UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

FACULTY OF ARTS

In collaboration with

CENTRE FOR OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING

LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION

CLC 113: COMPUTER APPLICATIONS FOR INFORMATION

COMMUNICATION

AUTHOR

NYACHAE MICHIRA
 LECTURE ONE
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS
Lecture Outline
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Objectives
1.3 What is a Computer
1.4 Components of a Computer System
1.4.1 Computer Hardware
1.4.2 Computer Software
1.4.3 People
1.5 How Computers Work
1.5.1 The Boot Process
1.5.2 Shutdown Procedures
1.6 Computer Applications
1.7 Importance of Computer Literacy
1.8 Summary
1.9 References

1.1 Introduction
In this lecture, we are going to get an overview of computers, their component parts and how
they work. We will also learn how computer components are connected as well as the
procedures of starting and shutting down a computer. Moreover, we will go over the subject
of computer applications and why it is becoming increasingly important that you become
computer literate. Some of these topics will be discussed in more detail in later lectures.

1.2 Objectives
At the end of this lecture, you should be able to:
1. Define a computer
2. Connect different computer components
3. Describe the functions of component parts of a computer
system
4. Explain the importance of human input in computing
5. Explain the significance of computer literacy

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1.3 What is a Computer?
Let us begin by defining a computer. According to C. Pepela (2004, p.3); “a computer is an
electronic device that uses instructions (programs) to accept and process data given to it in a
variety of forms in order to produce useful information.” This means that a computer carries
out tasks only after getting specific instructions. It then accepts and processes the input before
giving an output in order to accomplish a given task. A computer is a machine that uses
instructions in the form of programs to store, retrieve, and process data.

1.4 Components of a Computer system

Typically, a computer is not a single object but rather it is made up of a number of
components that are interconnected and which function automatically as one unit. This is
what is called a computer system. The various components that make up a computer system
can be classified into two: hardware and software.

1.4.1 Computer Hardware

Hardware refers to the physical parts that you can touch and see. Most desktop computers are
made up of four hardware components; these are the system unit, monitor, keyboard and
mouse. Study the following image and identify the various hardware components of a
computer system. We will discuss them in more detail in lecture 3.

Fig. 1.1: Computer hardware (Courtesy www.3dmultimedia.com/help/windows/intro_eng.htm)

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It is important for you to note that not all computer systems have the above pieces of
hardware. If you look at your PC or the one in your office or home, it may or may not have
all the components shown above. Therefore, there are certain hardware components that are
required for a computer system to operate while others are optional. In this course, we will
focus more on those required hardware components system unit (referred in Fig. 1.1 as the
CPU), the basic peripherals like the monitor, keyboard and the mouse. Other optional
peripherals include the printer, scanner, the camera, speakers, zip or jazz drive, among others.
Also, take note that while a desktop has separate components connected to it, a laptop or
notebook contains all the necessary hardware components within it.

1.4.2 Computer Software

Software refers to a collection of programs, procedures and documentation that perform some
tasks on a computer system. You can think of software as instructions that tell the hardware
what to do. We shall be looking at computer software in more detail later in lecture 4.

Activity 1.1
1. While in the computer lab, identify the following components and see
how they are connected: system unit, monitor, keyboard, mouse,
Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), and any other hardware.
2. Describe the functions of each of them.

1.4.3 People
Computer hardware and software cannot accomplish anything on their own. Indeed, the most
sophisticated computer can do nothing on its own. Computer literate people are needed to use
computers to perform desired tasks. These people can be users or professionals.

1.4.3.1 Users
Users are individuals who have adequate skills to use computers to accomplish specific tasks.
These users may not possess the technical knowledge of how the computer is able to perform
those tasks. Some of these tasks include word-processing, surfing the internet, data entry or
even playing games.

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1.4.3.2 Professionals
Due to training and experience, computer professionals have in-depth understanding of the
inside workings of computers. These professionals include computer programmers who
various programs, systems analysts who design software systems required by users,
technicians who can troubleshoot and repair computers, data processing managers who are
in-charge of management of a computer system, among others.

Activity 1.2
1. What is a computer?
2. Explain the meaning of a computer system.
3. Describe three main components of a computer system.

1.5 How Computers Work

In this section, we will consider the boot process and the shutdown procedures.

1.5.1 The Boot Process

You must have noticed that the computer does not start working immediately you turn it on.
Before you switch it on, the computer hardware and software are in a random and disorderly
state. That is why the computer must first initialize itself through the bootstrapping (or simply
boot) process that brings everything to order. This is what is happening when the screen
appears dark with running dots or lines once you turn the computer on. This is comparable to
what happens every time you wake up in the morning. The boot process programs are
permanently stored in the ROM memory chips and they include the POST programs and the
BIOS programs.

POST stands for Power-On Self Test. This program runs automatically when you turn on
the computer in order to check the hardware and software installed and if they are all in good
condition – including monitor, keyboard, mouse, memory, internal busses (circuit wires), etc.
When errors are noted, a message will appear on the screen.

BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System. This program contains the instructions that get
the computer to start working. The instructions are issued from the CPU to the input and
output devices such as accepting data from the keyboard, displaying data on the screen or

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sending it for printing. If there is no error, the operating system is loaded onto RAM ready to
start running.

There are two ways to boot (start) a computer.

a. The cold boot – This applies when you turn the computer on to perform the
full POST cycle
b. The warm boot – This is when the computer is running and you need to re-
start it after installing a new program or if it “freezes” or “hangs” on you. You
can use the mouse command to re-start it or simply use the combination
shortcut of Ctrl+Alt+Del on the keyboard.

1.5.2 Shutdown Procedures

There are procedures for shutting your computer down. Never turn off your computer by
pressing the power button or switching off AC power while the operating system or any other
programs are running. You must always go to the Start menu and choose the Turn Off option
for shutdown. Why must you use this procedure?

a. It allows for orderly shutdown for your computer – it closes your programs
and files and safeguards them
b. It clears instructions from memory and returns any stray data elements to
disk storage.
c. It logs off other users’ desktops and saves settings on your desktop before
shutting down.

1.6 Computer Applications

You may be wondering what computer applications are. These are programs written for end
users in order to solve particular problems or perform specific tasks. Application software
uses the operating system software and provides the real functionality of a computer. There
are two types of applications; special purpose applications and general purpose applications.
While special purpose applications target specific specialist fields, general purpose
applications are for general non-specialized users. In this course we shall focus on general
purpose applications such as the following:

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 a. Word-Processor – this is a computer application used for the production (including
composition, editing, formatting, and possibly printing of any sort of printable
material. Examples include Microsoft Word and WordPerfect.
b. Spreadsheets -. A spreadsheet program is normally used to present accounting data
and it is formatted to perform general computation tasks. This software has inbuilt
formulas used to manipulate data in order to obtain desired results. The spreadsheets
are also used to create charts and graphs. Examples include MS Excel, Quattro Pro
and Lotus 123.
c. Presentation programs – This software allows you to display information, normally
in the form of a slide show. Presentation software typically includes three major
functions: an editor that allows text to be inserted and formatted, a method for
inserting and manipulating graphic images and a slide-show system to display the
content. Examples: MS PowerPoint, Corel Presentations.
d. Graphics - A graphics program enables a user to create, modify or view graphics
files. Corel Draw, Flash, Photoshop, and PaintShop Pro.
e. Networking software: This is a computer program that enables a computer to talk to
another computer. The most commonly used method of communication today is The
Internet which uses TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
protocol. TCP/IP can also be used as a communications protocol in a private network
(such as intranet). The Internet uses web browers like Netscape Navigator, Internet
Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

We shall be discussing these applications from lecture 5.

1.7 Importance of Computer Literacy

You will agree computer literacy is not optional any more. This is because computers have
revolutionalized human life since they were developed. Computer use has now permeated
into every sphere of our social, industrial, commercial and cultural life. Computers are in use
in offices, homes, schools and colleges, businesses, among other places. Some of the uses of
computers that touch on our everyday lives include the following.
a. Commerce and industry – automated banking, e-commerce, e-ticketing, etc
b. Government institutions – employee records and other types of important data,
taxation, accelarated services delivery, billing, etc
c. Health Care – patient records, automated diagnosis and consultations

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 d. Education and research – teaching aids, library lending and research, online
journals, virtual learning, processing papers and projects, etc
e. Communications industry – email and internet for social and economic
purposes
f. Multimedia applications - presentations, teaching aids, training, information
distribution, etc
g. Home- for leisure, games, educational programs, news, etc

In summary, computers enable us to accomplish a variety of tasks in a more efficient, fast and
accurate manner. That is why it is crucial for you to become computer literate.

1.8 Summary

In this lecture, we defined a computer as an electronic device that

receives instructions, processes information or data and produces output
required to accomplish particular tasks. The main components of a
computer system include the hardware, the software and the people. We
also looked at the booting process as well as shutdown procedures. We
also explained that computer applications are programs designed to solve
particular problems or perform certain tasks. Finally, we have discussed
the significance of computer literacy by highlighting some of the
common computer applications today. In the next chapter, we shall study
the evolution and classification of computers.

1.9 References
Kalicharan, N. (1998). An introduction to computer studies. Cambridge:
CUP.
Onunga, J. (1999). Introduction to microcomputers and programming.
Nairobi: Mariwa Publishers
Pepela, C. (2004). Foundations of computer studies 1. Nairobi: EAEP.

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 LECTURE TWO
THE HISTORY AND CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
Lecture Outline
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Objectives
2.3 A brief History of Computers
2.3.1 Early History of Computers
2.3.2 History of Electronic computers
2.4 Classification of Computers
2.4.1 Supercomputers
2.4.2 Mainframes
2.4.3 Minicomputers
2.4.4 Microcomputers
2.5 Summary
2.6 References

2.1 Introduction
In this lecture, I would like to prepare you for the rest of the lectures by discussing the basics,
origins and types of computers. First, I will define a computer system and then take you
through a brief excursion on the history of computers. We will then learn how computers are
classified according to size and use.

2.2 Objectives

At the end of this lecture, you should be able to:

1. Relate the historical development of computers
2. Describe the component parts of a computer system
3. Connect computer components

2.3 A Brief History of Computers

2.3.1 Early History of Computers
Have you ever wondered who invented the computer? And when that was? Well, I bet you
have. But the truth is that the computer as we know it today was never invented by one

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individual at a certain time. As we learnt earlier, a computer is a complex machine that is
made up of different components, each of which was invented by different people at
different times.

Originally, the term “computer” was a job title – referring to people (predominantly young
women) who performed repetitive calculations and computations manually. Thereafter,
when inventors developed mechanical (and later electronic) machines that performed the
same functions, they were given that name (Kopplin, 2002).

Take Note
The term “computer” was first used to refer to young women who
performed arithmetic calculations manually.

The earliest mechanical “computer” ever developed was the Abacus which was invented in
300 B.C. by Babylonians for purposes of performing mathematical computations (Kopplin,
2002; Pepela, 2004). The Abacus had a wooden or metal frame with parallel wires carrying
beads or pebbles for counting. The original version of the Abacus, like the one below,
simply used pebbles arranged in rows to perform calculations.

Figure 2.1: The Abacus (Picture courtesy of Kopplin, 2002)

In 1617, a Scotsman by the name John Napier invented logarithms, a technology that allows
multiplication to be performed via addition. (Kopplin, 2002; Onunga, 2007).

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In 1642 a Frenchman called Blaise Pascal, at the tender age 19, invented the Pascaline - a
gear-driven one-function calculator for performing additions.

The computer age began 1832 when an Englishman named Charles Babbage invented what
he called the Analytical Engine which was made up of a mill for performing arithmetic
calculations and a store for keeping the answers to those calculations (Onunga, 2007; Pepela,
2004). That is why Babbage is recognized as the “father of the modern computer.” The work
performed by that “mill” is now done by the processor and the “store” is the memory in
modern computers.

Activity 2.1
1. What is the origin of the computer?
2. What was the name given to the first “computer”?

2.3.2 Evolution of the Electronic Computer

During the Second World War (1939-1945), many Western countries were involved in
advancing the computer technology. In 1944, the Havard Mark I was introduced to perform
complex computation for the US Navy. In 1946, the University of Pennsylvania, with the
support of the US army developed the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator
(ENIAC). The ENIAC, which represented the first generation of computers, was used for
performing complex calculations. It was a huge machine – containing about 20,000 vacuum
bulbs, measuring 24 metres long and weighing 30 tons (Pepela, 2004). First generation
computers used vacuum tubes to store and process information. See the image below.

Figure 2.2: The ENIAC (Picture courtesy of es.geocities.com/.../p35b/historia/historia.htm)

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As you can see from the above picture, the ENIAC was extremely huge. Therefore, the search
for a smaller and faster machine continued. As a result, the Bell Telephone Company
Laboratories of USA invented transistor technology in 1948 (Pepela, 2004). This marked the
second generation of electronic computers. Compared to the first generation computers that
used vacuum tubes to store and process information; the transistor computers were more
reliable, faster and they had more memory (32 kb of RAM memory compared to 2 kb of the
first generation computers).

Because transistor computers were too large and expensive, the search for smaller and
cheaper computers continued. The third generation of computers (1964-1979) saw
introduction of the silicon chip which connected various devices such as transistors, resistors
and capacitors to a circuit – hence the name integrated circuits (ICs) (Onunga, 2007; Pepela,
2004). Within ten years after introduction of the chip, all computers were using ICs instead of
the transistors. The computers were smaller, faster and more powerful.

After this, much of the improvements on the computer focused on the chip – making it
smaller (and therefore cheaper) and faster and powerful. In the 1980s, computers using tiny
chips known as microprocessors were developed. This led to the increased production of
cheap and smaller microcomputers (personal computers) for use in homes, schools and
offices. These computers were called personal computers because they were simplified and
personalized so that they could be used by anyone who is not a computer expert (Pepela,
2004).
During the early 1980s, two models of the personal computer (PC) were launched. The IBM
Company of USA launched its personal computer in1981 and it went on to become the most
popular PC. Then in 1984, another American company, Apple, went a step further in making
the PC more user-friendly by launching the Macintosh (or simply the Mac). The Mac
introduced two key features of the PC as we know it today; namely the graphical user
interface (GUI) and the single button mouse.

Take Note
The computer was not invented by one individual at a particular time in
history. Rather, a computer is a result of different inventions by various
people at different periods in history.

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Then in 1985, yet another American company called Microsoft launched a new program that
was meant to compete with the user-friendly features of the Mac. The new program was
called Windows and it had both the GUI and the mouse features of the Mac. From the initial
version, Windows has developed various improved versions such as Windows 3.1, Windows
95, Windows ME, Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Activity 2.2
1. What are the main features of a personal computer?
2. Explain the meaning of GUI
3. Explain why the Microsoft program is called ‘Windows’?
4. Describe the highlights of the history of computers.

2.4 Classification of Computers

You may already know that there are many different types of computers. As we have noticed
from the previous section, computers used to be very large during the initial stages. But
nowadays, computers have come in smaller and smaller sizes. Moreover, computers are used
by individuals at home, at work or in school while they are also used in big research
organizations as well as governments to perform various tasks. Therefore, computers can be
classified according to size and also according to their uses, into the following broad types.
2.4.1 Supercomputers
These computers are very large and they are also extremely fast. They are used by big
companies and governments in research and in conducting complex scientific simulations
such as analysis of geological data structural analysis, computational fluid dynamics, physics,
chemistry, electronic design, nuclear energy research and meteorology. Supercomputers are
not in use in Kenya yet.

2.4.2 Mainframes
Mainframes are the earliest computers that were also large. They were called mainframe
because of the way the machines were built up: all units were hung into a frame. They
required to be cooled with running water during use. Mainframes were expensive to buy and
maintain. That is why they were manufactured and operated by large companies like IBM,
Amdahl, Hitachi. Contemporary versions of mainframes are used to process huge amounts of
data and are typically used by big companies, banks and government.

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2.4.3 Minicomputers
The classification categories “minicomputers” and “microcomputers” may confuse you. But
they should not. Microcomputers are smaller than minicomputers. Minicomputers were
actually not that small or tiny as the term “mini” may suggest. Indeed, minicomputers were
larger than the PCs as we know them today but smaller than mainframes. They had the same
basic structure as the mainframes, except they were faster and cheaper than the mainframes.
An American company, Digital Equipment Corporation developed the PDP-1 minicomputer
in 1960, and then the PDP-8 in 1965. Minicomputers were used in businesses and in other
applications like payroll and stock control.

