ESSENTIAL INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS

Objectives
 Define the term computer and discuss the four basic computer operations: input, processing,
output, and storage
 Define data and information
 Explain the principle components of the computer and their use
 Describe the use and handling of floppy disks and hard disks
 Discuss computer software and explain the difference between system software and
application software
 Identify several types of personal computer application software
 Discuss computer communications channels and equipment and the Internet and World Wide
Web
 Explain how to purchase, install, and maintain a personal computer, a notebook computer,
and a handheld computer
 Define e-commerce

Computer: Input, Processing, Output, and Storage

In today's world, computers are used for almost every task imaginable. Routine activities such as
paying bills, buying groceries, or communicating with a friend can be done with a computer.
That is why it is important not only to know how to use a computer, but also to understand the
components of a computer and what they do.

Recent studies report that almost 40% of homes surveyed have personal computers, and this
number is growing. Given the widespread use of computers, computer literacy - a knowledge and
understanding of computers and computer uses - has become an essential ingredient in the recipe
for success in today's world. Florida was the first state to demand computer literacy of all students
by grade 12.

Collectively, the electric, electronic, and mechanical equipment that makes up a personal
computer is called hardware. Devices that surround the system unit (i.e., the keyboard, mouse,
speakers, monitor, and so on) sometimes are known as peripheral devices.

Computers manipulate (process) data (input) to produce information (output) and hold (store)
that information for future use. These operations are completed incredibly quickly. Today's
supercomputer can perform 72 trillion operations per second. If a person did one arithmetic
operation a second without stopping, it would take more than 31,000 years to perform the
number of operations a supercomputer can do in one second.

Data and Information

A major part of understanding computers is to know what goes into them (data), what comes
out of them (information), and to understand the process of turning data into information, also
known as the information processing cycle.

Understanding the difference between data and information is important. Clifford Stoll - lecturer,
computer security expert, and author (The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy through the Maze of
Computer Espionage and Silicon Snake Oil: Second Thoughts on the Information Superhighway
are two of his most popular works) - notes a wide gap between data and information.
Information has a pedigree, or lineage. Its source is known, whether a respected professor or a
seventh grader. "The Internet has great gobs of data," Stoll maintains, "and little, little
information."

Components of the Computer and Their Use

A computer consists of five primary hardware components: input devices, the central processing
unit (CPU), memory, output devices, and storage devices. These components work together with
software to perform calculations, organize data, and communicate with other computers.

Different types of input devices transmit different types of data or transmit data in different ways.
A keyboard is used to transmit alpha/numeric data by typing. In addition to the standard keys in
the typing area, an enhanced keyboard contains:

Function keys that can be programmed to perform specific tasks

Status lights that indicate modes that can be turned on and off by toggle keys (e.g., caps lock and
num lock)
A numeric keypad that allows for rapid entry of numbers
Arrow keys and other cursor-control keys (e.g., home, end, page up, and page down) that
control the on-screen movement of the insertion point
Special keys such as esc, shift, ctrl, and alt that have varying functions depending on the software

The mouse, like a trackball or joystick, is called a pointing device because it controls the
movement of a pointer, or mouse pointer, on the computer screen. The first mouse was a one-
button, rectangle shaped device invented by Doug Engelbart in 1964. A mouse is very easy to
use. It requires empty desk space, however, and forces the user to remove a hand from the
keyboard to give a command.

Different CPUs function at different speeds. The rate at which computer operations take place is
measured in gig hertz (GHz), or billions of electronic pulses per second. This rate varies among
computers and should be a consideration when purchasing a personal computer. Computers have
two basic types of memory. RAM (random access memory) is volatile, meaning that its contents
are lost when the computer is turned off. ROM (read-only memory) is non-volatile because it
retains its contents even when the power is turned off. ROM stores information that does not
change, such as the instructions and data used to start the computer when it is first turned on.
Like input devices, different types of output devices convey different types of information or
convey information in different ways. Printer output sometimes is called hard copy because of its
physical, touchable character. Monitor output, on the other hand, is called soft copy because it
has only an electronic, intangible existence.

