse. It is mainly used in Computer Aided Designing (CAD) and playing computer
games.Commonly used for video games, flight simulators, training simulators, and for
controlling industrial robots

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 Figure 2.5: Joystick

Light Pen

Light pen is a pointing device, which is similar to a pen. It is used to select a displayed menu
item or draw pictures on the monitor screen. It consists of a photocell and an optical system
placed in a small tube.

When light pen's tip is moved over the monitor screen and pen button is pressed, its photocell
sensing element, detects the screen location and sends the corresponding signal to the CPU.

Figure 2.6: Light Pen

Track Ball

Track ball is an input device that is mostly used in notebook or laptop computer, instead of a
mouse. This is a ball, which is half inserted and by moving fingers on ball, pointer can be
moved.

Since the whole device is not moved, a track ball requires less space than a mouse. A track ball
comes in various shapes like a ball, a button and a square.

Figure 2.7: Track ball

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Scanner

Scanner is an input device, which works more like a photocopy machine. It is used when some
information is available on a paper and it is to be transferred to the hard disc of the computer for
further manipulation.

Scanner captures images from the source which are then converted into the digital form that can
be stored on the disc. These images can be edited before they are printed.

Figure 2.8: Scanner

Digitizer

Digitizer is an input device, which converts analog information into a digital form. Digitizer can
convert a signal from the television camera into a series of numbers that could be stored in a
computer. They can be used by the computer to create a picture of whatever the camera had been
pointed at.

Digitizer is also known as Tablet or Graphics Tablet because it converts graphics and pictorial
data into binary inputs. A graphic tablet as digitizer is used for doing fine works of drawing and
images manipulation applications.

Figure 2.9: Digitizer

Microphone

Microphone is an input device to input sound that is then stored in digital form. The microphone
is used for various applications like adding sound to a multimedia presentation or for mixing
music.

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 Figure 2.10: Microphone

Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)

MICR input device is generally used in banks because of the large number of cheques to be
processed daily. The bank's code number and cheque number are printed on the cheques with a
special type of ink that contains particles of magnetic material that are machine readable.
This reading process is called Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR). The main advantage
of MICR is that it is fast and less error prone.

Figure 2.11: Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)

Figure 2.12: MICR Character Set

Optical Character Reader (OCR)

OCR is an input device used to read a printed text. OCR scans text optically character by
character, converts them into a machine readable code and stores the text on the system memory.

Figure 2.13: Optical Character Reader (OCR)

Bar Code Readers

Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in form of light and dark
lines). Bar coded data is generally used in labeling goods, numbering the books, etc. It may be a
hand-held scanner or may be embedded in a stationary scanner.

Bar Code Reader scans a bar code image, converts it into an alphanumeric value, which is then
fed to the computer to which bar code reader is connected.
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 Figure 2.14: Bar Code Reader

Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

OMR is a special type of optical scanner used to recognize the type of mark made by pen or
pencil. It is used where one out of a few alternatives is to be selected and marked. It is specially
used for checking the answer sheets of examinations having multiple choice questions.

Figure 2.15: Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

In summary: the various input devices can be classified as: keying devices, pointing devices,
stylus, voice-recognition devices, and scanning devices

2.2.3.2 Processing Hardware

This unit controls the operations of all parts of computer. It does not carry out any actual data
processing operations.

Functions of this unit are: It is responsible for controlling the transfer of data and instructions
among other units of a computer.
• It manages and coordinates all the units of the computer.
• It obtains the instructions from the memory, interprets them and directs the operation of
the computer.
• It communicates with input/output devices for transfer of data or results from storage.
• It does not process or store data.

CPU is considered as the brain of the computer. CPU performs all types of data processing
operations. It stores data, intermediate results and instructions (program). It controls the
operations of all parts of computer

CPU itself has the following three components

• ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)

• Memory Unit
• Control Unit

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 CPU is considered as the brain of the computer.
CPU performs all types of data processing
operations. It stores data, intermediate result and
instructions (program). It controls the operations of
all parts of computer.

2.2.3.3 Interconnecting the Units of a Computer

CPU sends data, instructions and information to the components inside the computer as well as to the
peripherals and devices attached to it. Bus is a set of electronic signal pathways that allows information
and signals to travel between components inside or outside of a computer. The different components of
computer, i.e., CPU, I/O unit, and memory unit are connected with each other by a bus. The data,
instructions and the signals are carried between the different components via a bus. The features and
functionality of a bus are as follows—

• A bus is a set of wires used for interconnection, where each wire can carry one bit of data.
• A bus width is defined by the number of wires in the bus.
• A computer bus can be divided into two types—Internal Bus and External Bus.
The Internal Bus connects components inside the motherboard like, CPU and system memory. It
is also called the System Bus. Figure 2.10 shows interaction between processor and memory.

Figure 2.16: Interaction between processor and memory.

The External Bus connects the different external devices, peripherals, expansion slots, I/O ports and drive
connections to the rest of computer. The external bus allows various devices to be attached to the
computer. It allows for the expansion of computer’s capabilities. It is generally slower than the system
bus. It is also referred to as the Expansion Bus.

A system bus or expansion bus comprise of three kinds of buses - data bus, address bus and control bus.

The interaction of CPU with memory and I/O devices involves all the three buses.

• The command to access the memory or the I/O device is carried by the control bus.
• The address of I/O device or memory is carried by the address bus.
• The data to be transferred is carried by the data bus.

2.2.3.4 Output hardware

Output unit consists of devices with the help of which we get the information from computer.
This unit is a link between computer and users. Output devices translate the computer's output

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into the form understandable by users. An output unit of a computer System performs the
following functions:

• It accepts the results produced by the computer, which are in coded form and hence,
cannot be easily understood by human beings
• It converts theses coded results to human acceptable (readable) form
• It supplies the converted results to outside world

There are two forms of output:

a) Hardcopy – tangible or touchable output usually in printed form

b) Softcopy output- intangible usually presented as visual or audio form

Following are few of the important output devices, which are used in Computer Systems:
Monitors
• Graphic Plotter
• Printer

Monitors

Monitor commonly called as Visual Display Unit (VDU) is the main output device of a computer. It
forms images from tiny dots, called pixels that are arranged in a rectangular form. The sharpness of the
image depends upon the number of the pixels.

There are two kinds of viewing screen used for monitors:

• Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT)

• Flat-Panel Display

a) Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) Monitor

In the CRT, display is made up of small picture elements called pixels for short. The smaller the pixels,
the better the image clarity or resolution. It takes more than one illuminated pixel to form whole
character, such as the letter 'e' in the word help.

A finite number of characters can be displayed on a screen at once. The screen can be divided into a series
of character boxes - fixed location on the screen where a standard character can be placed.

