INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS

A computer is an electronic device that accepts user input (data) and processes it under
the influence of a set of instructions referred to as programs to produce the desired output
generally referred to as information.
• Data are the raw facts may not make much meaning to the user.
• Programs are set of instructions that instruct a computer what to do.
• Information is result after data has been processed.

Computer Parts
There are 4 basic types of computer parts:
a) Input devices - parts of the computer that allow information or data to be given to
the computer like keyboard or a mouse.
b) Storage devices – parts of the computer that hold information. The primary
storage device is the computer’s memory called RAM (random access memory).
It remembers everything that is read, input, or output. But, because the
computer’s memory is on a temporary area—it forgets everything when turned
off—it must have another place to store information permanently. This secondary
storage device is usually a disk.
c) Processing device – part of the computer that processes and controls the flow of
information; it actually does the work. The one part of the computer that handles
this job is the central processing unit or CPU.
d) Output devices - parts of the computer that gives out information generated by the
computer, like a monitor, printer or speaker.

Glossary of Basic Concepts

GUI – A Graphical User Interface – which uses visual displays to eliminate the need for
typing commands.
Formatting – The process of preparing a disc so that it can store information. During
formatting, sectors, tracks, a director and the FAT are created on the disc.
Sector – disc space normally 512 bytes long.
Track – A track is also a data storage ring on a computer floppy diskette or
hard disk drive that is capable of containing information. a track goes all
around the platter and is used to help locate and retrieve information from
a disk or diskette.
Directory- an area on disc where information relating to a group of files is
kept.
FAT – the File Allocation Table – an area on disc where information is
kept on which part of the disc the file is to be found.
Directory tree – a pictorial representation of your disc’s structure.
Boot – to start up the computer and load the DOS.
BIOS – The BASIC Input/Output System. It allows the core of the operating
system to communicate with the hardware.
Bit – a binary digit, the smallest unit of information that can be stores either as 1
or 0.
Byte – a grouping of binary digits (0 or 1) which represent information.
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CPU – the Central Processing Unit – the main chip that executes all commands.
Disc – a device which you can store programs and data
Cold boot – the process of starting your PC by switching it on.
Warm boot - the process of starting your PC by using the Ctrl+Alt+Del key
combination.
File – the name given to an area on disc containing a program or data.
Filename – the name given to a file. It must not exceed 8-characters in length and
can have up to 3-characters.
File extension – the optional three-letter suffix following the period in a filename.
Processor – The electronic device which performs calculations.
Prompt – A symbol that appears on a monitor to indicate that DOS is ready to
receive input or commands, such as A> or C>.
Peripheral – A device attached to a PC.
Path – The drive and directories that DOS should look in for files. A path tells
DOS how to locate a file within the directory structure. E.g.
C:\SPREADSH\SSFILES\SALARY.TMP
Port – an Input/Output address through which your PC interacts with external
devices.
Program – a set of instructions which cause a computer to perform certain tasks.
Hardcopy – Output on paper
Hardware – the visible, tangible equipment that makes up a computer system.
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Software – the non- visible, non-tangible programs and instructions that co

DEFINITION

A computer is a programmable machine designed to perform arithmetic and logical operations

automatically and sequentially on the input given by the user and gives the desired output after
processing. Computer components are divided into two major categories namely hardware and
software. Hardware is the machine itself and its connected devices such as monitor, keyboard,
mouse etc. Software are the set of programs that make use of hardware for performing various
functions.

1.2 OBJECTIVES

After going through this lesson you would be able to:

 familiarise yourself with characteristics of computers

 identify the basic components of a computer

 explain the importance of various units of a computer

 differentiate between system software and application software

 explain the importance of operating system

 get acquainted with open source

 appreciate the need of computer security

1.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTERS The characteristics of computers that have made

them so powerful and universally useful are speed, accuracy, diligence, versatility and storage
capacity. Let us discuss them briefly.

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Speed

Computers work at an incredible speed. A powerful computer is capable of performing about 3-4
million simple instructions per second.

