UNIT – I

Computer is an advanced electronic device that takes raw data as an input from the
user and processes it under the control of a set of instructions (called program), produces a
result (output), and saves it for future use.
A computer is an electronic data processing device, which accepts and
stores data input, processes the data input, and generates the output in a
required format.

Functionalities of a Computer
If we look at it in a very broad sense, any digital computer carries out the following
five functions −
Step 1 − Takes data as input.
Step 2 − Stores the data/instructions in its memory and uses them as required.
Step 3 − Processes the data and converts it into useful information.
Step 4 − Generates the output.
Step 5 − Controls all the above four steps.

Advantages of Computers
High Speed
• Computer is a very fast device.
• It is capable of performing calculation of very large amount of 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
will spend many months to perform the same task.

Accuracy
• In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate.
• The calculations are 100% error free.
• Computers perform all jobs with 100% accuracy provided that the input is correct.

Storage Capability
• Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.
• A 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, etc.
Diligence
• Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness, and lack of
concentration.
• It can work continuously without any error and boredom.
• It can perform repeated tasks with the 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 related to various fields.
• At one instance, 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 long lives.
• Computers are designed to make maintenance easy.

Automation
• Computer is an automatic machine.
• Automation is the ability to perform a given task automatically. Once the computer
receives a program i.e., the program is stored in the computer memory, then the
program and instruction can control the program execution without human
interaction.

Reduction in Paper Work and Cost

• The use of computers for data processing in an organization leads to reduction in
paper work and results in speeding up the process.
• As data in electronic files can be retrieved as and when required, the problem of
maintenance of large number of paper files gets reduced.
• Though the initial investment for installing a computer is high, it substantially
reduces the cost of each of its transaction.
Disadvantages of Computers

No I.Q.
• A computer is a machine that has no intelligence to perform any task.
• Each instruction has to be given to the computer.
• A computer cannot take any decision on its own.

Dependency
• It functions as per the user’s instruction, thus it is fully dependent on humans.

Environment
• The operating environment of the computer should be dust free and suitable.

No Feeling
• Computers have no feelings or emotions.
• It cannot make judgment based on feeling, taste, experience, and knowledge unlike
humans.

The application of computers in various fields:-

Business
A computer has high speed of calculation, diligence, accuracy, reliability, or
versatility which has made it an integrated part in all business organizations.
Computer is used in business organizations for −

• Payroll calculations
• Budgeting
• Sales analysis
• Financial forecasting
• Managing employee database
• Maintenance of stocks, etc.

Banking
Today, banking is almost totally dependent on computers.
Banks provide the following facilities −
• Online accounting facility, which includes checking current balance, making
deposits and overdrafts, checking interest charges, shares, and trustee records.
• ATM machines which are completely automated are making it even easier for
customers to deal with banks.
Insurance
Insurance companies are keeping all records up-to-date with the help of computers.
Insurance companies, finance houses, and stock broking firms are widely using computers
for their concerns.
Insurance companies are maintaining a database of all clients with information showing

• Procedure to continue with policies

• Starting date of the policies
• Next due installment of a policy
• Maturity date
• Interests due
• Survival benefits
• Bonus

Education
The computer helps in providing a lot of facilities in the education system.
• The computer provides a tool in the education system known as CBE (Computer
Based Education).
• CBE involves control, delivery, and evaluation of learning.
• Computer education is rapidly increasing the graph of number of computer students.
• There are a number of methods in which educational institutions can use a computer
to educate the students.
• It is used to prepare a database about performance of a student and analysis is carried
out on this basis.

Marketing
In marketing, uses of the computer are following −

• Advertising − With computers, advertising professionals create art and graphics,

write and revise copy, and print and disseminate ads with the goal of selling more
products.
• Home Shopping − Home shopping has been made possible through the use of
computerized catalogues that provide access to product information and permit
direct entry of orders to be filled by the customers.
Healthcare
Computers have become an important part in hospitals, labs, and dispensaries. They
are being used in hospitals to keep the record of patients and medicines. It is also used in
scanning and diagnosing different diseases. ECG, EEG, ultrasounds and CT scans, etc. are
also done by computerized machines.
Following are some major fields of health care in which computers are used.
• Diagnostic System − Computers are used to collect data and identify the cause of
illness.
• Lab-diagnostic System − All tests can be done and the reports are prepared by
computer.
• Patient Monitoring System − These are used to check the patient's signs for
abnormality such as in Cardiac Arrest, ECG, etc.
• Pharma Information System − Computer is used to check drug labels, expiry dates,
harmful side effects, etc.
• Surgery − Nowadays, computers are also used in performing surgery.