Most screens are capable of displaying 80 characters of data horizontally and 25 lines vertically. There
are some disadvantages of CRT:

• Large in Size
• High power consumption

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 Figure 2.17: Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) Monitor

Flat-Panel Display Monitor

The flat-panel display refers to a class of video devices that have reduced volume, weight and power
requirement compared to the CRT. You can hang them on walls or wear them on your wrists. Current
uses for flat-panel displays include calculators, video games, monitors, laptop computer, graphics display.

The flat-panel display is divided into two categories:

• Emissive Displays - The emissive displays are devices that convert electrical energy into light.
Examples are plasma panel and LED (Light-Emitting Diodes).
• Non-Emissive Displays - The Non-emissive displays use optical effects to convert sunlight or
light from some other source into graphics patterns. Example is LCD (Liquid-Crystal Device)

Figure 2.18: Flat-Panel Display Monitor

Printer

Printer is the most important output device, which is used to print information on paper.

There are two types of printers:

• Impact Printers •
Non-Impact Printers

a) Impact Printers

The printers that print the characters by striking against the ribbon and onto the paper, are called
impact printers.

Characteristics of Impact Printers are the following:

• Very low consumable costs
• Impact printers are very noisy
• Useful for bulk printing due to low cost
• There is physical contact with the paper to produce an image

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These printers are of two types:
• Character printers
• Line printers

i. Character Printers

Character Printers are printers, which print one character at a time.

These are of further two types:

Dot Matrix Printer (DMP)

Daisy Wheel

Dot Matrix Printer

In the market, one of the most popular printers is Dot Matrix Printer because of their ease of printing
features and economical price. Each character printed is in form of pattern of Dot's and head consists of a
Matrix of Pins of size (5*7, 7*9, 9*7 or 9*9) which comes out to form a character that is why it is called
Dot Matrix Printer.

Advantages
• Inexpensive
• Widely Used
• Other language characters can be printed
•
Disadvantages
• Slow Speed
• Poor Quality

Figure 2.19: Dot-Matrix Printer

Daisy Wheel

Head is lying on a wheel and Pins corresponding to characters are like petals of Daisy (flower name) that
is why it is called Daisy Wheel Printer. These printers are generally used for word-processing in offices
which require a few letters to be sent here and there with very nice quality representation.

Advantages
• More reliable than DMP's
• Better quality
• The fonts of character can be easily changed.

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Disadvantages
• Slower than DMP's
• Noisy
• More expensive than DMP's

Figure 2.20: Daisy Wheel

ii. Line Printers

Line printers are printers, which print one line at a time.

Figure 2.21: Line Printer

These are of further two types:

Drum Printer
Chain Printer
Drum Printer

This printer is like a drum in shape so it called drum printer. The surface of drum is divided into number
of tracks. Total tracks are equal to size of paper, i.e., for a paper width of 132 characters, Drum will have
132 tracks. A character set is embossed on track. The different character sets available in market are 48
character set, 64 and 96 characters set. One rotation of drum prints one line. Drum Printers are fast in
speed and prints between 300 to 2000 lines per minute.

Advantages
• Very high speed

Disadvantages
• Very expensive
• Characters fonts cannot be changed

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 22 of 50

 Chain Printer

In this printer, chains of character sets are used so it called Chain Printers. A standard character
set may have 48, 64, 96 characters.

Advantages
• Character fonts can easily be changed.
• Different languages can be used with the same printer.

Disadvantages
• Noisy
• Do not have the ability to print any shape of characters.

b) Non-impact Printers

The printers that print the characters without striking against the ribbon and onto the paper are
called Non-impact Printers. These printers print a complete page at a time, also called as Page
Printers.

These printers are of two types:

• Laser Printers
• Inkjet Printers

Characteristics of Non-impact Printers:

• Faster than impact printers.
• They are not noisy.
• High quality.
• Support many fonts and different character size.
i. Laser Printers

These are non-impact page printers. They use laser lights to produce the dots needed to form the
characters to be printed on a page.

Advantages
• Very high speed.
• Very high quality output.
• Gives good graphics quality.
• Supports many fonts and different character sizes.

Disadvantage
• Expensive.
• Cannot be used to produce multiple copies of a document in a single printing.

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 23 of 50

 Figure 2.22: Laser Jet Printer

ii. Inkjet Printers

Inkjet printers are non-impact character printers based on a relatively new technology. They print
characters by spraying small drops of ink onto paper. Inkjet printers produce high quality output
with presentable features.

They make less noise because no hammering is done and these have many styles of printing
modes available. Color printing is also possible. Some models of Inkjet printers can produce
multiple copies of printing also.

Advantages
• High quality printing
• More reliable

Disadvantages
• Expensive as cost per page is high
• Slow as compared to laser printer

Figure 2.23: Ink Jet Printer

Activity
In the computer lab/your surroundings, identify the various Input and
Output devices in use.

2.2.3.5 Storage hardware

Computer memory is used to store data and instructions. Computer memory is the storage space
in computer where data is to be processed and instructions required for processing are stored.

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 24 of 50

The memory is divided into large number of small parts. Each part is called cell. Each location
or cell has a unique address, which varies from zero to memory size minus one. For example, if
computer has 64k words, and then this memory unit has 64 * 1024=65536 memory location. The
address of these locations varies from 0 to 65535.

The storage Unit of a computer system holds (or stores) the following:
i. Data and instruction required for processing (received from input devices)
ii. Intermediate result of processing
iii. Final result of processing, before they are released to an output device

Types of Memory

• Cache Memory
• Primary Memory/Main Memory
• Secondary Memory
a) Cache Memory
Cache memory is a very high speed semiconductor memory, which can speed up CPU. It acts as
a buffer between the CPU and main memory.

It is used to hold those parts of data and program which are most frequently used by CPU. The
parts of data and programs are transferred from disk to cache memory by operating system, from
where CPU can access them.

Advantage
• Cache memory is faster than main memory.
• It consumes less access time as compared to main memory.
• It stores the program that can be executed within a short period of time.
• It stores data for temporary use.

Disadvantage
• Cache memory has limited capacity.
• It is very expensive.

b) Primary Memory (Main Memory)

Primary memory holds only those data and

instructions on which computer is currently
working. It has limited capacity and data gets lost
when power is switched off.

It is generally made up of semiconductor device.

These memories are not as fast as registers. The data and instructions required to be processed
earlier reside in main memory. It is divided into two subcategories RAM and ROM.

Characteristic of Main Memory

• These are semiconductor memories.