2.4.4 Microcomputers
Personal computers are also called microprocessors. The distinguishing feature of the
microcomputer is the microprocessor or CPU which is the heart or brain of a computer. This
chip contains the arithmetic and control units of a computer. Microcomputers are the
computers you see everywhere; at home, in offices, libraries, computer laboratories, etc. PCs
are cheaper than minicomputer. There are several types of PCs, including:
a. Desktop PCs – usually located on top of a desk with monitors on them.
Desktops are cheaper to buy, maintain and upgrade compared to the portable
PCs.
b. Portable PCs - These are portable PCs which a user can carry around. Besides
AC power, these portable computers can use rechargeable batteries and hence
makes it usable where there is no electricity. Portable PCs can be classified
further into 3 types:
i. Laptops – They are small enough to be used on a person’s lap and
they use similar technology as the Desktop.
ii. Notebooks – These are smaller and lighter than laptops and they can
fit into a backpack or schoolbag.
iii. Palmtops – These are also called hand-held computers. They are the
smallest and cheapest of all PCs and can fit into the palm of a hand or a
jacket pocket. However, their functions are limited. Examples include
personal organizers and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

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 Activity 2.3

1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different types of

computers classified above.
2. What factors will you consider when choosing a computer to buy?

It is important for you to know that computers can also be classified according to use. There
are special purpose computers and general purpose computers. A Special purpose computer
performs on specific function such as in ATM machines, cars or airplanes. On the other hand,
general purpose computers are the computers commonly used in homes and offices.

2.5 Summary

In this lecture we have looked at three important aspects of computers.

First, we defined a computer as an electronic device that uses programs
to receive and process information. Secondly, we traced the evolution of
computers from the Abacus invented by Babylonians in 300 B.C. to the
latest microcomputers that we you see in offices, homes, libraries, among
other places. We saw how computers evolved from the huge mechanical
machines like ENIAC’s that used vacuum tubes to store and process
information to the fast electronic computers that use the chip to perform
similar functions. This led to computers becoming smaller, faster and
more powerful. The third key aspect of this lecture is the classification of
computer according to size and also according to use.

2.6 References

Kopplin, J. (2002). An illustrated history of computers. Part 1. Retrieved

on February 7, 2009 from
http://www.computersciencelab.com/ComputerHistory/History.htm
Onunga, J. (1999). Introduction to microcomputers and programming.
Nairobi: Mariwa Publishers.
Pepela, C. (2004). Foundations of computer studies 1. Nairobi: EAEP

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 LECTURE THREE
COMPUTER HARDWARE
Lecture Outline
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Objectives
3.3 The System Unit
3.3.1 The Central Processing Unit (CPU)
3.3.1.1 The Processor
3.3.1.2 Memory
3.3.2 The Motherboard
3.3.3 The Hard Disk Drive
3.4 Input Devices
3.4.1 The Keyboard
3.4.2 The Mouse
3.5 Storage Devices
3.5.1 Magnetic Disks
3.5.2 Optical Disks
3.5.3 Magnetic Tapes
3.5.4 Magnetic Stripe Cards
3.5.5 USB Flash Storage
3.6 Output Devices
3.6.1 The Monitor
3.6.2 The Printer
3.6.3 Speakers
3.7 Summary
3.8 References

3.1 Introduction
As we said in the previous lecture, computer hardware refers to all those physical
components of a computer system that you can see and touch. We saw that a computer is
made up of different components that work in harmony to perform particular functions. That
is why it is called a computer system. In this lecture, I would like us to take a closer look at
the hardware components of a computer system including the system unit and its contents,
input devices, storage devices and output devices.

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 3.2 Objectives

At the end of this lecture, you should be able to:

1. Distinguish between computer hardware and software
2. Identify different hardware components of a computer
3. State the functions of the hardware components of a computer

3.3 The System Unit

The “heart” and “brains” of the computer are resident in the system unit. That is why all other
hardware peripherals including the input and output devices are connected to the system unit
through various “ports”. Some of the key hardware components found inside the system unit
include the CPU, the motherboard, and disk drives.

3.3.1 The Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The system unit contains the Central Processing Unit (CPU) which is the most important
computer hardware. The CPU is the “brain” of the computer and it controls and coordinates
all functions of the computer and the peripherals and “tells” them what to do. This is just like
how your brain controls all your activities and actions. The CPU is made up of two key parts;
the processor and memory.

3.3.1.1 The Processor

The processor is the “brain” of the computer that receives instructions or information from
the input devices and processes that information before the results are relayed through the
output components. The processor is located on chips that are placed the System Board (also
called the Mother Board) which contains all the circuits of the computer. The processor can
be divided into two; the control unit and the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU).
a. The control unit is the manager of the computer. It monitors the
running of programs resident in memory. Its job is to carry out
instructions by fetching specific instructions from the memory, decodes
the instructions and activates circuits that direct the ALU to execute or
perform the instructions such as calculation.

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 b. The arithmetic and logic unit (ALU) carries out instructions and
calculations as directed by the control unit and then stores the result in
data memory.
3.3.1.2 Memory
All programmes and data are stored in the memory. It is from memory where information is
retrieved for processing and manipulation by the processor. Memory can be classified into
two; Read Only Memory (ROM) and Random Access Memory (RAM).
a. ROM means that the processor is only able to read information in this kind of
memory. Programs and data stored are written on the ROM during manufacture and
remain there permanently; whether the computer is on or not.
RAM this is a read and write memory which means that the processor can read as well as
write new data. RAM enables a person to store and retrieve data or information. Unlike ROM
which you can call permanent memory, RAM is temporary memory because information
stored there is lost once

3.3.2 The Mother Board

The motherboard is the computer's main circuit board. It's a thin plate that holds the CPU
(Central Processing Unit), memory, connectors for the hard drive and optical drives,
expansion cards to control the video and audio, as well as various external ports and
peripherals. The motherboard connects directly or indirectly to every part of the computer.

3.3.3 Hard Disk Drive

The hard disk drive (HDD) of the computer is where permanent information is stored.
Documents, databases, spreadsheets, and programs are all stored on the hard disk. The larger
the hard disk, the more you can fit on the drive. The size of the HDD does not affect the
speed at which a program can run, but the HDD speed can affect how fast you can access
your files.

3.4 Input Devices

You might want to think of input devices as those things that tell the computer what to do.
These are devices that collect information in various forms including text, images, sounds,
drawings and enter them in to the computer. The standard input devices are keyboard and
mouse. Other input devices which we shall only mention here include scanners, digital
cameras, and joysticks and game pads used primarily for games.

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3.4.1 Keyboard
The keyboard is the primary input device. The standard keyboard is the QWERTY keyboard
or universal keyboard. That name QWERTY comes from the first six letters of the keyboard
just below the numbers. Different operating systems have different keyboard layouts and
functions. Fig. 3.1 below shows the layout of the Windows keyboard.

Fig. 3.1: Windows QWERTY Keyboard Layout

Activity 3.1
Do you know how to enter data on the keyboard? Get a computer
(personal or in the computer laboratory) and practice typing on the
keyboard. This is a very important skill.

If you look at the Fig. 2.2 closely, you will notice that the keys on the keyboard are divided
into six categories, namely:
a. Escape key – when you press this key, you cancel or abandon the current
program. You can use the Escape key to perform various functions in different

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 computer programmes. For example, in PowerPoint, you can use this key to stop a
running slide show but if you combine Ctrl+Esc, you open the Start menu.
b. Function keys – numbered from F1-F12, these keys are special-purpose keys that
are used to communicate specific functions to the operating system. They activate
specific features and commands either in isolation or in combination with other
keys. For example, if you press F1, the Help feature in the particular Windows
application you are working in will be activated.
c. Alphanumeric keys – use these keys to key in and format text using the letters of
the alphabet, and other keys like the Enter, Caps Lock, Tab, Space Bar and
Backspace keys. You can also enter numeric data using the numbers just below
the function keys.
d. Modifier keys – if you press the modifier keys on their own, nothing will happen.
These are special keys that modify the actions of other keys when pressed in
combination. For instance, if you press F4 key, you issue the “Go to a different
folder command” but if you press Alt+F4, you quit the program in the active
window.
e. Cursor movement keys – Look at Fig. 2.2 again. The cursor control keys include
the arrow keys for up, down, right, left as well as the Page-Up, Page-Down,
Home, End, Insert and Delete. These keys are used to move the cursor from one
place to anther on the display screen and while editing your work. The cursor is
the indicator on the display screen that shows you where the next entry will be
made. The cursor movement keys are also called the Program Control keys.
f. Numeric pad – Use this keypad to perform mathematical functions, just as you
would a calculator. But remember to activate this pad by pressing the Num Lock
key and then use it to enter numerical data. If you do not, the numeric pad keys
function as cursor movement keys.

Activity 3.2
Use the handout on “Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows” to practice
on how to activate different features and commands by the use of
various keyboard shortcuts.

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3.4.2 The Mouse
The mouse is another important input device for moving the cursor and issuing commands. A
typical mouse has two (left and right) or three (left, centre and right) buttons and a trackball
beneath it. The mouse performs the following five functions:
a. Point – it moves the pointer to different locations on the screen
b. Click – A single click is used to move the cursor to a particular location or to
highlight a folder or file
c. Double-click – Two clicks in quick succession on the left button (or the right one
if you are left-handed and you have customized you mouse accordingly) opens a
file, folder, programme or starts a new task.
d. Click, drag and drop – Click and hold down the left button to drag a file, folder or
even window to a new location. After dragging the file, folder or window, release
the button to place it on the new location.
e. Right-click – Right clicking opens a menu for a number of shortcut options
depending on the running programme.

Activity 3.3
You can customize your mouse to be used by left-handed people. Follow
these steps: Go to the Control Panel, click on Printers and other
Hardware, and then click on the mouse icon. Proceed to click on the
buttons configurations tab on the menu that pops up and then on the
switch primary button. Click the right button, then OK and Apply.
Practice this during laboratory sessions even if you are not left-handed.

3.5 Storage Devices

As we saw earlier, the CPU stores data in the RAM. This means that incases of a power
failure or if the computer is accidentally switched off, that information will be lost. So, there
is need to back-up data stored in RAM. Moreover, the RAM capacity is limited. This is why
we need permanent storage devices where data can be stored and loaded onto the RAM when
required. These storage devices can be called secondary storage or permanent storage. There
are five types of these devices; magnetic disks, optical disks, magnetic tapes, magnetic stripe
cards and USB flash disks.

20
3.5.1 Magnetic disks – They use a thin layer of magnetic oxide to record and store
information. Examples are the hard disk and floppy disk (diskette) which are mounted
onto fixed or removable disk drives in order to read or write information. Diskettes
are obsolete these days and new computers do not even have floppy drives.
3.5.2 Optical disks – These disks are written and read by a laser beam. Examples are
Compact Disks (CDs) and Digital Video Disks (DVDs). One advantage of optical
disks is that they store large amounts of information on small surfaces – including
texts and multimedia data that contain pictures, sounds and videos. They are also
durable and easily portable. There are many types of these CDs including the CD-
ROM that are read-only, CD-R that are recordable, CD-RW that are rewritable,
among others.
3.5.3 Magnetic tapes – Similar to music tapes, these tapes are this strips coated with a
layer of magnetic oxide on which information is recorded. Tapes are also mounted on
tape drives to read or write information. Tapes were popular in older versions of
microcomputers.
3.5.4 Magnetic stripe cards – You must have seen bank credit or debit cards. Those cards
are coated with a strip of magnetic oxide onto which personal data is recorded. When
swiped through magnetic stripe card readers, that information is then retrieved to
verify the identity of the person, bank account information, among other things.
3.5.5 USB Flash Storage – Flash devices use memory chips to store data; they have no
moving parts so drives of this type are very small. Many are keychain devices that
you can carry with you easily. These devices attach to your computer via a USB port.
Once mounted, you can store data on them just like other mounted devices, such as a
hard drive.
3.6 Output Devices
Connected to the CPU, output devices produce processed information from memory for
purposes of display, listening or reading. The primary output device is the monitor. Other
common output devices are printers and speakers.

3.6.1 Monitor
A monitor displays textual or graphic information on the screen for you to read or view.
The monitor displays the data entered or the commands issued by the input devices like the
keyboard and the mouse. You may have noticed that there are two types of monitors; the
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) and the flat panel screen monitor.

21
The CRT monitors look like a television set. They are heavy and they take a lot of space on
the desk. The flat panel screens, however, are light and clearer in display because they use
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or gas-plasma display technology.

3.6.2 Printer
Printers produce information and data in hard copy so that you can read the information on
paper. There are two main types of printers; impact and non-impact printers.
a. Impact printers – these printers use the old typewriter technology where metallic
pins strike an ink ribbon which then leaves marks on paper after impact.
b. Non-impact printers – use modern technology where information is transferred
from memory to paper without direct contact. Unlike the impact printers, non-
impact printers can only print one page at a time. Examples are the ink-jet and
laser printers.

In-text questions
1. What are the differences between CRT monitors and flat panel
screens?
2. What are the advantages of each of these types?

3.6.3 Speakers
Speakers produce digital sounds stored in a storage device. However, in order to play audio
files or music through the speakers, your computer needs a sound card and an audio playing
software.

Activity 3.5
1. Look at a computer system at home or at the office and identify all
the hardware components. Make sure you take note how they are
connected to the system unit.
2. Describe the functions of each.

22
3.7 Summary

In this lecture, we have looked at the computer hardware components.

We said that the computer receives, processes and outputs information or
data. The system unit houses the computer “brain” called the CPU to
which all other peripherals are connected. We said that input devices
such as the keyboard and the mouse are used to enter information or data.
We saw how the CPU functions to retrieve stored data, processes it and
sends results for output. Computer storage can be classified into ROM
and RAM. RAM memory requires backup in permanent or secondary
storage devices like diskettes, CDs and flash disks. Finally, we saw that
processed information is made accessible to you as a hard copy that is
printed paper or display copy via the monitor or audio format through
speakers.

3.8 References

Onunga, J. (1999). Introduction to microcomputers and programming.

Nairobi: Mariwa Publishers.
Pepela, C. (2004). Foundations of computer studies 1. Nairobi: EAEP

23
 LECTURE FOUR
COMPUTER SOFTWARE
Lecture Outline
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Objectives
4.3 Types of Software
4.3.1 System Software
4.3.2 Application Software
4.4 The Operating System
4.4.1 Functions of the OS
4.4.2 Dominant Operating Systems
4.4.2.1 Windows
4.4.2.2 Macintosh
4.4.2.3 LUNIX
4.5 Introduction to Windows OS
4.5.1 Evolution of Windows OS
4.5.2 Windows Desktop Interface
4.5.3 Customizing the Desktop
4.5.4 Display Options
4.5.5 Elements of a Window
4.5.6 The Start Menu
4.5.6.1 Sections of the Start Menu
4.5.6.2 Elements of the Start Menu
4.6 Folders and Files
4.6.1 Files
4.6.2 Folders
4.7 Computer Viruses
4.7.1 Sources of Viruses
4.7.2 Virus Symptoms
4.7.3 Removing Viruses
4.8 Summary
4.9 References

24
4.1 Introduction
In the previous lecture, we saw that the computer system is made up of various hardware
components. In this lecture, we will learn about computer software – those programs that are
used to perform certain tasks. A program is like a list of instructions sent to the CPU, that
when executed, turn into what we think of as software. We will also learn about the operating
system and its functions. Then we shall explore the main features of Windows operating
system and conclude the lecture by talking about viruses and how to protect your computer
from them.

4.2 Objectives

At the end of this lecture, you should be able to:

1. Describe different functions of the Operating System
2. Explain different properties of Windows
3. Navigate the Windows Interface
4. Discuss risks posed by viruses to your computer

4.3 Types of Software

There are two types of computer software; system software and application software.
4.3.1 System Software
System software manages the operations of the computer hardware and the computer system.
Usually supplied by computer manufacturers, system software includes operating systems;
devise drivers, servers and system utilities.

4.3.2 Application Software

Application software is developed to enable end users to accomplish specific tasks. Business
software, databases and educational software are some forms of application software. Some
of the general-purpose software packages include word processors, spreadsheets, graphics
programs, presentation programs and databases. We shall explore some of these packages
from the next lecture.

25
4.4 The Operating System
The operating system (OS) is software that makes everything in the computer work together
smoothly and efficiently by controlling and regulating the "overall" performance of a
computer. The operating system is the core software component of your computer. The OS
manages the hardware resources of the computer and provides a user-friendly interface
through which you communicate with your computer by continuously “talking” to you and
the various hardware parts of the computer. The OS uses “drivers” to enable you interact with
the computer system by acting as an interface between you or application programs and the
computer hardware. Indeed, without the OS, your computer is basically useless.

