UNIT: 1 -INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

WHAT IS COMPUTER?
• The word “computer” is comes from the word “TO COMPUTE” means to
calculate.
• A computer is normally considered to be a calculation device which can
perform the arithmetic operations very speedily.
• A computer may be defined as a device which operates upon the data.
• Data can be in the form of numbers, letters, symbols, size etc. And it comes
in various shapes & sizes depending upon the type of computer application.
• A computer can store, process & retrieve data as and when we desired.
• The fact that computer process data is so fundamental that many people
have started calling as “Data Processor”.
• A computer first it gets the Data, does Process on it and then produces
Information.

DATA PROCESS INFORMATION

• DEFINATION OF COMPUTER
o A computer is an electronic device which takes input from the user,
processes it and gives the output as per user’s requirement.
o So the main tasks of performed by the computer are:
▪ Input
▪ Process Output
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTER
Some important characteristics of the computer are as follow:
Automatic:
• Computers are automatic machines because it works by itself without
human intervention.
● Once it started on a job they carry on until the job is finished. Computer
cannot start themselves.
● They can works from the instructions which are stored inside the system in
the form of programs which specify how a particular job is to be done.
Accuracy:
 • The accuracy of a computer is very high. o The degree of accuracy of a
particular computer depends upon its design.
• Errors can occur by the computer. But these are due to human
weakness,due to incorrect data, but not due to the technological weakness.
Speed:
• Computer is a very fact device. It can perform the amount of work in few
seconds for which a human can take an entire year.
• While talking about computer speed we do not talk in terms of secondsand
milliseconds but in microseconds. o A powerful computer is capable of
performing several billion (109) simple arithmetic operations per second.
Diligence:
• Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness & lack
of concentration.
• It can continuously work for hours without creating any error & without
grumbling.
• If you give ten million calculations to performed, it will perform with
exactly the same accuracy & speed as the first one.
Versatility:
• It is one of the most wonderful features about the computer.
• One moment it is preparing the results of a particular examination,
thenext moment it is busy with preparing electricity bills and in between it
may be helping an office secretary to trace an important letter in seconds.
THE DATA PROCESSING CYCLE OF COMPUTER.

• The computer Data Processing is any process that a computer program

does to enter data & summarise, analyse or convert data into useable
information.
• The process may be automated & run on a computer.
• It involves recording, analysing, storing, summarising & storing data.
• Because data are most useful when it is well presented & informative.
The Data Processing Cycle:
• Data Processing cycle described all activities which are common to all data
processing systems from manual to electronic systems.
• These activities can be grouped in four functional categories, viz., data
input, data processing, data output and storage, constituting what is known
as a data processing cycle.
• The main aim of data processing cycle is to convert the data into
meaningful information.
• Data processing system are often referred to as Information System.
• The Information System typically take raw Data as Input to produce
Information as Output.
INPUT OUTPUT
DATA PROCESS INFORMATION

STORAGE

• The data processing cycle contains main four functions:

o Data input
o Data process
o Data storage
o Data output
• DATA INPUT

o The term input refers to the activities required to record data. o It’s a
process to entered data in to computer system.
o So, before we input any data, it is necessary to check or verify the data
context.
• DATA PROCESSING
o The term processing includes the activities like classifying, storing,
calculating, comparing or summarising the data.
o The processing means to use techniques to convert the data into
meaningful information.
• DATA OUTPUT
o It’s a communication function which transmits the information to the
outside world.
o After completed the process the data are converted into the meaningful
in o Sometimes the output also includes the decoding activity which
converts the electronically generated information into human readable
form.
• DATA STORAGE
 o It involves the filling of data & information for future use.
THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE COMPUTER BY DATA PROCESSED
The computers are divided mainly three types on the based-on data
processed:
1. Analog computers
2. Digital computers
3. Hybrid computers Analog computers:
• In Analog Computers, data is represented as continuously varying voltage
and operate essentially by measuring rather counting.
• As the data is continuously variable, the results obtained are estimated and
not exactly repeatable.
• It can able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and also capable to
work effectively with the irrational number. E.g. 1/8 = 0.125 and
1/6=0.1666
• Voltage, temperature and pressure are measured using analog devices like
voltmeters, thermometers and barometers.
Digital Computers
• The digit computer is a machine based on digital technology which
represents information by numerical digit.
• In Digital Computers data is represented as discrete units of electrical
pulses. The data is measured in quantities represented as either the ‘on’ or
‘off’ state.
• Therefore, the results obtained from a digital computer are accurate.
• Virtually all of today’s computers are based on digital computers.
Hybrid Computers
• It combines the good features of both analog & digital computers.
• It has a speed of analog computer & accuracy of digital computer.
• Hybrid Computers accept data in analog form and present output also in
digitally.
• The data however is processed digitally.
• Therefore, hybrid computers require analog-to-digital and digital-to-
analog converters for output.
THE GENERATION OF THE COMPUTERS.
 In Computer language, “Generation” is a set of Technology. It provides a
framework for the growth of the computer technology. There are totally Five
Computer Generations till today. Discussed as following.
First Generation:
• Duration: 1942-1955
• Technology: vacuum tube o Used as a calculating device. o Performed
calculations in milliseconds. o To bulky in size & complex design. o
Required large room to place it. o Generates too much heat & burnt. o
Required continuously hardware maintenance. o Generates much heat so
must air-conditioner rooms are required. o Commercial production is
difficult & costly. o Difficult to configure. o Limited commercial use. o
ENIAC, EDVAC, EDSAC are example of 1st generation computer.