Accuracy

In addition to being fast, computers are also accurate. Errors that may occur can almost always
be attributed to human error (inaccurate data, poorly designed system or faulty
instructions/programs written by the programmer)

Diligence

Unlike human beings, computers are highly consistent. They do not suffer from human traits of
boredom and tiredness resulting in lack of concentration. Computers, therefore, are better than
human beings in performing voluminous and repetitive jobs.

Versatility

Computers are versatile machines and are capable of performing any task as long as it can be
broken down into a series of logical steps. The presence of computers can be seen in almost
every sphere – Railway/Air reservation, Banks, Hotels, Weather forecasting and many more.

Storage Capacity

Today’s computers can store large volumes of data. A piece of information once recorded (or
stored) in the computer, can never be forgotten and can be retrieved almost instantaneously.

1.4 COMPUTER ORGANIZATION

Fig.1.1: Computer System

Basic Concepts of Computer

A computer system consists of mainly four basic units; namely input unit, storage unit, central
processing unit and output unit. Central Processing unit further includes Arithmetic logic unit
and control unit, as shown in
A computer performs five major operations or functions irrespective of its size and make. These
are  it accepts data or instructions as input,  it stores data and instruction  it processes data
as per the instructions,  it controls all operations inside a computer, and  it gives results in the
form of output.

1.4.1 Functional Units:

a. Input Unit: This unit is used for entering data and programs into the computer system by the
user for processing.

Fig. 1.2: Basic computer Organization

b. Storage Unit: The storage unit is used for storing data and instructions before and after
processing.

––––

Dotted lines (– – – –) indicate flow of instruction solid lines (–––––) indicate flow of data

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c. Output Unit: The output unit is used for storing the result as output produced by the computer
after processing.

d. Processing: The task of performing operations like arithmetic and logical operations is called
processing. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) takes data and instructions from the storage unit
and makes all sorts of calculations based on the instructions given and the type of data provided.
It is then sent back to the storage unit. CPU includes Arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and control
unit (CU)

 Arithmetic Logic Unit: All calculations and comparisons, based on the instructions provided,
are carried out within the ALU. It performs arithmetic functions like addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division and also logical operations like greater than, less than and equal to etc.

 Control Unit: Controlling of all operations like input, processing and output are performed by
control unit. It takes care of step by step processing of all operations inside the computer.

1.4.2 Memory

Computer’s memory can be classified into two types; primary memory and secondary memory

a. Primary Memory can be further classified as RAM and ROM.

 RAM or Random Access Memory is the unit in a computer system. It is the place in a
computer where the operating system, application programs and the data in current use are kept
temporarily so that they can be accessed by the computer’s processor. It is said to be ‘volatile’
since its contents are accessible only as long as the computer is on. The contents of RAM are no
more available once the computer is turned off.

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 5

ROM or Read Only Memory is a special type of memory which can only be read and contents of
which are not lost even when the computer is switched off. It typically contains manufacturer’s
instructions. Among other things, ROM also stores an initial program called the ‘bootstrap
loader’ whose function is to start the operation of computer system once the power is turned on.

b. Secondary Memory

RAM is volatile memory having a limited storage capacity. Secondary/auxiliary memory is

storage other than the RAM. These include devices that are peripheral and are connected and
controlled by the computer to enable permanent storage of programs and data.

Secondary storage devices are of two types; magnetic and optical. Magnetic devices include hard
disks and optical storage devices are CDs, DVDs, Pen drive, Zip drive etc.  Hard Disk

Fig. 1.3: Hard Disk

Hard disks are made up of rigid material and are usually a stack of metal disks sealed in a box.
The hard disk and the hard disk drive exist together as a unit and is a permanent part of the
computer where data and programs are saved. These disks have storage capacities ranging from
1GB to 80 GB and more. Hard disks are rewritable.

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 Compact Disk

Compact Disk (CD) is portable disk having data storage capacity between 650-700 MB. It can
hold large amount of information such as music, full-motion videos, and text etc. CDs can be
either read only or read write type.  Digital Video Disk

Digital Video Disk (DVD) is similar to a CD but has larger storage capacity and enormous
clarity. Depending upon the disk type it can store several Gigabytes of data. DVDs are primarily
used to store music or movies and can be played back on your television or the computer too.
These are not rewritable.