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 25 of 50

 • It is known as main memory.
• Usually volatile memory.
• Data is lost in case power is switched off.
• It is working memory of the computer.
• Faster than secondary memories.
• Relatively expensive
• A computer cannot run without primary memory (Used to hold running program
instructions, used to hold data, intermediate results, and results of ongoing processing
job(s))

Computer RAM

A RAM constitutes the internal memory of the CPU for storing data, program and program
result. It is read/write memory. It is called random access memory (RAM).

Since access time in RAM is independent of the

address to the word that is, each storage location inside
the memory is as easy to reach as other location &
takes the same amount of time. We can reach into the
memory at random & extremely fast but can also be
quite expensive.

RAM is volatile, i.e., data stored in it is lost when we switch off the computer or if there is a
power failure.

Hence, a backup uninterruptible power system (UPS) is often used with computers. RAM is
small, both in terms of its physical size and in the amount of data it can hold.

RAM is of two types:

• Static RAM (SRAM)
• Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

i. Static RAM (SRAM)

The word static indicates that the memory retains its contents as long as power remains applied.
However, data is lost when the power gets down due to volatile nature. SRAM chips use a
matrix of 6-transistors and no capacitors. Transistors do not require power to prevent leakage, so
SRAM need not have to be refreshed on a regular basis.

Because of the extra space in the matrix, SRAM uses more chips than DRAM for the same
amount of storage space, thus making the manufacturing costs higher.

Static RAM is used as cache memory needs to be very fast and small.

Characteristics of the Static RAM:

• It has long data lifetime
• There is no need to refresh

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 26 of 50

 • Faster
• Used as cache memory
• Large size
• Expensive
• High power consumption

ii. Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

DRAM, unlike SRAM, must be continually refreshed in order for it to maintain the data. This is
done by placing the memory on a refresh circuit that rewrites the data several hundred times per
second. DRAM is used for most system memory because it is cheap and small. All DRAMs are
made up of memory cells. These cells are composed of one capacitor and one transistor.

Characteristics of the Dynamic RAM:

• It has short data lifetime
• Need to refresh continuously
• Slower as compared to SRAM
• Used as RAM
• Lesser in size
• Less expensive
• Less power consumption

Computer - ROM

ROM stands for Read Only Memory. The memory from which we can only read but cannot
write on it. This type of memory is non-volatile. The information is stored permanently in such
memories during manufacture. A ROM stores such
instructions as are required to start computer when
electricity is first turned on, this operation is referred to as
bootstrap. ROM chip are not only used in the computer
but also in other electronic items like washing machine
and microwave oven.

Types of ROM

i. MROM (Masked ROM)

The very first ROMs were hard-wired devices that contained a pre-programmed set of data or
instructions. These kinds of ROMs are known as masked ROMs. It is inexpensive ROM.

ii. PROM (Programmable Read only Memory)

PROM is read-only memory that can be modified only once by a user. The user buys a blank
PROM and enters the desired contents using a PROM programmer. Inside the PROM chip, there
are small fuses, which are burnt open during programming. It can be programmed only once and
is not erasable.

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 27 of 50

iii. EPROM (Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory)

The EPROM can be erased by exposing it to ultra-violet light for a duration of up to 40 minutes.
Usually, an EPROM eraser achieves this function. During programming, an electrical charge is
trapped in an insulated gate region. The charge is retained for more than ten years because the
charge has no leakage path. For erasing this charge, ultra-violet light is passed through a quartz
crystal window (lid). This exposure to ultra-violet light dissipates the charge. During normal use
the quartz lid is sealed with a sticker.

iv. EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory)

The EEPROM is programmed and erased electrically. It can be erased and reprogrammed about
ten thousand times. Both erasing and programming take about 4 to 10 ms (millisecond). In
EEPROM, any location can be selectively erased and programmed. EEPROMs can be erased
one byte at a time, rather than erasing the entire chip. Hence, the process of re-programming is
flexible but slow.

Advantages of ROM
• Non-volatile in nature
• These cannot be accidentally changed
• Cheaper than RAMs
• Easy to test
• More Reliable than RAMs
• These are static and do not require refreshing

c) Secondary Memory

This type of memory is also known as external memory or non-volatile. It is slower than main
memory. These are used for storing Data/Information permanently. There are several limitations
with primary storage:

- Limited capacity because the cost per bit of storage is high

- Volatile- data stored is lost is lost when electric power is turned off or interrupted

CPU directly does not access these memories; instead they are accessed via input-output
routines. Contents of secondary memories are first transferred to main memory and then CPU
can access it. For example, disk, CD-ROM, DVD, etc.
Characteristics of Secondary Memory

• These are magnetic and optical memories.

• It is known as backup memory.
• It is non-volatile memory.
• Data is permanently stored even if power is switched off.
• It is used for storage of the data in the computer.
• Cheaper than primary storage
• Computer may run without secondary memory.
• Slower than primary memories.

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 28 of 50

Activity
Identify the processing speed, size of RAM and the capacity of a hard
disk of any of the computers you have used.

2.3 Summary

I/O Unit, CPU and Memory Unit are the main components of the computer.
Cache memory, primary memory and secondary memory constitute the memory
unit. Primary memory consists of RAM and ROM. The different components of
computer are connected with each other by a bus. A computer bus is of two types—system bus
and expansion bus. A system bus or expansion bus comprise of three kinds of buses—data bus,
address bus and control bus. Inside a computer cabinet, there is a motherboard, ports and
interfaces, expansion slots, ribbon cables, RAM memory chips, high storage disk drives, and,
processor

2.4 Self-check Questions

1. Identify any two input and output devices (2 Marks).
2. Identify the components of a computer system (5 Marks)
3. Describe the functions of the Central Processing Unit (3 Marks)
4. Describe the different types of memory giving advantages and disadvantages
of each (10 Marks).

Further reading

Parsons, June Jamrich and Dan Oja. Computer Concepts. Cambridge, MA:
Course Technology, 1999.
Omieno, K. & Matoke, N. 2014. Fundamentals of Computing: A
Simplified Approach. Scholar’s Press, UK.

TOPIC 4: COMPUTER SOFTWARE

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 29 of 50

 Computer Instructions or data, anything that can be stored electronically is Software.
Hardware is one that is tangible. The storage devices (Hard disk, CD’s etc.,), mouse,
keyboard CPU and display devices (Monitor) are Hardware. For example: There is a
problem in the Software implies – Problem with program or data.
Computer software is a series of instructions or a special program that
performs a
particular task and is recorded in some form on a computer disk. Simply, the software is an
abstract collection of instructions for computers to perform specific tasks. It is called differently
a program or software program. Computer software has two major categories. It is typically
classified into system software and application software.