4.4.1 Functions of the OS

The purpose of an operating system is to organize and control hardware and software so that
the computer system functions in a flexible but predictable way. Its overall work is to
manage four key types of computer resources i.e. the processor, memory, input/output
devices and files. The OS accomplishes that by performing the following specific functions:
a. Controlling Hardware - The OS controls all computer peripherals (keyboard,
monitor, printers, disk drivers, etc) and attempts to get everything working together.
The OS monitors the status of these devices and their drivers.

Take Note
Drivers are programs that enable the computer to communicate with
peripheral devices. Each device has its driver usually installed when a
new OS is installed or the first time that device is installed.

b. Processor Management – Most computers have multitasking capabilities. This

means that different users or applications can be accessed simultaneously. But the
CPU can only process one program at a time and so the OS “decides” which program
is running and for how long.
c. Managing Input/Output – Usually, you give the computer many different tasks like
entering data with the keyboard, displaying data on the monitor, issuing commands
with the mouse, saving a file, etc. The OS accepts these requests and places the tasks
in a queue for implementation by the CPU. Should there be a problem, it “tells” you
and provides you with options.

26
 d. Managing Memory – The OS keeps track of memory use and how much memory is
free. Programs must be loaded into memory (RAM) before they are executed and
moved out of memory when not needed. The OS monitors these requirements and
allocates each program and the data it requires adequate memory.
e. File and Data Management – The OS must keep track of files and data and how they
are stored and used. You can copy, move, delete, and rename your files. Using a file
system, the OS provides the mechanism for organizing, retrieving and sharing of files .
f. Handling Errors and Interruptions – The OS maintains a list of all errors that occur
during the execution of a program or command and alerts you by way of a message or
a beep sound. You will know when a program is ready or suspended for one reason
or another. For instance, if your printer runs out of paper, the OS will stop program
and alert you to put more paper on the tray.
g. Run Applications - The OS runs the application software. This would include
Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, games, Media Player, etc.

4.4.2 Dominant Operating Systems

The dominant operating systems in the market include Windows, Macintosh, Linux and
UNIX.

4.4.2.1 Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is probably the most common OS and usually PCs come preloaded with
Windows OS. We are going to look at Windows XP in more detail shortly. Let us first take
note that there are other operating systems in the market such as Macintosh and Linux.

4.4.2.2 Macintosh
The Mac operating system is a line of operating systems created by Apple Inc. The Mac OS
is proprietary software (owned by an individual or a company, typically the one that
developed it) that comes preloaded on all new Macintosh computers, or Macs. The most
recent version of the operating system is called Mac OS X (pronounced Mac O-S Ten). The
Mac OS X is reputed for its graphical interface and good for running multimedia programs.
It is estimated that Mac OS users account for almost 7.5% percent of the operating systems
market as of March 2008.

27
4.4.2.3 Linux
Linux is an open source (free) operating system. Unlike Windows and Mac OS, Linux is not
proprietary software and all the computer code that is part of the operating system can be
used and modified by any user. Linux is usually used in businesses as corporate servers,
rather than workstations. However, anyone can download Linux and adapt it for personal use.
For example, Ubuntu is a version of Linux that is available free for personal use.

4.5 Introduction to Windows Operating System

4.5.1 Evolution of Windows
When IBM launched its revolutionary personal computer, the IBM PC, in 1981, it came with
MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) operating system from Microsoft Inc. This
was Microsoft's first operating system and it also became the first widely used operating
system for the IBM PCs. In 1983, Microsoft introduced Microsoft Windows, an extension of
the MS-DOS operating system. This was the first OS produced by Microsoft that provided a
graphical user interface (GUI) that allows interactive communication between the computer
and the user. Windows is also proprietary software, which means that Microsoft has placed
restrictions on how people can use or copy the software.

Since the first version of Windows OS in 1993, Microsoft has produced different upgraded
versions of Windows operating system. These include Windows 95, Windows NT,
Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP
Professional, Windows Vista and Window 7. Microsoft produces a version of the operating
system designed for the home user and a professional version, which is intended for
businesses. These versions also differ in the depth of networking, security, and multimedia
support. It is estimated that, as of March 2008, over 90% of computer users have one of the
Windows operating systems. For purposes of this course, we shall now look at the main
features of Windows XP. This is the OS system commonly installed in PCs you find in
offices, homes and computer laboratories.

4.5.2 Windows Desktop Interface

After loading the system, the first thing you see displayed on the monitor is the windows
screen view called the desktop. The computer desktop is comparable to the regular desktop
on which there are documents, files and folders as well as quick access to such tools like
clock, calculator, pens, etc. The Windows desktop can be plain colored or pictured
background on top of which are pictures of folders, icons, the mouse pointer and the taskbar.

28
 a. Icons: Images lined up on the desktop that represent programs and folders of
information stored on the computer.
b. Folders: Looking exactly like a filing cabinet folders, these are used to store
documents, data or computer programs.
c. Task bar: Usually appear on the desktop across the bottom of the screen. It contains
the Start Menu which you will use to access everything on your computer. The
taskbar also displays programs open in your computer, more icons for programs and
time.
d. Mouse Pointer: The arrow head image that moves on the screen as you move the
mouse.

4.5.3 Customizing the Desktop

Did you know that you can customize your Windows Desktop to display colors and images
of your choice? This is simple. There are two ways of doing this:
 Right-click on an empty space on the desktop.
 A pop-up menu will appear
 Click on the Properties (Whenever I say click, I mean left-click. When I want you to
right-click, I will specifically say so).
 Select from the options. See Fig. 4.3 below.
The second way is to go through the Control Panel:
 Click on the Start Menu
 Go to the Control Panel and click on it
 Select on Appearance and Themes
 Pick a task or Click on Display options

4.5.4 Display Options

Once in the Display Options, you can make your choices on any of the following:
a. Theme- select a predefined background image plus a set of icons and sounds
b. Desktop – choose the image to be used as background wallpaper (decoration)
c. Screensaver – a moving pattern or picture when your computer is idle.
d. Appearance – color schemes for all windows components such as title bars and
icons.
e. Screen Settings – change screen resolution to make icons, text and images smaller or
bigger on the screen.

29
Fig. 4.1: Display Properties Dialogue Box

Take Note
1. It may not be proper to change computer settings, appearance and \
themes on someone’s PC or even in the computer laboratory. Simply
avoid the last stem (OK or Apply).
2. There is usually more than one way to do everything in Windows XP!

4.5.5 Elements of a Window

What is a window? A window is a visual workspace on the desktop. Each program that is
open appears on its own window. You can have several windows open at the same time. But
you can only work on one at a time. The window you are working on is the active window.
You can also resize, minimize, close or move open window around the desktop.
An open program will have a button on the taskbar.

The following are some of the elements of a window.

a. Title bar – the colored top bar that displays the name of the window (My Documents).
Drag the title bar when you want to move the window around on your desktop.

b. Minimize, Maximize, Close Buttons.

Minimize hides the window and places a button on the Task Bar (at bottom of screen).
Maximize enlarges the window to fill the screen. Close button closes the window.

30
c. Menu bar. Click on a menu item to display the contents of that menu. Arrows indicate
there are submenus available.

d. Tool bar. Contains buttons for navigating through windows, searching and changing the
way files are viewed.
e. Task Pane. The left side of every window (that is to your right when you are facing the
computer) provides easy access to a variety of features.
f. Single Window vs. Multiple Windows. When opening folders within a window, the XP
OS opens the folder within the same window. Use the back button to view the previous
folder contents. When you need to copy or move items between windows, double-click
on My Computer to open a second window.
g. Window Buttons. Every time a window is opened, whether it’s a folder or a program, a
button appears on the Task Bar. This makes it easy to switch between open programs and
windows by clicking once on the button on the Task Bar. When several documents are
opened in the same program, Windows XP OS groups them into a single menu that
sprouts from the program button. For example, try opening three different MS Word
documents alongside other open windows.

4.5.6 The Start Menu

It is important that when you read this section, you have a computer using Windows XP
Home Edition. This will enable you follow along as we go ahead. Once you log on to the
computer, click on the Start Menu. What pops up should look like Fig. 4.2 below.

31
Fig. 4.2: The Start Menu

4.5.6.1 Sections on the Start Menu

If you look at The Start Menu (on the task bar) is divided into several sections:
a. Pinned items list is top left. Items used frequently can be added to this list and they
appear in bold fonts. (To add a program to this list; right-click on file or program icon.
Select Pin to Start Menu. You can right-click to unpin it.)
b. Most often used items list is lower left (below Pinned list). Windows XP generates
this list based on your use of programs.
c. Components and features of Windows are listed in the right column.
d. To view all programs installed in the computer, click All Programs at the bottom left.
e. Shut down/Log off computer commands are on the Start Menu

4.5.6.2 Elements of the Start Menu

The following table describes the functions of some of the elements you see in at Fig. 4.1
above. Click on the Start Menu on your computer and locate them.

32
My Documents The default (automatic) storage location for all kinds of files,
including pictures, music, and movies. My Documents contains
My Pictures
the default folders of My Music and My Pictures. Folders can be
My Music created inside of My Documents to organize files.
My Recent Documents Contains a list of documents worked on recently.
My Computer This is the default folder that contains information about disk
drives (storage areas) on your computer. Double-click the drive
icon to access each disk. Please note--disk icons do not appear on
the desktop.
Set Program Access and Specifies programs for certain activities, e.g. E-mail and web-
browsing.
Defaults
Control Panel The default location for managing all kinds of programs and
services on the computer. You can customize your PC by
selecting various options from the Control Panel.
Network Connections This is a folder that contains the dial-up and broadband
connections, as well as local area network connections.
Printers and Faxes Shows installed printers and fax printers and helps in adding new
ones. Right click on a printer to set it as the default (shows a
check mark).
Help and Support Windows XP help and support feature that can answer questions
and locate answers on the Internet
Search Helps find items on the computer or items on the Internet.
Run The Run dialog box can be used to open programs, folders,
documents or web sites.
All Programs Shows all programs installed in the computer
Log Off/Turn Off These standard icons enable the user to log off, shut down, or
restart the computer, or switch the user
Computer/Switch User
Windows Explorer It provides detailed information about your files, folders, and
drives. You can use it to see how your files are organized and to
copy, move, and rename files, as well as perform other tasks
pertaining to files, folders, and drives. To access Windows
Explorer, right-click the Start menu or the My Computer icon
and select Explore.
Table 4.1 Elements Accessed by the Start Menu

4.6 Files and Folders

4.6.1 Files
What is a file? A file is a collection of data that is stored together. Files can be stored on a
hard drive, a floppy disk, flash disk or a CD. Everything that a computer does is based on
data stored in files. You can do lots of things with files - create them, name them, rename
them, save them, move them. All files have 3 basic characteristics:

33
 a. Name: All files must be named. After picking a name, also pick an appropriate file
extension. This depends on what kind of file it is. The following are examples of
common file extensions.
.doc Microsoft Word documents
.htm,.html Web pages
.gif images (used for logos + line drawings online)
.jpg images (used for photos)
.mp3 Sound + music (used for swapping songs)
.pdf Adobe acrobat files (used for saving exact copies of documents)
.png Images (a new image format for the web)
.ram, .rm Real Media sound files (often used for internet radio)
Txt Notepad file (used for simple text)
Xls Excel spreadsheets
b. Location: The second key feature of a file is the location. You will save you file in a
particular location. For example, you may save a file in hard disk. But then it is
important to save a backup copy on the flash disk or CD.
c. Size: The size of files is measured in bytes. The smallest amount of transfer is one
bit. It holds the value of a 1, or a 0. (Binary coding). Eight of these 1's and zeroes are
called a byte. The reason is that the earliest computers could only send 8 bits at a
time; it was only natural to start writing code in sets of 8 bits. This came to be called a
byte. One may think that there are 1000 bytes in a kilobyte; but it is really 1024. File
sizes are classified as follows:
1 bit = a 1 or 0 bits (b)
4 bits = 1 nibble
8 bits = 1 byte (B)
1024 bytes = 1 Kilobyte (KB)
1024 Kilobytes = 1 Megabyte (MB)
1024 Megabytes = 1 Gigabyte (GB)
1024 Gigabytes = 1 Terabyte (TB)

4.6.2 Folders
What is a folder? A folder is a container that stores computer files in an organised way.

34
A folder is not made up of actual data in the same way a file is, it simply organises files in
convenient groups which make it easy for you to find the files again. You can even have
folders within folders (called sub-folders) which help to further classify your files.

4.7 Computer Viruses

A virus is a malicious piece of code designed exclusively to disrupt or damage your computer
and data. A virus is a type of computer program which is created with the specific intention
of causing an application or operating system to behave in a manner contrary to its original
design. It achieves this in two ways:
 It is designed to replicate itself from one computer to another
 It locates itself in the computer system in such a way that it is able to amend or
destroy files or programs by interfering with the normal operations of the OS.
However, not all viruses are destructive. Some viruses are only annoying by changing display
colors or displaying messages.

4.7.1 Sources of Viruses

 The most common cause of viral transmission is via flash disks, floppy diskette and
shared files.
 Viruses can also travel across networks, through files downloaded from the Internet
and through files attached to e-mail messages.
 Pirated software
 Infected proprietary software
 Fake games – sometimes they pop up on the screen
 Freeware – be aware of programs claiming you have won some huge amount of
money or prizes and ask you to send your details.

4.7.2 Virus Symptoms

How do you know your PC is infected with a virus? It may exhibit one or several of the
following symptoms:
 Disappearance of programs or files
 Less memory available than usual
 Pop up of unfamiliar graphics or messages
 Unusual error messages
 Programs taking longer than usual

35
4.7.3 Removing Viruses
Anti-virus software offers the best protection against viruses by preventing the spread of
known viruses. In other words, anti-virus software cannot detect a virus whose signature it
does not know. For those known viruses, the software can detect infected files and remove
them. Some of the common anti-virus software in the market include Norton, Kaspersky,
McAfee, among others. Once you detect symptoms of viruses, run the anti-virus installed in
your computer.

4.8 Summary

In this lecture, you have covered a wide range of sub-topics related to

computer software. You learnt that software refers to the instructions or
programs that tell the computer hardware what to do. There are two
types: system software and application software. You then learnt about
the operating system and its functions. Then we took a close look at
Windows operating system and its various elements. You learnt how you
can customize your desktop and access various elements of Windows
through the Start Menu. You learnt about files and folders before
concluding with how to detect and remove computer viruses.

4.9 References

Onunga, J. (1999). Introduction to microcomputers and programming.

Nairobi: Mariwa Publishers.
Pepela, C. (2004). Foundations of computer studies 1. Nairobi: EAEP

36
 LECTURE FIVE
WORD-PROCESSING
Lecture Outline

5.1 Introduction
5.2 Objectives
5.3 What is Word Processing?
5.4 Features of a Word Processor
5.5 Microsoft Word
5.5.1 Starting MS Word
5.5.2 Word Help
5.5.3 Elements of MS Word Screen
5.5.4 Displaying Toolbars
5.6 Working with Word Documents
5.6.1 Creating a New Document
5.6.2 Opening an Existing Document
5.6.3 Saving a Document
5.6.4 Editing a Document
5.6.4.1 Copy and Paste
5.6.4.2 Cut and Paste
5.6.4.3 Keyboard Shortcuts
5.6.4.4 Using Spellchecker
5.6.4.5 Using Thesaurus
5.6.5 Formatting a Document
5.6.5.1 Font
5.6.5.2 Paragraph Formatting
5.6.6 Printing a Document
5.7 Summary
5.8 Reference

5.1 Introduction
In previous lectures, we have seen that a computer system is made up of hardware
components and software that controls the operations of the hardware. We have also seen the

37
role played by the operating system to make a computer functions effectively and efficiently.
Do not forget that as a user, you must give the computer instructions for it to accomplish
tasks. We also said that those programs that we use to perform specific tasks and solve
particular problems are called application programs. In this lecture, we explore word
processing which is probably the most common and useful application programs of them all.

5.2 Objectives

At the end of this lecture, you should be able to:

1. Define word processing
2. Explain the different features of a word processor
3. State the functions of different elements on MS Word window
4. Perform different word processing tasks

5.3 What is Word Processing?

Word Processing is the use of computer programs to manipulate text in order to produce
documents in a fast and accurate manner. Word-processing enables you to produce different
types of documents including assignments, research papers, projects, letters, articles, books,
etc that are error-free and attractive to look at. This is made possible by the editing, revising,
formatting and printing facilities of word processors.

A word processor enables you to create a document, store it electronically on a disk, display
it on a screen, modify it by entering commands and characters from the keyboard, and print it
on a printer. A word processor is basically a WYSIWYG ("What You See Is What You
Get") system where the formatting takes place while you enter your text; no further
processing is needed prior to sending your work to a printer. Examples of word processors
include MS Word, WordPerfect and Word Pro.

