INTRODUCTION TO
COMPUTER
& WORD PROCESSING
I. Definition of Terms
DATA - is defined as any collection of raw facts. It is
the raw material that is processed and refined to generate
information. Data may be numerical (e.g., inventory figures,
text scores) or non-numerical (e.g. student names, drawings,
maps).
DATA PROCESSING - is the manipulation of data into a
more useful form. Data processing includes not only
numerical calculations but also operations such as the
classification of data and the transmission of data from one
place to another.
INFORMATION - is defined as processed data. It is the
product that results from processing or manipulating raw
data.
Hierarchy of DATA
BIT – the smallest unit of data.
BYTE – is a group of eight bits that form a character. Bits
form characters;
8-bit characters are stored in 8-bit locations known as bytes.
FIELD – a group of related bytes or characters.
RECORD – the fundamental unit of the information system.
The record may be a source document containing data
related to a transaction, such as an invoice showing details on
a purchase
FILE – an organized group of related records that can be
manipulated by people or machines.
LIBRARY – a collection of related files.
DATABASE – a comprehensive collection of libraries of
data.
II. History of Computers
The earliest data processing
equipment were all manual-mechanical
devices due to the absence of electricity
and adequate industrial technology.
Among the most popular were:
ABACUS
– the first manual data processing device,
which was developed in China in the
12th century A.D.
NAPIER’S BONES
– John Napier was a Scottish mathematician
who became famous for his invention of
logarithms. The use of “logs” enabled him
to reduce any multiplication problem to a
problem of addition.
NAPIER’S BONES
OUGHTRED’S SLIDE RULE
– An English mathematician named
William Oughtred attributed to the
invention of the slide rule that consisted
of two movable rulers placed side by side
that made, its easy to multiply and divide.
OUGHTRED’S SLIDE RULE
PASCAL’S CALCULATOR
– Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician
and experimental physicist who devised a
calculating machine in 1645 that was able
to add and subtract numbers.
PASCAL’S CALCULATOR
LEIBNEZ’S CALCULATOR
– Gottfried Leibniz, a 17th century scientist
who completed his calculator in 1694. It
used the same principle as Pascal’s but his
was able to perform multiplication,
division and extract square roots.
LEIBNEZ’S CALCULATOR
BABBAGE’S ANALYTICAL
ENGINE
– Charles Babbage, 19th century Englishman
that is considered as the father of
modern computer. His machine, the
Analytical Engine began to introduce the
stored-program concept by using
operation cards and variable cards that
later needed the data cards.
BABBAGE’S ANALYTICAL
ENGINE
BABBAGE’S DIFFERENCE
ENGINE
HOLLERITH’S PUNCHED-
CARD MACHINE
– in 1880’s, Herman Hollerith a statistician,
completed machines that help process the
results of the 1890 census. Using 3 to 5
punched cards to record the data, he
made an electromagnetic counting
machine that sorted the data manually
and tabulated the data.
HOLLERITH’S PUNCHED-
CARD MACHINE
Early Developments of
Computers
MARK I
- Howard Aiken completed the Mark I
digital computer in 1944. The official
name of Mark I is Automatic Sequence
Controlled Calculator. It is the first
automatic general-purpose digital
computer.
MARK I
MARK I
ENIAC
- under Presper Eckert Jr. & John Mauchly,
the ENIAC was developed during the
period 1943 to 1946. It was the first
large-scale vacuum-tube computer.
ENIAC is an acronym for Electronic
Numerical Integrator and Calculator.
EDVAC
- Jon von Neumann proposed a modified
version of ENIAC. The modified version
EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable
Automatic Computer), would differ from
ENIAC I two profoundly important
respects. First, it would employ binary
arithmetic and not decimal arithmetic, for
calculations. Second, it would have
stored-program capability.
Computer Generations
First Generation Computers
(1951 –1959)
- UNIVAC (1951), made use of vacuum
tubes in place of relays as a means of
storing data in memory and the use of
the stored-program concept.
UNIVAC
Second Generation Computers
(1959-1964)
– Solid state components (transistors and
diodes) and magnetic core storage. A
transistor performs the same functions as
a vacuum tube, except that electrons
move through solid materials instead of
through a vacuum. Computers became
smaller in size, faster, more reliable and
much greater in processing capacity.
Third Generation Computers
(1965-1970)
– Integrated solid-state circuitry, improved
secondary storage devices, and new
input/output devices were the most
important advances in this generation.
Fourth Generation Computers
(1971 – present)
– Major innovations are the development
of microelectronics, multiprocessing,
multiprogramming, miniaturization, time-
sharing, operating speed, and virtual
storage.
Electronic Data Processing
System
COMPONENTS OF AN ELECTRONIC
DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM:
1. HARDWARE – refers to the physical
equipment or machinery that performs
the mechanics of operations. The
hardware constitutes of the memory
system and input/output devices.
2. SOFTWARE – refers to stored
programs that tell the computer what
steps to take, what data to work on and
what to do with the results. These stored
programs aid in extending the
capabilities of the computer.
