Unit 4 Computer definition, classification, and applications.

1. Unit 4Computer definition, classification, and applications. Prepared by: Pedernal, Jemerson G.

2. The Definition Technically, a computer is a programmable machine. This means it can execute a programmed list of instructions and respond to new instructions that it is given. Today, however, the term is most often used to refer to the desktop and laptop computers that most people use. When referring to a desktop model, the term "computer" technically only refers to the computer itself -- not the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Still, it is acceptable to refer to everything together as the computer. If you want to be really technical, the box that holds the computer is called the "system unit."

3. The Definition (Cont.) Some of the major parts of a personal computer (or PC) include the motherboard, CPU, memory (or RAM), hard drive, and video card. While personal computers are by far the most common type of computers today, there are several other types of computers. For example, a "minicomputer" is a powerful computer that can support many users at once. A "mainframe" is a large, high-powered computer that can perform billions of calculations from multiple sources at one time. Finally, a "supercomputer" is a machine that can process billions of instructions a second and is used to calculate extremely complex calculations.

4. Personal Computers • Almost all the computer users are familiar with the personal computers. They normally know what the personal computer is and what are its functions.` • This is the computer mostly preferred by the home users. These computers are lesser in cost than the computers given above and also, small in size; they are also called PCs in short for Personal computers. • This computer is small in size and you can easily arrange it to fit in your single bedroom with its all accommodation. Today this is thought to be the most popular computer in all.

5. Classification Computers are available in different shapes, sizes and weights, due to these different shapes and sizes they perform different sorts of jobs from one another. They can also be classified in different ways. All the computers are designed by the qualified computer architectures that design these machines as their requirements.

6. Classification (C0nt.) A computer that is used in a home differs in size and shape from the computer being used in a hospital. Computers act as a server in large buildings, while the computer also differs in size and shape performing its job as a weather forecaster. A student carrying a laptop with him to his college is different in shape and size from all the computers mentioned above.

7. Classification (C0nt.) Here we are going to introduce different classifications of computers one by one. We will discuss what are in classifications and what job they perform. • Super computer • Mainframes • Minicomputer • Microcomputers

8. Super Computers • The biggest in size, the most expensive in price than any other is classified and known as super computer. It can process trillions of instructions in seconds. This computer is not used as a PC in a home neither by a student in a college. • Governments specially use this type of computer for their different calculations and heavy jobs. Different industries also use this huge computer for designing their products. • In most of the Hollywood's movies it is used for animation purposes. This kind of computer is also helpful for forecasting weather reports worldwide.

9. Super Computers (Cont.) • Supercomputers are the fastest and the most expensive machines. They have high processing speed compared to other computers. The speed of a supercomputer is generally measured in FLOPS (FLoating point Operations Per Second). Some of the faster supercomputers can perform trillions of calculations per second. Supercomputers are built by interconnecting thousands of processors that can work in parallel.

10. Super Computers (Cont.) • Supercomputers are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks, such as, weather forecasting, climate research (global warming), molecular research, biological research, nuclear research and aircraft design. They are also used in major universities, military agencies and scientific research laboratories. Some examples of supercomputers are IBM Roadrunner, IBM Blue gene and Intel ASCI red. PARAM is a series of supercomputer assembled in India by C-DAC (Center for Development of Advanced Computing), in Pune. PARAM Padma is the latest machine in this series. The peak computing power of PARAM Padma is 1 Tera FLOP (TFLOP).

11. Mainframes • Another giant in computers after the super computer is Mainframe, which can also process millions of instruction per second and capable of accessing billions of data. • This computer is commonly used in big hospitals, air line reservations companies, and many other huge companies prefer mainframe because of its capability of retrieving data on a huge basis. • This is normally to expensive and out of reach from a salary-based person who wants a computer for his home. • This kind of computer can cost up to thousands of dollars.

