Introduction
Many Inventions have been directed toward mechanization in various fields of human endeavors. Some machines are made to reduce our workload, whereas. Some are made entirely for our pleasure and enjoyment. A typewriter can only type letter A, cassette player can only play record music. A video game player can only be use for playing games. A television can only show movies and television program. The telephone can only be used to send and received calls and message (sms).
However; computer is a special invention that amazes human being because unlike all other machine perform all these function and much more you can create your programs to suit this is because its uses are because a part and parcel almost everybody’s life. This is because its uses are varied, it can be modified to do anything human imagination can make it do and therefore its popularity is expanding day –in- day –out.
Several attempts have been made to define a computer in various ways. A computer is a machine, which accept and processes data by following a set of instruction to produce an accurate and efficient result. Looking at a computer can also be seen as a powerful digital device which has the capability to accept as input, apply the service of arithmetic and logical operation as output information at a very fast speed. Since the ultimate aim of computer is to produce information, the art of computing is often referred to as information processing.
MEANING OF COMPUTER
A computer is therefore define as electronic device which ACCEPT data (as input), STORE them as (as storage), PROCESSES them (as process) according to precise/ logical instruction (as program), to produce a fast, an accurate and efficient result (information), as it OUTPUT.
The values of the computer lie solely on it high speed (due to its electronic nature), ability to store large amount of data, the unfailing accuracy and precision. These account for its supremacy over manual computation.
LOOKING AT DATA REPRESENTATION
It is important to note that there are two basic types of data which are stored and processed by computer namely;
- Characters include
- 26 alphabet
- 13 special symbol including blank space e.g &,/>)’%$@ E.T.C
- Number; there are 10 digit/decimals
e.g. 0-9( 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0)
The two basic type of data are stored or represented in the computer by two method namely
- External Data Representation
- Internal Data Representation
Note: We look at these two types, we comparing the two together to see that the work hand in hand with each other.
The character and number fed (sent) into the computer and the output from the computer and the output from the computer must be in a form is usable/ readable by people. For this purpose natural language, symbols and decimal digit are appropriate. These constitute the external data representation let look at it in the way, the representation of data of data inside a computer match the technology used by the computer to store and process data. Thus, we should first determine the most appropriate INTERNAL representation of data and then specify unique transformation rules to convert EXTERNAL representation to INTERNAL representation and vice versa. Hence the data that fed into the computer, as External representation is first convergences into internal representation (machine sensible form) before any processing on it.
After processing, the internally represented data is reconverted back and set into the outside world (user) as externally representation and vice versa, is done by a language translator.
Since computer is also a computing device, it is also known as a processor when computer is processing it’s actually performs a number of separate activities, which include; input, process, store and output.
The inputs are known as data, output as information, and calculation to be performed on the data is the process. The same idea can be explained through below
| Data | Processor | Information |
DATA PROCESSING CYCLE
The diagram above shows the data processing cycle where the data is fed to the processor for it to be processed into the output. Let’s understand the concept by visiting our favorable place at home and inside the kitchen.
Do you have strawberry milk shake? Let’s see how it’s can be prepared;
| strawberry crush +milk | Mixer | Milk shaker |
Looking at the diagrams above shows another food example of data processing cycle in the kitchen.
LOOKING AT THE DATA CYCLE
First let’s discuss about the meaning of the following; ……………..
DATA: are raw facts which comprise of numbers, alphabets, or any other form like pictures, sound, video, etc that are put into the computer through the input units (ports) and computer transform them into a form that could be processed by the computer.
The data which is put in through the input unit could either be processed by the central processing unit or stored in memory. Data can also be referred to as INPUT.
Example of data could be; old, udo 16 years, 10/8/2005 etc. Data on its own is not that useful unless it is arranged or combined with some more data.
Takes the example above its note has udo as a data has been, but it combines with some data like; udo will be 16 years as at 10/02/2005.
INFORMATION
This is the result of a processed data, when data has been acted upon to give it more meaning, it is called information. It’s also called OUTPUT. it is displayed in a user readable form, or in a way that the users needed it. It could be either soft copy (held by the monitor) or the hard copy (printed out from the printer)
PROCESSING
In computing, a process is the instance of a computer program that is being executed by one or many threads. It contains the program code and its activity. … Multitasking is a method to allow multiple processes to share processors (CPUs) and other system resources.
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