University of Babylon

College of Information
Technology
Department of Information
Networks

Computer Science Fundamentals

Lecture 1:
Introduction to Computer
Fundamentals
Lecturer :
Ali Kadhim Al-Bermani
2018- 2019
 Introduction
• Examples of computing machinery;
• The chinese abacus,
• The calculators with gears
• Wheels .
• The computing machines that we’re interested
In came about in the 1940s
• Today, the primary reason that computers have become so pervasive
is the advances made in integrated circuit manufacturing technology.
• The modern computer has become faster and more powerful
– But the basic architecture of a computing machine
Has essentially stayed the same for many years.
 Introduction
• The computer system can be divided into:
– Computer hardware.
– Computer software.

• Computer hardware represents the physical and tangible

components of a computer, i.e. The components that can be seen and
touched.
• Examples of hardware are the following :
• Input devices : keyboard, mouse, etc.
• Output devices :printer, monitor, etc.
• Secondary storage devices : hard disk, cd, dvd, etc.
• Internal components : cpu, motherboard, ram, etc.
 Introduction
• Computer Software is a set of programs, which is designed to
perform a well-defined function.
• A program is a sequence of instructions written to solve a particular
problem.

• There are two types of software :

– System Software.
– Application Software.
 Introduction
• System Software
• The system software is a collection of programs designed to
operate, control, and extend the processing capabilities of the
computer itself.
• System software is generally prepared by the computer
manufacturers.
• These software products comprise of programs written in low-level
languages, which interact with the hardware at a very basic level.
System software serves as the interface between the hardware and
the end users.
• Some examples of system software are Operating System,
Compilers, etc.
 Introduction
• Application Software
• Application software products are designed to satisfy a particular need
of a particular environment.
• All software applications prepared in the computer lab can come
under the category of Application software.
• Application software may consist of a single program, such as
Microsoft's notepad for writing and editing a simple text.
• It may also consist of a collection of programs, often called a software
package, which work together to accomplish a task, such as a
spreadsheet package.
 Introduction

• Computer architecture: deals with the functional behavior of a

computer system as viewed by a programmer.
– This view includes aspects such as the sizes of data types .
• e.g. using 16 binary digits to represent an integer.
– the types of operations that are supported (like addition and subtraction).
• Also deals with the selection of the basic functional units such as
– the processor and memory,
– how they should be interconnected into a computer system.
 Introduction

• Computer organization is concerned with how the various hardware

components operate and how they are interconnected to implement
the architectural specifications.
• Deals with structural relationships that are not visible to the
programmer, such as:
– Interfaces to peripheral devices and
– The technology used for the memory.
 Introduction

• Different people view computer systems differently depending on the

type of their interaction.
• We concentrate on the following views:
i. a programmer’s view,
ii. an architect’s view, and
iii. an implementer’s view.

i. A programmer’s view of a computer system depends on the type and

level of language she intends to use.
• From the programmer’s viewpoint, there exists a hierarchy from low-
level languages to high-level languages.
 Introduction
ii. A computer architect looks at the design aspect from a high level.
Uses higher-level building blocks to optimize the overall system
performance.
• A computer architect is much like an architect who designs buildings.
• For example, when designing a building, the building architect is not
concerned with designing the elevator; as far as the architect is
concerned, the elevator is a building block someone else designs.
• Similarly, a computer architect does not focus on low-level issues.
• From the architect’s viewpoint, a computer system consists of three
main components:
– a processor or central processing unit (CPU),
– a memory unit,
– input/output (I/O) devices.
 Introduction

