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INFORMATICS
Spring semester
Prof. János Fodor
Dept. of Biomath. and Informatics
Lecture 1
Introduction, basics, history
The purpose of this course
 To help students
 become competent in computerrelated skills;
 use computers for work and
personal tasks;
 be ready for the job market.
Computer Literate vs.
Competent
 Computer literacy:
 understanding what a computer is and what
it can do.
 Computer competency:
 using skills to meet information needs and
improve productivity.
 Competency improves productivity and
value.
Why is learning about the
computer important?
 Computers are common tools in all areas of
life.
 New forms of learning and working have
developed because of computers, like
 distance learning,
 on-line course instruction,
 home business opportunities.
Why is learning about the
computer important? (cont.)
 New ways to communicate, to find people
with similar interest, and to buy goods are
available because of computers, like:
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the Internet,
e-mail,
newsgroups,
chat lines,
e-commerce.
Structure and assessment
 Lectures (1 hour/week)
 Practicals (2 hours/week)
 Grades are based on
 2 practical tests (35-35 points)
 1 test (on topics from the lecture) (30 points)
  Maximum 100 points
 0-50: 1; 51-63: 2; 64-76: 3; 77-90: 4; 91-100:5
Requirements
 Regular attendance (including punctual
arrival in time for the scheduled
beginning) of
 LECTURES and
 PRACTICALS, according to the actual
group assignment, is an
absolute requirement.
Outline
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Introduction, basics
Hardware
Software
Operating systems
Windows
Word processing
Spreadsheets
Databases
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Presentation
Graphics
Utilities
Networks
Internet
E-mails
Viruses
Multimedia
Readings
 Timothy J. O'Leary and Linda I. O'Leary:
Computing Today - International Edition
(McGraw Hill, 2004). ISBN 0-07-119998-5
 tutorials of the programs taught
 on-line tutorials on the Internet
 VISIT THE COURSE HOME PAGE
REGULARLY!
 http://www.univet.hu/users/jfodor/informatics.htm
What is a computer?
Ask people - different descriptions
depending on the particular usage
What is a dog?
 to most people: it provides companionship
and affection;
 to the blind: it is an indispensable tool for
flagging oncoming cars and other
obstructions;
 to a rancher: it herds cattle and other
livestock;
What is a dog?
 to the police: it sniffs out drugs and helps
capture criminals;
 to a biologist: a dog is a mammal
belonging to the canine genus
 a geneticist might study the genetic
characteristics of doggie DNA.
So, what is a computer?
Similarly, from the users’ point of view, a computer
means different things to different people:
 a word processor
 a drawing program
 control of robots in an automobile assembly
plant
 a multimedia center
 a playstation
 etc.
What can computers
do?
 Cannot think!
 execute programs
 which are written by PEOPLE
 which are interchangable
Cannot replace people!
 The process of writing programs
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Formulating the problem
Finding the solution method (algorithm)
Getting the program ready
Put it into the computer
Operate (use) the program.
Why is a computer useful?
 solves problems very quickly
 the solution method can be applied to
arbitrary data
 It’s reliable and works properly (?!)
 If the problem has ever been solved by
someone somewhere ...
The computer and the user
 The computer solves any problem, IF we
tell how
Are we more intelligent
than a computer?
 YES!
 if we do not write programs, if we do not
operate it, then what can a computer do?
…
 There you are!
Do not be afraid of
computers!
 “What if I put it out of order?”
 “What if I damage it?”
 “What if I make something wrong?”
 NOTHING SPECIAL!
 at most you lose some data...
Communicating with it
 A computer differs from a washing
machine, a videorecorder, etc
 You have to communicate with it -- just
like with your friend
How?
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Command
(Error) message
...
How can it help us?
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message line, menu
keys attached with permanent tasks
sound
...
Error messages
The computer ridicules us...
 It is not harmful (to the computer...)
 (Everyone has been a beginner…)
 The computer cannot remember how
many times we made a mistake...