4.1 Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Explain computer software and the classification of computer software
2. Explain system software and various categories
3. Explain application software and various categories

4.2 This topic consists of four sections namely:-

Section 1: Fundamentals of software
Section 2: Introduction and classification of computer software
Section 3: System Software
Section 4: Application Software

4.2.1 Fundamentals of Software

Software consists of computer programs, which are sequences of instructions for the computer.
The process of writing (or coding) programs is called programming, and individuals who
perform this task are called programmers. Unlike the hardwired computers of the 1950s, modern
software uses the stored program concept, in which stored software programs are accessed and
their instructions are executed (followed) in the computer’s CPU. Once the program has finished
executing, a new program is loaded into main memory and the computer hardware addresses
another task.

Computer programs include documentation, which is a written description of the functions of the
program. Documentation helps the user operate the computer system and helps other
programmers understand what the program does and how it accomplishes its purpose.
Documentation is vital to the business organization. Without it, if a key programmer or user
leaves, the knowledge of how to use the program or how it is designed may be lost. The
computer is able to do nothing until it is instructed by software. Although computer hardware is,

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 30 of 50

by design, general purpose, software enables the user to instruct a computer system to perform
specific functions that provide business value.

There are two major types/ categories of software:

a) Systems software
b) Application software.

The relationship among hardware, systems software, and application software is illustrated in
Figure 4.1.

Systems software is a set of instructions that serves primarily as an intermediary between

computer hardware and application programs, and may also be directly manipulated by
knowledgeable users. Systems software provides important self-regulatory functions for
computer systems, such as loading itself when the computer is first turned on, managing
hardware resources such as secondary storage for all applications, and providing commonly used
sets of instructions for all applications to use. Systems programming is either the creation or
maintenance of systems software.

Figure 4.1: Layering of Systems and Applications software

Application software is a set of computer instructions that provide more specific functionality to
a user. That functionality may be broad, such as general word processing, or narrow, such as an
organization’s payroll program. An application program applies a computer to a certain need.
Application programming is either the creation or the modification and improvement of
application software. There are many different software applications in organizations today, as
this chapter will discuss. For a marketing application, for example, see the Market Intelligence
box at the Web site.

In summary, application programs primarily manipulate data or text to produce or provide

information. Systems programs primarily manipulate computer hardware resources. The systems
software available on a computer system provides the capabilities and limitations within which
the application software can operate. The next two sections of this chapter look in more detail at
these two types of software.

4.2.1.1: Systems Software

System software is a program that manages and supports the computer resources and operations
of a computer system while it executes various tasks such as processing data and information,
BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 31 of 50
controlling hardware components, and allowing users to use application software. That is,
systems software functions as a bridge between computer system hardware and the application
software.

Systems software is the class of programs that control and support the computer system and its
information-processing activities. Systems software also facilitates the programming, testing,
and debugging of computer programs. It is more general than application software and is usually
independent of any specific type of application. Systems software programs support application
software by directing the basic functions of the computer. For example, when the computer is
turned on, the initialization program (a systems program) prepares and readies all devices for
processing.

Systems software consists of three kinds of programs. They include system management
programs, system support programs, and system development programs. These are explained
briefly.

System control / management programs

System control programs control the use of the hardware, software, and data resources of a
computer system. The main system control program is the operating system. The operating
system supervises the overall operation of the computer, including monitoring the computer’s
status and scheduling operations, which include the input and output processes. In addition, the
operating system allocates CPU time and main memory to programs running on the computer,
and it also provides an interface between the user and the hardware.

Specifically, the operating system provides services that include process management, virtual
memory, file management, security, fault tolerance, and the user interface. Process management
means managing the program or programs (also called jobs) running on the processor at a given
time. In the simplest case (a desktop operating system), the operating system loads a program
into main memory and executes it. The program utilizes the computer’s resources until it
relinquishes control. Some operating systems offer more sophisticated forms of process
management, such as multitasking, multithreading, and multiprocessing.

i. Operating Systems

An operating system is a collection of integrated computer programs that provide recurring

services to other programs or to the user of a computer. These services consist of disk and file
management, memory management, and device management. In other words, it manages CPU
operations, input/output activities, storage resources, diverse support services, and controls
various devices.

Operating system is the most important program for computer system. Without an operating
system, every computer program would have to contain instructions telling the hardware each
step the hardware should take to do its job, such as storing a file on a disk. Because the operating
system contains these instructions, any program can call on the operating system when a service
is needed.

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 32 of 50

Operating System Functions
An operating system executes many functions to operate computer system efficiently. Among
them, four essential functions are the followings.

Resource Management: An operating system manages a collection of computer hardware

resources by using a variety of programs. It manages computer system resources, including
its CPU, primary memory, virtual memory, secondary storage devices, input/output
peripherals, and other devices.

Viewing the operation system as a resource manager, each manager must do the following:
- Keep track of the resources.
- Enforce policy that determine who, gets what, when and how much.
- Allocate the resources. - Reclaim the resources.

Task Management: The function of the operating system that controls the running of many
tasks. It manages one program or many programs within a computer system simultaneously.
That is, this function of operating system manages the completion of users' tasks. A task
management program in an operating system provides each task and interrupts the CPU
operations to manage tasks efficiently. Task management may involve a multitasking
capability.
File management: This is a function that manages data files. An operating system contains file
management programs that provide the ability to create, delete, enter, change, ask, and access
of files of data. They also produce reports on a file.
User Interface: It is a function of an operating system that allows users to interact with a
computer. A user interface program may include a combination of menus, screen design,
keyboard commands. A well-designed user interface is essential for an operating system to
be popular. Because of the function, users can load programs, access files, and accomplish
other tasks.
Data security and management: These involve these main activities: Preventing illegal access
or amendments to user or system files; ‘Dumping’ the contents of files from time in case of
future loss, e.g. disk files may be transferred to tape and then stored off-line; Keeping track
of file descriptions and locations.

Real time systems must therefore be fast and reliable. They have complex and expensive
operating system, usually involves multi-processor to share the work load.

Popular Operating Systems

The most popular microcomputer operating systems are DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, OS/2,
Windows NT, and Macintosh System. UNIX is a popular operating system that is available for
microcomputers, minicomputers, and mainframe computer systems. The following will show the
details:

• DOS
• Windows 3.x
• Windows 95
BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 33 of 50
 • OS/2
• Windows NT
• Macintosh Operating System
• UNIX

System Development Programs

These are programs that help users develop information system programs and prepare user
programs for computer processing. These programs may analyze and design systems and
program itself. The main system development programs are programming language translators,
programming environment programs, computer-aided software engineering packages.
Before programs can be executed they must be translated into machine language. A program
written in any language other than machine language is called source program which is
converted into machine language (object program) by the system called translators.
Low level
Languages Assembler
e.g. assembly

Machine language

High level
languages e.g. Compiler/
Pascal, C, Basic Interpreter
etc

There are three main types of translators

Assembler- which converts low level assembly program to machine code
Compiler and interpreter- they convert high level programs to machine code.

