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Computers Part1

Intro to Computers

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Sameer Mohd
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13 views

Computers Part1

Intro to Computers

Uploaded by

Sameer Mohd
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ESSENTIAL INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS

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

Computer: Input, Processing, Output, and Storage


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

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

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

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

Data and Information


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

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

Components of the Computer and Their Use


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

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

Function keys that can be programmed to perform specific tasks


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

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

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

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

• Resolution - the number of pixels displayed


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

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