COMPUTER

APPLICATIONS
Dr. Palwasha Afsar
Computer Science Department
Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan
Topics to be discussed
• Introduction to computer
• Characteristics of computers
• Evolution of computer systems
• Capabilities and limitations of computer system
• Parts of Computer
• Types of Computer
What is Computer?
• 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
Data Processing
• The activity of processing data using a computer is called data
processing.

• Data is raw material used as input and information is processed

data obtained as output of data processing
Characteristics of Computers
• Automatic
• Speed
• Accuracy
• Diligence
• Versatility
• Remembrance Power
• No I. Q
• No Feelings
Automatic
• Done without thinking or human interventions
• Given a job, computer can work on it automatically without human
interventions
Speed
• A very fast device
• Perform operation with high speed
• Usually measured in
• Microseconds (10-6)
• Nanoseconds (10-9)
• Picoseconds (10-12)
• The amount of work that a man can do in an entire year, computer
perform that work in seconds even in milliseconds.
Accuracy
• Computer is basically made for two main reasons
• Speed
• Accuracy
• The degree of accuracy of computer depends on its design each and
every calculation or task is performed with the same accuracy.

• Note: Errors may occur in computers, but these are man made errors
rather than technological weakness, that is imprecise thinking by a
programmer
Diligence
• Computer is free from
• Boredness,
• Tiredness
• Lack of concentration.
• It can work for hours without creating any error and without any complain.
• Computer has a little edge over in doing routine type of jobs that require
great accuracy.
• If ten million calculations have to be performed, a computer will perform
the last one with exactly the same accuracy and speed as the first one.
Versatility
• Computer is a versatile device.
• It can adapt itself in any condition or situation.
• One moment, it is preparing the results of particular examination, the next
moment it is busy preparing electricity bills.
• So, a computer is capable of performing any task provided that the task
can
be reduced to a series of logical steps.
• We can do variety of work in computer.
• It just requires the particular software to perform required work.
Remembrance Power
• Computer can store and recall any amount of information because of
its secondary storage capability.
• It forgets or looses certain information only when it is asked to do so.
No I.Q
• I.Q stands for Intelligence Quotient.
• As computer is a machine which does not have intelligence of its own.
• Computer perform the tasks that is fed to it.
• So therefore, it cannot take its own decisions.
• It is not like human beings who possess thinking capability.
• As now-a-days programmers are trying to make computer an
intelligent machine.
• Programmers are programming artificial intelligence in computers
using different languages.
No Feelings
• Computer is a machine due to which it is lacking emotions and feelings.
• Although men have succeeded in building a memory for the computer, but no
computer possesses the equivalent of a human heart and soul.
• Based on our feelings, taste, knowledge, and experience, we often make
certain judgements in our day to day life. But computers can not make such
judgements on their own.
• Their judgments is based on the instructions given to them in the form of
programs that are written by us.
• They are only as good as man makes and uses them. As computers have no
feelings they work for us day and night without any difficulty.
Evolution of computer systems
• People were searching for fast and accurate calculating device, as a result
computer came into being. There are several researchers and scientists who
played a key role in the evolution of computer systems.
• First mechanical adding machine was invented by Blaise Pascal in 1642.
• Baron Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz of Germany invented the first calculator
for multiplication in 1671.
• Keyboard machines originated in the United States around 1880
• Around the same period, Herman Hollerith came up with concept of punched
cards that computers used extensively as input medium even in late 1970s.
• Business machines and calculators made their appearance in Europe and
America towards the end of the 19th Century.
Evolution of computer systems
• Charles Babbage is considered to be the father of modern digital
computers
• He designed “Difference Engine” in 1822
• He designed a fully automatic analytical engine in 1842 for
performing basic arithmetic functions
• His efforts established a number of principles that are fundamental to
the design of any digital computer
Some well known Early computers
Capabilities of Computer System
• at home
• in school
• in the hospital
• in the bank
• in bookstores
• department stores
• at recreation centers
• in other places.
Capabilities of Computer System
• They are important pieces of equipment and they help man in so many
ways.
• Many people depend so much on computers.
• They use computers to do their work,
• to keep in touch with far away people
• to store important documents
• and so on.
• Because computers are capable of doing so many things. The following are
the capabilities of a computer.
Capabilities of computer systems
• The computer processes information very fast.
• The computer gives accurate results. Some scientists use the computer in
their experiments. The needed data for their experiments are processed in
the computer. They can get almost perfect and more accurate result through
it.
• The computer stores large amount of data and information.
• The computer enables one to restore or bring back any of his works.
• It is automatics.
• The computer can do two things at the same time.
• The computer can be improved and upgraded.
Limitation of Computer Systems
• The computer is not a perfect machine. Thus, it has its own
limitations, like the following:
• The computer can only do what you tell it to do.
• It cannot generate information on its own.
• The computer will give you wrong information if you feed it with
wrong data.
• The computer cannot correct wrong instruction.
• Depends on user
OVERVIEW OF A COMPUTER
• Parts of a computer
• Looking inside a computer
• Software: Bringing machine to life
PARTS OF A COMPUTER
• Hardware
• Software
• Data
• Users
HARDWARE
• A computer's hardware consists of electronic devices; the parts you
can see and touch.
• The term “device”; refers to any piece of hardware used by the
computer, such as a keyboard, monitor, modem, mouse, etc.
SOFTWARE
• Software – also called programs – consists of organized sets of
instructions for controlling the computer.
• Some programs exist for the computer's use, to help it manage its own
tasks and devices.
• Other programs exist for the user, and enable the computer to perform
tasks for you, such as creating documents.
DATA
• Data consists of raw facts, which the computer can manipulate and
process into information that is useful to people.
• Computerized data is digital, meaning that it has been reduced to
digits, or numbers. The computer stores and reads all data as numbers.
• Although computers use data in digital form, they convert data into
forms that people can understand, such as text, numerals, sounds, and
images.
USERS
• People are the computer's operators, or users.
• Some types of computers can operate without much intervention from
people, but personal computers are designed specifically for use by
people.
TYPES OF COMPUTERS
• Supercomputers
• Mainframe Computers
• Minicomputers
• Microcomputers, or Personal Computers
SUPERCOMPUTERS
• Supercomputers are the most powerful computers. They are used for
problems requiring complex calculations.
• Because of their size and expense, supercomputers are relatively rare.
• Supercomputers are used by universities, government agencies, and
large businesses.
• For example Cray T90 Supercomputer
MAINFRAME COMPUTERS
• Mainframe computers can support hundreds or thousands of users,
handling massive amounts of input, output, and storage.
• Mainframe computers are used in large organizations where many
users need access to shared data and programs.
• Mainframes are also used as e-commerce servers, handling
transactions over the Internet .
MINI COMPUTERS
• Minicomputers are smaller than mainframes but larger than
microcomputers.
• Minicomputers may be used as network servers and Internet servers.
MICROCOMPUTERS
• Microcomputers are more commonly known as personal computers.
The term “PC”; is applied to IBM-PCs or compatible computers.
• Full-size desktop computers are the most common type of PC.
• Notebook (laptop) computers are used by people who need the power
of a desktop system, but also portability.