Second Generation: 
Duration: 1955-
1964
• Technology: transistor o 10 times Smaller in size than 1st generation
system.
o Less heat than 1st generation computers.
o Consumed less power than 1st generation system. o Computers were
done calculations in microseconds.
o Air-conditioner is also required. o Easy to configure than 1st generation
computers.
• More reliable in information. o Wider commercial use. o Large
& fast primary/secondary storage than 1st generation computers.

Third Generation:
Duration: 1965-1975
Technology: IC chip o Smaller in size than 1st & 2nd generation
computers. o Perform more fast calculations than 2nd generation systems.
o Large & fast primary/secondary storage than 2nd generation
computers. o Air –conditioner is required.
• Widely used for commercial applications. o General purpose
computers. o High level languages like COBOL & FORTAN are
allowed to write programs.
• Generate less heat & consumed less power than 2nd generation
computer.
Fourth Generation:
Duration: 1975-1989
Technology: Microprocessor chip o Based
on LSI & VLSI microprocessor chip.
• Smaller in size. o Much faster than previous generations. o
Minimum hardware maintenance is required. o Very reliable as
computer to previous generation computers. o Totally general
purpose computer. o Easy to configure. o Possible to use network
concept to connect the computer together.
• NO requirement of air-conditioners. o Cheapest in price.

Fifth Generation:
Duration: 1989 to Present
● Technology: ULSI
microprocessor chip. Much
smaller & handy. Based on the
ULSI chip which contains 100
million electronic components.
● The speed of the operations is increased. Consumed less power. Air-
conditioner is not required.
● More user-friendly interface with multi-media features.
● High level languages are allowed to write programs.
● Larger & faster primary/secondary storage than previous generations.
● Notebook computers are the example of 5th generation computers.

THE BLOCK DIAGRAM OF COMPUTER OR EXPLAIN THE SIMPLE MODEL

COMPUTER.
A simple computer system comprises the basic components like Input Devices,
CPU (Central Processing Unit) and Output Devices as under:
• Input Devices:
o The devices which are used to entered data in the computer systems are
known as input devices.
o Keyboard, mouse, scanner, mike, light pen etc are example of input devices.
FUNCTION OF INPUT DEVICES o Accept
the data from the outside worlds.
o Convert that data into computer coded information.
o Supply this data to CPU for further processing.
• Output Devices:
o The devices which display the result generated by the computer are known
as output devices. o Monitor, printer, plotter, speaker etc are the example
of output devices.

FUNCTIONS OF OUTPUT DEVICES

o Accept the result form the CPU. o Convert that
result into human readable form.
o Display the result on the output device.

Memory Unit:
o The data & instruction have to store inside the computer before the actual
processing start.
o Same way the result of the computer must be stored before passed to the
output devices. This tasks performed by memory unit.
The memory unit is a component of a computer system. It is used to store data,
instructions and information. It is also known as a principal/primary/internal
memory. There are two types of memory: –

1. Read-only memory (ROM):- ROM is a part of the memory unit. This is read
only memory, and it can not be used to write.
2. Random-access memory (RAM):- RAM is also part of the memory unit, and it
is used for the temporary storage of program data.

When other computer units require information, this unit provides it. Internal
storage unit, main memory, primary storage, and Random Access Memory are used
to describe it (RAM). Its size has an impact on its speed, power, and capabilities. In a
computer, there are two sorts of memories: primary memory and secondary
memory.

The memory unit’s functions

● It holds all of the necessary data and instructions for processing.

● It keeps track of the processing’s interim results.
● Before the final results of processing are sent to an output device, it saves
them.
● The main memory receives and transmits all inputs and outputs.

Arithmetical & Logical Unit:

o The ALU is the place where actual data & instruction are processed. o All the
calculations are performed & all comparisons are made in ALU. o Performs all
arithmetical & logical operations. o An arithmetic operation contains basic
operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division.
o Logical operations contains comparison such as less than, greater than, less
than equal to, greater than equal to, equal to, not equal to.

Control Unit:
o It controls the movement of data and program instructions into and out of the
CPU, and to control the operations of the ALU. o In sort, its main function is to
manage all the activities within the computer
system.
o Controls the internal parts as well as the external parts related with the
computer.
CPU:
CPU [Central Processing Unit]. It is the brain of the computer. It is the part that
does most of the work in a computer system. Just like how our brain controls our
body and processes information, the CPU carries out instructions from programs
and performs calculations. It’s made up of smaller components that work together to
execute tasks, making it the heart of any computing device.
All types of data processing operations from simple arithmetic to complex tasks and
all the important functions of a computer are performed by the CPU. It helps input
and output devices to communicate with each other and perform their respective
operations. It also stores data which is input, intermediate results in between
processing, and instructions. The CPU’s job is to make sure everything runs
smoothly and efficiently.
A Central Processing Unit is the most important component of a computer system. A
CPU is hardware that performs data input/output, processing, and storage functions
for a computer system. A CPU can be installed into a CPU socket. These sockets are
generally located on the motherboard. CPU can perform various data processing
operations. CPU can store data, instructions, programs, and intermediate results.
Different Parts of CPU
Now, the CPU consists of 3 major units, which are:
● Memory or Storage Unit
● Control Unit
● ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit)
Let us now look at the block diagram of the computer:
INPUT DEVICES
• The Input devices are the devices which are used to enter the data in the
computer system.
• Keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone are the example of input devices.
FUNCTIONS OF INPUT DEVICES:
o Accept the data from the outside worlds.
o Convert that data into computer coded information. o Supply this
data to Central Processing Unit for further processing.