Non-impact printers represent the fastest growing segment of the printer market. The drops of
ink that form an ink-jet printer character are similar to the dots that form a dot matrix character
figure, but there are many more of them. Good quality paper must be used with ink-jet printers
so that the ink does not bleed. The speed quoted for impact printers often is measured in
characters per second (cps). Like ink-jet printers, laser printer speed is measured in pages per
minute (ppm). Although they are fast, all printers are much slower than computers. Because of
this, most printers have a buffer that temporarily stores a few pages, allowing the computer to
dump output into the buffer and continue processing. The most widely used PC monitors are 14-
or 17-inch (measured from one corner to the diagonally opposite corner). With the growing
popularity of portable computers, the clarity of LCD displays continues to improve. The quality
of a monitor's display depends largely on three factors:

 Resolution - the number of pixels displayed

 Dot pitch - the distance between pixels
 Refresh rate - the speed with which images are redrawn on the screen
 Storage devices are different from memory. Memory, sometimes called primary storage, is
fast, short-term, volatile, and relatively expensive. Storage devices, on the other hand, are
slower, long-term, non-volatile, and less expensive.

Floppy Disks and Hard Disks

The data and information used in a computer needs to be stored for future use. The memory of a
computer only holds items temporarily while they are being processed. When not being
processed, these items must be stored in auxiliary storage devices. These devices include floppy
disks, hard disks, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM. When selecting a storage device it is important to
know that each device holds different amounts of information.

Although floppy disks once were available in two sizes, the 5.25-inch floppy disk rarely is used
today, and some believe it is destined for the same fate as the eight-track tape. Because of its rigid
plastic shell, it may be difficult to see the 3.5-inch disk as "floppy." The name is justified,
however, not only by the disk's ancestry but also by the flexible character of the disk itself. When
a floppy disk drive is reading from or writing to a floppy disk, a light turns on next to the drive.
Floppy disks never should be inserted into or removed from the drive when this light is on. Most
magnetic disks are read/write storage media. Some optical discs, such as CD-ROMs, usually can
be read from but not written to. Each track on a formatted floppy disk is very narrow. To see
how narrow, try to draw 80 lines in a 11/4-inch space (the approximate radius of the floppy disk
surface). Floppy disks are soft-sectored, meaning that the number of sectors is not predetermined.
Floppy disk access time depends on the time needed to locate the correct track, the time required
to rotate the disk to the proper sector, and the time necessary to transfer the data into main
memory.
Although personal computer hard disks usually are fixed (i.e., not removable), some portable
computers have removable hard disk drives. Unlike floppy disks, hard disks constantly are
spinning, at a rate 10 to 20 times faster than floppy disks. Therefore, access time for hard disks is
significantly less than access time for floppy disks. While a floppy disk read/write head rests on
the disk, the read/write head for a hard disk hovers about 10 millionths of an inch above the disk
surface. Contamination on the disk - a speck of dust (about 1550 millionths of an inch), a
fingerprint (about 600 millionths of an inch), or a particle of smoke (about 250 millionths of an
inch) - can cause a "head crash," destroying data and rendering the disk drive unusable. For this
reason, hard disk drives are sealed and manufactured in an environment that typically is cleaner
than a hospital operating room. Storage capacity can be increased on both hard disks and floppy
disks with compression programs such as Stacker, WinZip, or PKZIP.

Computer Software: System Software and Application Software

There are two categories of computer software: system software and application software. System
software serves as the interface between a user and the computer's hardware. An example of
system software would be an operating system such as Microsoft Windows. Application software
consists of programs designed to perform specific tasks. An example of application software
would be a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel.

A 3.5-inch floppy disk is computer hardware, but the programs stored on it are computer
software. Although there are two types of software, system software and application software are
designed to work hand-in-glove; that is, application software packages are designed to work with
specific kinds of system software. By telling the computer how to perform common functions, the
operating system frees application software to concentrate on producing information. Popular
operating systems include Windows, the Mac OS, OS/2, UNIX, Linux, DOS, and NetWare.
Operating systems that have a graphical user interface (GUI) often are called user-friendly.
Studies have found that GUI users generally complete tasks more accurately, work faster, are
more productive, and feel less fatigue.

To understand the relationship between application software and system software, draw four
concentric circles. Label the innermost circle CPU, the next operating system, the next application
software, and the last user. The resultant diagram illustrates how the operating system helps to
insulate the user and application program from computer hardware.

Types of Personal Computer Application Software

Many types of application software are available. The more popular application software includes
word processing software, electronic spreadsheet software, database software, presentation
graphics software, communications software, and electronic mail software. Knowing the function
of each type of application software is one of the most important ingredients of being computer
literate.