5.4 Features of a Word Processor

Different word processors have different features. However, there are certain basic features
that are common in many word processors. These include the following:
a. Text Editing
Text editing features of word processors include:

38
  Enter text – word processors allow you to type text using the keyboard. You
can choose from a variety of font types, character sizes and styles such as
Times New Roman, Arial, bold, underline, italics, etc.
 Copy and Paste or Cut and Paste - which allows you to remove a section of
text (either by copying or cutting) from one place in a document and inserting
(pasting) it somewhere else.
 Copy text – this feature allows you to duplicate text
 Insert text – this allows you to insert text anywhere in the document.
 Find - you can find words or phrases within a document
 Delete text - allows you to erase characters, words, lines, or pages easily
 Search and replace - you can direct the word processor to search for a
particular word or phrase and replace the word or phrase with another set of
characters everywhere they appear in the document.
 Undo and Redo - which allows you to reverse actions that have been taken,
for example if they were done accidentally
b. Paragraph Editing
 Paragraph alignment – you can align text to the left, right, centre or justified
(both left and right). You can use Indent or Tap to align your paragraphs.
 Paragraph numbering – you can number listed items using letters and
numbers
 Word wrap - the word processor automatically moves to the next line when
you have filled one line with text, and it will re-adjust text if you change the
margins.
c. Page Editing
 Page size and margins - allows you to define various page sizes and margins,
and the word processor will automatically readjust the text so that it fits.
 Page numbering – you can insert page numbers at the top or bottom and left,
right, or centre of the page.
 Headers and Footers – this allows you to specify customized headers and
footers that the word processor will put at the top and bottom of every page
d. File Management – word processors allow you to create, delete, move, and search
for files.
e. Tools – most common tools include Spell Checkers, Thesaurus and Bookmarks. Spell
Checkers are used to correct spelling and grammatical mistakes. Thesaurus allows

39
 you to search words with similar meanings (synonyms) or opposite meaning
(antonyms) within the word processor.
f. Macros – a macro is a character or word that represents a series of keystrokes. The
keystrokes can represent text or commands. The ability to define macros allows you
to save yourself a lot of time by replacing common combinations of keystrokes. By
use of macros, you can automate repetitive tasks.
g. Graphics – this allows you to embed illustrations and graphs into a document. Some
word processors let you create the illustrations within the word processor; others let
you insert an illustration produced by a different program.
h. Merges – using this feature, you can merge text from one file into another file. This is
particularly useful for generating many files that have the same format. Mail Merge,
for example, enables you to send similar letters to different people.
i. Document templates – you can use these templates to create most frequently used
documents using the format provided.
j. Layout - this allows you to specify different margins within a single document and to
specify various methods for indenting paragraphs and manipulating column text.
Examples include web layout and newspaper layout
k. Tables of contents and indexes - this allows you to automatically create a table of
contents and index based on special codes that you insert in the document.
l. Windows - you can have two or more documents open at the same time; each
appearing in its own window. This is particularly valuable when editing a large
project that is made of several different files.
m. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) - as we said earlier, this means that a
document appears on the display screen exactly as it will look when printed.
n. File security – you can protect your files using passwords
o. Print – this allow you to print hard copy of your document

Take Note
1. Word processors that only allow you to key in your text, edit and print
it are called text editors. For example, Worpad
2. Word processors that support more advanced features for manipulating
and formatting text are called full-featured word processors. For example
MS Word versions, from Word 4.0 to Word 2003 used on Windows XP.

40
 3. Word 2003 share most of the features with earlier versions. In order to
avoid redundancy, I will refer Word 2003 simply as Word.

5.5 Microsoft Word

5.5.1 Starting MS Word
There are 3 possible ways of starting Word:
a. Go to Start menu, select All Programs, then Microsoft Office suite and click on
Microsoft Office Word. See illustration below.

Fig. 5.1: Starting Microsoft Word from the Start menu

a. Click on the Word icon on the desktop

b. Open any Word document and this will automatically launch Word.
c. Once you click on the Start menu, there is the pinned items list right above it. You
can pin Word and use that to launch the program. Also if Word is used often, you
will find it listed under the most often used items list just below the pinned items list.
Look at Fig. 5.1 above and also refer to section 4.9.6.1 of Lecture 4.

5.5.2 Word Help

It is very likely that you will require help from time to time on the features of Word. If so,
simply click on Help on the menu bar (or press F1 key) and type some text to search for

41
answer within the program on Microsoft online. Alternatively, as the Office Assistant how to
perform given tasks on Word and you will get step-by-step answers.

1. How to Turn On Office Assistant

 If the Office Assistant is not showing; go to Help on the menu bar and click on Show
Office Assistant.
 May be you do not like the particular Office Assistant who appears. You can choose
the one you like thus:
o Right-click on the Office Assistant
o Click on Choose Assistant
o Click on Next until you find the one you like
o Click OK to apply

5.8.2.2 How to Use Office Assistant

To ask Office Assistant any question regarding Word, follow these steps:
 Click on Office Assistant
 Type a question (one word or an entire question; for example type “search and
replace”) and click Search or simply press the Enter key.
 Choose the most appropriate or closest option from the list on the Task Pane that
appears on your right and click on it
 Follow the step-by-step directions that appear on your right side.

Take Note
When you are done with Office Assistant or you just do not want to see
“him” hanging around while you work on your document, just hide
“him”. How? Right-click on Office Assistant and select “Hide”

42
5.5.3 Elements of MS Word Screen
Open a Word blank document that looks like Fig. 5.2 below and study it carefully.

5 6
1 3 4
2
7
10 9 8

i
Figure 5.2: MS Word Screen

Study the Word screen above or on your computer. The following are some of the key
elements on that window as numbered in figure 5.2.
1. Title Bar – this is on top of the window and it displays the name of the application and
document. In Fig. 5.2 above the title bar reads Document 1- Microsoft Word.
2. Menu Bar - it is below the title bar and it shows the menu options available. To
display the full menu, go to Tools on the menu bar and select Customize then the
Options tab. Click on Always show full menus option.
3. Standard Toolbar – found below the menu bar, it contains the shortcuts to the
frequently used commands in Word. The standard toolbar shows buttons for
common word-processing and editing tools.
4. Formatting Toolbar – contains common tools for text and paragraph formatting
5. Window sizing buttons – used to minimize, maximize or close active windows
6. Task Pane – a small window within an application which provides commonly used
commands. Allows you to use the commands while working on your document. It is
also useful in getting help with the document and with selecting other documents or
templates. To turn the Task Pane on, go to View and select Task Pane (or press
Ctrl+F1 simultaneously). Use the same steps to turn it off.

43
7. Scroll bars – there are horizontal and vertical scroll bars to enable you view different
areas of the document
8. Drawing Toolbar – contains auto shapes and tools for drawing. Use this if you need to
include shapes and drawings in your document.

9. Status Bar –it shows open documents and the active window
10. Ruler – used to set margins, indents and tabs. The ruler helps you gauge how much
space on the printed page your text will occupy and it is usually set at default so you
do not need to change anything for now.

Take Note
The numbered list on Fig. 5.2 does not contain all the elements and
properties of a Word screen. So make sure you know the rest of the
elements and their functions.

5.5.4 Displaying Toolbars

Usually, the Standard and the Formatting toolbars share a row just below the Menu bar. You
can choose to display the toolbars either in one row or in two rows. To do this:
 Click on the arrow at the right end of the toolbar.
 Click show buttons on one row (or two rows)
You can also add or remove buttons from the toolbars from the same point. In order to choose
tools you need on the toolbars:
 Click on View on the Menu bar
 Click on toolbar buttons you want displayed.

44
Checked ones are active, so check those you want activated. See Fig. 5.3 below.

Fig. 5.3: Customizing toolbar display

5.6 Working with Word Documents

5.6.1 Creating a New Document
There are several ways of creating a new document. Try these two:
 Click on File on the menu bar and then select New…
 Click on the New icon on the standard tool bar
 Click Blank Document in New Document task pane

5.6.2 Opening an Existing Document

There are a number of ways to open documents:
 Click on File, then Open on the menu bar or the Open icon on the toolbar
 From the dialogue box, select the name of the document you wish to open
 If not in the current folder, click on the Look in arrow and select a different location
 Double-click on the document you want to open
 For recent document, use the Recent Documents option from the Start menu (see
section 4.9.6.2 of Lecture 4)

45
5.6.3 Saving a Document
After typing your document, you need to save it on a permanent disk. There are two ways to
save your document; using Save or Save As commands. Save command is used to save an
existing document after modifying it. Make sure you use Save As command when:
 Saving a document for the first time
 Saving a document under a new file name
 Saving a document in a different location (folder or disk)

Activity 5.1
Practice on saving documents using different:
 file names
 file types
 locations

5.6.4 Editing a Document

During editing, you might need to move text around. You do that by either copying or cutting
text and pasting it where you want it. Here is how to do it.

1. Copy and Paste

 Select and highlight the section you want to copy.
 From the Edit menu, and choose Copy.
 Move the cursor to the place you want the copied text to be inserted.
 From the Edit menu, and choose Paste.

2. Cut and Paste

 Select and highlight the section you want to move.
 From the Edit menu, choose Cut.
 Move the cursor to the place you would like the text to be inserted. Click in the
document to place the cursor there.
 From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

46
3. Keyboard Shortcuts

Word has a system of shortcut key strokes which are a combination of letters and symbols
that act as codes that allow you to accomplish frequently executed tasks. There following are
some common shortcuts used in Word.

 Paste: CTRL + V
 Copy: CTRL + C
 Undo: CTRL + Z
 New document: CTRL + N
 Open document: CTRL + O
 Print document: CTRL + P

4. Using Spell Checker

Word is able to identify spelling as well as grammatical mistakes during word processing.
You may have noticed some words are underlined with red while others with green. Red
underline denotes a spelling error while green denotes a grammatical error. When you see
that, you need to correct the errors accordingly.

However, you can direct Word to check your document for spelling and grammatical
mistakes. For example if you wish to check spelling of a single word, follow the following
steps:

 Right-click on the work

 Select spelling options given on top of the box
 Alternatively, click Spelling to use the Spell Checker

Often, you may need to check for spelling and grammar errors in an entire document. This
will require that you turn the Spell Checker on. Follow these steps.

 Go to Menu bar and click on Tools, then Spelling and Grammar

 Or Click on Spelling and Grammar button on Standard toolbar
 Wrongly spelt words will appear in red and grammatical errors will have green lines
 You will be given options to correct the errors:
o Click Change to correct a word
o Click Change All to change that word everywhere in the document.
o Click Ignore if you do not wish to replace the word

47
 o Click Ignore All to ignore all further checking of that word
o Click Add Dictionary to add the word to the dictionary.

Take Note
Sometimes the software might highlight an error when there is no error.
That is why you should not rely on the Spell Checker. You need to
proofread your work manually even after using the Spell Checker.

5. Using Thesaurus

The Thesaurus provides you with synonyms, antonyms or related words. To use the
Thesaurus:

 Select the word

 Go to Menu bar and click on Tools, then Language and click on Thesaurus. This
should bring up the Research Task Pane. (Alternatively, use Shift+F7 shortcut)
 Scroll down to select a word from the list
 Click Insert to replace the earlier word

5.6.5 Formatting a Document

Formatting is changing the appearance of your document by using a wide range of character
formats, including various fonts, font sizes, and styles such as bold and italics. The quickest
and easiest way to apply fonts, font sizes, bold, italics, and underlining is to use the toolbar
buttons.

1. Fonts

Fonts consist of typeface (Times New Roman, Arial, Comic Sans Serif, etc), size (measured
in points 8, 10, 12, 14, etc; 12 is the standard) and weight (normal, bold, italic or bold-italic).
To change the font of the text in your document, follow these steps:

 From the formatting toolbar, select the Font box, a drop-down menu list of font
names or size.
 Click on the arrow to the right of the font name or size.
 Scroll through the list of fonts until you find the name or size you want to use.

48
  Click the name or size of the font to select it. No matter where your cursor is, you will
now begin typing in the new font from that point on.

Sometimes you may wish to change font of text that is already typed. To do so, follow these
steps:

 Highlight and select the text you want to change.

 Go to formatting toolbar, select the Font box.
 Click on the arrow to the right of the font name or size.
 Scroll through the list of fonts until you find the one you want to use.
 Click the name or size of the font to select it.
 The highlighted text will change to the newly selected font.

Bold, Underline, and Italics

When you wish to bold, underline, or italicize words, follow these steps:

 Highlight the text you want to apply the formatting to

 Click on the button with the B on it to bold the selected text.
 Click on the button with the I to italicize the selected text.
 Click on the button with U to underline the selected text.

Alternatively, you can apply these format styles in the following manner:

 Go to Menu bar
 Click on Format, then Font
 Select your options from the pop-up menu by placing check marks in the boxes
 Click OK to apply

2. Paragraph Formatting

a. Text Spacing and Alignment

You can manipulate text to align either to the left, center, right, or to justify text:

 Select the text that you wish to align and click on the appropriate button in the formatting
toolbar.
 For example, to align text to the left, select the text and click on the align left button .

49
b. Change spacing between lines:

 Select the paragraphs in which you want to change line spacing.

 Go to the Format menu and select Paragraph, then in the dialog box that pops
up, click on the Indents and Spacing tab.
 Under Spacing, select the appropriate spacing options and click OK (e.g.
changing line spacing to double-space instead of single-spaced).

Alternatively, select the block of text and go to the Formatting toolbar and click on the down
arrow on the line spacing button to select the desired spacing.

c. To change page margins:

 From the View menu select Print Layout.

 For left or right page margins, point to a margin boundary on the horizontal ruler
until it changes to a double arrow and drag the margin boundary to the right or
left:
 For top or bottom page margins, point to a margin boundary on the vertical ruler
until it changes to a double arrow and drag the margin boundary to the top or
bottom.

d. To specify exact page margins:

 From the File menu, select Page Setup.

 You will see a pop-up page setup window.
 Click on the margins tab.
 You can change either top, bottom, left, or right margins by clicking in the
appropriate text boxes or on the arrows next to the numbers.

f. Inserting Page Numbers:

 From the Insert menu, select Page Numbers.

 In the page numbers pop-up window, make sure the position and alignment of the
page numbers is to your preference.
 For more page number options, click on the Format button.

50
5.6.6 Printing a Document

Before actually printing your document, you need to preview the document as it will appear
in hard copy. To do this:

 Go to File menu and select Print Preview from the dropdown menu options.
 You can view one page or multiple pages - select the buttons at the top left which
look like one page or four pages.
 You can zoom in - place your cursor on the document--it will turn into a
magnifying glass with a + symbol inside. Then click on your document.
 Zoom back out, place your cursor on the document and this time your cursor will
turn into a magnifying glass with a - symbol inside. Click on your document.

When you are ready to print; choose the File menu, then Print.

 A dialog box will appear.

 Choose the number of copies and pages you want to print.
 Click OK to print.

5.7 Summary

In this lecture, we learnt that word-processing enables you to manipulate

text in order to produce documents in a fast and efficient manner. We
looked at the key features of word-processors by focusing on Word 2003.
We learnt various tools and steps used to type, edit, format, save and
print your document. Remember that word-processing is one of the most
important applications because you will need to use it more frequently.
Therefore, make sure you practice with your computer on how use the
various word-processing features and tools that we have learnt in this
lecture.

51
5.8 Reference

Onunga, J. (2005). Computer Studies. Book 2. Nairobi: Mariwa

Publishers.

52
 LECTURE SIX
SPREADSHEETS

Lecture Outline

6.1 Introduction
6.2 Objectives
6.3 Understanding Spreadsheets
6.3.1 Definitions
6.3.2 Elements of a Spreadsheet
6.3.3 Applications of Spreadsheets
6.4 Microsoft MS Excel
6.4.1 Starting MS Excel
6.4.2 Excel Help
6.4.2.1 How to Turn on Office Assistant
6.4.2.2 How to Use Office Assistant
6.4.3 Elements of Excel Screen
6.4.4 Navigating the Excel Window
6.5 The Workbook
6.5.1 Creating a Workbook
6.5.2 Opening Existing Workbooks
6.5.3 Entering Data
6.5.4 Editing Data
6.6 Formatting a Worksheet
6.6.1 Formatting Text
6.6.2 Merging Cells
6.6.3 Rotating Text and Numbers
6.6.4 Formatting Numeric Data
6.6.5 Borders and Lines
6.6.6 Patterns and Colours
6.6.7 Adjusting Column Widths
6.6.8 Adjusting Row Heights
6.7 Performing Simple Calculations
6.7.1 Using Excel Formulas and Functions

53
6.7.2 Entering Formulas
6.7.3 Copying Formulas in a Worksheet
6.8 Working with Charts
6.8.1 Types of Charts
6.8.2 Creating Charts
6.9 Saving Worksheets
6.10 Printing Worksheets
6.10.1 Print Preview
6.10.2 Page Setup
6.11 Summary
6.12 References

6.1 Introduction
In the last lecture, we learnt about a computer application called word-processing. In this
lecture, we will move to another application known as spreadsheets. Spreadsheets enable you
manipulate and tabulate numerical data and to present that data graphically. First we will look
at definition of terms relevant to this program before looking at the features and functions of
one of the leading spreadsheet programs - MS Excel. We shall then embark on performing
spreadsheet tasks using Excel and close the lecture by reviewing the various applications of
spreadsheets.