CLASIFICATION OF INPUT DEVICES:

 INPUT DEVICES

STANDARD POINTING SPECIAL INPUT

INPUT DEVICE DEVICES DEVICES

KEYBOARD MOUSE MICROPHONE

TRACK BALL SCANNER
JOYSTICK CAMERA
LIGHT PEN
TOUCH SCREEN

STANDARD INPUT DEVICE: KEYBOARD:

Keyboard is most commonly used input device.
• It is similar like a type writer which is used to enter data in the computer.
• It contains sets of keys such as alphabets, number & special signs.  There are
two types of keyboard. o General purpose keyboard o Special purpose
keyboard

GENERAL PURPOSE KEYBOARD:

Standard keyboard which are used in personal computers.It contains enough

keys which are used in all types of applications so they are known as general
purpose keyboard.

Most popular general purpose keyboard contains 101 keys.

The general purpose keyboard are divided into following parts:
ALPHANUMERAIC KEYPAD
The centred part of the keyboard is known as alphanumeric keypad.
It contains alphabets, numbers & special signs such as *,!, @, #, $, %,* etc.
NUMERAIC KEYPAD
The right most part of the keyboard is known as numeric keypad.
It contains 0 to 9 numbers & mathematical signs such as +, *, -, /. Mainly
used for fast data entry in mathematical applications.
ARROW KEYS
Set of four keys up, down, left & right.
Used to move the cursor at left & right or up and down on the screen. They
are referred as “cursor-control” or “cursor-movement” keys.
FUNCTION KEYS
The first line of the keyboard contains a Set of 12 keys with name f1 to f2 are known
as function keys.
Used to generate short-cuts in different software package.
SPECIAL KEYS
There are lots of keys that are used for some specific task describes follows:
TAB: used for gives multiple spaces or move the cursor to next defined position.
ENTER: used for generate the output of any command.
SPACE: used to make one blank space between two words.
BACKSPACE: used to remove the left-most character at cursor position.
DELETE: used to remove the right-most character at cursor position.
HOME: moves the cursor at the beginning of the line.
END: moves cursor at the end of the line.
PAGE UP: moves or scroll the screen up or previous page of the current page.
PAGE DOWN: moves the screen to the next page from the currently displayed
page.
PRINT SCREEN: used to print what is currently displayed on the screen.
INSERT: used to enter text between two characters.
• ESC: used to negate current command or terminate the execution of the
program.
• ALT: used to expand the functionality of keyboard. Basically used to generate
shortcuts in different application.
• CTRL: used to expand the functionality of keyboard. Basically used to
generate shortcuts in different application.
• NUMLOCK: used to on or off the numeric keypad.
• CAPSLOCK: used to type the all inputted text capitally.
SPECIAL PURPOSE KEYBOARD
• Special purpose keyboard is used for special purpose applications which
required faster data entry and rapid interaction with the computer system.
• For example ATM used in banks used special purpose keyboard which
contains a few keys.
POINTING DEVICES.
1.MOUSE
• Mouse is Small hand-hold device Input device which is generally used for
drawing purpose.
• It’s a Pointing device.
• It contains two or three buttons
• Left button is used to point out or select any item by clicking.
• Right to generate context menu.
• When user moves mouse across flat surface, the graphic cursor moves on
screen.
• Graphic cursor contains verity of symbols such as arrow, wrist, pointing finger
etc.
• Depending on application text & graphic cursors are changed.
• The following 5 techniques are used to carry out various operations:
• POINT:
o To move the mouse on top of icon  C LICK:
o To press & release the left button of mouse at once. o Used to
open any currently selected icon, menu.
• DOUBLE CLICK: o To press & release the left button of mouse twice. o Used
to open any application or program.
 • SIMULTANEOUS-CLICK: o Press & release left & right button to gather.
o Used in some software package to added some functionality.
• DRAG: o Press the left button down & moved the mouse on screen.
o Used to move the graphics on screen.
• Many types of mouse are available such as mechanical mouse, optical mouse,
serial mouse, wireless mouse which are used for different purpose.

SCANNER & ITS TYPES.

• Scanners are input devices.

• They are capable of entering information directly into the computer.
• The main advantage of direct entry of information is that users do not have to
key the information.
• And another advantage is that through Scanners you can input Graphical
Data into the computer. This
• Provides faster and more accurate data entry. Important types of scanners
Image scanner:
• It’s an input device, which translates paper documents into an electronic
format which can b stored in a computer.
• The input document may be typed text, pictures, graphics or even handwritten
material.
• There are two types of image scanner:
Flatbed scanner
o It’s like a zerox machine which consist of box having a glass plate on its
top and a lid to covers the glass plate.
o The document placed inside the glass plate & light source is situated
blow glass plate which moves horizontally from left to write & scanning
document line by line.
Handheld scanner o It contains a set of light emitting diodes encased in small case
which can be conveniently held in hand.
o To scan a document the scanner is slowly dragged on the document.
o The scanner has to be dragged carefully & steadily otherwise the
document cannot scan properly. o Used when higher accuracy is not
required.
OUTPUT DEVICE.
• The output devices are the devices which are used to display the result
generated by the computer system.
• Monitor, printer, plotter, speaker are the example of output devices.
FUNCTIONS OF INPUT DEVICES:
o Accept the result from the CPU.
o Convert that result into human readable form. o Supply this
result to output device.
MONITER.
• The monitor is the common output device mostly used It is a softcopy output
device.
• It can be thought of as a high resolution TV set.
• The monitor can also determine if the display will be colour, black and white,
or include graphical objects (pictures).
• Two types of monitors are used. o CRT monitors.
o Non CRT monitors.
• Most computer monitors are based on Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) technology.
• The basic operation of these tubes is similar to that in television sets.