12. Mainframes (Cont.) • Mainframe computersare multi-user, multi-programming and high performance computers. They operate at a very high speed, have very large storage capacity and can handle the workload of many users. Mainframe computers are large and powerful systems generally used in centralized databases. The user accesses the mainframe computer via a terminal that may be a dumb terminal, an intelligent terminal or a PC. A dumb terminal cannot store data or do processing of its own. It has the input and output device only. An intelligent terminal has the input and output device, can do processing, but, cannot store data of its own. The dumb and the intelligent terminal use the processing power and the storage facility of the mainframe computer. Mainframe computers are used in organizations like banks or companies, where many people require frequent access to the same data. Some examples of mainframes are CDC 6600 and IBM ES000 series.

13. Minicomputers • Minicomputer is next in he line but less offers less than mainframe in work and performance. These are the computers, which are mostly preferred by the small type of business personals, colleges, etc.

14. Minicomputers (Cont.) • Minicomputersare digital computers, generally used in multi-user systems. They have high processing speed and high storage capacity than the microcomputers. Minicomputers can support 4–200 users simultaneously. The users can access the minicomputer through their PCs or terminal. They are used for real-time applications in industries, research centers, etc. PDP 11, IBM (8000 series) are some of the widely used minicomputers.

15. Microcomputers • Microcomputers are small, low-cost and single-user digital computer. They consist of CPU, input unit, output unit, storage unit and the software. Although microcomputers are stand-alone machines, they can be connected together to create a network of computers that can serve more than one user. IBM PC based on Pentium microprocessor and Apple Macintosh are some examples of microcomputers. Microcomputers include desktop computers, notebook computers or laptop, tablet computer, handheld computer, smart phones and netbook

16. Microcomputers (Cont.) Desktop Computer or Personal Computer (PC) is the most common type of microcomputer. It is a stand-alone machine that can be placed on the desk. Externally, it consists of three units—keyboard, monitor, and a system unit containing the CPU, memory, hard disk drive, etc. It is not very expensive and is suited to the needs of a single user at home, small business units, and organizations. Apple, Microsoft, HP, Dell and Lenovo are some of the PC manufacturers.

17. Microcomputers (Cont.) • Notebook Computers or Laptop resemble a notebook. They are portable and have all the features of a desktop computer. The advantage of the laptop is that it is small in size (can be put inside a briefcase), can be carried anywhere, has a battery backup and has all the functionality of the desktop. Laptops can be placed on the lap while working (hence the name). Laptops are costlier than the desktop machines.

18. Microcomputers (Cont.) • Netbook.These are smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost, and are designed for accessing web-based applications. Starting with the earliest netbook in late 2007, they have gained significant popularity now. Netbooks deliver the performance needed to enjoy popular activities like streaming videos or music, emailing, Web surfing or instant messaging. The word netbook was created as a blend of Internet and notebook.

19. Microcomputers (Cont.) • Tablet Computer has features of the notebook computer but it can accept input from a stylus or a pen instead of the keyboard or mouse. It is a portable computer. Tablet computer are the new kind of PCs.

20. Microcomputers (Cont.) • Handheld Computer or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is a small computer that can be held on the top of the palm. It is small in size. Instead of the keyboard, PDA uses a pen or a stylus for input. PDAs do not have a disk drive. They have a limited memory and are less powerful. PDAs can be connected to the Internet via a wireless connection. Casio and Apple are some of the manufacturers of PDA. Over the last few years, PDAs have merged into mobile phones to create smart phones.

21. Microcomputers (Cont.) • Smart Phones are cellular phones that function both as a phone and as a small PC. They may use a stylus or a pen, or may have a small keyboard. They can be connected to the Internet wirelessly. They are used to access the electronic-mail, download music, play games, etc. Blackberry, Apple, HTC, Nokia and LG are some of the manufacturers of smart phones.

22. Computer Software Definition • Software is a generic term for organized collections of computer data and instructions, often broken into two major categories: system software that provides the basic non-task-specific functions of the computer, and application software which is used by users to accomplish specific tasks.

23. Computer Software Definition (Cont.) • Software is created with programming languages and related utilities, which may come in several of the above forms: single programs like script interpreters, packages containing a compiler, linker, and other tools; and large suites (often called Integrated Development Environments) that include editors, debuggers, and other tools for multiple languages.