1.4.3 Input / Output Devices:

These devices are used to enter information and instructions into a computer for storage or
processing and to deliver the processed data to a user. Input/Output devices are required for users
to communicate with the computer. In simple terms, input devices bring information INTO the
computer and output devices bring information OUT of a computer system. These input/output
devices are also known as peripherals since they surround the CPU and memory of a computer
system.

a) Input Devices

An input device is any device that provides input to a computer. There are many input devices,
but the two most common ones are a keyboard and mouse. Every key you press on the keyboard
and every movement or click you make with the mouse sends a specific input signal to the
computer.  Keyboard: The keyboard is very much like a standard typewriter keyboard with a
few additional keys. The basic QWERTY layout of characters is maintained to make it easy to
use the system. The additional keys are included to perform certain special functions. These are
known as function keys that vary in number from keyboard to keyboard. (see fig. 1.4)

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 7

Fig. 1.4: Keyboard

 Mouse: A device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on a display screen. A
mouse is a small object you can roll along a hard and flat surface (Fig. 1.5). Its name is derived
from its shape, which looks a bit like a mouse. As you move the mouse, the pointer on the
display screen moves in the same direction.

Fig. 1.5: Mouse

 Trackball: A trackball is an input device used to enter motion data into computers or other
electronic devices. It serves the same purpose as a mouse, but is designed with a moveable ball
on the top, which can be rolled in any direction.  Touchpad: A touch pad is a device for
pointing (controlling input positioning) on a computer display screen. It is an alternative to the
mouse. Originally incorporated in laptop computers, touch pads are also being made for use with
desktop computers. A touch pad works by sensing the user’s finger movement and downward
pressure.  Touch Screen: It allows the user to operate/make selections by simply touching the
display screen. A display

Function Keys

Numeric Keypad

Cursor Movement Keys

Alphanumeric Keypad/ Special-function Keys

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screen that is sensitive to the touch of a finger or stylus. Widely used on ATM machines, retail
point-of-sale terminals, car navigation systems, medical monitors and industrial control panels.
 Light Pen: Light pen is an input device that utilizes a light-sensitive detector to select objects
on a display screen. (Fig. 1.6)

Fig. 1.6 Light Pen

 Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR): MICR can identify character printed with a
special ink that contains particles of magnetic material. This device particularly finds
applications in banking industry.  Optical mark recognition (OMR): Optical mark recognition,
also called mark sense reader is a technology where an OMR device senses the presence or
absence of a mark, such as pencil mark. OMR is widely used in tests such as aptitude test.  Bar
code reader: Bar-code readers are photoelectric scanners that read the bar codes or vertical zebra
strips marks, printed on product containers. These devices are generally used in super markets,
bookshops etc.  Scanner: Scanner is an input device that can read text or illustration printed on
paper and translates the information into a form that the computer can use. A scanner works by
digitizing an image. (Fig. 1.7)

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 9

Fig. 1.7 Scanner

b. Output Devices:

Output device receives information from the CPU and presents it to the user in the desired from.
The processed data, stored in the memory of the computer is sent to the output unit, which then
converts it into a form that can be understood by the user. The output is usually produced in one
of the two ways – on the display device, or on paper (hard copy).  Monitor: is often used
synonymously with “computer screen” or “display.” Monitor is an output device that resembles
the television screen (fig. 1.8). It may use a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) to display information.
The monitor is associated with a keyboard for manual input of characters and displays the
information as it is keyed in. It also displays the program or application output. Like the
television, monitors are also available in different sizes.

Fig. 1.8: Monitor

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 Printer: Printers are used to produce paper (commonly known as hardcopy) output. Based on
the technology used, they can be classified as Impact or Non-impact printers.