3. PEOPLEWARE – represents the
personnel involved in systems analysis,
programming, computer operations,
system maintenance, and the like.
III. The Computer
Computer – is an electronic device or
machine that performs mathematical or
logical operations of its CPU(Central
Processing Unit) based on a given set of
instructions, and produces results in
meaningful form.
The Capabilities of a Computer
Speed – the computer can process data faster
than any other machine designed to perform a
similar task.
Repetitiveness – a computer can perform the
same operations millions of times in exactly the
same way.
Accuracy – a computer’s high speed
processing can be considered as 99.9%
accurate.
Logical operations (Decision Making
Capability) – the computer can make
decisions based on alternative
courses of action given in the program
prepared for by a programmer.
Compact Storage – computers have
the ability to store large amounts of data
in a compact and easily retrievable form.
The Limitations of a Computer
Dependent on prepared instructions. – A
computer cannot generate information on its
own. It still has to have someone to basically
control it.
It cannot correct errors – A computer is
capable of detecting errors, but not correcting
them. It does not have the sense of
determining the solution for an error, depending
upon the program it has within it.
It is subject to maintenance. It needs
to be checked, repaired and maintained
during a certain period of time.
It is subject to breakdown. It is by all
means affected by power interruptions or
fluctuations and physical breakdown
because of its hardware components.
BASIC PARTS OF A
COMPUTER
INPUT DEVICE - any unit used to
enter data, commands, or programs to a
computer.
(e.g. Keyboard, Joystick, Mouse, Scanner )
CPU (Central Processing Unit)
◦ CONTROL UNIT – regulates the
operation of the entire machine.
-- It fetches and interprets
instructions.
◦ ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) – performs
mathematical and logical operations
◦ MEMORY UNIT – stores programs, data,
calculations and results.
c.1 ROM (Read Only Memory) –
permanent memory
c.2 RAM (Random Access
Memory) – main memory. Stored
information exists only as long as power
is applied to the computer. When power
is removed, everything is lost unless
copied to a secondary or external
memory known as “Hard Disk”.
OUTPUT DEVICE – any unit used to
display the result of the computer.
(e.g. monitor, speaker, printer, plotter)
CLASSIFICATIONS OF
COMPUTERS
Classification by Purpose
1. General Purpose Computer –
designed to perform a wide variety of
operations. This computer is flexible and
versatile.
II. Special Purpose Computer – designed
to handle a specific problem. It is usually
highly efficient and faster that general purpose
computer but more restricted in their
operations.
Classification by Types of Data
1. Digital Computer – specializes in
counting and is generally used for
business and scientific data processing.
II. Analog Computer – measures
continuous or physical magnitudes like
length, pressure, temperature, etc. They
are used for scientific, engineering, and
process-control purposes.
III. Hybrid Computer – it incorporated
both digital and analog techniques. It
combines the measuring capabilities of
the analog computer and the logical and
control capabilities of the digital
computer.
Classification by Capacity
1. Microcomputer – the smallest
classification of digital computers. It is
usually composed of a single CPU, Screen,
Keyboard and Printer. Its execution
speed is in terms of microseconds and
generally for specialized applications like
process control, word processing,
numerical control and communication
systems.
Minicomputer – is a digital computer
system designed to provide faster
operating speeds and larger storage
capacities than microcomputers.
Medium-size computers – these
computers provide faster operating
speeds and larger storage capacities than
small computer systems. They are
flexible; they can be expanded to meet
the needs of users.
Large computer – can support a large
number of high-speed input/output
devices, and several disk drives can be
used. They are the ultimate system in
sophistication, flexibility and speed.
Supercomputers – the biggest and
fastest computers today which are used
when billions or even trillions of
calculations are needed. These machines
are essential for applications ranging from
nuclear weapon development to accurate
weather forecasting.
THE HARDWARE
COMPONENTS OF A
COMPUTER
Keyboard – an input device used to
enter data for computer processing.
Monitor/Screen – an output device
used to display the characters tat are
being pressed from the input
device(keyboard) and view information
displayed by a program.
System Unit – composes of the Central
Processing Unit, which is considered as
the brain of the computer system because
it controls all processing as well as the
function of the other components of the
computer system.
Disk Drives – where the secondary
storage devices such as the disks or
diskettes are being inserted for reading
and writing information.
Printer – an output device used to
produce a printed hard copy of
documents or important matters handled
within the computer system.
Floppy disks - a magnetic storage
medium considered as a secondary
storage device used for storing
information other than the use of the
memory or a “Hard Disk”.
TYPES OF SOFTWARES
Application Software – programs
written to accomplish a specific task or
application, such as word-processing and
Spreadsheet.
System Software – list of programs
which are necessary for your computer
to run such as DOS.
Compilers, Interpreters and
Assemblers – these are lists of
programs that are capable of interpreting
Human or high-level language to machine
language and vice versa. An example of
this the programming language called
Assembly Language