6.2 Objectives

At the end of this lecture, you should be able to:

1. Define spreadsheets
2. Explain various applications of spreadsheets
3. Describe the elements of Excel Window
4. Perform different spreadsheet tasks
5. Carry out calculations using Excel

6.3 Understanding Spreadsheets

6.3.1 Definitions
A spreadsheet is a grid of intersecting rows and columns, with each intersection creating a
small rectangle called a cell. You will enter figures and text in the cells. When you open an

54
Excel spreadsheet, you will notice that columns are assigned letters, and rows are assigned
numbers. This is important because a cell’s position is referenced by its column label and row
number. For example, the cell in the first column of the first row is referred to as A1.
Similarly, the cell in the second column of the first row is referred to as B1, and so on. You
will learn more on this in the section on Excel Window.

6.3.2 Elements of a Spreadsheet

a. Worksheet – a worksheet consists of cells organized into rows and columns.
A group of worksheets is called a workbook.
b. Workbook – this refers to a collection of pages (worksheets) that make up
one file. Each workbook can have 256 sheets.
c. Database – this is a list of items stored in a worksheet. Columns in the list are
called fields and rows are called records.
d. Graph – a graph or chart can be created using data from the database. You
can create pie charts, bar charts and bar charts as separate chart sheets or
within the worksheet.
e. Column – the vertical divisions of a worksheet are called columns and they
are marked by letters. A column represents a field in a spreadsheet table.
There are 256 columns in an Excel worksheet.
f. Row – the horizontal divisions in a worksheet are called rows and they are
identified by numbers. A row represents a record in a spreadsheet table. Excel
has 65,536 rows in an Excel worksheet.
g. Cell – this is the intersection of a row and a column and is identified by the
column letter and the row number, e.g. A1, B5, C9, etc. Excel has 16,777,216
cells.
h. Label – this is an alphanumeric entry in a worksheet
i. Value – this is numerical data that you enter into a worksheet
j. Range - A group of cells that are next to each other
k. Formula - A mathematical expression that gives instructions to the computer
about what to do with the contents of specified cells.
6.3.3 Applications of Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are used for storing, manipulating, and analyzing data. Some of the specific
applications of spreadsheets include the following:

55
 a. Budgeting: In order for a company to plan and control spending there must be a
budget. Spreadsheets will enable you track monthly income and expenditures for your
business.
b. Accounting: Instead of using several ledgers, you can set up all of your accounting
statements in Excel. By connecting you balance sheets and income statements, you
will be able to keep your finances in order.
c. Loan or Mortgage: You can use Spreadsheets to calculate your monthly payments of
a loan or mortgage you wish to take.
d. Payroll: Spreadsheets are used to calculate employees monthly salaries
e. Sales Records: Company sales reports can be done on spreadsheets to show sales for
each item over the year. You can produce invoices and compile statements.
f. Stock: you can track stock levels in a warehouse using spreadsheets
g. Business lists: you can manage client or product lists on spreadsheets
h. Student marks: As a teacher, you can store information on students’ marks
progressively and produce overall results
i. Research: as a researcher, you can compile and analyse data using spreadsheets
j. Personal Expenses: Just like a company, you can also maintain budget using
spreadsheets where you can monitor your monthly income and expenses.

6.4 Microsoft MS Excel

6.4.1 Starting MS Excel
There are 3 possible ways of starting Excel:
a. Go to Start menu, select All Programs, then Microsoft Office suite and click on
Microsoft Office Excel.

56
 See illustration below.

Fig. 6.1: Starting Microsoft Excel from the Start Menu

b. Click on the Excel icon on the desktop

c. Open any Excel document and this will automatically launch Excel.
d. Once you click on the Start menu, there is the pinned items list right above it. You
can pin Excel and use that to launch the program. Also if Excel is used often, you will
find it listed under the most often used items list just below the pinned items list. Look
at Fig. 6.1 above and also refer to section 4.9.6.1 of Lecture 4.

6.4.2 Excel Help

It is very likely that you will require help from time to time on the features of Excel. If so,
simply click on Help on the menu bar (or press F1 key) and type some text to search for
answer within the program on Microsoft online. Alternatively, as the Office Assistant how to
perform given tasks on Excel and you will get step-by-step answers.

6.4.2.1 How to Turn On Office Assistant

 If the Office Assistant is not showing; go to Help on the menu bar and click on Show
Office Assistant.

57
  May be you do not like the particular Office Assistant that appears. You can choose
the one you like thus:
o Right-click on the Office Assistant
o Click on Choose Assistant
o Click on Next until you find the one you like
o Click OK to apply

6.4.2.2 How to Use Office Assistant

To ask Office Assistant any question regarding Excel, follow these steps:
 Click on Office Assistant
 Type a question (one word or an entire question; for example type “search and
replace”) and click Search or simply press the Enter key.
 Choose the most appropriate or closest option from the list on the Task Pane that
appears on your right and click on it
 Follow the step-by-step directions that appear on your right side.

6.4.3 Elements of MS Excel 2003 Window

Open a blank Excel document on your computer. You should see a window that looks like
Fig. 6.2 below.

5
1 2 3 8
4 7
9
6
16
15
10

14 13

12 11

Fig. 6.2: Microsoft Excel Window

58
Some of the elements that you should identify on the Excel screen include the following:
1. Title Bar – this is on top of the window and it displays the name of the application and
workbook. In Fig. 6.1 above the title bar reads Microsoft Excel Book 1
2. Menu Bar – it is below the title bar and it shows the menu options available for
working with spreadsheets. To display the full menu, go to Tools on the menu bar and
select Customize then the Options tab. Click on Always show full menus option.
3. Formula bar – when you type in current cell or cell range and data, it appears in the
formula bar
4. Column Labels – these are the letters across the top of the worksheet used to identify
the columns in a worksheet
5. Standard Toolbar – found below the menu bar, it contains the shortcuts to the
frequently used commands like Save, Copy, AutoSum, Chart Wizard, etc.
6. Formatting Toolbar – this bar is just below the standard toolbar and it is used for
formatting text
7. Window sizing buttons – use these buttons to minimize, maximize or close active
windows
8. Office Assistant – you have any question on Excel? Ask the Office Assistant.
9. Task Pane – a small window within an application which provides commonly used
commands. Allows you to use the commands while working on your worksheet. It is
also useful in getting help with the worksheet. To turn the Task Pane on, go to View
and select Task Pane (or press Ctrl+F1 simultaneously). Use the same steps to turn it
off.
10. Active Cell – this is the cell you are working on and is marked a bold outline.
11. Scroll bars – there are horizontal and vertical scroll bars to enable you view different
areas of the worksheet
12. Status Bar – found at the bottom of the table, the status bar shows the current activity
such as Ready, Edit, Copy, Paste, Saving, etc
13. Worksheet Tabs – found at the bottom next to the browsers, these tabs are used to
select a worksheet to work on. The active worksheet is indicated in bold letters.
14. Worksheet browsers – found at the bottom left of the screen, these are used to
navigate through worksheets
15. Row Numbers – these are numbers down on the left of the screen which are used to
identify the rows on the worksheet.

59
16. Cell/Range Name – just below the font style, this is a box that contains the name of
the range or function of the active cell.
6.4.4 Navigating the Excel Window
You can use the keyboard to navigate the worksheet window.
Enter key - Moves down one cell
Tab key – moves across one cell to the right
Shift Enter - Moves up one cell.
Shift Tab – moves across one cell to the left
Arrow keys – moves one cell to the direction of the arrow
Page Up or Down – moves one full screen up or down the worksheet
Ctrl+ Page Up or Ctrl+ Page Down – moves from one worksheet to another
Home key – sends the cursor to the first column (A)
Ctrl + Home – sends the cursor to cell A1
Ctrl + End – sends the cursor to the bottom right of the spreadsheet

6.5 The Workbook

6.5.1 Creating a Workbook
In order to create a workbook, follow the following steps:
 Open a blank Excel workbook. You will notice that by default, the workbook has 3
worksheets
 Click on File then New
 On the Task Pane, click on Templates: On my computer
 Click General or Spreadsheet solutions on the Template window that pops up. This
will depend on what you want to use the spreadsheet for.
 Click OK to create a new blank workbook using the template you picked

6.5.2 Opening Existing Workbooks

You can also work on existing workbooks. To open one, follow these steps:
 Open Excel
 On the standard toolbar, click on Open button.
 Alternatively, go to the Menu bar and click on File, then Open
 Select the drive and folder containing the workbook from the Look in drop-down list
 Double-click on the workbook file to open it

60
6.5.3 Entering Data
You can enter numerical data or text.
a. Entering Numbers
You can enter the following numerical categories:
 Numbers (0 – 9) as:
o Integers
o Decimals e.g. 95.3, 0.54
o fractions e.g. 2/3, 6 ½
 Scientific notations e.g. 5.99E+4 (this means 5.99×103 since E is the scientific
notation for power of 10)
 Calculation symbols (e.g. +, _, $, %, E, =, etc)
To enter numerical data, follow these steps:
 Place the mouse pointer on the cell you want to enter a number and click on it
 Type the number(s) into the cell. (Remember to start with minus sign (-) for
negative numbers).
 Press Enter key, Tab key or on the Arrow keys to accept the entry
 To enter a fraction enter the number (even when it is 0), one space, the
numerator then forward slash sign (/) and then the denominator (e.g. 9 ½)

b. Entering Text
Text includes a combination of words, numbers and symbols. You can enter up to a
maximum of 255 characters in a cell. This is how to do that:
 Select a cell you wish to enter text
 Type the text into the cell
 Press Enter key

c. Entering Data Series

When you are working with series of data; such as dates, months, and years; positive or
negative numbers, you can use the AutoFill feature to automatically enter the series of data
instead of entering one-by-one. To use the fill handle, follow these steps:

 Type the first day, date, month or year in the list in the first cell (such as
Monday, January, or 1/07/2009)

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  Select the cell and position the cursor over the handle in the lower right corner
of the cell and it will change into a cross pointer
 Drag the cross pointer to the end of the range you want to fill and then release
the mouse button. The rest of the data is filled automatically.

6.5.4 Editing Data

Sometimes, you will need to edit your data by deleting, inserting or moving numbers or text.
In that case, follow the steps outlined below

6.5.4.1 Inserting and Deleting Data

 Double-click on the cell that you wish to edit
 Move the cursor to the point of correction (using the mouse or arrow keys)
 Just type a digit or letter to insert it to the right of the cursor
 Use Delete key to remove a wrongly entered character

6.5.4.2 Moving Data

You can move data by cutting or copying cells and pasting them elsewhere.
 Click on the cell you wish to copy or cut
 On the Menu bar, go to Edit and click on it
 On the drop-down menu click Cut or Copy (You can also use the toolbar icons to
cut and copy). You will notice things moving around the cell you have copied or
cut.
 Click on the cell to which you wish to move the data.
 On the Menu bar, go to Edit and select Paste (or use the Paste icon on the
toolbar).
Remember you can also use the keyboard or mouse shortcuts for cutting, copying and
pasting.

6.6 Formatting a Worksheet

You enhance the appearance of your worksheets by using formatting features like cell
merging, changing alignments, font types and sizes, and applying borders, patterns and
colours. The formatting toolbar and Format options on the Menu bar will provide you with
the necessary formatting tools.

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6.6.1 Formatting Text
When you type, text is by default aligned to the left while numbers are aligned to the right.
But you have the choice of aligning text and numbers the way you please; to the left, right,
centre, or justified. Simply follow these steps:
 Select the cell or range of cells you wish to align
 On the Menu bar, select Cells and then Alignment tab
 Pick on the Horizontal or Vertical alignment and then select from the options
 Click OK to apply the alignment selected.
Remember you can also use the alignment icons on the Formatting toolbar to perform these
formatting tasks.

Fig. 6.3: Cell Formatting

6.6.2 Merging Cells

This feature allows you to merge cells or a range of cells into one single large cell with the
title centred. To do this:
 Type and format the title within the range you want the title centred
 Select the cells you want merged and centred
 Click on the Merge and Centre icon on the Formatting toolbar.

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6.6.3 Rotating Text and Numbers
When working with charts, table and other figures, you may need to align your text (even
numbers) so that they are slanting or rotated clockwise or anti-clockwise (between 0 and -90 0
or 0 and 900 respectively). To do this:
 Select the cells or range of cells you wish to rotate
 On Menu bar, go to Format then Cells and select Alignment tab
 In Orientation box specify a value or drag the red-tipped arrow up or down
 Click OK

6.6.4 Formatting Numeric Data

6.6.4.1 Using Toolbar Style Buttons
To choose the style for your numeric data:
 Select the cell or range of cells of numeric data
 In the Formatting toolbar, select from the options for Currency, Percent or Comma
styles or to increase or decrease decimal places
6.6.4.2 Using Format in Menu bar
To format your numeric data:
 Select the cell or range of cells to format
 On the Menu bar, go to Format then Cells and click on the Number tab
 Select the desired format and the sample box will display the selected format
 Click OK to apply

6.6.5 Borders and Lines

You can choose to place borders around specific cells to emphasize them or mark totals. This
makes the reader to understand your worksheets easily. There are two ways of adding borders
and lines:
Option One
 Select cell or range of cells you want to add a line or border
 On the Formatting toolbar, click on the drop-down arrow next the Borders icon
 Click on the desired border from the border type palette. You can even draw your own
lines or borders.

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Option Two
 Select cell or range of cells you want to add a line or border
 On the Menu bar, go to Format and then Cells and click on the Border tab
 Select the desired Border type, Width and Style. If you want colour, click on the
colour drop-down arrow and make you selection from the colour palette.

6.6.6 Patterns and Colours

You can choose from a variety of patterns and colours when formatting your worksheets:
 Select the cell or range of cells to format
 On the Menu bar, go to Format and then Cells and select on Patterns
 Select a colour for your pattern from the Colour grid.
 Then select a pattern from the drop-down list
 Preview the colour and pattern choice on the Sample area
 Click OK

6.6.7 Adjusting Column Widths

You can adjust the column widths to accommodate the data. One way is to go to Format on
the Menu bar and selecting on Column Width and entering specific number for desired
width. Otherwise, you can also follow these steps:
 Move the pointer to the right boundary of the Column Heading where it will change
into a two-headed horizontal arrow
 Drag the column left or right
 Release the mouse button

Activity 6.1
Practice on adjusting the sizes of multiple columns by clicking on Select
All (the grey rectangle to the left of the column letters) and dragging the
column to different widths.

6.6.8 Adjusting Row Heights

You can also adjust the row height by going to the Format option on the Menu bar and
selecting on Row Height where you will enter a number. Alternatively, follow these steps:
 Move the pointer to the bottom of boundary of the Row Heading (number list on the
left margin) where the pointer will change into a two-headed vertical arrow.

65
  Drag the row up or down
 Release the mouse button

Take Note
 All formulas in Excel begin with the Equal Sign (=)
 When entering formulas, you can type the cell addresses or click
on the selected cells

6.7 Performing Simple Calculations

6.7.1 Using Excel Formulas and Functions
Excel program has inbuilt formulas that you can use to perform simple and even complex
mathematical, financial and statistical calculations. To enter a formula, you must include cell
addresses which reference the cells on which you want to perform certain calculations. You
will also include the following mathematical operators:

Function Operator Example

+ Addition =A1+B1
* Multiplication =(A1+B1)*2
/ Division =A2/B1
- Subtraction =B4-C2
= Equal =C6/G8

6.7.2 Entering Formulas

Follow these steps:
 Click on where you will place the formula
 Type the equal sign (=)
 Enter the values, cell references and operators
 Press Enter to perform the calculation
Study the data below and use it to perform different calculations.