Error messages
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Notice it!!!
Understand it!
Find the reason!
Correct the error!
A little bit of history...
 Computers -- computing
 Caveman - fingers
 Roman Empire - calculus (clay table with
parallel lines); calculator; digitus - finger;
computare - to cut on a type of wood
 Europe, XII. century: even the basic
arithmetic operations in university courses
only! (Roman numerals...)
A little bit of history...
 1642: Pascal - the arithmetic machine
(basic operations)
 XVI-XVII century: textile industry - new
mechanical tools (e.g. cogwheel)
 application of the same tools in computing
 1805: punch card for storing data (by
Jacquard)
Punch card
A little bit of history...
 How to exploit the new mechanical tools in
computing?
 1828, Babbage: Difference Engine (for
constructing mathematical tables)
 the idea of programmable machine - that’s
why he is considered as one of the fathers
 realization only in 1944: Mark I.
A little bit of history...
 1880, USA: census
 data of 55 million people
 processing: 500 people, 7 years
 when processing data were published those
were already invalid!
 1890, USA: census (63 million data)
 processing: 4 weeks, with the machine of
Hollerith (punch card + electromagnetic
counter)
A little bit of history...
 ~1930: binary number system; simplifies
storing data, logical operations are
possible
 until Mark I.: Generation 0.
1st generation (~ till 1958)
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Vacuum tubes
punch cards, punched papers
ENIAC: 1000 operations / sec
John von Neumann, 1944 - basic
principles of computers
ENIAC
John von Neumann principles
 Serial operation, fully electronic
 one operation at a time, very quickly
 The use of the binary number system
 electronically easier to realize
 Internal memory
 no human intervention is needed after each
step, partial results can be stored in it
John von Neumann principles
 Storing programs in the memory
 commands can also be expressed as
NUMBERS; can be stored in the internal
memory - like any other data
 the machine is able to work by its own
(program)
 Universal machine
 no need for different machines for special
tasks
2nd generation (~till 1965)
 transistor
 more reliable, much smaller size and energy
consumption than in case of vacuum tubes
 1955: the first transistorized computer
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operating systems appear
easier programming
breakthrough in research, industry, etc.
1 million operation / sec
3rd generation (~till 1972)
 Integrated circuit (IC)
 collection of resistors, capacitors, switches
and transistors on a printed circuit board
 serious decrease in size, increase in storage
capacity
 winchester (hard disk), monitor
 compatible computer families
 software becomes more important
 10-15 million operations / sec
4th generation (~till 1990)
 LSI (large scale integration)
 70’s: 2000 resistors, capacitors,
transistors in a 3 X 3 mm package
 Microsoft
 IBM PC (1981)
 100 million operation / sec
5th generation (from 1990)
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VLSI (very large scale integration)
Artificial Intelligence
1000 million operations / sec
???????????????????????????????
Wireless computing
Heating –current chips hotter than a
cooker
 Smaller = cooler overall but hotter per
mm2
Visions (attributed):
 “The world will need at most five computers” –
Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943
 “There is no reason why anyone would want a
computer in their home” –
Ken Olsen, Chairman of Digital, 1977
 All times: Rapid exponential increase in speed
and capacity (Moore’s Law) plus decrease in cost
Moore’s Law
 (Gordon Moore, Chairman of Intel, 1965):
 No. of transistors on a chip double every 1.5
years
 Extended to apply to processor speed, disk and
memory capacity.
 Equates to a factor of 10 every 5 years
 By 2050 computers will have between 1,000,000
and 10,000,000,000 times the capacity of today
 By 2020/2050 they ‘will be smarter than we are’
Moore’s Law
Moore’s law in practice
Moore’s law for cars
 1965 Mini – 60 mph, £300
 2002 Mini – 600
miles/second, 12p
 (37 years = factor of
10,000,000)
 Cost of colour TV has not
changed for 30 years