24. Computer Software Definition (Cont.) • Software is a set of programs, which is designed to perform a well defined function. A program is a sequence of instruction written to solve a particular problem.

25. Types of software • System software • Application software

26. Computer Software Definition (Cont.) • System software is responsible for controlling, integrating, and managing the individual hardware components of a computer system so that other software and the users of the system see it as a functional unit without having to be concerned with the low-level details such as transferring data from memory to disk, or rendering text onto a display. Generally, system software consists of an operating system and some fundamental utilities such as disk formatters, file managers, display managers, text editors, user authentication (login) and management tools, and networking and device control software. • Application software, on the other hand, is used to accomplish specific tasks other than just running the computer system. Application software may consist of a single program, such as an image viewer; a small collection of programs (often called a software package) that work closely together to accomplish a task, such as a spreadsheet or text processing system; a larger collection (often called a software suite) of related but independent programs and packages that have a common user interface or shared data format, such as Microsoft Office, which consists of closely integrated word processor, spreadsheet, database, etc.; or a software system, such as a database management system, which is a collection of fundamental programs that may provide some service to a variety of other independent applications.

27. Types of Application software (Cont.) System software - The system software is collection of programs designed to operate , control and extend the processing capabilities of the computer itself. System software are generally prepared by computer manufactures.

28. Features of System Software • It is Close to system. • It is Fast in speed. • It is Difficult to manipulate. • It is Smaller in size. • It is Difficult to design. • It is Difficult to understand. • It is Generally written in low level language.

29. Types of System Software • Boot Firmware • Database Management Systems • Output Interface • Virtual Machine Monitors • Link Editors • Loaders • Shell • Utility Software • Operating System • Device Drivers

30. Types of System Software (Cont.) • Boot Firmware:Also known as boot loaders these programs are the first ones to run when a PC is started. A boot loader loads and runs the main operating system on the computer when it starts. This system software component is also known as BIOS on IBM compatible computing devices. • Database Management Systems:This is a set of programs that manage and regulate the user database right from creation to maintenance and extending to the use of such database. The DBMS is responsible for allowing different user applications to access a single database at the same time. This set of programs is what lies at the base of all computer network models that enable users to retrieve data from an integrated collection in a structured manner and does away with the user having to write complex programs in machine language to extract information from the data pool.

31. Types of System Software (Cont.) • Output Interface:This program determines whether the desktop environment will be in the form of a character user interface (CUI as seen on DOS and older OS versions) or if it will be in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI as seen from latest OS, a norm made common by Windows). Also, besides determining the desktop environment, these programs also provide various options that allow the user to access other features of the OS from the desktop. • Virtual Machine Monitors: Also known as hypervisors, these programs allow multiple operating systems to run on a single host computer system simultaneously. These other computer systems that access the host are known as guests and the host is able to allow multiple operating systems to run simultaneously under the hardware virtualization process.

32. Types of System Software (Cont.) • Link Editors:Commonly known as linkers, link editors collect multiple object files that the compiler programs, generate and put them together as an executable program which is capable of performing desired tasks as instructed by codified instructions. • Loaders: A loader is an inbuilt component of the operating system that loads programs onto the computer memory and makes them ready for execution. This process involves loading the program text from the executable file onto the computer memory and preparing the executable file to run. This is one of the various initial stages involved in running any program on the operating system.

33. Types of System Software (Cont.) • Shell: Shells are programs that make the interaction between the kernel of the OS and the user possible. It is the outer layer of a computing interface that makes information interchange between the OS and the user possible. • Utility Software: These programs offer the various maintenance and performance evaluation utility tools to configure and optimize the various processes that influence the performance of your computer. Disk cleaners, anti virus softwares, data compression programs, disk drive partition utilities, storage, backup and archiving programs are some of the common examples of utility softwares.