Difference between compiler and interpreter

Compiler:
• They translate the whole source program at once before it can be run
• It ensures that the program need only be translated once
• The compiled program (object code) can be saved on a backing store as a
separate program and run as required.
Interpreter:
• They translate the source program one instruction at a time
• They translate the program each time its run which is therefore slower than
compiling
• They are helpful for line by line fault finding when developing a program

Translators also provide supporting functions as:

• Identifying syntax error
• Provide diagnostic and useful error messages
• They work out where to store the object program and its data
• Provide links to other programs and routines
• They print a list of the source and object programs

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 34 of 50

4.2.1.2: Application Software

As defined earlier, application software consists of instructions that direct a computersystem to

perform specific information processing activities and that provide functionality for users.
Because there are so many different uses for computers, there are a correspondingly large
number of different application software programs available.

Types of Application Software

Application software includes proprietary application software and off-the-shelf application

software. Proprietary application software addresses a specific or unique business need for a
company. This type of software may be developed in-house by the organization’s information
systems personnel or it may be commissioned from a software vendor. Such specific software
programs developed for a particular company by a vendor are called contract software.

Alternatively, off-the-shelf application software can be purchased, leased, or rented from a

vendor that develops programs and sells them to many organizations. Off-the-shelf software may
be a standard package or it may be customizable. Special purpose programs or “packages” can
be tailored for a specific purpose, such as inventory control or payroll. The word package is a
commonly used term for a computer program (or group of programs) that has been developed by
a vendor and is available for purchase in a prepackaged form. We will further discuss the
methodology involved in acquiring application software, whether proprietary or off the shelf

Types of Personal Application Software

General-purpose, off-the-shelf application programs that support general types of processing,

rather than being linked to any specific business function, are referred to as personal application
software. This type of software consists of nine widely used packages: spreadsheet, data
management, word processing, desktop publishing graphics, multimedia, communications,
speech-recognition software, and groupware.

Software suites combine some of these packages and integrate their functions. Personal
application software is designed to help individual users increase their productivity. Below is a
description of the nine main types.

a) Spreadsheets
Computer spreadsheet software transforms a computer screen into a ledger sheet, or grid, of
coded rows and columns. Users can enter numeric or textual data into each grid location, called a
cell. In addition, a formula can be entered into a cell to obtain a calculated answer displayed in
that cell’s location. With spreadsheets, users can also develop and use macros, which are
sequences of commands that can be executed with just one simple instruction.
Computer spreadsheet packages can be used for financial information, such as income statements
or cash flow analysis. They are also used for forecasting sales, analyzing insurance programs,
summarizing income tax data, and analyzing investments. They are relevant for many other

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 35 of 50

types of data that can be organized into rows and columns. Although spreadsheet packages such
as Microsoft’s Excel and Lotus 1–2-3are thought of primarily as spreadsheets, they also offer
data management and graphical capabilities.

b) Data management.
Data management software supports the storage, retrieval, and manipulation of related data.
There are two basic types of data management software: simple filing programs patterned after
traditional, manual data-filing techniques and database management programs that take
advantage of a computer’s extremely fast and accurate ability to store and retrieve data in
primary and secondary storage. File based management software is typically very simple to use
and is often very fast, but it offers limited flexibility in how the data can be searched. Database
management software has the opposite strengths and weaknesses. Microsoft’s Access is an
example of popular database management software.

c) Word processing.
Word processing software allows the user to manipulate text rather than just numbers. Modern
word processors contain many productive writing and editing features. A typical word
processing software package consists of an integrated set of programs including an editor
program, a formatting program, a print program, a dictionary, a thesaurus, a grammar checker, a
mailing list program, and integrated graphics, charting, and drawing programs. WYSIWYG (an
acronym for What You See Is What You Get, pronounced “wiz-e-wig”) word processors have
the added advantage of displaying the text material on the screen exactly—or almost exactly—as
it will look on the final printed page (based on the type of printer connected to the computer).
Word processing software enables users to be much more productive because the software
makes it possible to create and modify the document electronically in memory.

d) Desktop publishing.
Desktop publishing software represents a level of sophistication beyond regular word processing.
In the past, newsletters, announcements, advertising copy, and other specialized documents had
to be laid out by hand and then typeset. Desktop software allows microcomputers to perform
these tasks directly. Photographs, diagrams, and other images can be combined with text,
including several different fonts, to produce a finished, camera-ready document.

e) Graphics.
Graphics software allows the user to create, store, and display or print charts, graphs, maps, and
drawings. Graphics software enables users to absorb more information more quickly and to spot
relationships and trends in data more easily. There are three basic categories of graphics software
packages: presentation graphics, analysis graphics, and computer-aided design software.

f) Presentation
Presentation graphics software allows users to create graphically rich presentations. Many
packages have extensive libraries of clip art—pictures that can be electronically “clipped out”
and “pasted” into the finished image.

g) Computer-aided design (CAD) software

Are used for designing items for manufacturing, allows designers to design and “build” production
prototypes in software, test them as a computer object under given parameters (sometimes called
BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 36 of 50
computer-aided engineering, or CAE), compile parts and quantity lists, outline production and assembly
procedures, and then transmit the final design directly to machines. Manufacturers of all sorts are finding
uses for CAD software. Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software uses digital design output, such
as that from a CAD system, to directly control production machinery. Computer-integrated
manufacturing (CIM) software is embedded within each automated production machine to produce a
product. Overall, a design from CAD software is used by CAM software to control individual CIM
programs in individual machines. Used effectively, CAD/CAM/CIM software can dramatically shorten
development time and give firms the advantage of economies of scope.

h) Multimedia
Multimedia software combines at least two media for input or output of data. These media
include audio (sound), voice, animation, video, text, graphics, and images. Multimedia can also
be thought of as the combination of spatial-based media (text and images) with time-based media
(sound and video).

i) Communications
Computers are often interconnected in order to share or relate information. To exchange
information, computers utilize communications software. This software allows computers,
whether they are located close together or far apart, to exchange data over dedicated or public
cables, telephone lines, satellite relay systems, or microwave circuits. When communications
software exists in both the sending and receiving computers, they are able to establish and
relinquish electronic links, code and decode data transmissions, verify transmission errors (and
correct them automatically), and check for and handle transmission interruptions or conflicting
transmission priorities. E-mail and desktop videoconferencing rely on communications software.
4.3 Activity
Examine two types of software used by your institution. What system software is
running in your computer? Identify application software installed in your
system/computer

4.4 Summary

In this topic, you have been introduced to various types of computer software, including
classification, and expanded description of the two key types of software: systems software and
applications software. Systems software and applications software has been discussed with keen
interest on their functionally. The next chapter explores data communication and networking
concepts.