• In CRT display CRT is a specialised vacuum tube in which images are

produced when electron beam strikes a phosphor surface.
• CRT monitor contains cathode, control grid, acceleration anode, deflection
plates & phosphor coated screen.
• Cathode: the cathode is heated by filament and produced high speed & large
amount of electrons.
• Control Grid: used to control the brightness of the screen. It controls the
number of electrons.
• Accelerating anodes: they are with focusing lens are applied with positive
electrons.
• Horizontal deflection plate: moves electron side by side.
• Vertical deflection: moves electrons up & down.
• Screen: contains millions of tiny red, green, blue phosphor dot that glow when
struck by electron beam that travels across screen to create a visible image.
ADVANTAGES OF CRT DISPLAY  Produce more colours.
• Price is lower than LCD & Plasma.
• High contrast ratio.
• Can easily increase brightness of monitor by reflecting the light.
DISADVANTAGES OF CRT DISPLAY  High power consumed.
• Heavy to pick up and carry.
• Large space required.

THE NON CRT DISPLAY.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

• In LCD, a liquid crystalline material is sandwiched between two glass or a
plastic plates.
• The front plate is transparent and the back plate is reflective.
• There is a coating of thin film on the front plate.
• The coating is transparent and conductive. Its sections (segments) are in the
shape of desired characters.
• LCDs do not emit their own light. Therefore, a light source is to be used.
• LCDs simply change the reflection of available light. Today, most LCDs used
are of the type that produces dark images on a silver background.
Advantages:
• Light weight as compare to CRT.
• Perfectly flat screen.
• Consumed low electricity power.
• Able to generate higher brightness in images.
Disadvantages:
• Fixed resolution that cannot be changed.
• Expensive than CRT display.
• Limited viewing angle.
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• Short life.

PDP (Plasma Displays Panel)  In Plasma Displays, ionized gas is

sandwiched between two glass plates.
• A number of parallel wires run horizontally as well as vertically.
• A small amount of current is passed through one horizontal and one vertical
wire to cause the gas to glow at a spot at the intersection of the wires.
• The IBM 581 display employs 960 horizontal and 768 vertical pixel as
compared to IBM-PC colour graphic adapter which is provided with 320 X
200 pixels in medium resolution and 640 X 200 in high resolution.
Advantages:
• Large viewing angle.
• Thinner in width.
• Free standing or can be easily mounted on wall.
• Clear image, brighter viewing angle, better colour quality & high contrast
ratio.
Disadvantages:
• The plasma displays screens are costly.
• These are available on the selected models of portable computers.
• More electricity than LCD.
• As your plasma get older the brightness get dimmer.

WHAT IS PRINTER? EXPLAIN THE TYPES OF PRINTER.

Printer
• The printer is a most commonly used output device.
• It is used to producing the hard copy output.
• It prints characters, symbols & graphics on the paper.
• Printer can be categorised according to the technology used in printer, speed,
nd approach of printing, colours, language & the quality of printing. 
Mainly printer can be classified in two types:
Impact printer
Non-impactprinter
IMPACT PRINTER:
• It works on the same mechanism of type-writer.  It forms a character or
image by striking mechanism such as hammer or wheel against to ink ribbon,
leaving an image on paper.
• It is oldest technology and still is in used.
• It can capable to print single character or line at the same time.
• Commonly types of impact printers are dot matrix, daisy wheel, chain, drum
printer.
CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPACT PRINTER:
o Physical contact with paper to produce
output.
o Low cost o Very noisy o Very slow in
printing o Low quality print out
o Stand with dusty or extreme environment
NON-IMPACT PRINTER:
• Non impact printer forms characters & images on paper without actually
striking the paper.
• Paper & print head come in contact & hence the text or image is formed.
• Ink jet & laser printer are example of non impact printer.
CHARACTERISTICS OF NON IMPACT
PRINTER o Faster than impact
printer.
o Ability to change type face
automatically. o High quality output. o
Support transparency. o More expensive
than impact printer. o Less maintenance
than impact printer.
5.EXPLAIN IMPACT PRINTERS.
Dot matrix printer:
• Character printer.
• Capable to print single character at the same time.
• Forms characters & images as a pattern of dots.
• Contains a print head which moves horizontally across paper.
• Uses 5 × 7 matrix to form a character.

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• Print by hammering the pins on inked ribbon to leave ink impressions on the
paper.
• Able to print 30 to 600 characters per second.
• ADVANTAGES: o Low cost & easily available. o Cheap in cost. o Can make
carbon copy of print out.
o Low maintenance cost.
o Work with any type of environment.
• DISADVANTAGES: o Slow in speed. o Very noisy.
o Cannot work perfectly in graphics.

DAISY WHEEL PRINTER:

• Character printer.
• Able to print a single character at the same time.
• Contain a metal wheel on which the characters & numbers are raised on the
each petal.
• The wheel is rotated very fast when the desired characters arrives at correct
position a print hammer strike to produce output.
• Different type of font face can be used by replacing the daisy wheel.
• Able to print bold letter by striking on specific characters twice or thrice.
• Capable to print 10 to 50 characters per second.
• ADVANTAGES:
o Low cost. o Can make carbon copy of print out. o Low maintenance cost.
o Printing quality is similar to a type writer. o Able to print bold
characters.
o Allows using different font-face in same document.
• DISADVANTAGES: o Very slow in speed.
o Very noisy.
o Cannot print graphics.
DRUM PRINTER:
• It’s a line printer.
• Able to print a line at the same time.
• Consist of a solid cylindrical drum with characters embossed on it in circular
band.
• Each band consists of character set which contains 96 characters.
• Drum rotates fastly when desired characters arrives an appropriate hammer
stike on ribbon & character is print on paper.
• Capable to print 300 to 2000 lines per minute.
• ADVANTAGES: o Low cost than non impact printer. o Can make carbon
copy of print out.
o Low maintenance cost.
o Faster than other impact printer.
o Printing quality is similar to a type writer.
• DISADVANTAGES: o Very slow in speed.
o Very noisy. o Large & heavy. o Cannot print graphics.
o Only prints predefined set of characters.
CHANIN PRINTER:
• It’s a line printer.
• Able to print a line at the same time.
• Consist of a metallic chain on which all characters of character set are
embossed.
• Character set contains 48, 64 or 96 characters.
• Characters are embossed several times.
• Chain rotates at high speed when the desired characters in correct position the
hammer strikes & the characters are print on paper.
• Capable to print 400 to 2500 lines per minutes.
• ADVANTAGES: o Low cost than non impact printer. o Can make carbon
copy of print out.
o Chain can be easily changed.
o Allowed to print different type font.
o Printing quality is similar to a type writer.
• DISADVANTAGES: o Slower than non impact printer. o Very noisy. o Large
& heavy. o Cannot print graphics.
o Only prints predefined set of characters.
EXPALAIN NON-IMPACT PRINTERS.
INK-JET PRINTER:
• It’s non-impact printer.
• It’s a character printer.

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• Forms characters and all kinds of images by spraying drops of ink on to the
paper.
• Print head contains 64 tiny nozzles.
• To print a character the printer the printer selectively heats the appropriate
set of nozzle as the print head moves horizontally.
• Inkjet printer can either colour or monochrome.
• Capable to print 30 to 400 characters per minutes.
• ADVANTAGES: o High quality output.
o Silent during the operation.
o Able to print graphics. o Able to print any characters
& graphics. o Able to generate colour & monochrome
output.
• DISADVANTAGES: o Slower than dot matrix printer.
o Cannot make carbon copy of print out.
o Expensive than impact printer.
LASER PRINTER:
• It’s non-impact printer.
• It’s a page printer.
• Three main components laser beam, a multi-sided mirror, a photoconductive
drum & toner.
• To print page laser beam is focused on drum by spinning multisided mirror.
• Drum is electric charged.
• Toner which is composed of oppositely charged ink particles, stick to the
drum.
• Then toner focused on the paper with heat & pressure to generate output.
• Low speed laser printer can print 4 to 12 page per minute while high speed
laser printer Capable to print 500 to 1000 pages per minutes.
• ADVANTAGES: o High quality output. o Very faster in speed.
o Silent during the operation. o Able to print graphics. o
Able to print any characters & graphics.
o Able to generate colour & monochrome output.
• DISADVANTAGES:
o Very expensive. o Cannot make
carbon copy of print out.
 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IMPACT & NON-IMPACT PRINTER.
Impact printer Non impact printer
Printing character by striking hammer Printing characters or graphics by
against ink ribbon to produce output spraying ink on paper.
Slow in speed Faster than impact printer
Work with any environment Can’t work with all environment
Less expensive than non impact printer More expensive than impact printer

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OPERATING SYSTEM
An Operating System (OS) is a software that acts as an
interface between computer hardware components and the user.
Every computer system must have at least one operating system to
run other programs. Applications like Browsers, MS Office, Notepad
Games, etc., need some environment to run and perform its tasks. The
OS helps you to communicate with the computer without knowing
how to speak the computer's language. It is not possible for the user to
use any computer or mobile device without having an operating
system.

Following are the popular types of Operating System:

• Batch Operating System • Multitasking/Time Sharing OS •
Multiprocessing OS • Real Time OS • Distributed OS • Network OS •
Mobile OS
Functions of Operating System Below are the main functions of
Operating System:
 In an operating system software performs each of the function:
1. Process management: - Process management helps OS to create and
delete processes. It also provides mechanisms for synchronization and
communication among processes.
2. Memory management: - Memory management module
performs the task of allocation and de-allocation of memory space to
programs in need of this resources.
3. File management:- It manages all the file-related activities
such as organization storage, retrieval, naming, sharing, and
protection of files.
4. Device Management: Device management keeps tracks of all
devices. This module also responsible for this task is known as the I/O
controller. It also performs the task of allocation and de-allocation of
the devices.
5. I/O System Management: One of the main objects of any OS
is to hide the peculiarities of that hardware devices from the user.
6. Secondary-Storage Management: Systems have several levels
of storage which includes primary storage, secondary storage, and
cache storage. Instructions and data must be stored in primary
storage or cache so that a running program can reference it.
7. Security:- Security module protects the data and information
of a computer system against malware threat and authorized access.
8. Command interpretation: This module is interpreting
commands given by the and acting system resources to process that
commands.
 9. Networking: A distributed system is a group of processors
which do not share memory, hardware devices, or a clock. The
processors communicate with one another through the network.
10. Job accounting: Keeping track of time & resource used by
various job and users.
11. Communication management: Coordination and assignment
of compilers, interpreters, and another software resource of the
various users of the computer systems.
FEATURES OF OPERATING SYSTEM (OS)
Here is a list important features of OS:
• Protected and supervisor mode
• Allows disk access and file systems Device drivers Networking Security
• Program Execution
• Memory management Virtual Memory Multitasking
• Handling I/O operations
• Manipulation of the file system
• Error Detection and handling
• Resource allocation
• Information and Resource Protection
DISK OPERATING SYSTEM
• A DOS, or disk operating system, is an operating system that runs from a disk
drive. The term can also refer to a particular family of disk operating systems,
most commonly MS-DOS, an acronym for Microsoft DOS.

