The concept of automation using computers, internet,
information technology and communication is creating sweeping and dramatic
changes in our present life and working environment. The computer- a package of
metal, plastic and wires is transforming an industrial society to an
information society. It is said that this machine will improve world’s culture
by allowing people not only to be more productive but to have more free time to
create and innovate. Computer awareness or literacy – a basic knowledge of
computers and their use owes to be must in today’s high-tech world. There has
been tremendous growth in microprocessor technology in the last two decades due
to various architectural up gradations. This has led to the emergence of
decades due to various architectural up gradations. This has led to the
emergence of network of desktop machines as a common platform for executing
large database application.
A compute-literate is very much is demand today and should
v
Have a basic understanding of what a computer is
capable of and what it cannot do.
v
Be able to use a computer as a tool on a
personal as well as professional level.
v
Be able to interact with computer and use word
processing, data bases, spread sheet, presentation tools etc.
v
Have an idea of the social implication
technology is posing now in pour day to day activities.
v
Able to use the power of internet and
communication.
v
Able to carry out data processing in electronic=c
form and manage the information at different levels of organization.
v
Have an idea of impact of it on business
strategy and organization development.
Some feel that computers are too difficult
to learn, others worry about computers taking over their jobs. There are some
who are afraid that they might damage the computers. Some of this fear is
normal. It is human nature to be afraid of what we don’t understand. As you
read this book apply what you learn, any fear concerning computers can be
overcome. You will learn to work with computers and become familiar with some
of the most important computer application in business.
As we entering the 21st century,
the information revolution is making a difference to more and more people. Nowadays,
a nation’s economic success and even survival are based on the control of
ideas, words and images. Information on scientific discoveries and
technologies, workers will be liberated from mineral tasks and will be retained
for more fulfilling jobs. Indeed many workers will work from home or at least
from places far way from their work place. In any case, work as we know it, is
about to undergo a massive transformation. Perhaps out importantly the time
afforded by these new technologies will allow for more introspection. People
will become more socially and politically aware as government are made
accessible with computer technology.
Today the world is shrinking due to the
interconnection of computers world wide so as to exchange and share the
information and resources. Such a worldwide network that joins computers or a
network of networks that allows computers (sometimes called “host”) to
communicate seamlessly-usually internet protocol (IP) and services is called as
internet.
The internet joins
v
150 countries.
v
Approximately 350,000 domains (usually
organizations).
v
Approximately 9,472,224 computers.
The expansion of this concept of information sharing
through internet is so fast that by 2007 number of internet hosts = world
population.
The internet can extend the resources in your library
and help user with a number of research tasks including.
Ø Browsing
or anticipating in worldwide discussion groups on thousands puff topics.
Ø Using
electronic mail to get information from experts in response to your questions.
Ø Easing
online reference materials, electronic books, journals and newspapers to find
the latest information, news reports and articles.
Ø
Participating in an interactive online
conference or training tutorial.
Computers have become the driving
force behind the information explosion. Jobs in fields which were never heard
of a few years ago, such as robotics, data every day. Due to the widespread use
and availability of computers, it is essential that future business people
acquire an understanding of what computers are and how they work. Computers have
become so pervasive that virtually no business or organization can function
without it.
Computer is a very familiar
household word today within a period of thirty years stepping down from the
domains of technical people such as scientists and engineers. In 1950’s
computers were special purpose machines which only huge institutions such as
governments and universities cold afford. In the 1960’s modern computer bean to
revolutionize the business world and today this machine has become popular with
all kinds of people from business to employees, from doctors to lawyers and to
school going children too.
Definition:
A computer can be defined as an
electronic device that takes input from its user. Stores, process data and
generates the required output as per the processing instructions given to it by
the user.
It cannot itself think pr reason.
A set of instruction that directs a computer to execute tasks is called a
program and is written by programmers. The ability to accept, store and execute
programs makes the computer all purpose business tool and put it in a much
better class as compared to calculator. Actual instructions will vary from
program to program and generally direct the computer to perform same three
functions again and again-input, processing and output. These functions
collectively constitute a data processing cycle.
Computer solves the problem by
performing the following activities:
·
Input - input devices feed the computer the raw
matter-facts or data.
·
Processing- the storage of data, numerical comparisons,
arithmetic operation are performed on data to produce desired results.
·
Output- the processed data or information is
sent to the output device connected to computer.
These actives are shown with the
help of the block diagram of the computer systems.
BLOCK
DIAGRAM AND COMPUTERS OF COMPUETR-CPU AND ITS FUNCTIONS
The block diagram of computer includes the general organizations and
interconnection of different units of computer sass shown below-
§
Central processing unit (CPU) carries out
computation and has overall control of the computer.
§
Main memory stores programs and data while computer
is running.
§
External memory holds large quantities of
information too large for storage in main memory. Also used to keep a permanent
copy of program and data.
§
Peripheral devices input/output devices which
allow the computer to communicate with the outside world.
The system bus allows
communication of information between the opponent parts of the computer.
Possible transfers of information
via the system bus are:
Data transmitted from main memory to the CPU.
Input data from the keyboard travels from the
device to main memory.
Information from external memory is transmitted
to main memory.
The speed f the
system bus is very important since if it is too slow then the CPU may have
speed restricted by having to wait for data.
A computer such
as above will use the stored program concept. Von Neumann (1945) proposed that
the program to control the computer should be stored be stored in the memory of
the computer. Channing the program in memory allowed the computer to perform a
completely different computation thus computers became general-purpose problem
solving machines. As a consequences of the stored program concept there has ban
very little effort to specialize hardware computer design towards specific
applications.
All
communication takes place in the central processing unit (CPU). The CPU is
attached to the main memory and his combination is the basis of the modem
general purpose computer. The CPU has two main tasks:
To control the fetching and interpretation of
instructions from memory and the movement of data between memory and the CPU.
To canary out (execute) the instructions.
The main components of the CPU and their role are:
Ø
The control unit controls the fetching of
instruction form main memory, the interpretation and due execution of this
instruction and the passing o data to and from the arithmetic/logical unit of
computation.
Ø
The arithmetic/logical unit (ALU) carries our arithmetic
operations on near (whole number) and floating point operands. It also performs
simple logical operations n logical operands and a make compression between
numeric operands.
Ø
Registers the registers are small units of
memory the control unit an aloe use for the storage of intermediate results and
control information. The number and size of the registers depends upon the
particular computer. Typically there will be sixteen or thirty two general
purpose registers. It is important to note that since the registrars are interval
o the CPU they can be accessed at high speed by the CPU.
Ø
Special purpose roisters vital to the operation
of the cp7 are the prigr4am counter and the instruction register the program
counter hold she address in memory of the next instruction in the program an the
instruction register hold the instruction currently being executed. The values
in these t6wo registers are updated regularly.
Ø
To run or execute a program it is first stirred
in consecutive locations in memory. The program must be written in the internal
machine language of the computer. Each model of CPU has its own machine
language. This sequence is usually called the fetch execute cycle or the
fetch-decade-execute cycle. The processors the today have acquired the potential
of executing the multiple instructions in the same clock cycle and make them
very fast and capable of high performance at very less cost. This feature helps
t replace very costly servers with desktops.
YOU CAN ALSO KNOW ABOUT E-COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN DETAILS.