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Fig. 6.4: Performing calculations on a spreadsheet

You can use the data above to perform simple calculations of multiplication, addition,
subtraction and division. First type in the items list numbers 2 – 5 and their respective
quantities and prices.
a. Multiplication: To calculate the cost of each item:
 Type =B2*C2 in cell D2, then press Enter key
 Type =B3*C3 in cell D3, then press Enter key
 Type =B4*C4 in cell D4, then press Enter key
 Type = B5*C5 in cell D5, then press Enter key
b. Addition: To calculate the total cost of all items, you add the cost of
all items:
 Type =SUM(D2:D5) in cell D6, then press Enter key
 You can also use the AutoSum icon on the toolbar:
o Click on cell D2
o Hold the Shift key down and click on cell D5
o This will select the cell range D2 – D5.
o The click on the AutoSum (∑) icon on the toolbar.
c. Division: Assuming you wish to calculate the average cost of the items
you purchased. You will need to add the cost of all the items and
divide that by the number of items:
 Type =AVERAGE(D2:D5) in cell D7, then press Enter
 Alternatively, you can highlight the cell range D2 – D5 and
then select AVERAGE from the AutoSum drop-down list

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 Or, maybe you want to know the percentage cost of pencils to the total
purchase; you will need to divide the cost of pencils with that of the total:
 Type =D5/D6 and press Enter
d. Subtraction: You may wish to know how much the total purchases
cost minus one item, such as the pens:
 Type =D6-D3 and then press Enter

6.7.3 Copying Formulas in a Worksheet

In order to save time, you can fill formulas into a range of cells. For example, in the
multiplication calculation above, you should not have to enter each of the formulas
individually. Instead follow these steps:
 Enter the formula =B2*C2 in cell D2 (but do not press Enter key)
 Use the fill handle at the edge of cell D2 and drag it to D5. The cost of each item
is automatically calculated.

Activity 6.2
 Create an Excel worksheet
 Enter names of 10 students and their respective end-term
marks for 3 subjects (eg. English, Mathematics and Kiswahili)
 Work out the Maximum, Minimum, Average scores for each
subject
 Save the worksheet as Student-marks.xls

6.8 Working with Charts

Excel program allows you to create charts in order to present your data in graphical form.
Moreover, charts are visually appealing and make it easy for users to see comparisons,
patterns, and trends in data. For example, instead of analyzing several columns of worksheet
numbers, just one glance at a chart will tell you whether sales are falling or rising over
specific periods.

6.8.1 Types of Charts

Depending on the type of data you have and what you want to present, there are various types
of charts that you can create using Excel. Some of them are:

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a. Pie Charts
You can use this chart to graphically show the relationship between parts of a whole.

b. Column Charts

Column charts are among the most common chart types you will use to show individual
values at a specific point in time and emphasize the difference between items. There are two
commonly used sub-types of column charts: the Clustered Column type and the Stacked
Column type.

c. Bar Charts

Bar charts are horizontally oriented versions of column charts. You can use the bar chart to
compare values at a given time.

d. Line Charts

Line charts are commonly used in Excel to illustrate linear or unbroken changes in a large
number of values. Use a line chart when you want to show trends and changes of values over
a period of time.

e. XY Scatter Charts

The XY (Scatter) Chart plots two groups of numbers as a series of XY co-ordinates. Use this
when you want to show heavy occurrences or absences of values.

f. Combo Charts

You can also mix different types on a single chart, by assigning different chart types to
different series on the chart. These are Combination Charts, and Excel provides a small
number of these on the Custom Types tab of the Chart Type dialog box.

6.8.2 Creating Charts

In order to create a chart, follow these steps:

a. Select the data you want to use for creating a chart (including the column or row labels).

b. Go to Insert >Chart and select chart. Alternatively click on the Chart Wizard on the
Standard Toolbar. A Chart Wizard dialogue box like the one in Fig. 6.3 below will pop up.

69
Fig. 6.5: Chart Wizard Dialog Box

c. Select the chart type from the Wizard window menu. Make sure you select the Chart
Type and Chart Sub-Type.

d. Confirm that the data range is correct or select a new range is you wish to. Then click
Next.

e. Excel will ask you to format you chart by entering the title and also selecting whether you
want to display the Legend and where you it should be located. Choose your options.

f. Finally, you will be asked if you want the chart embedded in the current worksheet or you
want it on a separate worksheet. Make your selection and click Finish.

6.9 Saving Worksheets

After finishing working on your worksheets and charts, you must save your work. Indeed,
you need to save every time you make progress or changes in your work so that you do not
loose it incase of a power interruption

In order to save your worksheet, select File from the Menu bar then select Save as to save
your workbook and chart in a location of your choice.

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6.10 Printing Worksheets

Excel enables you to print entire workbooks, a selected range or an embedded chart. To print
an embedded chart, simply print the worksheet that contains it. But if you wish to print the
embedded chart without the worksheet, follow these steps:

 Click on the chart to select it

 Go to File on the Menu bar and select Print (You can
select Print Preview to see what will be printed.
 Click OK

Take Note
If you choose to embed the chart, you can reduce its size. Use the corner
handles to reduce its width and height. However, you cannot reduce the
size of a chart that is on its own workbook.

6.10.1 Print Preview

You can preview the worksheet before sending it to the printer. This way, you will see what
output to expect when it is printed. There are 2 ways of doing this:
a. Go to File on the Menu bar and select Print Preview from the drop-down options
b. Alternatively, click on the Print Preview button on the Standard Toolbar

6.10.2 Page Setup

Sometimes you may find it necessary to change the page set up. You can use the Page Setup
dialogue box to make changes such as print orientation, paper size, margins, headers and
footers, etc. To open the Page Setup dialogue box:
 In the Menu bar, click on File
 On the drop-down menu, select Page Setup
 The Page Setup dialogue box will appear with a number of tabs. Click on the one you
wish to change. Make the changes you desire.
 Click OK

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Fig. 6.6: Page Setup Dialogue box

Now, your work is ready to be printed. So send it to the printer.

6.11 Summary

In this lecture, you learnt about spreadsheets and how to work with Excel
program. You began by getting to define key concepts and how to create
new workbooks and open existing ones. Then you learnt how to enter
data and perform simple calculations using various formulae. You also
learnt how to edit and format worksheets as well as how to create charts
to visually present your data. The lecture ended with procedures for
saving and printing charts and workbooks.

6.12 Reference
Onunga, J. and R. Shah (2005). Computer Studies. Book 2. Second
Edition. Nairobi: Mariwa Publishers.

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 LECTURE SEVEN
SLIDE PRESENTATIONS

Lecture Outline
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Objectives
7.3 Presentation Programs
7.4 Microsoft PowerPoint
7.4.1 Starting PowerPoint
7.4.2 PowerPoint Help
7.4.2.1 Turning on Office Assistant
7.4.2.2 Using the Office Assistant
7.4.3 MS PowerPoint Screen View
7.4.4 Elements of the PowerPoint Window
7.4.4.1 Menu Bar
7.4.4.2 Toolbars
7.4.4.3 Task Pane
7.5 Creating a New Presentation
7.5.1 Using Design Templates
7.5.2 Using the Wizard
7.6 Editing and Saving a Presentation
7.6.1 Entering Text and Bullets
7.6.2 Moving Slides
7.6.3 Deleting Slides
7.6.4 Saving your Presentation
7.7 Changing Presentation Design
7.7.1 Changing Design from Existing Presentation
7.7.2 Changing the Format Layout
7.7.3 Changing Slide Background
7.8 Working with Pictures and Graphics
7.9 Slide Transitions
7.10 Printing Slides
7.11 Principles of Effective Presentations
7.12 Summary

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7.13 References
7.1 Introduction
In the previous lecture, we learnt how you can use spreadsheets to manipulate numerical data
and create budgets, balance sheets and other similar documents. In this lecture, we are going
to learn yet another important application – that of presentations. You will learn about slide
presentations and create slides using PowerPoint program. Specifically, you will learn how to
use different slide designs and layouts, formatting slides, using graphics in your slides and
generally strategies for making effective presentations.

7.2 Objectives
At the end of this lecture, you should be able to:
1. Explain the uses of presentation programs
2. Describe the elements on the PowerPoint screen
3. Create a PowerPoint presentation
4. Describe the features of an effective PowerPoint presentation

7.3 Presentation Programs

A presentation program is a computer software that is used to display information in the
slides. A slide is a single-screen image that contains text, and charts, among other graphics. A
collection of slides is called a presentation. Therefore, presentation software allows you to
create a set of slide and present it to an audience.

A presentation program usually three major functions: an editor that allows text to be
inserted and formatted, a method for inserting and manipulating graphic images and a slide-
show system to display the content. For this course, you will work with MS PowerPoint
presentation program.

7.4 Microsoft PowerPoint

7.4.1 Starting PowerPoint
There are 3 possible ways of starting MS PowerPoint:
a. Go to Start menu, select All Programs, then Microsoft Office suite and click on
Microsoft Office PowerPoint. See illustration in Figure 7.1 below.
b. Click on the PowerPoint icon on the desktop

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 c. Open any PowerPoint document and this will automatically launch PowerPoint.
d. Once you click on the Start menu, there is the pinned items list right above it. You
can pin PowerPoint and use that to launch the program. Also if PowerPoint is used
often your computer, you will find it listed under the most often used items list just
below the pinned items list. Look at Fig. 7.1 above and also refer to section 4.9.6.1 of
Lecture 4.

Fig. 7.1: Starting Microsoft PowerPoint from the Start menu

7.4.2 PowerPoint Help

It is very likely that you will require help from time to time on the features of PowerPoint. If
so, simply click on Help on the menu bar (or press F1 key) and type some text to search for
answer within the program on Microsoft online. Alternatively, as the Office Assistant how to
perform given tasks on PowerPoint and you will get step-by-step answers.

7.4.2.1 How to Turn On Office Assistant

 If the Office Assistant is not showing; go to Help on the menu bar and click on Show
Office Assistant.
 May be you do not like the particular Office Assistant that appears. You can choose
the one you like thus:
o Right-click on the Office Assistant
o Click on Choose Assistant
o Click on Next until you find the one you like

75
 o Click OK to apply

7.4.2.2 How to Use Office Assistant

To ask Office Assistant any question regarding PowerPoint, follow these steps:
 Click on Office Assistant
 Type a question (one word or an entire question; for example type “search and
replace”) and click Search or simply press the Enter key.
 Choose the most appropriate or closest option from the list on the Task Pane that
appears on your right and click on it
 Follow the step-by-step directions that appear on your right side.

7.4.3 PowerPoint Screen View

Icon Name Description

Normal View Click on this button to see the three
panes.
Slide Sorter View Click on this button to see thumbnails
of the slides. Double click on a slide
to open it in the Slide Pane.
Slide Show View Click on this button to play the show
starting with the slide that is currently
selected

Viewing the Slide Show in Play Mode

 On the Menu Bar, click on Slide Show then View Show or press F5 to play the slide
show from the beginning.
 To play the slide show from the current slide, click on the Slide Show button located
at the bottom of the Slides and Outline pane

Keyboard Tricks of Playing the Slide Show

Keyboard Specials
Action Keystroke Action Keystroke
Previous Slide Left Arrow key Next Slide Right Arrow key,
or Page Up key Spacebar key, Page
Down key, or Enter
Go to the first Home key Go to the last End key
slide slide
Stop the slide Esc key
show

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Using the Mouse

 Left clicking on a slide advances to the next slide.

 Right clicking on the slide brings up slide show options.

Using Go to Slide

 Right click on the slide.

 Click on Go to Slide and choose the slide you wish to go to from the list.

7.4.4 Elements of the PowerPoint Window

7.4.4.1 Menu Bar
Refer to Fig. 7.3 to view the Menu bar. If you wish to view the Full Menu, follow the
following steps.

 On the Menu Bar, click on Tools then Customize and choose the Options tab.

 Click to place a check mark in front of Always show full menus.

 Click on the Close button.

7.4.4.2 Toolbars
Selecting Toolbars

 On the Menu Bar, click on View then Toolbars.

 Click in the box to select the toolbars you want.

 Toolbars that are already showing have a checkmark by them

Seeing all the Toolbar Items

 On the Menu Bar, click on Tools   Customize and click on the Options tab.
 Click to place a checkmark in front of Show Standard and Formatting toolbars
on two rows.
 Click on the Close button.

7.4.4.3 The Task Pane

Usually, the Task Pane opens by default when you start PPT window. If it does not open, you
can turn it on manually by going to the Menu Bar, clicking on View and selecting Task
Pane. You can close it by clicking on X mark at the top of the Task Pane.

77
Using the Task Pane
You can select different tasks by clicking on the down arrow on the top right side of the Task
Pane. The following are some of the tasks.

a. Getting Started – Connecting to Office Online, recently opened

presentations, or create a new presentation.
b. New Presentation- Blank Presentation, General Templates, etc.
c. Clipboard – Use to display the contents of the clipboard (up to 24).
d. Search Results – Use to find documents of a specified name.
e. Clip Art – Use to find and insert clipart.
f. Slide Layout – Use to select and apply a layout to a slide.
g. Slide Design - Design Templates – Use to select and apply a design template
to selected slides or to all slides.
h. Slide Design - Color Schemes – Use to select and apply a color scheme to
selected slides or to all slides.
i. Slide Design - Animation Schemes – Use to select and apply an animation
scheme to selected slides or to all slides.
j. Custom Animation – Use to select and apply animation to objects on a slide.
k. Slide Transition – Use to select and apply a slide transition to selected slides
or to all slides.

7.5 Creating a New Presentation

You can start creating a new presentation in one of these different ways:
a. On the Menu Bar, click on File then New….
b. Click on the Getting Started down arrow section of the Task Pane and select
New Presentation from the drop down menu
c. At the bottom of the Task Pane, click on Create New Presentation. This will
take you to New Presentation Task Pane.
All these three options open the New Presentation Task Pane. From here you still have to
make more choices on how you want to create the presentation. You can create the
presentation from either of these options:
a. Blank Presentation – this option allows you to add not only your content, but
also the background, placeholders and design choices of your own.

78
 b. Design Template – this option provides you with a variety of pre-designed
backgrounds and placeholders without giving content suggestions
c. AutoContent Wizard – the Wizard guides you through the creation of the
presentation depending on the type of information you wish to present to a
particular audience. The Wizard provides options of design and placeholders
from which you make your choices.
d. An existing Presentation – this allows you to make a presentation from an
existing one. Once you click on this option, you are directed to other folders
where you will select an existing PPT presentation on which to base the
current one.

Fig. 7.2: Creating a new Presentation

7.5.1 Using Design Templates

When you wish to apply a design template in creating your presentation, follow these steps:
 On the Task Pane, click on the down arrow and choose Slide Design either from
Recently Used box or from Available for Use box.
 Rest your cursor over the desired template.
 Click on the gray down arrow (on the Apply Design Template box) and choose
Apply to All Slides or Apply to Selected Slides. See Fig. 7.5 below.

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Fig. 7.3: Applying Design Template

7.5.2 Using the Wizard

You can also use the AutoContent Wizard to design a presentation. The Auto Content
Wizard helps you design a template for a presentation based on responses you provide to it.
The Wizard then designs slide and suggests to you on what should be included in each slide.
This is how you use the AutoContent Wizard.
 On the Menu bar, go to File, then New
 On the New Presentation task pane, select From AutoContent Wizard… option.
 In the AutoContent screen that pops up, click Next
 Select from the options provided regarding the following:
o Presentation type – choose the type that best describes the kind of
presentation you wish to give and then select subcategory that suits your needs
o Presentation style – choose the method of presentation output so that the
Wizard can select the best color scheme for you
o Presentation options – you can select which options to include in your slides
- such as title of presentation, footer, date, name, and slide number.
 Click Finish to complete creating the presentation template
 Use the Outline View to see the suggestions and ideas provided. These will guide you
to type text into each slide as per the suggestions.

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7.6 Editing and Saving a Presentation
Editing features of PPT enables you to enter text, delete, copy or cut and paste or otherwise
move texts in order to produce a professional presentation.
7.6.1 Entering Text and Bullets
When entering text in follow these steps:
 Click on the title field of the slide
 Enter title and click outside the title field
 Click in the subtitle field
 Enter the text and press the Enter key to move to the next line
Bullets are important in PPT presentation because they show the main points or ideas of the
presentation in brief. To enter bullets:
 Click on the bullet text field.
 Enter bullet and type the desired text.
 Press the Enter key to move to the next bullet.
 Press the Tab key to create sub-bullets OR click on the Increase Indent button
on the Formatting toolbar.
 To decrease the indentation, hold down the Shift key and press the Tab key OR
click on the Decrease

7.6.2 Moving Slides

You can move the slides around within your presentation:
 Change to the Slide Sorter View by clicking on the Slide Sorter button.
 Click on the slide to be moved and drag it to the new location.
Alternatively you can use the Cut and Paste option:
 Right click on the slide to be moved and choose Cut.
 Right click on the slide at the desired location and choose Paste.
NOTE: The new slide will be pasted after the selected slide.