• An operating system (OS) is the software that controls a computer's hardware

and peripheral devices and allows other software programs to function. Early
computers of the 1940s and 1950s did not have disk drives. Instead, they were
hard-wired to carry out specific computations.

• Later, computers were able to store instructions loaded into the computer's
memory using punch cards and then, after that, magnetic tapes. Computer
memory space was limited, and when the instructions to control a computer
were moved onto a disk drive, such as a floppy disk or internal HDD, it was
considered cutting-edge technology.

• DOS is also used to describe several similar command-line disk operating

systems. Early computers, such as the Commodore 64, Atari 800 and Apple II,
all featured a disk operating system, including Commodore Business Machines
DOS, Atari DOS and Apple DOS, respectively. DOS/360 was an OS for
 IBM mainframes, which first appeared in 1966, but it is unrelated to the 8086-
based DOS of the 1980s.

DOS features
Among the features and limitations of disk operating systems are the following.

Features
● Command-line interface (CLI). It does not have a GUI and doesn't accept mouse
inputs. It is a character-based interface system where all commands are entered
in text at the command-line prompt.
● Management. A disk operating system can manage a computer's files, I/O system
and its memory.
Limitations
● No built-in security. It does not have built-in security, such as file ownership and
permissions.
● No multiusers or multitasking. It also does not support multiusers or
multitasking. It is only able to run one program at a time, but it provides direct
access to the basic I/O system and underlying hardware.
● Challenging interface. The CLI, in which a user must type in commands, requires
the user to remember commands to run programs and do other OS tasks. This
approach makes it difficult for novices to use. For example, typing the
command cd \directory_name changes the current working directory to the named
directory and typing the command dir lists the files in the current directory.

UNIX

● Unix is an Operating System that is truly the base of all Operating Systems like
Ubuntu, Solaris, POSIX, etc. It was developed in the 1970s by Ken Thompson,
Dennis Ritchie, and others in the AT&T Laboratories. It was originally meant
for programmers developing software rather than non-programmers.
● Unix and the C were found by AT&T and distributed to government and
academic institutions, which led to both being ported to a wider variety of
machine families than any other operating system. The main focus that was
brought by the developers in this operating system was the Kernel .
● Unix was considered to be the heart of the operating System. The system
Structure of Unix OS are as follows:
● UNIX is a family of multitasking, multiuser computer operating systems
developed in the mid 1960s at Bell Labs.
 ● It was originally developed for mini computers and has since been ported to
various hardware platforms.
● UNIX has a reputation for stability, security, and scalability, making it a
popular choice for enterprise-level computing.
● For those preparing for exams like GATE , a thorough understanding of
operating systems, including Unix, is essential. Our GATE course provides an
in-depth exploration of Unix, covering its history, structure, and key concepts
that are crucial for the exam
● The basic design philosophy of UNIX is to provide simple, powerful tools that
can be combined to perform complex tasks. It features a command-line
interface that allows users to interact with the system through a series of
commands, rather than through a graphical user interface (GUI).
Some of the key features of UNIX include:
1. Multiuser support: UNIX allows multiple users to simultaneously access the same
system and share resources.
2. Multitasking: UNIX is capable of running multiple processes at the same time.
3. Shell scripting: UNIX provides a powerful scripting language that allows users to
automate tasks.
4. Security: UNIX has a robust security model that includes file permissions, user
accounts, and network security features.
5. Portability: UNIX can run on a wide variety of hardware platforms, from small
embedded systems to large mainframe computers.
6. Communication: UNIX supports communication methods using the write
command, mail command, etc.
7. Process Tracking: UNIX maintains a record of the jobs that the user creates. This
function improves system performance by monitoring CPU usage. It also allows
you to keep track of how much disk space each user uses, and the use that
information to regulate disk space.

WINDOWS:

Windows is a graphical operating system developed by Microsoft. It allows users to

view and store files, run the software, play games, watch videos, and provides a way
to connect to the internet. It was released for both home computing and professional
works.

Microsoft introduced the first version as 1.0

It was released for both home computing and professional functions of Windows
on 10 November 1983. Later, it was released on many versions of Windows as well as
the current version, Windows 10.
In 1993, the first business-oriented version of Windows was released, which is known
as Windows NT 3.1. Then it introduced the next versions, Windows 3.5, 4/0,
and Windows 2000. When the XP Windows was released by Microsoft in 2001, the
company designed its various versions for a personal and business environment. It
was designed based on standard x86 hardware, like Intel and AMD processor.
Accordingly, it can run on different brands of hardware, such as HP, Dell, and Sony
computers, including home-built PCs.

Features of Windows
Microsoft Windows includes a lot of features to help users. Some of its excellent
features are as follows:
1. Control Panel: Windows provides a Control Panel feature that includes many
tools to configure and manage the resources on their computer. For example,
users can change settings for audio, video, printers, mouse, keyboard, network
connections, date and time, power saving options, user accounts, installed
applications, etc.

2. Cortana: Windows 10 introduced a feature named Cortana, which is able to

accept voice commands. It can perform various tasks such as it can answers
your questions, search data on your computer, online purchases, set
reminders, and appointments, etc. Furthermore, it acts like other voice-
activated services such as Google Assistant, Alexa, or Siri, including one more
benefit of searching the information on your computer. To open the Cortana in
Windows 10, press Windowkey+S.

3. File Explorer: It is also known as Windows Explorer, which displays your files
and folders on the computer. It allows users to browse the data on the hard
drive, SSD and other inserted removable disks like pen drives and CDs, and
you can manage the content according to the requirements such as delete,
rename, search, and transfer the data.