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 37 of 50

4.5 Self-check Questions

1. Distinguish between systems software and applications software (4mks)

2. Briefly explain the various ways in which computer software can be classified
3. Operating systems are crucial to the performance of the entire computer system.
State and explain three ways in which operating systems can be classified
4. How are stand-alone operating systems different from embedded operating systems?
5. Discuss the functions of any five system utilities
6. Describe various ways in which users of computer systems can be able to interact with the
hardware using operating systems

4.6 Further reading

1. Stokes, Jon (2007). Inside the Machine: An Illustrated Introduction to

Microprocessors and Computer Architecture. San Francisco: No Starch Press. ISBN 978-
159327-104-6.
2. Zuse, Konrad (1993). The Computer - My life. Berlin: Pringler-Verlag. ISBN 0-387-
56453-5.
Felt, Dorr E. (1916). Mechanical arithmetic, or The history of the counting machine. Chicago:
Washington Institute.
3. Ifrah, Georges (2001). The Universal History of Computing: From the Abacus to the
Quantum Computer. New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-39671-0.

Congratulations! You may proceed to next topic

TOPIC FIVE: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKS

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 38 of 50

 Information society dominated by computers and
communications is in front of us. In this society, the strategic
resource is knowledge and information, and the value of that
resource will be increased by the movement through the
information pathway. A communication network is the pathway
that allows information, data,
and knowledge to be spread. Thus, the mainstream of the information age is communication.

Computer users who work in this society need to know technology incorporated into the
communication networks. Although they use only applications involved in the communication
networks, they still need to know how the communication networks work to improve their
performance by using networks more efficiently and effectively. This Chapter thus is very
fundamental.

5.1 Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Explain computer based communication
2. Describe various types of network topologies
3. Explain types of computer networks
4. Apply networking skills in problem solving

5.2 This topic consists of Four sections namely:-

Section 1: Basic Data communication Concepts

Section 2: Communication Channels
Section 3: Network Topologies
Section 4: Types of Networks

5.2.1 Basic Data communication concepts

Computer-based communication refers to the movement of data and information generated by
computers from one location to another via various types of communication lines.
Computerbased communication systems often are called communication networks. The networks
allow users to collect data and information from and transmit these to powerful central
computers or terminals.

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 Figure 5.1: Basic Element of Communication
The objectives of communication networks are:
To offer more timely interchange of information and data among users.
To reduce the effort and cost required to collect and transmit business data and
information.
To support better performance of tasks and improved management control over an
organization especially with several remote locations.

Why Study Communications?

Information society dominated by computers and communications is in front of us. In this
society, the strategic resource is knowledge and information, and the value of that resource will
be increased by the movement through the information pathway. A communication network is
the pathway that allows information, data, and knowledge to be spread. Thus, the mainstream of
the information age is communication.

Communications involve many technologies. In addition, many new communication

technologies are being incorporated into the fabric of the information society as fast as people
can learn how to maintain and use the technologies. This may be the most important reason for
users to study communications.

Computer users who work in this society need to know technology incorporated into the
communication networks. Although they use only applications involved in the communication
networks, they still need to know how the communication networks work to improve their
performance by using networks more efficiently and effectively.

5.2.1.1 Generic Forms of Networks

A network can be defined simply as an interconnection of multiple teleprocessing devices. Three

basic approaches to network processing exist in modern communications systems.
i. Timesharing
The earliest approach is known as timesharing. Timesharing occurs in networks in which
multiple users gain access to a single host computer from their individual terminals. An example
of timesharing is the use of a central computer at a nationwide company's headquarters by a
variety of sales professionals dispersed around the nation.

ii. Distributed Processing

The next approach gaining popularity in computer networking systems was the distributed
processing method. This type of system involves the interconnection of minicomputers and
microcomputers throughout a business organization. Various types of resources are shared by the
interconnected terminals, while the individual computers retain control over their own
processing.

iii. Client/Server Computing

The third approach to computer network processing, client/server computing, is currently
attracting the most interest among management information systems professionals. The
popularity of this approach is due to its ability to allow companies to selectively centralize and

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decentralize certain key operations. Thus, users can view client/server computing as a cross
between the timesharing method (which emphasizes centralized computing) and distributed
processing (which emphasizes decentralized computing). In client/server computing, the various
applications available in the network are shared by several clients and one or more host
computers (or servers). Clients obtain access to the network by means of desktop computers. The
server, which can be a microcomputer, minicomputer, or mainframe, provides control for the
entire network.

5.2.1.2 Importance of Networking

Networking of computers provides a communication link between the users, and provides access
to information. Networking of computers has several uses, described as follows:

i. Resource Sharing — in an organization, resources such as printers, fax machines and

scanners are generally not required by each person at all times. Moreover, for small
organizations it may not be feasible to provide such resources to each individual. Such
resources can be made available to different users of the organization on the network. It
results in availability of the resource to different users regardless of the physical location
of the resource or the user, enhances optimal use of the resource, leads to easy
maintenance, and saves cost too (Figure 5.1).

Figure 5.1: A network of computers, printer and scanner

ii. Sharing of Information— In addition to the sharing of physical resources, networking

facilitates sharing of information. Information stored on networked computers located at
same or different physical locations, becomes accessible to the computers connected to
the network.
iii. As a Communication Medium— Networking helps in sending and receiving of
electronic-mail (e-mail) messages from anywhere in the world. Data in the form of text,
audio, video and pictures can be sent via e-mail. This allows the users to communicate
online in a faster and cost effective manner. Video conferencing is another form of
communication made possible via networking. People in distant locations can hold a
meeting, and they can hear and see each other simultaneously.
iv. For Back-up and Support— Networked computers can be used to take back-up of
critical data. In situations where there is a requirement of always-on computer, another
computer on the network can take over in case of failure of one computer.