Impact printers use the typewriting printing mechanism wherein a hammer strikes the paper
through a ribbon in order to produce output. Dot-matrix and Character printers fall under this
category.
Non-impact printers do not touch the paper while printing. They use chemical, heat or electrical
signals to etch the symbols on paper. Inkjet, Deskjet, Laser, Thermal printers fall under this
category of printers.  Plotter: Plotters are used to print graphical output on paper. It interprets
computer commands and makes line drawings on paper using multicoloured automated pens. It
is capable of producing graphs, drawings, charts, maps etc. (Fig. 1.9)

Fig. 1.9 Plotter

 Facsimile (FAX): Facsimile machine, a device that can send or receive pictures and text over a
telephone line. Fax machines work by digitizing an image.

 Sound cards and Speaker(s): An expansion board that enables a computer to manipulate and
output sounds. Sound cards are necessary for nearly all CD-ROMs and have become
commonplace on modern personal computers. Sound cards enable the computer to output sound
through speakers connected to the board, to record sound input from a microphone connected to
the computer, and manipulate sound stored on a disk.

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 11

1.5 COMPUTER SOFTWARE

Computer software is the set of programs that makes the hardware perform a set of tasks in
particular order. Hardware and software are complimentary to each other. Both have to work
together to produce meaningful results. Computer software is classified into two broad
categories; system software and application software.

1.5.1 System Software:

System software consists of a group of programs that control the operations of a computer
equipment including functions like managing memory, managing peripherals, loading, storing,
and is an interface between the application programs and the computer. MS DOS (Microsoft’s
Disk Operating System), UNIX are examples of system software.

1.5.2 Application software:

Software that can perform a specific task for the user, such as word processing, accounting,
budgeting or payroll, fall under the category of application software. Word processors,
spreadsheets, database management systems are all examples of general purpose application
software.

Types of application software are:  Word processing software: The main purpose of this
software is to produce documents. MS-Word, Word Pad, Notepad and some other text editors are
some of the examples of word processing software.  Database software: Database is a
collection of related data. The purpose of this software is to organize and manage data. The
advantage of this software is that you can change the way data is stored and displayed. MS
access, dBase, FoxPro, Paradox, and Oracle are some of the examples of database software. 
Spread sheet software: The spread sheet software is used to maintain budget, financial
statements, grade sheets, and sales records. The purpose of this software is organizing numbers.
It also allows the users to perform

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simple or complex calculations on the numbers entered in rows and columns. MS-Excel is one of
the example of spreadsheet software.  Presentation software: This software is used to display
the information in the form of slide show. The three main functions of presentation software is
editing that allows insertion and formatting of text, including graphics in the text and executing
the slide shows. The best example for this type of application software is Microsoft PowerPoint.
 Multimedia software: Media players and real players are the examples of multimedia software.
This software will allow the user to create audio and videos. The different forms of multimedia
software are audio converters, players, burners, video encoders and decoders.

1.6 COMPUTER LANGUAGE

Computer language or programming language is a coded syntax used by computer programmers

to communicate with a computer. Computer language establishes a flow of communication
between software programs. The language enables a computer user to dictate what commands
the computer must perform to process data. These languages can be classified into following
categories (Fig. 1.10).

1. Machine language

2. Assembly language

3. High level language

Fig. 1.10: Computer Languages

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 13

1.6.1 Machine Language

Machine language or machine code is the native language directly understood by the computer’s
central processing unit or CPU. This type of computer language is not easy to understand, as it
only uses a binary system, an element of notations containing only a series of numbers consisting
of one and zero, to produce commands.

1.6.2 Assembly Level Language

Assembly Level Language is a set of codes that can run directly on the computer’s processor.
This type of language is most appropriate in writing operating systems and maintaining desktop
applications. With the assembly level language, it is easier for a programmer to define
commands. It is easier to understand and use as compared to machine language.

1.6.3 High Level Language

High Level Languages are user-friendly languages which are similar to English with vocabulary
of words and symbols. These are easier to learn and require less time to write.

They are problem oriented rather than ‘machine’ based.

Program written in a high-level language can be translated into many machine languages and
therefore can run on any computer for which there exists an appropriate translator.