Engineering Design
Computers are widely used for Engineering purpose.
One of the major areas is CAD (Computer Aided Design) that provides creation and
modification of images. Some of the fields are −

• Structural Engineering − Requires stress and strain analysis for design of ships,
buildings, budgets, airplanes, etc.
• Industrial Engineering − Computers deal with design, implementation, and
improvement of integrated systems of people, materials, and equipment.
• Architectural Engineering − Computers help in planning towns, designing
buildings, determining a range of buildings on a site using both 2D and 3D
drawings.
Military
Computers are largely used in defense. Modern tanks, missiles, weapons, etc. Military
also employs computerized control systems. Some military areas where a computer has
been used are −

• Missile Control
• Military Communication
• Military Operation and Planning
• Smart Weapons

Communication
Communication is a way to convey a message, an idea, a picture, or speech that is
received and understood clearly and correctly by the person for whom it is meant. Some
main areas in this category are −

• E-mail
• Chatting
• Usenet
• FTP
• Telnet
• Video-conferencing

Government
Computers play an important role in government services. Some major fields in this
category are −

• Budgets
• Sales tax department
• Income tax department
• Computation of male/female ratio
• Computerization of voters lists
• Computerization of PAN card
• Weather forecasting

Programming Languages
The computer system is simply a machine and hence it cannot perform any work;
therefore, in order to make it functional different languages are developed, which are
known as programming languages or simply computer languages.
Over the last two decades, dozens of computer languages have been developed. Each
of these languages comes with its own set of vocabulary and rules, better known as syntax.
Furthermore, while writing the computer language, syntax has to be followed literally, as
even a small mistake will result in an error and not generate the required output.

Following are the major categories of Programming Languages −

• Machine Language
• Assembly Language
• High Level Language
• System Language
• Scripting Language

Machine Language or Code

This is the language that is written for the computer hardware. Such language is
effected directly by the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer system.

Assembly Language
It is a language of an encoding of machine code that makes simpler and readable.

High Level Language

The high level language is simple and easy to understand and it is similar to English
language. For example, COBOL, FORTRAN, BASIC, C, C+, Python, etc.
High-level languages are very important, as they help in developing complex software
and they have the following advantages −
• Unlike assembly language or machine language, users do not need to learn the high-
level language in order to work with it.
• High-level languages are similar to natural languages, therefore, easy to learn and
understand.
• High-level language is designed in such a way that it detects the errors immediately.
• High-level language is easy to maintain and it can be easily modified.
• High-level language makes development faster.
• High-level language is comparatively cheaper to develop.
• High-level language is easier to document.
Although a high-level language has many benefits, yet it also has a drawback. It has
poor control on machine/hardware.
The following table lists down the frequently used languages −

Differentiate a hardware from a software.

Hardware Software

It is the physical component of a It is the programming language that makes

computer system. hardware functional.

It has the permanent shape and It can be modified and reused, as it has no
structure, which cannot be modified. permanent shape and structure.

The external agents such as dust, The external agents such as dust, mouse,
mouse, insects, humidity, heat, etc. can insects, humidity, heat, etc. cannot affect (as
affect the hardware (as it is tangible). it is not tangible).

It works with binary code (i.e., 1’s to It functions with the help of high level
0’s) . language like COBOL, BASIC, JAVA, etc.

It takes in only machine language, i.e., It takes in higher level language, easily
lower level language. readable by a human being.

It is not affected by the computer bug It is affected by the computer bug or virus.
or virus.

It cannot be transferred from one place It can transfer from one place to other
to other electronically. electronically.

Duplicate copy of hardware cannot be A user can create copies of software as

created. many as he wishes.
INTERNET:
The internet is a global wide area network that connects computer systems across the
world.
The internet provides different online services like
• Web
• Email
• Social media
• Online gaming, etc..

History of INTERNET:

The Internet is a network, or system, that connects millions of computers worldwide.

It was one of the greatest inventions of the 1900s.

Since its beginning, the Internet has changed a great deal. Advances in technology
have made using the Internet quicker and easier. No longer limited to personal computers,
the Internet can be accessed via tablet computers and most cell phones and televisions. As
more and more people use the Internet, the quantity of information continues to grow.

In the 1960s the U.S. government, businesses, and colleges worked together to make
a system that would let computers across the United States share information. They created
an early form of the Internet called ARPANET in 1969. In 1971 electronic mail, or e-mail,
was invented as a way to send a message from one computer to another.

By the mid-1970s many groups of computers were connected in networks. Machines

called routers were invented to connect the networks. This is how the original ARPANET
eventually grew into the Internet.

In 1989 hypertext was invented. Hypertext is a link between different parts of an

electronic document or between different documents. Hypertext became the basis of the
World Wide Web, or “the Web,” which was created in the early 1990s.

WWW:
World Wide Web, which is also known as a web, is a collection of websites or
web pages stored in web servers and connected to local computers through the internet.

History of WWW:
Information on the Web is arranged in sites or pages. People view Web sites using
computer programs called Internet browsers. People create Web sites using a code called
hypertext markup language, or HTML. Browsers read HTML and allow people to view
Web sites on the computer.
 Each Web site has its own Internet address, called a uniform resource locator, or
URL. Many URLs begin with “www,” which stands for “World Wide Web.”