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5.2.1.3 Components of Communication Network

There are many components for a communication network. The basic three components are a
host computer, a client, and a circuit. Besides these components, others include front-end
processors, teleprocessing software, input terminals, and specialists.

i. Host Computer (Server)

The host computer or server (a mainframe, minicomputer, or microcomputer) is the main unit in
the communication network. It stores data and programs that can be accessed by the clients. The
host computer is responsible for performing the data processing tasks of the network. After
processing has occurred, the data or information is routed back to a front-end processor. In
distributed processing or client-server computing, several host computers may be tied together
by the data communication network.
ii. Client
The client is a hardware device (a terminal or microcomputer) at the opposite end of a host
computer of a communication circuit. It usually provides end users with access to the data and
software on the server. The client is an input/output device.
The most widely used computer input/output devices for a communication network are the
terminals. There are several types of terminals in common use in business today. The most
familiar type of input/output terminal for most end users is the keyboard terminal.

iii. Circuit

The circuit is a communication channel that allows the data and information to move through the
pathway. It includes several types of lines, such as twisted wires, coaxial cables, and fiber optic
cables. It also contains wireless transmission circuits such as microwaves and satellites, and it is
becoming more popular.

iv. Front-End Processor

The front-end processor handles the incoming and outgoing communications exchanges between
the host computer and the peripheral terminals and other host computers both inside and outside
the network.

v. Teleprocessing Software
Besides the hardware mentioned previously in this chapter, the host and the front-end processor
must contain software in order for the network system to run effectively. Software may also be
located in the terminals and the cluster control units.

5.3 Communications Channels

Data communications can be carried from one location to another through a variety of
communications channels. These communications media include telephone lines (twisted pairs),
coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, microwave, and satellite. In general, there can be two ways of
connecting microcomputers with each other and with other equipment: guided and radiated
media.

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 Guided Media: Refer to channels that allow the transmission of data and information
through a physical media such as a twisted pair wire, coaxial cable, or fiber optic cable.
Radiated media: Refer to those that transmit data and information through the air such as
microwave, or satellite.

The diameters and transmission capacities of the three kinds of cable are compared below:
i. Twisted Pair

The telephone lines used to carry most of the voice and data communications consist of a pair of

thin-diameter insulated copper wires (called

twisted pairs). The wires are twisted around
each other to minimize interference from
other twisted pairs in the cable. Twisted pairs have fewer bandwidths than coaxial cable or
optical fiber. They have been the standard communication channels for voice, data and
information, but are now diminishing because of more reliable media such as coaxial cable,
optical fibers, microwave, or satellite.

ii. Coaxial Cable

Coaxial cable can be used for telephone lines for transmission at a high frequency. Coaxial cable

consists of a single core of solid copper. A

coaxial cable can handle 80 times as many
telephone transmissions as twisted pair media.
Many computers in local area networks are
linked by coaxial cables. Because of its
sturdiness, coaxial cable is often used for
telephone lines that must be carried under bodies
of water. Because coaxial cables have very little distortion and are less prone to interference,
they have low error rates
.

iii. Fiber-Optic Cable

A fiber-optic cable consists of tubes of

glass through which data are transmitted
as pulses of light. Although a fiber-

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optic cable is diametrically smaller than a human hair, it has 26,000 times the transmission
capacity of twisted pair media. A major advantage of fiber-optic media is its high level of
security. These
communications channels are not susceptible to electronic interference. Therefore, they are a
more reliable form of data transmission. Fiber-optic cables are also significantly less expensive
than coaxial cable. A disadvantage of fiber-optic channels is that they cannot carry information
over great distances.

5.3.1 Wireless Networking

Wireless technology, as the name suggests, is used to establish a wire-free connection or

communication between two or more devices. In contrast to the wired technology where data is
encoded as electric current and signals travel through wires, in wireless technology data is
encoded on electromagnetic waves that travel through air.

The wireless technology is used for broadcasting in radio and television communication, for
communication using mobile phones and pagers, for connecting components of computers using
Bluetooth technology, for Internet connection using Wi-Fi, Wireless LAN, PDA, and in remote
controls for television, doors etc.

Wireless network is a computer network connected wirelessly. The communication is done

through a wireless media like radio waves, infrared or Bluetooth.

The wireless networks have two main components—the wireless access points that include the
transmitter along with the area it can cover, and the wireless clients like mobile handsets, laptops
with Ethernet cards etc.

The access point receives data frames from the computers attached to it wirelessly, checks the
frames, and transmits them to their destination. The coverage area of a transmitter depends on
the output power of the transmitter, its location, and the frequency used to transmit the data.
Higher frequencies require a clear line of sight as compared to lower frequencies.

The speed of wireless connection is determined by the distance of the wireless client device from
the access point, the obstruction-free path (walls, trees etc.), interference, and the number of
users using the network at a given time.

5.3.1.1 Types of Wireless Networks

Wireless networks can be divided into three categories based on their use:
i. Bluetooth technology to connect the different components of the computer in a room, a
small office or home.
ii. Wireless LAN is used to connect computers and devices wirelessly in a LAN, for
example, different computers or devices in an office or campus.
iii. Wireless WAN is used to connect wide area systems, for example access to Internet via
mobile devices like cell phone, PDAs and laptops.

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5.3.2 Data Transmission

Coding

In all digital communications channels, computers transmit data and information in forms of
binary codes. Both sender and receiver of the data and information should have a standard for
both to understand them.

A coding scheme for communications is a binary system, as in the computer systems. The
system consists of groups of bits (0 or 1) that represent characters. In computer systems, a byte is
a group of bits and represents a character. In data communications, a byte is the same, but some
codes use different number of bits such as 5, 7, 8 or 9.

There are two predominant coding schemes; ASCII and EBCDIC. ASCII refers America
Standard Code for Information Interchange. It is the most popular code for data communications
and is the standard code on most communications terminals. Among two types of ASCII, a 7-bit
code can make 128 character combinations, and an 8-bit can do 256 combinations. EBCDIC
refers Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code. It is IBM's standard information code,
and has 8 bits for a character.

5.4 Network Topology

Networks can be classified by their topology, which is the basic geometric arrangement of the
network. Different types of network configurations exist for network designers to choose from. It
may refer to the way in which the nodes of a network are linked together.

Communications channels can be connected in different arrangements using several different

topologies. This arrangement allows users to exchange information and share resources
(software and hardware).

Four basic types of network configurations are star, bus, ring, hierarchical and mesh. Ring, bus,
and star topologies are commonly used in LANs and BNs. Star and mesh topologies are
commonly used in MANs and WANS. The networks are usually built using a combination of
several different topologies.

i. Star
ii. Bus
iii. Ring iv. Hierarchical
v. Mesh
vi. Hybrid
i. Star Topology
A star topology is one in which a central unit provides a link through which a group of smaller
computers and devices is connected. In the star
network, all interactions between different
computers in the network travel through the

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 host computer. The central unit will poll each to decide whether a unit
has a message to send. If so, the central computer will carry the message
to the receiving computer.

