Computers: Tools for the Information Age - Lecture 2

Introduction to Information Age Tools and Input/Output Systems

Academic Overview

• Course Title: Computers: Tools for the Information Age

• Lecture Number: $2$

• Instructors: Prof. Dr. Yehia EL Mashad and Dr. Shady EL Mashad

• Dates: September $2025$ / February $12$, $2026$

Input Devices
Input devices are responsible for getting data into the computer by accepting data or commands and converting them into electronic form.

• Methods of Input:
    - Typing on a keyboard.
    - Pointing with a mouse.
    - Scanning with a wand reader or bar-code reader terminal.

Output Devices
Output devices convert data from electronic form into another form, often displaying the processed results as usable information.

• Monitor or Screen: Displays various types of data, including:
    - Text
    - Numbers
    - Symbols
    - Art
    - Photographs
    - Video

• Printer: A secondary output device that converts electronic data into a physical format.

Classification of Computers and Computational Power

Computers are classified based on specific needs and capabilities. The classification depends on the following criteria:

• Size (الحجم)

• Speed (السرعة)

• Cost (التكلفة)

• Portability (النقل)

• Number of simultaneous users supported (عدد المستخدمين)

• Available Software (البرمجيات المتاحة)

• Typical Use (الاستخدام)

The Price/Performance Pyramid
Computers are categorized by their computational power and price range. As performance increases, so does the cost:

• Supercomputers: Cost in the range of $Millions$.

• Mainframes: Cost in the range of hundreds of thousands ($100s\,Ks$).

• Servers: Cost in the range of tens of thousands ($10s\,Ks$).

• Workstations: Cost in the range of thousands ($1000s$).

• Personal Computers: Cost in the range of hundreds ($100s$).

• Embedded Systems: Cost in the range of tens ($10s$).
  Note: The differences between these categories are in scale, not in substance.

Detailed Computer Categories

Personal Computers
This category includes:

• Desktop PCs

• Laptops/Notebooks

• Tablets

• Smartphones

Workstations
A workstation is a powerful, single-user computer. While similar to a personal computer, it emphasizes performance with:

• A more powerful microprocessor.

• A higher-quality monitor.

Servers
Servers are specialized computers designed to manage, store, and provide resources or services to other computers (known as clients) over a network.

Minicomputers
A multi-user computer capable of supporting from $10$ to hundreds of users simultaneously.

Mainframe Computers
A powerful multi-user computer capable of supporting many hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously.

Supercomputers
These feature high-performance processors and memory systems.

• Capabilities: Can perform billions or even trillions of calculations per second.

• Environment: They are costly and require special environments, such as controlled cooling systems.

• Examples:
    - IBM Blue Gene
    - Cray XT5

Specialized Computing Systems and Portability

Embedded Computers
These are specialized computers designed to perform specific tasks and are often built into other devices. Examples of systems containing embedded computers include:

• Aircraft and Weapon systems

• Automobiles

• Gaming systems and GPS systems

• Robotic systems and Manufacturing systems

• Vision systems

Wearable Devices
Devices worn on the body that provide computing functionality:

• Fitbit

• Apple Watch

• Google Glass

• Body Cams

Handheld and Portable Devices

• Tablets

• Smartphones (including phone and camera/video functions)

• GPS devices

• Touch Screen devices

Computer Networking and the Global Internet

Network Definition
A system that uses communications equipment to connect computers and their resources.

• Types of Networks:
    - Local Area Network (LAN): Connects computers in close proximity.
    - Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): Connects computers between buildings in the same geographic area.
    - Wide Area Network (WAN): Connects computers over great distances.

The Internet
The Internet is a collection of networks without specific ownership or a central source for services.

• Characteristics: There is no comprehensive index of all available information.

• Participants: Connects everyone, including individuals, businesses, organizations, libraries, research labs, and governments.

• Connectivity Requirements:
    - The user's computer must connect to a server.
    - The server must communicate using TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol).
    - Users can purchase access to a server from an ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Internet Services

• WWW: World Wide Web

• FTP: File Transfer Protocol

• E-mail

• UseNet

• IRC: Internet Relay Chat

• Bulletin Boards

The World Wide Web and Digital Exploration

Core Web Components

• Browser: A program that allows the user to move around and explore the Internet, typically using a mouse to point and click on text and graphics.

• Web Page: An individual document on the web.

• Web Site: A collection of related web pages.

• Home Page: The main or starting page of a website.

Top Ten Modern Inventions and Technological Advancements

$1.$ Drone Technologies Go Public: Commercial and public availability of unmanned aerial vehicles.
$2.$ 3D Printers: Technology for creating physical objects from digital files.
$3.$ First Flying Car: The transition of personal transport into the aerial dimension.
$4.$ Voice Recognition: Systems capable of identifying and processing human speech.
$5.$ The First Lab-Grown Burger Is Eaten: Advancements in biotechnology and synthetic food.
$6.$ Virtual Reality (VR): Immersive digital environments.
$7.$ Wearable Technology: Considered the "next big thing," including:
   - Google Glass
   - Pebble Smartwatch
   - Samsung Galaxy Gear
   - Nike+
$8.$ Displays Get Insanely High Definition: The progression from $1080p$ HD to $4K$ and $8K$, utilizing technologies like MicroLED, OLED, and HDR.
$9.$ Hard Drives Filled With Helium: Introduced by Western Digital, these drives replace air with helium to increase efficiency.
   - Capacity: Can now store $6\,TB$ in a single drive.

Advanced Medical Technology and Artificial Intelligence

$10.$ The Argus Retinal Prosthesis
The Argus II is a bionic retinal implant, the first of its kind, helping people see in a manner similar to how a hearing aid assists with hearing.

• Updates: It was approved and released commercially in the United States and received a firmware update enabling users to experience color vision.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI is intelligence exhibited by machines, particularly computer systems.

• Definition: It includes the development and study of methods and software that enable machines to perceive their environment and use learning and intelligence to take actions that maximize their chances of achieving defined goals.

• Simulated Human Functions:
    - Learning
    - Comprehension
    - Problem Solving
    - Decision Making
    - Creativity
    - Autonomy