34. Types of System Software (Cont.) • OS: An operating system is a set of programs that manages all computer components and operations. A computer cannot do anything without operating system. Operating system must be installed on every computer. Users interact with the cbmputer through operating system. DOS and Windows are examples of operating system software. • Device Drivers: A device driver is a program that is used to operate and control a device attached to computer. Device drivers are provided by manufactures of devices. The devices cannot function properly without device drivers.

35. Types of software (Cont.) Application software - Application software are the software that are designed to satisfy a particular need of a particular environment. All software prepared by us in the computer lab. Examples of application software are-student record software, railway reservation software, income tax software, word processors etc.

36. Features of Application Software • It is close to user. • It is Slow in speed • It is Easy to understand. • It is Easy to manipulate • It is Generally, written in high level language • It is easy to design.

37. Types of Application Software • Word Processing Software • Database Software • Spreadsheet Software • Multimedia Software • Presentation Software • Enterprise Software • Information Worker Software • Educational Software • Simulation Software • Content Access Software • Application Suites • Software that aid Engineering and Development of Products

38. Types of Application Software (Cont.) Word Processing Software: This software enables users to create and edit documents. The most popular examples of this type of software are MS-Word, WordPad and Notepad among other text editors. Database Software: Database is a structured collection of data. A computer database relies on database software to organize data and enable database users to perform database operations. Database software allows users to store and retrieve data from databases. Examples are Oracle, MSAccess, etc. Spreadsheet Software: Excel, Lotus 1-2-3 and Apple Numbers are some examples of spreadsheet software. Spreadsheet software allows users to perform calculations using spreadsheets. They simulate paper worksheets by displaying multiple cells that make up a grid.

39. Types of Application Software (Cont.) Multimedia Software: They allow users to create and play audio and video files. They are capable of playing media files. Audio converters, audio players, burners, video encoders and decoders are some forms of multimedia software. Examples of this type of software include Real Player and Media Player.Presentation Software: The software that is used to display information in the form of a slide show is known as presentation software. This type of software includes three functions, namely, editing that allows insertion and formatting of text, methods to include graphics in the text and a functionality of executing slide shows. Microsoft PowerPoint is the best example of presentation software.Enterprise Software: It deals with the needs of organization processes and data flow. Customer relationship management or the financial processes in an organization are carried out with the help of enterprise software.

40. Types of Application Software (Cont.) Information Worker Software: Individual projects within a department and individual needs of creation and management of information are handled by information worker software. Documentation tools, resource management tools and personal management systems fall under the category of this type of application software. Educational Software: It has the capabilities of running tests and tracking progress. It also has the capabilities of a collaborative software. It is often used in teaching and self-learning. Dictionaries like Britannica and Encarta, mathematical software like Matlab and others like Google Earth and NASA World Wind are some of the well-known names in this category. Simulation Software: Used to simulate physical or abstract systems, simulation software finds applications in both, research and entertainment. Flight simulators and scientific simulators are examples of simulation software. Content Access Software: It is used to access content without editing. Common examples of content access software are web browsers and media players.

41. Types of Application Software (Cont.) Application Suites: An application suite is an important type of application software. It consists of a group of applications combined to perform related functions. OpenOffice.org and Microsoft Office are the best examples of this type of application software. These application suites, as you know, come as bundles of applications like word processors, spreadsheets, presentation software, etc. Applications in the suite can work together or operate on each other's files. Software that aid Engineering and Development of Products: These software are used in the design and development of hardware and software products. Integrated development environments (IDE) and computer language editing tools falls under this type of application software. Interestingly, software products are developed using other software, and software communicate with one another through software. Application programming interfaces which aid the communication of two or more software, are examples of this application software type.

42. quiz • What does this an, “A computer is a programmable machine? 2 points • Among the types of System Software, what makes it possible for human to interact with the kernel of the Operating System or OS? 1 point • What are the classifications of a Computer System? 4 points • in the different types of Application Software, what has the capabilities of running tests and tracking progress? 1 point • Describe the difference between the two types of Computer Software. 4 points • Discuss this, “what makes a supercomputer a supercomputer?” 2 points • Describe the uses between a a. Laptop and a Netbook (2points) b. Handheld Computers (2 points) (Site the differences and similarities.)