7.6.3 Deleting Slides

 Change to the Slide Sorter View by clicking on the Slide Sorter button.
 Click on the slide to be removed.
 Press the Delete key.

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How to add Notes to a Slide

• Click in the Notes Pane and add the desired information.

7.6.4 Saving your Presentation

It is very important to save your work always. Otherwise you will lose it if power is
interrupted. This is how to save your work.
 Go to Menu bar and select File
 Enter a title for your presentation
 Choose a location onto which you wish to save your work
 Click on the Save button

7.7 Changing Presentation Design

7.7.1 Changing the Design for Existing Presentation
Sometimes, you may wish to change the design of an existing presentation. How do you do
that? There are many options.
Option One:
 Open the presentation whose design you want to change
 Click Format on the Menu bar, and then select Slide Design. This opens the Slide
Design Task Pane.
 Select a template and apply it to all or selected slides.

Take Note
Clicking on a template will automatically apply the design to all slides.

Option Two:
 At the bottom of the Slide Design Task Pane, click on Browse.
 This will bring a dialogue box from where you can choose your template.

Adding More Slides

You can add more slides using the Menu bar or the Toolbar.

Using the Menu Bar

 Click on the slide which the new slide should follow.

 On the Menu Bar, click on Insert then New Slide....

 Click on the desired layout in the Task Pane.

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Using the Toolbar

 Click on the slide that the new slide should follow.

 On the Formatting toolbar, click on the New Slide button.

7.7.2 Changing the Format Layout

 Click on the slide to be changed.

 On the Menu Bar, click on Format then Slide Layout.

 In the Task Pane, click on the desired layout. You can apply it on all or selected
slides

7.7.3 Changing the Background

 Click on the slide to be changed.
 On the Menu Bar, click on Format then Slide Layout.

 In the Task Pane, click on the desired layout. You can apply it on all or selected
slides

7.8 Working with Pictures and Graphics

If you wish to make your presentation more interesting, consider inserting pictures, graphics
or other images into some of your slides. You have different options on where to get a
picture; it can be from Clip Art, a file, or from the Internet. This is how to do that:
a. Inserting a Picture from Clip Art
Clip Art refers to electronic illustrations that can be inserted into a document or presentation.
For best results and variety of pictures, you need to be connected to The Internet.
 On the Menu Bar, click on Insert then Picture then Clip Art....
 Enter a subject in the Search for
 Click on the Go button.
 Scroll through the list to find the desired clip art
 Click insert

b. Inserting a Picture from Files

You can also choose to insert your pictures saved in your files into the presentation. Follow
these steps.

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  On the Menu Bar, click on Insert then Picture then From File....
 Navigate to the location of the picture, i.e. the My Pictures folder.
 Click on the desired picture.
 Click on the Insert button.
c. Inserting a Picture from the Internet
There are millions of pictures on the Internet. But before you use any picture from the
Internet, make sure you read and understand the terms of usage from the relevant website.
Some pictures are copyrighted and you cannot them without permission.
 Find a picture from the Internet (for example go to Google and type a search word
and click on images
 Right click the picture you want
 Click on Save as
 Give the picture a name
 Select a location to save the picture
 Click on the Save button
Then you can proceed to insert it from the relevant file.

Activity 5.2
1. Download pictures from the internet
2. Save them in a folder
3. Import them into your presentation

7.9 Slide Transitions

During your presentation, you can move from one slide to the next by manually clicking on
the mouse or using the keyboard (arrow keys or Page Up and Page Down keys).
Alternatively, you can choose to make things more interesting by enabling automatic slide
transition. You can even attach sound effects to such transitions. This is how:
 Click on the desired slide.
 On the Menu Bar, click on Slide Show then Slide Transition...

 In the Slide Transition Task Pane, scroll through the transitions listed under
Apply to selected slides.
 Adjust the speed of the transition by clicking on the down arrow after Speed.
 Add a sound by clicking on the down arrow after Sound.

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  Control the advance of the slide by using the Advance slide section
 Choose either On mouse click, or set a time for the automatic advance of the
slide.
 Apply to all of the slides in the presentation by clicking on the Apply to All

7.10 Printing
Should you wish to print your presentation, this is what you need to do:
 On the Menu Bar, click on File then Print
 Under Print what, click on the down arrow and choose Slides, Handouts, Notes
Pages, or Outline View.
o When choosing Handouts, choose the number of slides to be printed on
each page.
o When choosing Notes Pages, the slides will be printed one per page with
the slide at the top and the notes associated with the slide at the bottom.
o When choosing Outline View, the printed copy will be an outline with no
graphics.
 Click OK

Take Note
Do not click on the Print button on the toolbar because that will print the
presentation immediately without giving you options to choose what you
want to print.

7.11 Principles of Effective Presentations

The following are some suggested techniques for making your presentation interesting and
effective.
a. Know you subject – it is important that you know your content. A slide presentation
alone will not do it.
b. Use key words and phrases – use words and phrases that capture the most important
information
c. Limit the number of words – do not use too many words on the slides; no more than
7 words per line and no more than 7 bullets per slide (rule of 7)

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d. Limit the number of slides – keep the number of slides to the minimum depending
on the length of your presentation. Spend about one minute per slide.
e. Fonts- observe following tips about fonts:
i. Simple fonts – avoid fancy fonts; instead use font types like Arial,
Times New Roman or Verdana.
ii. Font size - use appropriate font size (preferably 36) so that people in
the back of the room can read the slides
iii. Use at least 2 font sizes – one for the titles and the other for content.
Remain consistent in all slides.
b. Punctuation – as a general rule, limit punctuation. In particular NEVER use all-
capitals because they are difficult to read. Moreover, all-capitals means you are
SHOUTING at your audience.
c. Colors – take note of the following tips about colors:
i. Contrasting colors – use contrasting colors for text and background
ii. Avoid screaming colors – select color according to content, purpose
and audience
iii. Keep color scheme consistent throughout presentation
d. Slide design – select from the templates a slide design that is appropriate to your
audience (eg for corporate clients vs children)
e. Pictures and graphics – use pictures, charts, clip art and other graphics to enrich
your presentation. An all-text presentation is boring.
f. Transitions and animations – avoid excessive use of slide transitions and animations.
Too much of that could become a distraction to the audience. Be consistent in
transitions and animations throughout your presentation.

7.12 Summary
In this lecture, you learnt that presentation programs are very important in
communicating to a variety of context including business, marketing, training
and teaching. We said that you can use slides to make your presentation vivid
and more interesting. You then learnt how to create presentations using different
options, designs and tools. I showed you various techniques of editing slides,
changing slide layout, design and background of your presentation. Finally, we
reviewed some key tips on how to make presentations more effective.

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7.13 References

Omoga, J.O. (2006). Introduction to computers. Nairobi: Computerbook

Publishers.
Onunga, J. (1999). Introduction to microcomputers and programming.
Nairobi: Mariwa Publishers.

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 LECTURE EIGHT
THE INTERNET
Lecture Outline
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Objectives
8.3 The Internet
8.3.1 What is the Internet?
8.3.2 A Brief History of the Internet
8.4 Computer Networks
8.4.1 Features of a Network
8.4.2 Types of Computer Networks
8.5 The World Wide Web
8.5.1 What is the WWW?
8.5.2 The Difference Between WWW and the Internet
8.6 Connecting to the Internet
8.6.1 Modem
8.6.2 Network Card
8.6.3 Web Browser
8.6.4 Internet Service Provider (ISP)
8.7 Uses of the Internet
8.7.1 The E-mail
8.7.2 Communication and Networking Services
8.7.3 Commerce
8.7.4 Education and Research
8.7.5 Employment
8.7.6 Health Care
8.7.7 News and Information
8.7.8 Government and Public Service
8.7.9 Computer Software, Management and Support
8.7.10 Leisure and Entertainment
8.8 Social and Ethical Implications of Internet
8.8.1 Internet and Privacy
8.8.2 Software Piracy
8.8.3 Plagiarism

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8.8.4 Computer Viruses
8.8.5 Immoral Content
8.8.6 Internet Addiction
8.9 Summary
8.10 References

8.1 Introduction
This lecture introduces you to perhaps the most popular computers applications – the Internet
and E-mail. You will learn about the hardware and software requirements needed to achieve
Internet connectivity. You will then learn about the way the Internet has transformed
communication globally. You will do this by studying some of the common uses of the
Internet and how you can use this application to communicate. Finally, you will learn about
social and ethical implications of Internet use such as online crime, plagiarism, identity theft
and fraud, Internet addiction, among others.

8.2 Objectives
At the end of this lecture, you should be able to:
1. Define the Internet
2. Provide a brief history the Internet
3. Explain the requirements of achieving internet connectivity
4. Illustrate different functions of e-mail
5. Explain the significance of the Internet in contemporary society
6. Discuss some ethical implications of Internet communication

8.3 The Internet

8.3.1 What is the Internet?

The Internet is a global network that links millions of computers together. These computers
are connected by phone lines, fiber optic lines, coaxial cable, satellites, and wireless
connections. Once you log on to the Internet you are given access to many of the other
computers that are connected around the world. These computers share Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). TCP/IP is the suite of protocols that defines the Internet
and your computer must have TCP/IP software in order for you to be connected to the
Internet.

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The Internet itself does not contain information. Rather, the Internet is a channel or a vehicle
that you use to access information stored in files or documents on another computer
connected to the network.

Take Note
Since the Internet does not contain information per se, it is a misnomer to
say that you found a document “on” the Internet. Yet, many people
actually say this. It is more correct to say you found the document
“through” or “using” the Internet.

8.3.2 A Brief History of the Internet

Historically, the Internet is a fairly recent development; compared to say, the history of the
computer. The need to allow computers to communicate and share information was first
developed for purposes of research, science and military advancement. So that when the
USSR launches Sputnik, the first artificial earth satellite in 1957, the United States responded
by forming the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) within the Department of
Defense (DoD) to establish US lead in science and technology applicable to the military.

Leonard Kleinrock of MIT and later UCLA developed the theory of packet switching, which
was to form the basis of Internet connections. Lawrence Roberts of MIT connected a
Massachusetts computer with a California computer in 1965 over dial-up telephone lines. It
showed the feasibility of wide area networking, but also showed that the telephone line's
circuit switching was inadequate. In 1969, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA) built the first network called the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network
(ARPANET). Its main objective was to develop a communication network that could
withstand a nuclear attack.

Initially, there were four computer sites connected to form the ARPANET; these were
universities in the southwestern US including the University of California Los Angeles
(UCLA), Stanford Research Institute, University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB), and
the University of Utah. By 1971, 15 similar sites had been connected and by 1972, the
number of ARPANET sites had increased to 37.

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The early Internet was used by computer experts, engineers, scientists, and librarians. There
were no home or office personal computers in those days, and anyone who used it, whether a
computer professional or an engineer or scientist or librarian, had to learn to use a very
complex system. But it was also during these early days that these people started to exchange
messages on this network.

Take Note
In the initial stages, computer networks were not called “internet.”
The term “Internet” was used for the first time by Vint Cerf and Bob
Kahn in paper on Transmission Control Protocol.

E-mail was adapted for ARPANET by Ray Tomlinson of BBN in 1972. He picked the @
symbol from the available symbols on his teletype to link the username and address. The
telnet protocol, enabling logging on to a remote computer, was published as a Request for
Comments (RFC) in 1972.

On January 1, 1983, every machine connected to ARPANET had to use TCP/IP architecture
first proposed by Bob Kahn at BBN and further developed by Kahn and Vint Cerf at Stanford
and others. TCP/IP became the core Internet protocol and was adopted by the Defense
Department in 1980 replacing the earlier Network Control Protocol (NCP) and universally
adopted by 1983. The Internet matured fast as a result of the TCP/IP.

As the commands for e-mail, FTP, and telnet were standardized, it became a lot easier for
non-technical people to learn to use the nets. It opened up use of the Internet to many more
people in universities in particular. Other departments besides the libraries, computer,
physics, and engineering departments found ways to make good use of the nets--to
communicate with colleagues around the world and to share files and resources.

In 1989, Brewster Kahle, then at Thinking Machines, Corp. developed his Wide Area
Information Server (WAIS), which would index the full text of files in a database and allow
searches of the files. There were several versions with varying degrees of complexity and
capability developed, but the simplest of these were made available to everyone on the nets.

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At its peak, Thinking Machines maintained pointers to over 600 databases around the world
which had been indexed by WAIS.

In 1991, the first really friendly interface to the Internet was developed at the University of
Minnesota. The University wanted to develop a simple menu system to access files and
information on campus through their local network. The demonstration system was called a
gopher after the U of Minnesota mascot--the golden gopher. The gopher became very popular
and within a few years there were over 10,000 gophers around the world.

This culminated into the public distribution of the client internet software – the World Wide
Web in 1992. The WWW was created by Tim Berners-Lee of the Conseil Europeen por la
Recherche Nucleaire (CERN); a Laboratory for Particle Physics, in Geneva, Switzerland. The
WWW uses the Internet Protocol http:// to present information and documents in multimedia
formats in interlinked web sites.

Since the Internet was initially funded by the US government, it was originally limited to
research, education, and government uses. Commercial uses were prohibited unless they
directly served the goals of research and education. This policy continued until the early 90's,
when independent commercial networks began to grow. It then became possible to route
traffic across the country from one commercial site to another without passing through the
government funded NSFNet Internet backbone.

Microsoft's full scale entry into the browser, server, and Internet Service Provider market
completed the major shift over to a commercially based Internet. The release of Windows 98
in1998 with the Microsoft browser well integrated into the desktop demonstrated Bill Gates'
determination to capitalize on the enormous growth of the Internet. A current trend with
major implications for the future is the growth of high speed connections.

Wireless Internet has grown rapidly in the past few years. Many airports, coffee shops, hotels
and motels now routinely provide these services, some for a fee and some for free. Another
interesting trend that is beginning to affect web designers is the growth of smaller devices to
connect to the Internet. Small tablets, pocket PCs, smart phones, game machines, and even
GPS devices are now capable of tapping into the web.

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8.4 Computer Networks
A computer networks is made up of two or more computers connected in order to facilitate
communication between them. In a network, users of different computers can send messages
to one another and share files and programs. The Internet is a huge network that links
millions of computers. It is a network of networks. Companies and organizations have their
own networks that facilitate communication.

8.4.1 Features of a Network

In a network, you should be able to access or use programs on one computer using a different
computer. For example, in a network, you can:

 Play a music CD or watch a DVD from one computer while sitting on another
computer
 Burn CDs or backup files on a computer using data from another computer that
does not support those functions.
 Connect a printer (or a scanner, or a fax machine) to one computer and let other
computers of the network print (or scan, or fax).
 Create files and store them in one computer, then access those files from the other
computer(s) connected to it

8.4.2 Types of Computer Networks

There are two types of computer Networks; peer-to-peer and client-server networks.

a. Peer-to-Peer Network
In a peer-to-peer network, most computers are similar and have the same status. Usually, this
kind of network is used where less than ten computers are involved and strict security is not
important. In a peer-to-peer network, each computer holds its files and resources. Other
computers can access these resources but a computer that has a particular resource must be
turned on for other computers to access the resource it has. For example, if a printer is
connected to computer A and computer B wants to printer to that printer, computer A must be
turned on.

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b. Client-Server Network
In a client-server network, (at least) one computer in the network is used to "serve" other
computers referred to as "clients". The “server” is usually better than the average computer in
terms of performance. The “server” is the central storage of files, documents and applications
shared by the network. This network is more secure since the “server” controls network
access of the “client” computers. Usually you will need to provide a username and password
to access information in the “server” – such as in accessing your emails. The “client”-
“server” network also allows for Internet monitoring, intranet and centralized backup.
Besides the computers, other types of devices (like printers and scanners) can be part of the
network.

8.5 The World Wide Web (WWW)

8.5.1 What is WWW?

The World Wide Web (or simply the Web) is a system of exchanging information between
computers connected to Internet servers. These servers link together a vast collection of
specially formatted documents and interactive multimedia resources. The documents and
resources are formatted in a markup language called HTML (HyperText Markup Language).

HTML is a programming language that supports links to other documents, as well as

graphics, audio, and video files. HTML and other programming imbedded within it possible
for you to view linked web pages. This is what is referred to as Hypertext. This enables you
to move from one document to another simply by clicking on hot spots. Remember, however,
that not all Internet servers are part of the World Wide Web.

When you log onto the Internet using a web browser, you are viewing documents on the
World Wide Web or simply browsing the web. (See glossary of terms for more details on
these terms).

8.5.2 Differences between World Wide Web and the Internet

Many people confuse the WWW with the Internet and use these concepts interchangeably.
This is because the Web and Internet are closely related. Despite that, however, the Internet
and the Web refer to two different things.

