Introduction to Computing: Course Overview

• Welcome to the course (Akwaaba)
• Congratulations

Course Administration

• The Course Code is INF101.
• The Course Title is INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING.
• The Course Credit is 3 hours.
• Kofi Akotoye is the lecturer (prefers Kofi).
• Office Hours: Tuesdays, 09:00 – 11:00
• The course website is the INF101 portal on UCC LMS.
• There will be 2 Quizzes and an offline or online Exam
• Quiz style is fast food
• The exam style is a full course dinner

Introduction to Computing

• A computer is an electronic device operating under the control of instructions stored in its memory
• Computers can accept data(input), process the data according to specified rules, produce information(output), and store this information for future use
• Computers contain hardware components and functions

Computer Makeup

• The components of a computer are hardware
• Computer hardware can be electrical, electronic or mechanical
• The functions of computing include input (receive), process(manipulate/evaluate), output(produce/supply), storage(retain), communicate(transfer)
• Computers use instructions/commands (software/program/apps)
• Data is raw/unprocessed and can be Text, Number, Image, Sound, Video
• Information is Processed/Facts/Result, such as Text, Number, Image, Sound, Video, Packet

Commanding the Computer

• Users can command the computer by user interface
• Command Line Interface (CLI) is text driven
• Graphical User Interface (GUI) (or WIMP) is menu driven, touchscreen, or voice interface
• Programming Languages
  • 1st Generation is Machine language (1GL) and uses digital bits (0/1)
  • 2nd Generation is Assembly language (2GL) and uses mnemonics (mov, add, mul, etc)
  • 3rd Generation is High level language (3GL) and uses natural language (let, if, break, import, return, etc), is programmer friendly and machine independent, examples include: C, C++, C#, Java, BASIC, Pascal, Fortran, ALGOL, COBOL
  • 4th Generation is Very high-level language (4GL) and is specialized toward very specific programming domains, support for database management, report generation, mathematical optimization, GUI development, web development, examples include: SQL, Unix Shell, Oracle Reports, R
• 5th Generation (5GL): instructions designed as constraints, also known as logic-based or declarative languages, examples include: OPS5, Mercury

Characteristics of Computers

• Computers are automatic and mostly require no human involvement during task processing
• Computers are fast and can guarantee fast processing
• Microseconds (10-6)
• Nanoseconds (10-9)
• Picoseconds (10-12)
• Computers are accurate and consistently high with design dependent
• Garbage In Garbage Out (GIGO) implies bad input and bad programming
• Computers are diligent and guarantee continuity of work
• Computers are affected by heat, dust, and hacking
• Computers are versatile and capable of performing any task
• A task can be reduced to a finite series of logical steps
• Computers have storage and are capable of keeping a large volume of data/information
• They are capable of performing efficient housekeeping
• Computers are "Dumb and Zombie!" and are excellent at carrying out instructions
• Computers are inanimate, so treat them with respect

Computer History

• Computer generations are categorized according to hardware and software
  • First (1940 – 1956): processor with vacuum tube
  • Second (1956 – 1963): processor with transistor
  • Third (1964 – 1971): processor with integrated circuit (IC)
  • Fourth (1971 – 198): processor with VLSI microprocessor
  • Fifth (> 1980): processor with ULSI microprocessor

A little back in time

• 1642: Blaise Pascal and the Mechanical Adding Machine
• 1671: Baron Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz created a multiplication calculator
• 1822: Charles Babbage created the Difference Engine, and is known as the father of modern digital computers. He created an analytical engine capable of performing arithmetic functions
• 1880 Herman Hollerith and the Punch Card. His efforts established a number of principles that are fundamental to any digital computer and utilized Input media that existed till late 1970s

First Generation (1940–1956)

• Key Hardware Technologies used vacuum tubes, electromagnetic relay memory, punched cards
• Key Software Technologies used machine & assembly languages, stored program concept, mostly scientific applications
• Key Characteristics included bulky size, high unreliability, limited commercial use, very costly, difficult to use
• Examples of Systems include ENIAC, EDVAC, EDSAC, UNIVAC I, IBM 701

Second Generation (1956–1963)

• Key Hardware used transistors, magnetic cores memory, magnetic tapes and disks
• Key Software included Batch operating system, High-level programming languages, scientific/commercial applications
• Key Characteristics included that it was Faster, and relatively smaller and more reliable
• Examples of Systems include UNIVAC II, IBM 7030, CDC 1604 and Honeywell 400

Third Generation (1964–1971)

• Key Hardware included ICs with SSI and MSI technologies Larger, magnetic core memory and Larger capacity disk and magnetic tape secondary storage and uses Minicomputers
• Key Software: Timesharing OS, Standardization of high-level programming languages and Unbundling of software from hardware
• Key Characteristics: Cheaper to make Commercially, easier to use and upgrade Scientific, commercial, and interactive online applications
• Examples of Systems: IBM 360/370, PDP-8, PDP-11 and CDC 6600

Fourth Generation (1971–1980)

• Key Hardware Technologies ICs with VLSI technology, Microprocessors, semiconductors, large capacity hard disks, magnetic tapes/floppy disks, PCs, supercomputers based on parellel processing etc
• Key Software Technology used Operating systems for PCs with GUI and multiple windows, multiprocessing OS, UNIX OS with C, Object-oriented design and programming and PC network
• Characteristics: More powerful mainframes and supercomputers Easier to commercially produce and upgrade machines Rapid software development Possible
• Examples of Systems IBM PC and clones, Apple II, TRS-80 and VAX-9000

Fifth Generation (> 1980)

• Key Hardware: ICs with ULSI, large capacity main memory, hard disks with RAID support, optical disks, notebooks, powerful desktop PCs and workstations, power servers etc Key Software: Micro-kernel based, multithreading, distributed OS, parallel programming libraries like MPI & PVM, Java, World Wide Web
• Characteristics: Powerful and cheap, reliable and easier to use for desktops Machines.
• Examples of Systems IBM Notebooks IBM SP/2 SUN and Workstations

Computer Science Fields

• Computer Engineering: Designing and developing computers like systems designers and network designer
• Computer Science: Define and formulate solutions for computing by designing and implementing algorithms
• Information Technology: Integrates computers and algorithms to provide solutions
• Informatics: Focus on data storage, transformation, and retrieval and even library science
• Information Systems: People, computers, and tasks working together to achieve organizations goals