Star networks represent a very popular form of configuration for time-

sharing systems in which a central computer makes available resources and databases for several
"client" computers to share. As such, the star network is appropriate for systems that demand
centralized control. The disadvantage of the star network is that a processing problem in the
central computer can be paralyzing to the entire system. In a star network, the central unit may
be a host computer or a file server. The host computer is a large centralized computer, usually a
minicomputer or a mainframe. In contrast, the file server is a large-capacity hard-disk storage
device. It stores data and programs files shared by the users on the network.

ii. Bus Topology

In a bus configuration, each computer in the network is
responsible for carrying out its own communications without
the aid of a central unit. A common communications cable (the
bus) connects all of the computers in the network. As data
travels along the path of the cable, each unit performs a query to
determine if it is the intended recipient of the message. The bus
network is less expensive than the star configuration and is thus
widely in use for systems that connect only a few
microcomputers and systems that do not emphasize the sharing of common
resources.

iii. Ring Network

A ring configuration features a network in which each computer is connected to the next two
other computers in a closed loop. Like
the bus network, no single central
computer exists in the ring
configuration. Messages are simply
transferred from one computer to the
next until they arrive at their intended
destinations. Each computer on the ring
topology has a particular address. As the messages pass around the
ring, the computers validate the address. If the message is not
addressed to it,
the node transmits the message to the next computer on the ring.

This type of network is commonly used in systems that connect widely dispersed mainframe
computers. A ring network allows organizations to engage in distributed data processing system
in which computers can share certain resources with other units while maintaining control over
their own processing functions. However, a failure in any of the linked computers can greatly
affect the entire network.

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 iv. Hierarchical Topology
A hierarchical network (or a tree network) resembles a star network in that several computers are
connected to a central host computer (usually a mainframe). However, these "client" computers
also serve as host computers to next level units. Thus, the hierarchical network can theoretically
be compared to a standard organizational chart or a large corporation. Typically, the host
computer at the top of the hierarchy is a mainframe computer. Lower levels in the hierarchy
could consist of minicomputers and microcomputers. It should be noted that a system can
sometimes have characteristics of more than one of the above topologies.

This topology is effective in a centralized corporation. For example, different divisions within a
corporation may have individual microcomputers connected to divisional minicomputers. The
minicomputers in turn may be connected to the corporation's mainframe, which contains data
and programs.

v. Mesh Topology

This is a net-like communications network in which there are at least two pathways to each node.
In a mesh topology, computers are connected to
each other by point-topoint circuits. In the
topology, one or more computers usually
become switching centers, interlinking
computers with others.

Although a computer or cable is lost, if there are other possible routes

through the network, the damage of one or several cables or computers
may not have vital impact except the involved computers. However, if there are only few cables
in the network, the loss of even one cable or device may damage the network seriously.

5.3.1 Network Types

Communications networks differ in geographical size. Networks may be constructed within a

building or across several buildings. Networks may also be citywide and even international,
using both cable and air connections. There are three major network types: LAN (local area
networks), MAN (metropolitan area networks), and WAN (wide area networks).

i. Local Area Networks

ii. Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)/ iii.
Wide Area Networks (WANs).
i. Local Area Networks (LANs)

A computer communications network contained in a small area such as a commercial building is

known as a local area network (LAN). A local area network's linkages usually are accomplished
with either telephone, coaxial, or fiber-optic cables. Often, LANs use a bus configuration. The
major benefit of a local area network is that it can help to reduce costs by allowing people and
microcomputers to share expensive resources. Also, local area networks enable end users to

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participate in office automation technology. In addition, LANs may be connected to other
networks by means of a network gateway.

Local Area Network (LAN) as compared to WAN

• Limited to a small geographical coverage
• Has much higher data transmission rate
• Experiences fewer data transmission errors
• Has lower data communication cost • Typically owned by a single organization Why Use an
LAN?
There are two basic reasons for developing an LAN: information sharing and resource sharing.

• Information sharing: This refers to having users who access the same data files, exchange
information via electronic mail, or search the Internet for information. The main benefit of
information sharing is improved decision making, which makes it generally more important
than resource sharing.
• Resource sharing: It refers to one computer sharing a hardware device (e.g., a printer) or a
software package with other computers on the network. The main benefit of resource sharing
is cost savings.

ii. MANs (Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs))

The next larger network than LAN may be the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). MAN
usually spans a geographical area that usually encompasses a city or county area. It interconnects
various buildings or other facilities within this citywide area. For example, linkages can be
established between two commercial buildings. A more recent use of MAN technology has been
the rapid development of cellular phone systems.

iii. WANs (Wide Area Networks (WANs))

A wide area network (WAN) is one that operates over a vast distance (e.g., nationwide). Its
nodes may span cities, states, or national boundaries. This network interconnects computers,
LANS, BNs, MANS, and other data transmission facilities. Typically, WAN will employ
communications circuits such as long- distance telephone wires, microwaves and satellites. FOR
example, nationwide automated teller machines used in banking represent a common application
of a wide area network.

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5.5 Summary
In this lesson we have learned the following

Networking of computers facilitates resource sharing, sharing of

information,
and, can be used as a communication medium, and for backup and support. The transmission of
data can be via guided media like twisted pair, coaxial pair, optical fibers or as radio
transmission, microwave transmission, and satellite transmission. Throughput is the amount of
data that is actually transmitted between two computers. It is specified in bps. Modem is a device
that has both a modulator and a demodulator. Computer Network is interconnection of two or
more computers that can exchange data. Bus, Star, and Ring are the three common LAN
topologies. LAN, MAN, and WAN are the network types classified on the basis of the size of
network, the transmission technology, and the network topology.

5.6 Self-check Questions

1. Explain the importance of networking.
2. “Networking allows sharing of information and resources”. Explain.
3. What do you mean by guided and unguided transmission media?
4. Name two guided transmission media.
5. Name an unguided transmission media.
6. Optical wire is a guided media. True or False?
7. _____ and ______ are the two kinds of twisted pair.
8. Cat-5 cable is a _____ twisted pair.

5.7 Scorecard

20-17 Excellent
16 - 14 Good
13-10 Satisfactory
<10 Read topic again

BCS 110: Fundamentals of Computing Module Page 49 of 50

5.6 Further reading

1. Berkeley, Edmund (1949). Giant Brains, or Machines That Think. John Wiley &
Sons.
2. Cohen, Bernard (2000). Howard Aiken, Portrait of a computer pioneer. Cambridge,
Massachusetts: The MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-2625317-9-5.
3. Ligonnière, Robert (1987). Préhistoire et Histoire des ordinateurs. Paris: Robert Laffont.
ISBN 9-782221-052617.

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