DATA INFORMATION &
COMUTER SOFTWERE
Introduction to Computer (ITC) Course
Instructor: Zohaib Ahmed
(Bachelors in Computer Science)
What is the
difference
between
data and
information
Data Information
Data refers to raw Information refers
facts that has no to processed data
specific meaning that has a
purpose and
meaning
Data or raw data The information is
is not enough to sufficient to plan
make decision and decide
WHICH ONE IS THE COMPUTER?
4
Computer
Modern Airplane Washing Machine Workstation
IS A ROCK A COMPUTER?
Does not act or
process
Takes no input &
produces no output
Computers must be able to
handle input and output
Is a washing machine a
computer?
Input: dirty
clothes
Output:
clean clothes
Does not
handle
Computers input and information
.
output is information
IS A TELEVISION SET A
COMPUTER?
Input: information from cables
or radio waves
Output: information as sound
and picture
Does not process information
Computers process information by
computing new results and 7
answering queries
IS A MODERN AIRPLANE A
COMPUTER?
Input: information from radio
waves
Output: manipulations to
the airplane
Can only handle specific
information necessary for flight
control
Computers are general purpose
because they can perform many 8
different tasks
IS AN ORDINARY CALCULATOR A
COMPUTER?
Input: numbers and
mathematical operations
Output: answer
Handles any numeric task
Cannot remember which
buttons are pressed
Computers are programmable
so they can remember
Definition of a
Computer:
a general purpose,
programmable,
information processor
with input and output
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TYPES OF COMPUTERS
• Computers typically fall into two categories:
• General Purpose Computers
General-purpose computers are designed to solve a large variety of problems. That is they can be given
different programs to solve different types of problems. General-purpose computers can process business
data as readily as they process complex mathematical formulas. General-purpose computers can store
large amount of data and the programs necessary to process them. Because general-purpose computers
are so versatile, most businesses today use them. Most digital computers are general computers, and it is
mainly such computers that are used in business and commercial data processing.
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TYPES OF COMPUTERS
• Special purpose computers
• Special purpose computers are designed to solve a specific problems; the computer program for
solving the problem is built right into the computer. Special purpose computers have many
features of general-purpose computers but are designed to handle specific problems and are not
applied to other computerized activities. For example, special purpose computers may be designed
to process only numeric data or to completely control automated manufacturing processes.
Moat analogue computers are special purpose computers.
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ELEMENTS OF COMPUTING
• These are some basic elements of computing.
• ALGORITHM: An algorithm is a list of rules to follow in order to solve a problem.
• DATA STRUCTURE: A data structure is a specialized format for organizing and storing data.
General data structure types include the array, the file, the record, the table, the tree, and so on. Any
data structure is designed to organize data to suit a specific purpose so that it can be accessed and
worked with in appropriate ways. In computer programming, a data structure may be selected or
designed to store data for the purpose of working on it with various algorithms.
• IMPLEMENTATION: To implement an algorithm means to code it in a programming language so
that it can run on a computer.
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COMPUTER SOFTWARE
“A set of instructions given
to the computer to solve
user problems and to
control different operations
of the computer.”
COMPUTER SOFTWARE
What is a software?
The instructions needed to direct
the computer to complete specific
tasks.
- Software can be categorized broadly into two types :-
THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE
ON THE DISKS ARE
SOFTWARE
COMPUTER SOFTWARE
• The Computer software is classified into
three main categories:
• Application software
• System software
• Utility software
APPLICATION SOFTWARE
Application Software consists of programs
that tell a computer how to produce
information. Some of the more commonly
used packages are:
• Word processing
• Electronic spreadsheet
• Database
• Presentation graphics
WORD PROCESSING
• Word Processing software is used to create and
print documents. A key advantage of word
processing software is that users easily can
make changes in documents.
ELECTRONIC SPREADSHEETS
• Electronic spreadsheet software allows the user to
add, subtract, and perform user-defined
calculations on rows and columns of numbers.
These numbers can be changed and the
spreadsheet quickly recalculates the new results.
DATABASE SOFTWARE
• Allows the user to enter, retrieve, and update
data in an organized and efficient manner,
with flexible inquiry and reporting capabilities.
PRESENTATION GRAPHIC
SOFTWARE
• Allows the user to create documents called slides to be used
in making the presentations.
APPLICATIONS
• MS Internet
Explorer
• (Your internet
Browser)
TYPES OF BROWSERS
Mozilla Firefox
Internet Explorer
Opera Flock
Safari
Konqueror
Flock
Firefox is gaining
Popularity over IE
SYSTEM SOFTWARE:
System Software includes the Operating System and
all the utilities that enable the computer to function.
System software is a term referring to any computer
software which manages and controls the hardware so
that application software can perform a task.
Example:
Operating Systems, Compiler, Disk Drivers etc.
OPERATING SYSTEM
Definition of OS :-
A set of programs that control and
supervise a computer system’s hardware
Purposes of OS :-
• To manage the hardware for efficient
utilization of computer resources
• To interface between a user/an
application program with the hardware
OPERATING SYSTEM
• OS is made up of 2 programs;
Service
Program
Control
Program
OPERATING SYSTEM
1. Control program - three main functions
Resource allocate processor time, primary
allocation storage, input and output devices
Job to monitor, schedule and control
management programs for its efficient
processing
Data -managing access to data for input
management of information to printers,
disks/displays
- all hardware components
activities are controlled by the
OPERATING SYSTEM
2. Service programs
- provides services to the user/programmer
- services include language-translator programs and
utility programs
- language-translator program converts instructions from
English-like language to machine-language to be executed by
the
computer
- utility program performs loading, saving, copying, keeping
track of files stored on a disk, preparing a formatted disk
OPERATING SYSTEM
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TYPES OF OS
Microsoft Windows (98,
2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8)
Mac OS (X)
Linux OS (Hundreds of
even thousands of
distros ex: Red Hat,
Ubuntu, Mandrake etc.
Visit
http://distrowatch.com/
for listing of Linux OS)
Unix OS etc.
OPERATING SYSTEMS
• MS-DOS
• Windows 95,98,Me
• Windows NT,
2000,XP,7,8
• Red -hat Linux,
Ubuntu, Centos,
Fedora, Mint
SYSTEM SOFTWARE
Device Driver
• A program that controls a particular type of device
that is attached to your computer.
• There are device drivers for printers, scanner,
modem, displays, CD-ROM and so on.
• A device driver essentially converts the more general
input/output instructions of the operating system to
messages that the device type can understand.
UTILITY SOFTWARE
• Also known as service routine, utility software
helps to analyze, configure, optimize and
maintain the computer.
• Examples:
• Disk Defragmenters
• Systems Utilities
• Antivirus Scanners
• Disk Cleanser
THANK YOU