4. Internet browser: As the internet browser is very important to search for

anything, view pages, online shopping, play games, watch videos, etc. Windows
come with a pre-installed internet browser. in Windows 10, the Edge internet
browser is the default browser. Furthermore, Internet Explorer was the
default browser in Microsoft Windows from the Windows edition 95 to 8.1
version.

5. Microsoft Paint: Since November 1985, Microsoft Windows comes with pre-
installed Microsoft Paint. It is a simple software to create, view, and edit an
image. It offers several tools to draw an image, crop, resize, and save an image
 with a different file extension.

6. Taskbar: Windows comes with a taskbar that displays currently opened

programs, it also allows users to access any specific programs. Additionally, it
includes the notification area on the right side that shows date and time,
battery, network, volume, and other background running applications.

7. Start menu: Microsoft Windows contains a start menu to the left side of the
taskbar. It displays programs and utilities that are installed on the computer.
It can be simply opened by clicking on the Start menu button or pressing the
start key on the keyboard.

8. Task Manager: Windows includes the task manager feature that provides
detail of the running applications or programs on the computer. You can also
check how much of the system resources, such as RAM, CPU, disk I/O, are
being used by each of the applications.

9. Disk Cleanup: It is used to free up disk space with the help of deleting
temporary or unnecessary files. It also helps to enhance the performance of the
computer, and boost storage space to download the programs and documents.
To open Disk Cleanup, follow the below steps:
o Open the File Explorer by pressing Window + E.
o Then, right-click on any disk drive and select Properties option from the
drop-down list.
o Now, click on the Disk Cleanup.

Programming Language
A programming language is a computer language that is used by programmers
(developers) to communicate with computers. It is a set of instructions written in any
specific language ( C, C++, Java, Python) to perform a specific task.
A programming language is mainly used to develop desktop applications, websites,
and mobile applications.
What is the need for programming languages?
Several software packages are made using programming languages, together with:
o Operating structures
o Web browsers
o Mobile apps
o Desktop packages
o Video games
 o General Software program
o Business-related software programs
o Embedded structures

Types of programming language

1. Low-level programming language
Low-level language is machine-dependent (0s and 1s) programming language. The
processor runs low- level programs directly without the need of a compiler or
interpreter, so the programs written in low-level language can be run very fast.
Low-level language is further divided into two parts -
i. Machine Language Machine language is a type of low-level programming
language. It is also called as machine code or object code. Machine language is easier
to read because it is normally displayed in binary or hexadecimal form (base 16)
form. It does not require a translator to convert the programs because computers
directly understand the machine language programs.
The advantage of machine language is that it helps the programmer to execute the
programs faster than the high-level programming language.
ii. Assembly Language
Assembly language (ASM) is also a type of low-level programming language that is
designed for specific processors. It represents the set of instructions in a symbolic
and human-understandable form. It uses an assembler to convert the assembly
language to machine language.
The advantage of assembly language is that it requires less memory and less
execution time to execute a program.
2. High-level programming language
High-level programming language (HLL) is designed for developing user-friendly
software programs and websites. This programming language requires a compiler or
interpreter to translate the program into machine language (execute the program).
The main advantage of a high-level language is that it is easy to read, write, and
maintain.

High-level programming language includes Python, Java, JavaScript, PHP, C#, C++,
Objective C, Cobol, Perl, Pascal, LISP, FORTRAN, and Swift programming
language.

A high-level language is further divided into three parts -

i. Procedural Oriented programming language

Procedural Oriented Programming (POP) language is derived from structured
programming and based upon the procedure call concept. It divides a program into
small procedures called routines or functions.

Procedural Oriented programming language is used by a software programmer to

create a program that can be accomplished by using a programming editor like IDE,
Adobe Dreamweaver, or Microsoft Visual Studio.

Example: C, FORTRAN, Basic, Pascal, etc.

ii. Object-Oriented Programming language

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) language is based upon the objects. In

this programming language, programs are divided into small parts called objects. It
is used to implement real-world entities like inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction,
etc in the program to makes the program resusable, efficient, and easy-to-use.

The main advantage of object-oriented programming is that OOP is faster and easier
to execute, maintain, modify, as well as debug.

Example: C++, Java, Python, C#, etc.

iii. Natural language
Natural language is a part of human languages such as English, Russian, German,
and Japanese. It is used by machines to understand, manipulate, and interpret
human's language. It is used by developers to perform tasks such as translation,
automatic summarization, Named Entity Recognition (NER), relationship extraction,
and topic segmentation.
The main advantage of natural language is that it helps users to ask questions in any
subject and directly respond within seconds.
3. Middle-level programming language
Middle-level programming language lies between the low-level programming
language and high-level programming language. It is also known as the intermediate
programming language and pseudo-language.
A middle-level programming language's advantages are that it supports the features
of high-level programming, it is a user-friendly language, and closely related to
machine language and human language.
Example: C, C++, language
Most commonly used Programming Language
As we all know, the programming language makes our life simpler. Currently, all
sectors (like education, hospitals, banks, automobiles, and more ) completely depend
upon the programming language.
There are dozens of programming languages used by the industries. Some most
widely used programming languages are given below -
1. Python

Python is one of the most widely used user-friendly programming languages. It is an

open-source and easy to learn programming language developed in the 1990s. It
is mostly used in Machine learning, Artificial intelligence, Big Data, GUI based
desktop applications, and Robotics.
Advantages
o Python is easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to write.
o It integrates with other programming languages like C, C++, and Java.
o Python executes code line-by-line, so it is easy for the programmer to find the
error that occurred in the code.
o Python is platform-independent means you can write code once and run it
anywhere.