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The Internet is a massive global network of networks comprised of various computers and
other ICT tools working together. The Internet is a networking infrastructure facilitating
faster and more convenient communication and sharing of information through emails, the
Web, blogs, etc.

The World Wide Web is a way of sharing and accessing information over the medium of the
Internet. The WWW is an information-sharing system that is built on the Internet. Therefore
the WWW is just one of the ways that information can be disseminated over the Internet.

8.6 Connecting to The Internet

In order for you to get Internet connection, you will require certain hardware and software
resources. Apart from a computer, you will also need a modem, a network card, a browser,
and an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

8.6.1 Modem
A modem is a telecommunication device that links your computer using telephone or cable

television lines or satellite signals. There are external modems which you connect to your

computer. There are also internal modems that are in-built onto your computer’s CPU. The
type of Internet access you choose will determine what type of modem you need. The
following are some of the types:
a. Dial-up access uses a telephone modem, which may come installed on your
computer. Dial-up connection accesses the Internet on a per-use basis.
b. Direct Connection
Direct connection can be achieved in a variety of ways:
 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service uses a telephone line and a DSL
modem
 Cable access uses a cable modem provided and supported by some TV
companies
 Local Area Network (LAN) accesses the Internet within an office using a
router. A router is a hardware device that allows you to use several computers
on a single Internet connection from your ISP.

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8.6.2NetworkCard
This is a piece of hardware that allows your computer to communicate over a computer
network. Most computers have a network card built into the motherboard. Some modems use
an Ethernet connection and network card to access the Internet, while other modems may use
a USB port.

8.6.3 Web Browser

A browser is a computer program that enables you to communicate with other computers and
to view WWW documents and access the Internet using the web language on the Internet.
This language takes advantage of text formatting, hypertext links, images, sounds, motion,
and other features. Therefore, without a browser, you cannot access the World Wide Web.

Some of the popular web browsers include Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer and
Mozilla Firefox. If you look at the desktop of your computer, you will see a shortcut icon of
one of these browsers. That is what you will use to surf (or browse) the WWW. Most
computers are preloaded with Microsoft Internet Explorer. However, you don't have to use
Internet Explorer. For instance, you can download and use Mozilla Firefox for free.

8.6.4 Internet Service Provider (ISP)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are organizations that provide access to the Internet for a
fee. There are different ISPs offering various types of Internet connectivity. Some of the ISPs
in Kenya include Africa Online, NairobiNet, Swift Global, Wananchi Online, KenyaWeb,
among others.

8.7 Uses of the Internet

8.7.1 The E-Mail

Electronic mail (E-mail) programmes are important for fast communication. Typically, these
programmes enable you to send and receive e-mails. There are many e-mail programmes in
use now including Netscape Messenger, Microsoft Outlook and Lotus. Online services such
as Yahoo, American Online (AOL), Microsoft Network (MSN) all have e-mail programmes
for their clients. Governments, organizations, such as universities, private companies, also
have their own e-mail systems.

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E-mail enables you to send and receive mail in a fast, convenient and inexpensive way. Using
the e-mail, you can communicate quickly between yourself and other individuals or groups.
E-mail is also useful in transacting business electronically. Nowadays, it is possible to order
for book or a vehicle, pay for it and have it delivered to your home – all without having to
meet the seller. Moreover, you do not have to take your projects, files, data, assignments or
reports physically to your tutor or boss. If you have internet, you simply send them as e-mail
attachments.

The e-mail has the following advantages over the regular mail system and other forms of
communication. These include:

 Speed – with its fast speed, e-mail communication is instantaneous

 Convenience – you send e-mail at your convenience and the receiver reads it
whenever it is convenient
 Cheap – the Internet has opened communication to many people because of its
affordability. Sending a message through your e-mail address is cheaper than using
postal mail or facsimile (fax).
 Unlike other regular forms of communication, you can communicate to many
individuals or groups at the same time. For example, e-mail also provides access to
discussion groups often called Listservs.

Take Note
If you do not have an e-mail address yet, take time to open one now.
Take time to go to the computer lab or cyber café and open your e-mail
account.

8.7.2 Communication and Networking Services

Apart from e-mail, the Internet also provides many other communicative services. These
include the following:

a. Chatting – this involves real time communication between individuals or

group discussions.

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 b. Conferencing- this enables you to exchange all types of information: data,
audio, video, graphics etc through structured and spontaneous conversations.
c. Social networks – these are virtual communities where friends and families
“meet” and connect. Two of the most common social networks are Facebook,
and MySpace.

8.7.3 Commerce

Businesses, whether small scale entrepreneurs or large multinationals rely on the Internet for
their business. The Internet facilitates trade through online advertisements, cheap
communication, variety of goods and services on offer, etc. The world has become one global
market through the power of e-commerce. Consider some of the following e-business
facilities:

 Online banking
 Online shopping
 Online reservation and e-ticketing

8.7.4 Education and Research

The education and research sectors have benefited a great deal from the Internet. Some of the
ways include the following:

 Virtual learning- you can “attend” class online instead of coming to class
 Open and Distance learning – this allows students who are far away from learning
institutions to send and receive learning materials
 Library – libraries use the Internet to access books, journals, and other online learning
materials.
 Research – the Internet is an important source of all forms of information that can be
used in research. What you need to do is to cite your sources clearly (like you would
do to all other sources) and avoid plagiarism (presenting other people’s work as your
own).
 Buying books, journals and other publications – you can purchase books and other
publications, new or used, from any of the many online book selling companies.

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 However, this will require that you have a credit card with which you will make
payments.

8.7.5 Employment

Most job seekers will not miss to search on the Internet for job openings and advertisements.
Employers and employees alike are increasingly using the Internet for looking for
employment and advertising for employment. As a job seeker, you can post their curriculum
vitae online for prospective employers to see.

8.7.6 Health Care

Through the Internet, you can access information on information related to diseases,
treatment and trends. The Internet is awash with information relating your health and the
health challenges such as the HIV/AIDS, H1N1, Ebola, etc. This, however, does not mean
that you should consult the Internet instead of medical practitioners.

8.7.7 News and Information

The Internet is a unique source of news. Once on the Internet, you can access the latest news,
events from across the globe on any subject including politics, business, conflicts, disasters,
weather, entertainment, sports, etc. In developed countries, the Internet is currently the
leading source of news; used far more frequently than newspapers, television and radio.

8.7.8 Government and Public Service

Many government ministries and departments can provide their services online. This is an
effort to improve service delivery and achieve efficiency in public service. You can now
download various application forms for jobs, travel and identity documents, learning and
training materials, among others, from relevant government and parastatal websites.

8.7.9 Computer Software, Management and Support

Using the Internet, you can download a wide range of computer software. Typically, these
downloads are public domain (free) but some others attract a fee. For example, a variety of
software for working with pictures, video, audio and other multimedia applications can be
downloaded from the Internet. Updates for your programs such as antivirus are also available

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online. Moreover, major computer software manufacturers such as Microsoft and Apple Inc.,
among others, also offer you technical and troubleshooting support on their websites.

8.7.10 Leisure and Entertainment

The Internet provides a wide range of entertainment facilities and applications. If your
computer has the necessary software and hardware, you can play games, music and watch
videos and movies on your computer. Moreover, you can access television, radio channels
online.

8.8 Social and Ethical Implications of Internet Use

Our current society has been so profoundly influenced by computers and the Internet in
particular, that our society is usually referred to as the information age. We are able to
perform and access a very wide range of facilities and services and share huge amounts of
information across the globe in fast speeds due to the Internet. However, it is important to
consider both the social and ethical implications of Internet use. In other words, we should
ask ourselves; what are the morally right and wrong ways of using Internet? Some of the
potential unethical uses and concerns associated with the use of the Internet include the
following.

8.8.1 Internet and Privacy

The Internet poses a threat to the privacy of the individual. There are programs that have
made it possible to track and analyse your online communications and activities. Typically,
government and security agencies use these facilities in the course of their work. But still, it
is possible for individuals or groups to illegally use such information. Examples are hackers
who can illegally access your online information and accounts for their use.

8.8.2 Identity Theft

Through the use of online services such as making purchases and other transactions, your
personal information (such as credit card numbers, identity card or passport details, and so
on) can be accessed online by criminals. These criminals can use these details to make
fraudulent bank withdrawals, purchases or take loans. Identity theft is a growing crime and
you are advised to be careful not provide your details to unsafe online environments.

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8.8.3 Software Piracy
Instead of purchasing proprietary software, some individuals opt to obtain illegal copies of
the software. This means that manufactures who have copyrights for the software make losses
in terms of income from their products. Therefore, piracy is a serious threat to
entrepreneurship and businesses.

8.8.4 Plagiarism
The Internet is a source of learning materials such as books, journals and articles that are
useful for people in education and research. However, as many instructors and professors
know, the Internet has also provided an opportunity for some students to obtain papers and
articles from the web and present them as their own. This is called plagiarism and it is
inadmissible in scholarship. Simply defined, plagiarism is taking credit for ideas or words
that are not originally yours. Every time you quote a source from the web, or any other source
for that matter, make sure you acknowledge that fact and cite it accordingly. But avoid
presenting other people’s ideas and words as your own.

8.8.5 Viruses
The Internet is one of the most common sources of viruses and other malicious content that
could damage your computer. Using pirated software, opening spam e-mails, pop-ups and
downloading freeware and other files especially videos and games from the web can
potentially infect your computer with viruses. It helps to scan files and attachments for threats
before you open them.

8.8.6 Immoral Content

There are tonnes of materials and content that has potential to corrupt the morals of youth and
children. Internet access can expose young people to such content as pornography and online
dating services which can be used by sexual predators and perverts. That is why parents and
guardians are advised to keep track of what websites their children visit and frequent.

8.8.7 Internet Addiction

Some of the attraction of the Internet is that you can do a lot of things within the comfort of
your home or room. One can do online shopping; participate in chat rooms and social
networks like Facebook, Myspace, and so on. Some of these activities are addictive and some
people spend many hours each day on them- leading to addiction.

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You probably know of alcohol or drug addiction, but overuse of the Internet is an addiction
too. Indeed, Internet addition has become a recognized disorder (referred to as Internet
Addiction Disorder - IAD) because some people use the Internet compulsively and without
self-control - chatting, browsing, and watching videos. This affects the normal social live of
such people and results to withdrawal, depression, irritation and introversion.

8.9 Summary

In this lecture, you learnt about the Internet and how it has changed
information communication and interaction. The concepts of global
village and information age are products of the internet. First, we
defined the Internet and learnt about the hardware and software
requirements that are necessary to achieve Internet connectivity. Then we
analysed the concept of computer networks and its relationship with the
Internet. After presenting a brief history of the Internet, a key portion of
this chapter looked at various uses of the Internet including the emails,
online communication, business and education and research, among
other. Finally, we said that it is important to question some uses that the
Internet is put into. Consequently, you learnt how the Internet comes with
social and ethical concerns such as online crime, plagiarism and
addiction.

8.10 Reference

Kalicharan, N. (1998). An introduction to computer studies. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press
Onunga, J. (1999). Introduction to microcomputers and programming.
Nairobi: Mariwa Publishers

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 APPENDIX
GLOSSARY OF COMPUTING TERMINOLOGY

This appendix contains a listing and definitions of some computing terminologies and
concepts that were used in these lectures.
Blog - A blog (short for "web log") is a type of web page that serves as a publicly accessible
personal journal (or log) for an individual. Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the
personality of the author.
Browse - To follow links in a page, to shop around in, exploring what's in the web (pages).
Browser – A (web) browser is a software application used to locate and display Web pages.
They "translate" HTML-encoded files into the text, images, sounds, and other features you
see. Some of the most popular browsers include Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet
Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. These are graphical browsers, which can display graphics as
well as text. In addition, most modern browsers can present multimedia information,
including sound and video, though they require plug-ins for some formats.
Computer Applications – computer applications are programmes for end users such as word-
processors, spreadsheets, desktop publishing, etc.
Desktop - The area on the display screen where icons are grouped is often referred to as the
desktop because the icons are intended to represent real objects on a real desktop.
Download - To copy something from a primary source to a more peripheral one, as in saving
something found on the Web (currently located on its server) to diskette or to a file on your
local hard drive.
Driver - A program that controls a device. Every device, whether it is a printer, disk drive, or
keyboard, has a driver program.
Graphical user interface (GUI) – A program interface that takes advantage of the computer's
graphics capabilities to make the program easier to use. Instead of using complex command
languages, graphical user interfaces, such as Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh, has
facilities like the pointer, pointing device, icons, desktop, menus, etc.
Hardware – Computer hardware refers to computer parts that you can actually touch, like
CPU, monitor, disks, disk drives, display screens, keyboards, printers, boards, and chips.
Hyperlink - A hyperlink, (or simply a link), is an electronic connection between one web
page to other web pages located either on the same web site or on another web site. More
specifically, a hyperlink is a connection between a page of a hypertext document to another
or linking separate sections on the same page.

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Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) – HTML is the coding language used to create
hypertext documents for the World Wide Web. Hypertext is the ability to have web pages
containing links, which are areas in a page or buttons or graphics on which you can click your
mouse button to retrieve another document into your computer. In HTML a word, a block of
text, or an image can be linked to another file on the web. This "clickability" using Hypertext
links is the feature which is unique and revolutionary about the Web.
Icons - Small pictures that represent commands, files, or windows. By moving the pointer to
the icon and pressing a mouse button, you can execute a command or convert the icon into a
window. You can also move the icons around the display screen as if they were real objects
on your desk.
IP Address or IP Number - (Internet Protocol number or address). A unique number
consisting of 4 parts separated by dots, e.g. 165.113.245.2. Every machine that is on the
Internet has a unique IP address.
ISP or Internet Service Provider - A company that sells Internet connections via modem.
Proprietary software - is software that is owned by an individual or a company (usually the
one that developed it). There are almost always major restrictions on its use, and its source
code is almost always kept secret.
Public Domain Software - Software that is not proprietary is free software or public domain
software. Free software, which is generally the same as open source software, is available at
no cost to everyone, and it can be used by anyone and with minimal restrictions.
Pointer -A symbol that appears on the display screen and that you move to select objects and
commands. Usually, the pointer appears as a small angled arrow. However, text -processing
applications (like Word) use an I-beam pointer that is shaped like a capital I.
Pointing Device - A device, such as a mouse or trackball that enables you to select objects on
the display screen.
Program(me) – a program is a set of instructions that directs a computer to perform some
processing function or combination of functions. For the instructions to be carried out, a
computer must execute a program, that is, the computer reads the program, and then follows
the steps encoded in the program in a precise order until completion. There are two types of
programs, system (operation) programs and application programs.
Search Engines - Search engines are huge databases of web page files that have been
assembled automatically by machine. There are two types of search engines:
 Individual - individual search engines compile their own searchable databases on the
web.

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  Meta - metasearchers do not compile databases. Instead, they search the databases of
multiple sets of individual engines simultaneously
Server - A computer or device on a network that manages and delivers (serves up) network
resources. There are different types:
 A file server is a computer and storage device dedicated to storing files. Any
user on the network can store files on the server.
 A print server is a computer that manages one or more printers, and
 A network server is a computer that manages network traffic.
 A database server is a computer system that processes database queries.
 A web server is a computer that delivers web pages. Every web server has an
IP address and a domain name. For example, if you enter the University of
Nairobi URL http://www.uonbi.ac.ke in your browser, this sends a request to
the server whose domain name is uonbi.ac.ke.
Software – Computer software refers to written programs, procedures or rules and associated
documentation pertaining to the operation of a computer system.
Spam – this refers to any unsolicited e-mail. This is the electronic equivalent of junk mail
that you will find in your post office box: pamphlets, menus, shopping flyers, catalogues, etc.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) – this refers to the global address of documents and other
resources on the World Wide Web. There are two parts of a URL address:
 Protocol identifier which indicates what protocol to use
 Resource name which specifies the IP address or the domain name where the
resource is located.
The protocol identifier and the resource name are separated by a colon and two forward
slashes. Example http://www.uonbi.ac.ke
Web Page – A web page is the traditional presentation of information online. It is a single
document or file on the World Wide Web, identified by a unique Uniform Resource Locator
(URL). Websites are made up of web pages, just like the pages of a book.
Web Site – A website is a location on the World Wide Web (WWW) that is owned and
managed by an individual, company or organization; usually contains a home page and
additional pages that include information provided by the site's owner, and may also include
links to other relevant sites. It can also be described as a collection of electronic pages that
can contain text, graphic images, and multimedia effects such as sound files, video and/or
animation files.

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Windows: A rectangular working area on the screen that displays its own file or message
independently of the other areas of the screen. You can divide the screen into different areas.
In each window, you can run a different program or display a different file. You can move
windows around the display screen, and change their shape and size at will.

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