iii. Implementers are responsible for implementing the designs

produced by computer architects.
• This group works at the digital logic level.
• At this level, logic gates and other hardware circuits are used to
implement the various functional units.
The generations of computers.
 The generations of computers.
1. The first generation.
• The period of first generation was from 1946-1959.
• The computers of first generation used
vacuum tubes as the basic components for
memory and circuitry for CPU
• These tubes were very expensive and
only large organizations were able to afford it.
• Punch cards, paper tape, and magnetic tape was used as input and
output devices.
• The computers in this generation used machine code as the
programming language.
 The generations of computers.
2. The second generation.
• The period of second generation was from 1959-1965.
• In this generation, transistors were used that were cheaper,
consumed less power, more compact in size, more reliable and faster
than the first generation machines made of vacuum tubes.
• In this generation, magnetic cores were used as the primary memory
and magnetic tape and magnetic disks as secondary storage devices.
• In this generation, assembly language and high-level programming
languages like FORTRAN, COBOL were used.
• The computers used batch processing and
multiprogramming operating system.
 The generations of computers.
3. The third generation.
• The period of third generation was from 1965-1971.
• The computers of third generation used Integrated Circuits (ICs) in
place of transistors.
• A single IC has many transistors, resistors, and capacitors along with
the associated circuitry.
• The IC was invented by Jack Kilby.
• This development made computers smaller in size, reliable, and
efficient.
• In this generation remote processing, time-sharing,
multiprogramming operating system were used.
• High-level languages (FORTRAN-II TO IV,
• COBOL, PASCAL PL/1, BASIC, etc.)
 The generations of computers.
4. The fourth generation.
• The period of fourth generation was from 1971-1980.
• Computers of fourth generation used Very Large Scale Integrated
(VLSI) circuits.
– VLSI circuits having about 5000 transistors and other circuit elements with their
associated circuits on a single chip made it possible to have microcomputers of
fourth generation.
• Fourth generation computers became more powerful, compact,
reliable, and affordable.
• As a result, it gave rise to Personal Computer (PC) revolution. In this
generation, time sharing, real time networks, distributed operating
system were used.
• All the high-level languages like C, C++, DBASE etc., were used in
this generation.
 The generations of computers.
• The fifth generation.
• The period of fifth generation is 1980-till date. In the fifth generation,
VLSI technology became ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration)
technology, resulting in the production of microprocessor chips having
ten million electronic components.
• This generation is based on parallel processing hardware and AI
(Artificial Intelligence) software.
• AI is an emerging branch in computer science, which interprets the
means and method of making computers think like human beings.
• All the high-level languages like C and C++, Java, .Net etc., are used
in this generation.
•
The generations of computers.
 Operating System:
• An operating system is a program that acts as an intermediary between
a user of a computer and the computer hardware.
• The purpose of an operating system is to provide an environment in
which a user can execute programs.
• The primary goal of an operating system is thus to make the computer
system convenient to use.
• A secondary goal is to use the computer hardware in an efficient
manner. An operating system is an important part of almost every
computer system.
• A computer system can be divided roughly into four components:
– the hardware,
– the operating system,
– the applications programs, and
– the users.
Computer Classification
 Computer Classification by Size
• There are many computers which are different from each other in
various aspects.
• Classification of computers is given below. Classes by size:
1. Microcomputers: These computers use a microprocessor chip and
this chip is used instead of CPU means that this microprocessor chip
works as a CPU.
• These computers are also called personal computers.
• Two major types of these computers are laptop or Desktop computers.
• Only one user uses these computers at time that's why they are also
known as personal computers.
 Computer Classification by Size

2. Mini Computers: These are powerful computer.

• These computers come into existence in 1960s at that time
mainframe computer was very costly.
• Mini computers were available in cheap prices, so users start using
it.
 Computer Classification by Size
3. Mainframe Computer: It as a very powerful and large computer.
• You can get idea of its power as it can handle processing of many
users at a time.
• Terminals are used to connect a user to this computer and users
submit their task through mainframe.
• Terminal is a device which has keyboard and a screen. By using
terminal users put inputs into the computer and get the output
through screen.
 Computer Classification by Size

4. Super Computers: As the name "super computer" specifies that

these are most powerful computers even than mainframe.
• Actually, when we optimize a mainframe computer then we get super
computer.
 Computer Classification by Function
1. Servers
• Server usually refers to a computer that is dedicated to provide a
service.
• For example, a computer dedicated to a database may be called a
"database server".
• "File servers" manage a large collection of computer files.
• "Web servers" process web pages and web applications.
• Many smaller servers are actually personal computers that have been
dedicated to provide services for other computers.
 Computer Classification by Function
2. Workstations
• Workstations are computers that are intended to serve one user and
may contain special hardware enhancements not found on a personal
computer.
3. Information appliances
• Information appliances are computers specially designed to perform
a specific user-friendly function —such as playing music,
photography, or editing text.
• The term is most commonly applied to mobile devices, though there
are also portable and desktop devices of this class.
 Computer Classification by Function
4. Embedded computers
• Embedded computers are computers that are a part of a machine or
device.
• Embedded computers generally execute a program that is stored in
non-volatile memory and is only intended to operate a specific
machine or device.
• Embedded computers are very common. Embedded computers are
typically required to operate continuously without being reset or
rebooted, and once employed in their task the software usually
cannot be modified.
• An automobile may contain a number of embedded computers;
however, a washing machine and a dvd player would contain only
one.