1.6.4 Compiler & Interpreter

These are the programs that execute instructions written in a high-level language. There are two
ways to run programs written in a high-level language. The most common is to compile the
program; the other method is to pass the program through an interpreter.

a. Compiler

A compiler is a special program that processes statements written in a particular programming

language called as source code and converts them into machine language or “machine code” that
a computer’s processor uses.

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Compiler translates high level language programs directly into machine language program. This
process is called compilation. (Fig 1.11)

Fig. 1.11: Compilation

b. Interpreter

An interpreter translates high-level instructions into an intermediate form, which it then executes.
Compiled programs generally run faster than interpreted programs. The advantage of an
interpreter, however, is that it does not need to go through the compilation stage during which
machine instructions are generated. This process can be time-consuming if the program is long.
(Fig 1.12)

Fig. 1.12: Interpretation

1.6.5 Open source software:

Open source refers to a program or software in which the source code (the form of the program
when a programmer writes a program in a particular programming language) is available to the
general public for use and/or modification from its original design free of charge.

Open source code is typically created as a collaborative effort in which programmers improve
upon the code and share the changes within the community.

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 15

The rationale for this movement is that a larger group of programmers not concerned with
proprietary ownership or financial gain will produce a more useful and bug-free product for
everyone to use.

The basics behind the Open Source Initiative is that when programmers can read, redistribute
and modify the source code for a piece of software, the software evolves. Open source sprouted
in the technological community as a response to proprietary software owned by corporations.

Proprietary software is privately owned and controlled. In the computer industry, proprietary is
considered the opposite of open. A proprietary design or technique is one that is owned by a
company. It also implies that the company has not divulged specifications that would allow other
companies to duplicate the product.

1.7 OPERATING SYSTEM

An operating system is a software component of a computer system that is responsible for the
management of various activities of the computer and the sharing of computer resources. It hosts
several applications that run on a computer and handles the operations of computer hardware.
Users and application programs access the services offered by the operating systems, by means
of system calls and application programming interfaces. Users interact with a computer operating
system through Command Line Interfaces (CLIs) or Graphical User Interfaces known as GUIs.
In short, an operating system enables user interaction with computer systems by acting as an
interface between users or application programs and the computer hardware. Some of the
common operating systems are LINUX, Windows,etc.

1.8 WINDOWS XP DESKTOP ELEMENTS

Start Menu

When clicked on the start button, start menu appears on the screen giving all the available
options to start using the

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Windows (See Fig. 1.13). Desktop icons provide access to commonly used programs, folders and
files.
Fig. 1.13

Overview of the options available in the start menu.

Task Description

All Programs Displays a list of installed program, which a user can start or use My Documents
Displays a list of documents used by the current user My Recent Documents Displays a list of
recently used documents by the current user My Picture Displays a list of pictures/photos used
by the current user My Music Displays a list of music/songs used by the current user Control
Panel Displays a list of utilities to configure the computer system and install software and
hardware Printers and Faxes Displays a list of currently installed printers and faxes in the current
computer system

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 17

Help and Support Start the XP help and support program to find how to do a task in windows
Search Helps the user to find any file or folder from a list of document used by the current user.
Run Starts an application program or executes a DOS command Log Off Log off the currently
logged in user of the system Turn Off Computer Close currently opened program, log off the
current user and switch off the computer system.

Task Bar

When you start the computer system, then start button and task bar appears on the bottom of the
screen and by default remains visible when Windows is running (See Fig. 1.14).

Whenever a program is run or a window is opened, an icon representing the program appears on
the taskbar. To switch between windows or program, click on the icon representing the window
on the task bar. When the program or window is closed, the icon disappears from the task bar.

Task bar System Tray

Fig. 1.14

The system tray is part of the task bar and displays the current time as well as the status icons.

1.8.1 Start a Program

To start a program, do the following; 1. Click on the Start Button. 2. Click on the All Programs,
you will see a list of all the program icons and program folders. 3. Point to the desired folder say
Accessories and select the desired program to run such as Paint.

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1.8.2 Quit a Program

To quit a program, select the close button (×) in the upperright corner of the window OR

Click on File menu and select Close option.