People often use the Web as a part of their schoolwork or job. They use search
engines—such as Google, Yahoo!, and Bing—to look for information on the Web.
People also use the Web for entertainment. In the early 2000s some of the most
popular Web sites were social networking and shopping sites.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are social networking sites. They help
people communicate with friends.

Amazon and eBay are sites for shopping. A large, international computer network,
the Internet links tens of millions of users around the world. It is used daily by many
individuals for such purposes as sending and receiving e-mail, obtaining mountains of
information on almost any subject, social networking, buying and selling products, playing
movies and music, and sharing videos and photos.

The Internet allows people at far-flung locations to communicate and work

collaboratively. It supports access to digital information by many applications, including the
World Wide Web.

Computers can be broadly classified by their speed and computing power.

S.No. Type Specifications

PC (Personal It is a single user computer system having moderately

1
Computer) powerful microprocessor

It is also a single user computer system, similar to

2 Workstation personal computer however has a more powerful
microprocessor.

It is a multi-user computer system, capable of supporting

3 Mini Computer
hundreds of users simultaneously.

It is a multi-user computer system, capable of supporting

4 Main Frame hundreds of users simultaneously. Software technology is
different from minicomputer.

It is an extremely fast computer, which can execute

5 Supercomputer
hundreds of millions of instructions per second.
PC (Personal Computer)

❖ A PC can be defined as a small, relatively inexpensive computer designed for an

individual user.
❖ PCs are based on the microprocessor technology that enables manufacturers to put an
entire CPU on one chip.
❖ Businesses use personal computers for word processing, accounting, desktop publishing,
and for running spreadsheet and database management applications.
❖ At home, the most popular use for personal computers is playing games and surfing the
Internet.
❖ Although personal computers are designed as single-user systems, these systems are
normally linked together to form a network.
❖ In terms of power, now-a-days high-end models of the Macintosh and PC offer the same
computing power and graphics capability as low-end workstations by Sun
Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell.

JAVA & .NET:

Java and Microsoft .NET are two leading technologies intended for development of
desktop and server-side applications.

Both platforms enable the use of high-level programming languages to build large-
scale applications.
While both Java and .NET are often referred to as frameworks, only .NET is actually
a framework in the strictest meaning of this word. In fact, the .NET platform uses ASP.NET
as a web application framework to allow developers to create web apps.
 Bearing in mind that Java and .NET are among the most popular technologies for
building websites and web apps, most businesses face the choice of selecting one or the
other as a primary tool for developing apps and online services.

The main differences between Java and .NET?

The main difference between Java and .NET is that Java, usually Java
Enterprise Edition (JEE), can work on any operating system, while .NET works only on
various versions of Windows. While a limited number of open-source implementations of
.NET are available, this framework is still targeting Windows users.

At the same time, Java takes advantage of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), which
follows the concept that code should run on any device and under any operating system,
thus making itself a portable and platform-independent programming tool.

Both platforms provide support for common programming languages such as PHP,
Ruby, and Python. Java developers can also use languages such as Java, JavaScript,
Clojure, Groovy, and Scala while .NET developers can code in C#, F#, VB.NET, C++, and
.NET. The two platforms also support other, less popular languages.
However, the J2EE framework sets Java as a default language, while .NET is
compatible with other languages such as C#, F#, and VB.net. This is a more flexible
approach to development of business apps, although it requires more varied coding skills.
Another substantial difference is related to an Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
that each platform requires.
Basically, an IDE is a software suite that provides must-have tools for a developer to
build and test software applications. The default IDE for .NET applications is Microsoft
Visual Studio, which is a sophisticated tool to build apps.
Java developers can select between four main IDEs available on the market. These
are Eclipse, IntelliJ Idea, Oracle NetBeans, and Oracle JDeveloper.

Web Resource
A web resource, or simply resource, is any identifiable thing, whether digital,
physical, or abstract. Resources are identified using Uniform Resource Identifiers.
In the Semantic Web, web resources and their semantic properties are described
using the Resource Description Framework.
 The web is designed as a network of more or less static addressable objects, basically
files and documents, linked using uniform resource locators (URLs).

A web resource is implicitly defined as something which can be identified. The

identification serves two distinct purposes: naming and addressing; the latter only depends
on a protocol.

The document is making a more systematic use of resource to refer to objects which
are "available", or "can be located and accessed" through the internet.

URLs, particularly HTTP URIs, are frequently used to identify abstract resources,
such as classes, properties or other kind of concepts.

It had been suggested that an HTTP URI identifying a resource in the original sense,
such as a file, document, or any kind of so-called information resource, should be "slash"
URIs — in other words, should not contain a fragment identifier, whereas a URI used to
identify a concept or abstract resource should be a "hash" URI using a fragment identifier.

Dept. of ISM, SIASC.