Hardware Concepts and Software Concepts

What is a Computer?
 An electronic device capable of performing complex computations in a short time.
 A fast electronic calculating machine that accepts input information, processes it according to a list of
internally stored instructions called a Program, and produces the resultant output information.

What is a Program?
 A program is a set of instructions for a computer, telling it what to do or how to behave.

What is Computer Programming?

 Is the craft of implementing one or more interrelated abstract algorithms using a particular programming
language to produce a concrete computer program.

Components of a Computer
1. Hardware - the physical parts(equipment) of a computer system, including the mouse, monitor, keyboard,
central processing unit, random access memory(ram) and storage devices. Also there are other peripheral
devices considered as Hardware components of a computer including speaker, webcam, printer, scanner,
modem and router.
2. Software - refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of a computer for some
purpose. Example of software are Microsoft Office applications (MS Word, MS Excel, MS Power Point),
calculator, operating system, antivirus, paint, media player and other device drivers installed in a computer.

Hardware Parts of a Computer

1. Monitor - the monitor works with a video card, located inside the computer case, to display images and
text on the screen. Most monitors have control buttons that allow you to change your monitor's display
settings, and some monitors also have built-in speakers. Newer monitors usually have LCD (liquid crystal
display) or LED (light-emitting diode) displays. These can be made very thin, and they are often
called flat-panel displays. Older monitors use CRT (cathode ray tube) displays. CRT monitors are much
larger and heavier, and they take up more desk space.

2. Mouse - the mouse is another important tool for communicating with computers. Commonly known as
a pointing device, it lets you point to objects on the screen, click on them, and move them. There are two
main mouse types: optical and mechanical. The optical mouse uses an electronic eye to detect movement
and is easier to clean. The mechanical mouse uses a rolling ball to detect movement and requires regular
cleaning to work properly.

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 Mouse alternatives
There are other devices that can do the same thing as a mouse. Many people find them easier to use,
and they also require less desk space than a traditional mouse. The most common mouse alternatives are
the following:
 Trackball - A trackball has a ball that can rotate freely. Instead of moving the device like a mouse, you
can roll the ball with your thumb to move the pointer.

 Touchpad - A touchpad also called a trackpad, is a touch-sensitive pad that lets you control the pointer
by making a drawing motion with your finger. Touchpads are common on laptop computers.

3. Keyboard - it is a typewriter-like and is one of the main ways to communicate with a computer. There are
many different types of keyboards, but most are very similar and allow you to accomplish the same basic
tasks.

Parts of the Keyboard

The QWERTY keyboard, or Universal Keyboard is named for the first six letters on the second row. It
is the standard keyboard format for most computers. We will look at each part of the keyboard.

1. Character Keys - the character keys are the standard keys that were found on a typewriter--mostly numbers
and letters. A lowercase letter is typed when one of the letter keys is pressed. The lower number or symbol
on the key is typed when a number or symbol key is pressed.

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2. Space Bar - The Space Bar inserts a space. It is used to separate words.

3. Shift Key - A capital letter is typed when you hold down the Shift key and press a letter key. The top
symbol is typed when you hold down the Shift key and press a number or symbol key.

4. Caps Lock Key - The Caps Lock key is used to type in ALL CAPITALS. Notice the Caps Lock light on
the keyboard. It indicates that Caps Lock mode is on or off.

5. Backspace – The Backspace key is an editing key. It erases the character to the LEFT of the cursor, one
at a time. Note the arrow on the key.

6. Enter Key – The Enter key enters information or moves the cursor to the next line. Notice that there
are two Enter keys on a standard keyboard. Older keyboards sometimes label it the Return key.

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7. Tab Key – The Tab key moves the flashing cursor to the next tab stop. When filling in a form, the Tab
key will often move your cursor to the next box.

8. Navigation Keys – Help you move the flashing cursor.

9. Arrow Keys - The arrow keys move the flashing cursor in the direction of the arrow. Text is not erased or
changed when you use the arrow keys.

10. Delete Key – The Delete key is an editing key. It erases the character to the RIGHT of the cursor, one at
a time.

11. Page Up and Page Down – Page Up - moves the flashing cursor UP one page length. Can also be used
to scroll in web browsers. Page Down - moves the flashing cursor DOWN one page length. Can also be
used to scroll in web browsers.

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12. Home and End – Home - moves the flashing cursor to the beginning of the current line. End - moves
the flashing cursor to the end of the current line.

13. Insert Key – Insert - an editing key used to switch between two text-entering
modes, Insert and Overstrike. The function has been turned off in Word 2010 and can be turned on in
File/Options Advanced/Use the Insert key to control overtype mode.

14. Numeric Keypad – The numeric keypad makes it easy to type numbers quickly and with only one hand.
The Num Lock key activates the numbers. When Num Lock is off (look at the "1" light), the keys perform
the functions on the lower half of the keys.

15. Function Keys - provide special functions depending on the program in use.

 F1 - Used as the help key in almost every program. Opens a help screen when this key is pressed.
 F2 - In Microsoft Windows, renames a highlighted icon, file,or folder in all versions of Windows.
In Microsoft Excel, edits the active cell. Alt+Ctrl+F2 opens document window in Microsoft Word.
Ctrl+F2 displays the print preview window in Microsoft Word.
 F3 - Often opens a search feature for many programs, including Microsoft Windows when at
the Windows desktop. In some programs, after an initial search is performed, F3 finds the next search
value. In Microsoft Word Ctrl+F3 lowercases any highlighted text. Shift+F3 changes the text in
Microsoft Word from upper to lowercase or a capital letter at the beginning of every word. Windows
Key + F3 opens the Advanced find window in Microsoft Outlook. In Windows Explorer, start the
search function.