1.8.3 Getting Help

Online help and support provided is of great help in using and learning windows. One can get
help on a specific topic or on current task which is being executed. To start help  click on the
Start button  click on Help and support option

A list of help and support topics and online tutorial is displayed on the screen (see Fig. 1.15).
One can use the tabs in the screen to search for the desired information in several ways.

Fig. 1.15

 Click on a topic or task to know more about how to get the job done or type in a search word
to locate the help on a specific topic.

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 19

 Click on the Index tab to locate specific topic listed alphabetically and the follow the
instructions displayed on the screen.

 Click on Favourites tab to add Help Topics, search results to your Favourites list to make them
easy to locate in the future

 Click on History to pick from a list of Help and Support pages that you have read in the past.

 Click on Support to get various kind of online support such as Microsoft online support, News
Group on Windows.

 Click on Option to configure the help and support center as per your requirement.

To close Help and Support windows, select the close button (×) in the upper-right corner of the
window.

1.8.4 Searching Files and Folders

If you don’t know where a document or folder is located, you can use the Search option to locate
it in the local storage such as Hard Disk, CD or in the network drive (if the system is part of a
network). The Indexing Service provided by the Search maintains an index of all the files on
your computer, making searches faster.

To search for a file or folder

1. Click Start, and click on Search.

2. Select All files and folders from the left hand side of the windows (see Fig. 1.16).

3. Type the name of the file or folder in part or full, or type a word or phrase that exists in the file
to be searched.

4. If you do not know either piece of information select one or more of the remaining options:

 In Look in, click the drive, folder, or network you want to search.

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Fig. 1.16

 Click on When was it modified? to look for files that were created or modified on or between
specific dates.  To look for files of a specific size, click on What size is it? Select a size. 
Click on More advanced options to specify additional search criteria.

5. Once you finish specifying the search criteria, click on Search to locate the file.

Similarly you can search for specific information on Internet, or people in your address book,
search for a printer or a computer on your network.

1.8.5 Changing System settings

By using Control Panel’s tools you can customize the way Windows look and work! Also you
can install new hardware, add and remove (install/uninstall) software programs, change the look
and feel of your desktop and much more. It also includes a number of administrative tools in
Administrative

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 21

Tools option for better administration of Windows in terms of User Management, Event viewer,
Component Service etc. To start Control Panel and use the available tool, do the following; 
Click on Start  Click on Control Panel  Select the desired tool to use For example to create a
new or modify the settings for an existing user click on ‘User Account’ icon in the control panel.
1.8.6 Using 'My Computer'for browsing your disk drives Your disk drives hold all the
information on your computer: all the files, folders, programs as well as the documents. My
Computer displays the contents of floppy, hard disk, CD-ROM, and network drives. One can
also search for and open files and folders, and use options in Control Panel to modify computer’s
settings.  To use My Computer, click on Start, and then click on My Computer or double click
the My computer icon on the desktop. My computer windows opens to show all the drives
present on your computer. (see Fig. 1.17).

Fig. 1.17

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Display the storage Contents  To see what’s on your hard disk, under Hard Disk Drives,
double-click the drive you want to see such as C:, D: etc.  To find a file or folder on a CD-
ROM, or other media, under Devices with Removable Storage, doubleclick on the respective
storage media you want to see.  To find a file in a folder, under Files Stored on This Computer,
double-click a folder.

1.9 FILE MANAGEMENT IN WINDOWS

File management in windows can be done through Windows Explorer or My Computer.

Windows Explorer displays the hierarchical list of files, folders, and storage drives (both fixed
and removable) on your computer. It also lists any network drives that have been mapped to as a
drive letters on your computer. Windows Explorer can be used to copy, move, rename, and
search for files and folders. For example, to copy a file, you can open a folder that contains the
desired file to be copied or moved, and then just drag and drop the file to target folder or drive.
(see fig. 1.18)

Fig. 1.18

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 23

When files or folders are deleted from hard disk, Windows places them in the Recycle Bin, from
where they can be retrieved, until the Recycle Bin is made empty. Files or folders deleted from a
removable storage media such as network drive are permanently deleted and are not sent to the
Recycle Bin.

