COMPUTER BASICS
DEFINITION OF A COMPUTER
“A COMPUTER IS AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE, WHICH CAN BE
PROGRAMMED TO PERFORM HIGHSPEED MATHEMATICAL
OR LOGICAL OPERATIONS. COMPUTER ACCEPTS, STORES,
CORRELATES, MANIPULATES AND PROCESSES INFORMATION
IN BINARY FORMAT AND DISPLAY THE RESULTS IN A HUMAN
UNDERSTANDABLE LANGUAGE.”
The key elements in the basic organization of a
computer system are:
• Input Unit
• Output Unit
• Control Unit (CU)
• Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
• Memory Unit (Storage)
1. Input Unit
The input unit is responsible for receiving data and instructions
from the external environment and converting them into a
format that the computer can process. It acts as a bridge
between the outside world and the computer system.
Common input devices include:
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Scanner
• Microphone
• Joystick
• Webcam
2. Output Unit
The output unit provides processed data from the computer system to the
external world in a human-readable form. It is the counterpart to the input
unit and displays the results of computations.
Common output devices include:
• Monitor
• Printer
• Speakers
3. Control Unit (CU)
The Control Unit (CU) is often described as the ‘brain’ or ‘central nervous
system’ of the computer. It directs the operations of the entire computer
system, including managing the flow of data and instructions.
4. Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) is responsible for performing all the
mathematical and logical operations in a computer system. This includes
operations like:
Arithmetic operations: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division.
Logical operations: AND, OR, NOT, XOR.
5. Memory Unit (Storage)
The Memory Unit is used to store data and instructions that are necessary for
execution by the CPU. The memory is broadly categorized into two types:
Primary Memory (Internal Memory): This includes RAM and ROM, which are
directly accessible by the CPU.
Secondary Memory: This is used for permanent storage and includes devices
like hard drives, optical disks, and magnetic tapes.
COMPUTER
GENERATIONS
First Generation Computers (1946-
59)
Some of the important computers of this generation were:
ENIAC - Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator.
EDVAC - Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer
Drawbacks of first generation
computers.
Second Generation Computers (1959-
64)
Some of the computers of the Second Generation were
• IBM 1920 : Its size was small as compared to First Generation
computers and mostly used for scientific purpose.
• IBM 1401 : Its size was small to medium and used for business
applications.
• CDC 3600 : Its size was large and used for scientific purpose.
The features of this generation were:
1. Relatively faster than the first generation
computers.
2. Smaller than the first generation computers.
3. Generated lower level of heat.
4. More reliable.
5. Higher capacity of internal storage.
Third Generation Computers (1964-
71)
They used Integrated Circuits
(ICs).
Therefore size of the computer got further reduced.
Some of the computers developed during this period were
IBM-360
ICL-1900
IBM-370
VAX-750.
Fourth Generation Computers (1971
onwards)
It uses Large Scale Integrated Circuits (LSIC) built on a single silicon
chip called microprocessors.
Later Very Large Scale Integrated Circuits (VLSIC) replaced LSICs.
Fifth Generation
Computers
We are currently in the fifth generation of computers. This
generation is characterized by the use of Ultra-Large Scale
Integration (ULSI) and the development of Artificial Intelligence
(AI).
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT
(CPU)
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is
like the brain of a computer. It’s the
part that does most of the thinking,
calculating, and decision-making to
make your computer work. Whether
you’re playing a game, typing a school
assignment, or watching a video, the
CPU is busy handling all the
instructions to get the job done.
Functions of the CPU
The CPU’s main job is to process instructions from programs. It
does this through a process called the Fetch-Decode-Execute-Store
cycle:
• Fetch
• Decode
• Execut
e
• Store
Types of CPUs
CPUs come in different types, depending on how many cores they
have. A core is like a mini-CPU inside the main CPU, and more
cores mean the CPU can do more tasks at once.
• Single-Core
CPU
• Dual-Core CPU
• Quad-Core CPU
How Does the CPU Make Computers
Faster?
Instruction Formats in Computer
Organization
The typical components of an instruction format include:
• Opcode
• Operands
• Addressing Modes
Computer Memory
Computer memory is just like the human brain. It is used to store
data/information, and instructions. It is a data storage unit or a
data storage device where data is to be processed, and
instructions required for processing are stored. Both the input
and output can be stored here.
Why is Memory Important?
Memory is the backbone of your computer’s performance. Here’s
why it matters:
• Stores what you’re working on
• Super fast compared to storage
• Essential for running programs
Memory Organization
• Program Load
• Accessing Data
• Swapping and Virtual Memory
Backup and
Restore
Computer security is the safeguarding of computer systems and
data against theft, and illegal access, or against any disaster. It's
the method of guarding against and detecting illegal access to
your computer system. Data security refers to the process of
securing data from illegal access or any disaster. This process
includes the following terms:
• Data backup
• Data Recovery
Backup
Devices
CD and
DVD
USB
sticks
USB
Drives
Solid-state drives
(SSDs)
Cloud
Storage
THANK YOU