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  F4 - Alt+F4 closes the program window currently active in Microsoft Windows. Ctrl+F4 closes the
open window or tab in the active window in Microsoft Windows.
 F5 - In all modern Internet browsers, pressing F5 refreshes or reloads the page or document window.
Ctrl+F5 forces a complete refresh of the web page, clearing the cache and downloading all contents of
the page again. Refresh the list of contents in a folder. Open the find, replace, and go to window in
Microsoft Word. Starts a slideshow in PowerPoint.
 F6 - Move the cursor to the address bar in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and most other Internet
browsers. Ctrl+Shift+F6 opens to another open Microsoft Word document. Reduce laptop speaker
volume (on some laptops).
 F7 - Commonly used to spell check and grammar check a document in Microsoft programs such as
Microsoft Word, Outlook, etc. Shift+F7 runs a Thesaurus check on the word highlighted. Turns on
Caret Browsing in Mozilla Firefox. Increase laptop speaker volume (on some laptops).
 F8 - Function key used to enter the Windows startup menu, commonly used to access Windows Safe
Mode. Used by some computers to access the Windows recovery system, but may require a Windows
installation CD. Displays a thumbnail image for all workspaces in macOS.
 F9 - Refresh document in Microsoft Word. Send and receive e-mail in Microsoft Outlook. Opens
the Measurements toolbar in Quark 5.0. Reduce laptop screen brightness (on some laptops).
 F10 - In Microsoft Windows, activates the menu bar of an open application. Shift+F10 is the same
as right-clicking on a highlighted icon, file, or Internet link. Access the hidden recovery partition on
Compaq, HP, and Sony computers. Enter BIOS setup on some computers.
 F11 - Enter and exit fullscreen mode in all modern Internet browsers. Ctrl+F11 as the computer is
starting to access the hidden recovery partition on many Dell computers. Pressing F11 by itself
accesses the hidden recovery partition on eMachines, Gateway, and Lenovo computers.
 F12 - Open the Save as window in Microsoft Word. Ctrl+F12 opens a document in Word. Shift+F12
saves the Microsoft Word document (like Ctrl+S). Ctrl+Shift+F12 prints a document in Microsoft
Word. Access the list of bootable devices on a computer at startup, allowing you to select a different
device to boot from (e.g., hard drive, CD or DVD drive, floppy drive, USB drive, and network).

4. Central Processing Unit(CPU) – It is considered as the brain of the computer. The control unit of the
central processing unit regulates and integrates the operations of the computer. It selects and retrieves
instructions from the main memory in proper sequence and interprets them so as to activate the other
functional elements of the system at the appropriate moment to perform their respective operations. All
input data are transferred via the main memory to the arithmetic-logic unit for processing, which involves
the four basic arithmetic functions (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and
certain logic operations such as the comparing of data and the selection of the desired problem-solving
procedure or a viable alternative based on predetermined decision criteria.

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5. Random Access Memory – or RAM is the hardware in a computing device where the operating system
(OS), application programs and data in current use are kept so they can be quickly reached by the
device's processor. RAM is the main memory in a computer, and it is much faster to read from and write
to than other kinds of storage, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD) or optical drive.
Random Access Memory is volatile. That means data is retained in RAM as long as the computer is on, but
it is lost when the computer is turned off. When the computer is rebooted, the OS and other files are reloaded
into RAM, usually from an HDD or SSD.

Function of RAM
Because of its volatility, RAM can't store permanent data. RAM can be compared to a person's short-
term memory, and a hard disk drive to a person's long-term memory. Short-term memory is focused on
immediate work, but it can only keep a limited number of facts in view at any one time. When a person's
short-term memory fills up, it can be refreshed with facts stored in the brain's long-term memory. A
computer also works this way. If RAM fills up, the computer's processor must repeatedly go to the hard
disk to overlay the old data in RAM with new data. This process slows the computer's operation.

What is a Software?
 Computer instructions or data.
 Anything that can be stored electronically.
 Computer programs, modules (support and data) working together providing computers with instructions
and data for certain task (e.g. word processing, internet browsing)

Software Terminologies
 Computer program (or “program”) - an organized list of instructions that, when executed, causes the
computer to behave in a predetermined manner.
 Support module - an auxiliary set of instructions used in conjunction with the main software program
(example: DLL files).
 Data module – contains data (not supplied by the user) necessary for the execution of certain task. (e.g.
spell checker of Microsoft word and HLP files).

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 Types of Software
1. Application software - are computer programs that are used to accomplish specific or specialized tasks
for computer users such as creating and editing documents (word processing), making graphic
presentations, or listening to MP3 music. Example of application software are Microsoft Office
applications (MS Word, MS Excel, MS Power Point), calculator, antivirus, paint, media player and other
word processing documents.

2. System software - helps the computer carry out its basic operating functions. Under this type of software
includes device drivers, operating systems, and other utilities

References:

Deitel, H., & Deitel, P. (2004). Java: How to program (early objects). Prentice Hall.
Lambert, K., Osborne, M. (2011). Fundamentals of Java. Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd.
https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/computerbasics/basic-parts-of-a-computer/1/
https://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/
https://sites.google.com/site/introductiontokeyboardingcmpld/home/parts-of-the-keyboard
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Parts-of-the-Computer-Worksheet-1212200

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