1.9.1 Using Windows Explorer

Windows offer another utility "Windows Explorer" which helps you in working with files and
folders on your computer.

To open Windows Explorer,

 Click on Start,  Point to All Programs,  Point to Accessories, and then click on Windows
Explorer (see Fig. 1.19)

Fig. 1.19

The left pane of the Explorer window shows a hierarchy of all the drives, folders and desktop
items on your computer. A drive or folder that contains other folders has a plus sign to the left of
the icon. Click the plus sign to expand it and see the folders inside. (see Fig. 1.20)

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1.9.2 Opening drives and folders

Two drives nearly all computers have are a floppy drive (drive A:) and a hard drive (drive C:). If
you have more than one drive, then they are named D:, E: and so on. If you have a CD drive or a
DVD drive, it also is named with a letter. Opening a hard drive is easy. Just double click the icon
representing the drive you want to open. Files and folders contained in the drive are now shown
in the opened window. Now for opening a folder, double click its icon.

Fig. 1.20

1.9.3Copying or Moving a file or Folder using My Document  Click on Start, and then click on
My Documents.  Click the file or folder to be copied. More than one file or folder can be
copied at a time.  To select more than one consecutive files or folders, click the first file or
folder, press and hold down SHIFT key, and then click the last files or folders.  To select non-
consecutive files or folders, press and hold down CTRL key, and then click each of the files or
folders to be copied.

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 25

 Under Edit menu, select Copy.  Select the target drive or folder to which you want to copy
the files  Under Edit menu, select Paste to copy the desired file or folder to the target drive.

1.9.4 View file details

1. Click on Start, and then click on My Documents.

2. Double-click the folder that contains the files to be viewed.

3. On the View menu, click Details (see Fig. 1.21).

4. It will display all the details about the files such as Name, Type, size etc.

Fig. 1.21

1.9.5 Copying and moving files using Explorer

 Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer. 
Make sure the destination for the file or folder you want to move is visible (see Fig. 1.22).

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Fig. 1.22  Drag the file or folder from the right pane and drop it on to the destination folder in
the left pane to move the file or folder there.  If you drag an item while pressing the right
mouse button, you can move, copy, or create a shortcut to the file in its new location.  To copy
the item instead of moving it, press and hold down CTRL while dragging.  If you drag an item
to another disk, it is copied, not moved. To move the item, press and hold down SHIFT while
dragging.  Dragging a program to a new location creates a shortcut to that program. To move a
program, right-click and then drag the program to the new location.
1.9.6 Create a new folder

Folders help you to organize your files. You can create a folder either by using My Computer
window or through Windows Explorer. You can create a Folder in any existing disk drive or
folder or on the windows desktop. The steps for creating a folder are:

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 27

1. Click on Start, and then click on My Documents

2. Under File menu click New and select Folder. (see Fig. 1.23)

3. A new folder is displayed with the default name, New Folder.

4. Type a name for the new folder, and then press ENTER.

5. A new folder can also be created directly on the desktop by right-clicking a blank area on the
desktop, pointing to New, and then clicking Folder.

1.9.7 Rename a file or folder

1. Click on Start, and then click on My Documents

2. Click on the file or folder you want to rename.

3. Under File menu click on Rename (see Fig. 1.23).

4. Type the new name, and then press ENTER key.

5. Alternately file or folder can also be renamed by right clicking it and then clicking on
Rename.

1.9.8 Delete a file or folder

1. Click on Start, and then click on My Documents

2. Click on the file or folder you want to delete.

3. Under File menu click on Delete (see Fig. 1.23).

4. Files or folders can also be deleted by right-clicking the file or folder and then clicking Delete.

5. Deleted files or folders are stored in the Recycle Bin, till they are permanently removed from
the Recycle Bin.

6. To retrieve a deleted file, double-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. Right-click on the
file to be retrieved, and then click Restore.
7. To permanently delete a file, press and hold down SHIFT key and drag it to the Recycle Bin.