Several years ago, a survey of large and small businesses showed that the most often used
applications were:
 Word processing and spreadsheet (used by 100% of those surveyed)
 Communications, electronic mail, database, and presentation graphics (used by about
95%)
 Desktop publishing (used by about 85%)
 Project management (used by about 70%)
 Personal information management (used by about 50%)

In word processing, any work developed through the writing process is a document. Word
processing software makes it easier to create, edit, format, and print documents. Many word
processing packages include a spell checker, grammar checker, and thesaurus.

The first spreadsheet software, VisiCalc, was introduced in 1979. By immediately displaying the
results of changes, electronic spreadsheet packages provide a capability called what-if analysis.
Another powerful capability, called goal-seek, finds what value is needed to reach a specified goal.

A database file is a collection of related data called records, each of which consists of a group of
related facts called fields. The data can be manipulated, or a report, called a query, can be created
based on user-specified criteria. Although most spreadsheet packages can manage data tables of a
few thousand records, database software can efficiently handle much larger data tables.

Word processing and spreadsheet software came out around 1980. Presentation graphics software
was not introduced until the mid to late 1980s. Nevertheless, it can be argued that presentation
graphics software has had almost as great an impact on business, and on how people do
business, as either of the older applications. Presentation graphics packages include libraries of
clip art that can be inserted into slides and a slide sorter that can be used to organize the order
effectively in which slides are presented.

Computer Communications Channels and Equipment and the

Internet and World Wide Web

Communicating with a computer is becoming the standard today for both business and personal
use. The communications channels are constantly being upgraded in order to send information
faster. Communications technologies have changed the way people interact through the use of e-
mail, videoconferencing, and the Internet.
Many vendors sell network versions of their software. The network version resides on the
network server and can be accessed by each computer on the network. When a network version
is purchased, a site license is obtained from the vendor. The fee for the site license, usually based
on the number of computers on the network, is less than the purchase of individual packages for
each computer.

The number of people using the Internet is growing by 5% each month. Paul Moritz, a vice
president at Microsoft, maintains that, "In the long run, it's hard to exaggerate the importance of
the Internet." The Web, an innovation of Tim Berners-Lee, debuted in 1989. Since then, the Web
has experienced astounding growth. Some experts claim that the size of the Web doubles every
60 days. Using links to move from one document to another often is called surfing the Web.
Two popular Web browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

How to Purchase, Install, and Maintain a Computer

At some point in your life, you will probably decide to purchase a computer. Aside from
understanding the components discussed earlier, it also is important to be able to find the
computer that best fits your needs. For example, most new computers come with application
software already installed. If you do not use this software, then it is of no value even though you
got it for "free." There are several things to look for when purchasing a new computer. If
possible, speak to someone who is familiar with the purchasing process and can guide you along.

For most people, buying a computer is an expensive experience. Despite this, many people are
woefully uninformed when they set out to purchase a computer. Although desktop computer
systems remain popular, since 1993 sales of laptop, notebook, and smaller computers have
rivalled sales of larger systems, partly because of their enhanced capabilities and increased use by
field sales forces. Be careful when setting up a computer system. Failure to follow health
guidelines can lead to painful, and even permanent, disabilities. Government studies indicate
repetitive stress disorder (RSI) and cumulative trauma disorder (CTD), the most commonly
reported problems associated with prolonged keyboard use, are responsible for half of work-
related illnesses. Computer security is an increasingly important issue. A survey of American
companies with more than 200 personal computers showed that over 60% had suffered at least
one virus attack. Two of the major sources of viruses, free software and illegally copied software,
more commonly are used by small companies and private individuals, so the percentage of PC
users affected by viruses may be much higher. E-mail attachments have been the carriers of
several recent virus attacks that have infected both business and home computer users.

E-Commerce
Conducting business online is known as electronic commerce, or e-commerce, and includes such
commercial activities as shopping and investing. The three types of e-commerce that exist today
are business to consumer (B2C), consumer to consumer (C2C), and business to business (B2B).

If you have access to a computer, an Internet connection, and a means to pay for products or
services, you can participate in e-commerce. Today, users can participate in e-commerce not only
through desktop computers, but also through mobile devices such as laptop and handheld
computers, pagers, and cellular phones. M-commerce (mobile commerce) is the term some
people use to describe e-commerce activities that take place using mobile devices.
The more popular uses of e-commerce include shopping and investing. On the Web, you can
buy and sell stocks, order flowers, purchase groceries and airline tickets, and even buy a car!

Three types of e-commerce exist: business to consumer (B2C), consumer to consumer (C2C),
and business to business (B2B). Of the three, most e-commerce takes place between businesses,
making B2B e-commerce transactions the most common.