Disadvantages
o Python is not suitable for developing mobile applications and games.
o Python works with the interpreter. That's why it is slower than other
programming languages like C and C++.
2. Java

Java is a simple, secure, platform-independent, reliable, architecture-neutral high-

level programming language developed by Sun Microsystems in 1995. Now, Java is
owned by Oracle. It is mainly used to develop bank, retail, information technology,
android, big data, research community, web, and desktop applications.
Advantages
o Java is easy to write, compile, learn, and debug as compared to other
programming languages.
o It provides an ability to run the same program on different platforms.
o It is a highly secured programming language because in java, there is no
concept of explicit pointers.
o It is capable of performing multiple tasks at the same time.

Disadvantages
o Java consumes more memory and slower than other programming languages
like C or C++.
o It does not provide a backup facility.
3. C

C is a popular, simple, and flexible general-purpose computer programming

language. Dennis M Ritchie develops it in 1972 at AT&T. It is a combination of both
low-level programming language as well as a high-level programming language. It is
used to design applications like Text Editors, Compilers, Network devices, and many
more.
Advantages
o C language is easy to learn.
o It is fast, efficient, portable, easy to extend, powerful, and flexible
programming language.
o It is used to perform complex calculations and operations such as MATLAB.
o It provides dynamic memory allocation to allocate memory at the run time.

Disadvantages
o In the C programming language, it is very difficult to find the errors.
o C does not support the concepts of constructors, destructors, abstraction,
polymorphism, encapsulation, and namespace like OOPs.
4. C++

C++ is one of the thousands of programming languages that we use to develop

software. C++ programming language is developed by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1980. It
is similar to the C programming language but also includes some additional features
such as exception handling, object-oriented programming, type checking, etc.
Advantages
o C++ is a simple and portable structured programming language.
o It supports OOPs features such as Abstraction, Inheritance, Encapsulation.
o It provides high-level abstraction and useful for a low-level programming
language, and more efficient for general-purpose.
o C++ is more compatible with the C language.

Disadvantages
o C++ programming language is not secured as compared to other programming
languages like Java or Python.
o C++ can not support garbage collection.
o It is difficult to debug large as well as complex web applications.
5. C#

C# (pronounced as C sharp) is a modern, general-purpose, and object-oriented

programming language used with XML based Web services on the .NET platform. It
is mainly designed to improve productivity in web applications. It is easier to learn
for those users who have sufficient knowledge of common programming languages
like C, C++, or Java.
Advantages
o C# is a modern, type-safe, easy, fast, and open-source programming language
that is easily integrated with Windows.
o The maintenance of C# (C sharp) is lower than the C++ programming
language.
o C# is a pure object-oriented programming language.
o C# includes a strong memory backup facility. That's why it avoids the problem
of memory leakage.

Disadvantages
o C# is less flexible because it is completely based on Microsoft .Net framework.
o In C#, it is difficult to write, understand, debug, and maintain multithreaded
applications.
6. JavaScript

JavaScript is a type of scripting language that is used on both client-side as well as a

server-side. It is developed in the 1990s for the Netscape Navigator web browser. It
allows programmers to implement complex features to make web pages alive. It
helps programmers to create dynamic websites, servers, mobile applications,
animated graphics, games, and more.
Advantage
o JavaScript helps us to add behavior and interactivity on the web page.
o It can be used to decrease the loading time from the server.
o It has the ability to create attractive, dynamic websites, and rich interfaces.
o JavaScript is a simple, versatile, and lightweight programming language.
o JavaScript and its syntax are easy to understand.

Disadvantage
o JavaScript is completely based on the browser.
o It does not support multiple inheritance.
o It is less secure compared to other programming languages.
7. R

Currently, R programming is one of the popular programming languages that is

used in data analytics, scientific research, machine learning algorithms, and
statistical computing. It is developed in 1993 by Ross Ihaka and Robert Gentleman.
It helps marketers and data scientists to easily analyze, present, and visualize data.
Advantages
o R programming provides extensive support for Data Wrangling.
o It provides an easy-to-use interface.
o It runs on any platform like Windows, Linux, and Mac.
o It is an open-source and platform-independent programming language.

Disadvantages
o R programming does not support 3D graphics.
o It is slower than other programming languages.
8. PHP

PHP stands for Hypertext Pre-processor. It is an open-source, powerful server-side

scripting language mainly used to create static as well as dynamic websites. It is
developed by Rasmus Laird in 1994. Inside the php, we can also write HTML, CSS,
and JavaScript code. To save php file, file extension .php is used.
Advantages
o PHP is a more secure and easy-to-use programming language.
o It supports powerful online libraries.
o It can be run on a variety of operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and
Mac.
o It provides excellent compatibility with cloud services.

Disadvantages
o PHP is not capable of handling a large number of applications and not suitable
for large applications.
o It is quite difficult to maintain.
9. Go

Go or Golang is an open-source programming language. It is used to build simple,

reliable, and efficient software. It is developed by Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and
Ken Thompson in 2007.
Advantages
o Go language is easy-to-learn and use.
o It comes with the in-built testing tools.
o Go is a fast programming language.

Disadvantages
o Go language does not support generics.
o It does not support error handling.
o It supports a lack of frameworks.

10. Ruby
Ruby is an open-source, general-purpose, and pure object-oriented programming
language released in 1993. It is used in front-end and back-end web development. It
is mainly designed to write CGI (Common Gateway Interface) scripts.
Advantages
o Ruby supports various GUI (Graphical User Interface) tools like GTK and
OpenGL.
o It is used to develop both internet as well as intranet applications.
o The code written in Ruby is small and contains less number of lines.

Disadvantages
o Ruby is slower than other programming languages.
o It is very difficult for programmers to debug the code written in Ruby.