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Fig. 1.23

1.10 COMPUTER SECURITY

Security has always been an overriding concern of human kind. For many organization,
information plays a very important role in running business. Therefore, it becomes necessary to
safeguard information from reaching the illegal hands. When data takes the shapes of digital
form, a different security procedure is required. This branch of security is called computer
security.

Information technology has also some loopholes associated with it, like the possibility of stealing
of vital information and intentionally implanting destructive or malicious programs on the other's
computer system. The motive behind such activities is to show down the pace of an organization
and harm it economically. We shall discuss now about these malicious programs which are often
called virus, worms, Trojan horse, logic bomb, spyware and so on.

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 29

1.10.1 Virus

Virus is a program which has been written to interfere with the normal functioning of the
computer. It does this by clogging the memory of the system by making copies of itself or it may
destory critical information used by other computer prgrams.

There are three main types of viruses: Boot sector viruses which infect the boot sector in the
hard disk and affect the partition table, File viruses attach with executable files. The commonly
infected files are those with COM or EXE extensions. The third, System viruses infect specific
system files such as command.com. Computer viruses can be grouped into Time Bomb, Trojan
Horse, Worm etc. Time Bomb will start on a particular date, at a particular time. The computer
will loose its ability to function properly.

The virus known as Trojan Horse will enter into a computer through an e-mail or free programs
that have been down loaded from the internet and casue plenty of damage. Viruses known as
Worms are constructed to infiltrate on the legitimate data processing programs and alter or
destroy the data. Worm programs often use network connections to spread from one computer
system to another system, thus, worms attach system that are linked through communication
lines.

1.10.2 Protecting computer system using antivirus software

In case the virus is present, it becomes our duty to use some anti-virus software for preventing
virus attacks in future. Anti-virus software falls into two categories: Scanners and Integrity
checkers.

A scanner is a program that will detect the virus by checking the files on the disk, the boot sector
of the disk and programs in the memory by looking for the signature of the virus. The signature
is a piece of program code that is unique to the virus. It is very necessary to update regularly the
virus scanner that you have bought. This is essential because new viruses are constantly
appearing.

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Integrity checkers work using simple checksums or complicated algorithms or cryptographic

checksums which check if a file has been modified. It may be boring for you to check for virus
every time you run the system. But you should not worry. Help is at hand with HomeGuard a
unique device which once fitted to the computer automatically scans in the background for
viruses. If there are viruses found in the system, HomeGuard will clean it up automatically
without even having to press a key.

1.10.3 Precautions to be taken against viruses

 Install a memory-resident program in RAM that will detect and warn if a virus is present. 
Do not allow hardware engineers or sales persons to put a write enabled floppy into your
computer uless they can guarantee that it is not infected.  Backup copies of all programs and
data files should be kept.  Backup copies of programs should be held as read-only disks to
prevent infection.  At least 2 copies of the backup must be kept.  Never boot your machine
with a floppy from an unknown source.  Always write-protect your disk when you use it in
another machine.

INTEXT QUESTION 1.1

1. What are the characteristics of a computer?

2. How many types of printers are commonly used?

3. State TRUE or FALSE

(a) All code or data is stored and processed in computers using two symbols; 0 and 1.

(b) Machine code is also known as source code.

Basic Concepts of Computer :: 31

1.11 WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT

In this lesson, you have learnt about computer organization, its characteristics (speed, accuracy,
diligence, versatility, and storage capacity) that have contributed towards making it such a
popular device. The differences between concepts like hardware/software, system/application
software, ROM/RAM was also explained. Various types of input, output and secondary storage
devices along with their usages, were also studied.

1.12 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. What are the basic units of a computer system?

2. What is application software? Explain with the help of examples.

3. Write short notes on

a. Operating system

b. Compiler

c. Assembly language

d. Control unit

1.13 ANSWER TO INTEXT QUESTIONS

Intext Question 1.1

1. Computer characteristics :

 Speed

 Accuracy

32 :: Computer and Office Applications

 Diligence

 Versatility

 Storage capacity

2. Two types or Impact & Non Impact Printer

3. (a) true

(b) false