COMPUTER

1. Write 200 words or give a three-minute oral report

about the history of computers.
1936
The first programmable computer is the Z1 originally created by Germany's Konrad Zuse
in his parents living room in 1936 to 1938 is considered to be the first electrical binary
programmable computer. The first digital computer, the ABC started being developed by
Professor John Vincent Atanasoff and graduate student Cliff Berry in 1937.
1943
Then followed the ENIAC, then the EDSAC as the first stored program electronic
computer.
1954
Toshiba introduces its first computer, the TAC digital computer.
1958
NEC builds its first computer, the NEAC 1101
1960
Digital Equipment Corporation released its first of many PDP computers, the PDP-1
1966
Hewlett Packard released its first general computer, the HP - 2115
1974
XEROX ALTO is considered to be the first workstation.
1975
Ed Roberts coined the term personal computer when he introduced the Altair 8800,
although the first personal computer is considered to be the Kenback-1.
1981
IBM introduced the IBM PC.
1983
Compaq released its first computer and the first 100% IBM compatible computer, the
Compaq Portable
1984
IBM PCD later released the IBM portable.
1985
Dell introduced its first computer, the Turbo PC
1994
IBM introduces the IBM thinkPad 775CD, the first notebook with an integrated CD-
ROM. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was founded.
1995
Java is introduced.
1998
Google is founded
2001
Windows XP & Mac OS X are released. Palm, Inc. introduced the Kyocera 6035, the first
smartphone in the United States.

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2010
iPad is released (first commercially successful tablet computer).

2. Define the following terms

Hardware

Hardware is any physical portion of a computing device, such as memory, motherboard etc

//These are tangible parts of the computer system//

Software

Software is a term describing a set of instructions that control the operation of a computer.
Software can be easily changed and updated. Once it has been created, it can be reproduced very
cheaply. This is because software is not something that can be touched or held in a person's hand.
The media on which the software is written can be touched, but the media does not generally
look any different after the software is written to it. Software can be stored on many types of
media, and can in fact be distributed without the use of a storage medium (other than its final
storage destination on a computer's hard drive).

Floppy Disk

A floppy disk is a removable storage media for computers. It consists of a plastic disk coated
with a magnetic material encased in a plastic sheath. Data can be stored on them by changing the
magnetic properties of very tiny areas on the disk. The data can be read back by detecting these
magnetic fields. Floppy disks are no longer in widespread use, having been replaced by writable
CD ROMs, flash drives, and computer networks. In their heyday, they were used for distributing
software, exchanging data between computers, data storage, and for data archival.

Hard drive

A hard drive is a nonvolatile data storage device. It works by the same principals as a floppy
disc, except that it is much faster, has much greater storage capacity, and is usually not
removable from the computer. Most hard drives consist of several aluminum platters stacked on
a spindle. The platters (or disks) are coated with a material whose magnetic properties are easily
detected (for reading) and changed (for writing). The computer's operating system is usually
stored on the hard drive as are most of the other programs the computer runs. Data stored on a
hard drive will not be destroyed if the computer is turned off.

Mainframe

A mainframe is a large, powerful computer shared by many users. It is generally located

someplace in a building separate from where its users are. The users of a mainframe connect to it
through a terminal consisting of a keyboard and a monitor. A mainframe can be connected to

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many terminals - and therefore - many users at a time. The terminals are connected to the
mainframe by a network. Some terminals are also equipped with a mouse and speakers. Full
access to a mainframe is usually reserved for the system administrator who is responsible for
installing software, performing maintenance, and creating user accounts. Regular mainframe
users generally do not have privileges to install new software or alter files belonging to other
users.

Desktop Computer

A desktop computer is a small computer system that is dedicated to a small number of users.
This type of computer is often found in homes and offices and is capable of running stand-alone
(that is, in the absence of another computer such as a mainframe). Desktop computers do not take
up a lot of space, but they are not easy to move from one location to another (like a laptop).

Laptop Computer

A laptop computer is a small, portable computer. They are generally not as powerful as desktop
computers selling for the same amount. Laptops come in a "clamshell" design, such that the
video display can be folded down over the keyboard when the computer is not in use, or when it
is transported. The circuitry is located beneath the keyboard. Laptops are designed to maximize
battery life and minimize size and weight.

ROM

ROM is an acronym that stands for Read Only Memory. This is a form of computer memory
whose contents cannot be altered except when it is manufactured. It is typically used to store a
computer's boot program. The boot program is the first program to execute when a computer is
turned on, and it typically loads an operating system into main (writable) memory from some
other storage media (such as a harddrive, cd rom drive, or network).

RAM

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 Different RAM types. From top to bottom: DIP, SIPP, SIMM
30 pin, SIMM 72 pin, DIMM (168-pin), DDR DIMM (184-pin).

RAM is an acronym that stands for Random Access Memory. "Random access" means that the
contents of the memory can be accessed in any random order. The term was originally coined to
differentiate it from serial memory (such as data stored on a magnetic tape). The contents of a
serial memory could only be accessed sequentially. RAM is a volatile memory, which means that
when the power is turned off, the information stored there is lost.

RAM can be accessed very quickly by the computer. Its contents can be both read and written.
Most programs on a computer are loaded into and executed from RAM. RAM is also used as
"scratch space" where the computer stores the results of calculations.

Alphanumeric

The set of all letters and numbers. An alphanumeric value is any string made up of only letters
and numbers. For instance, "a12bgj", "1234", and "ABCD" are all alphanumeric, whereas
"aB$4" is not (it contains the '$' symbol which is neither a letter nor a number).

CPU

CPU is an acronym that stands for "Central Processing Unit." This is the "brain" behind a
computer, and is where all the arithmetic, logic, and program flow is performed.

Circuit Board

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A circuit board is a stiff sheet of material upon which various components of a circuit are
soldered. It supplies the connections between the components as well as a platform on which
they are mounted.

Cursor

The cursor is a visual indicator on a computer display. It shows where on the display the next
keyboard entry will be made. In a graphical system, the cursor may be moved around the screen
with a mouse. In a text system, the cursor may be moved around using the arrow keys on the
keyboard.

Port

A port is an external connection on a computer. It provides a connection to an external device

such as a mouse, keyboard, printer, external modem, camera, or other device.

Program

A program is a series of computer instructions that when executed performs a predetermined

task.

DOS or OS

OS stands for "Operating System" and DOS stands for "Disk Operating System." An operating
system is a program that coordinates the rest of the computer. It allows other programs to run and
generally provides an easy mechanism for other programs to access various hardware devices on
the computer. A Disk operating system is an operating system that is loaded from a hard drive or
floppy drive.

CD Rom

A CD Rom is a type of computer storage medium. "CD ROM" stands for "Compact Disc, Read
Only Memory". These devices were originally developed for storing music, but were pressed
into service for storing all kinds of computer data after their initial introduction. A typical CD
Rom can store approximately 650 megabytes of data. The data on a CD Rom is read from the
disc by a laser beam in a CD Rom drive.

3. What are the proper handling and storage techniques for

disks?
Disks should be stored away from devices that create magnetic fields such as speakers and video
monitors. They should be kept free from dust and moisture, and should not be bent or folded.
Care should be taken to not scratch compact discs.

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4. Describe the function of and point out the following
components of a personal computer
Keyboard

A computer keyboard is a peripheral modelled after the typewriter keyboard. Keyboards are
designed for the input of text and characters, and also to control the operation of the computer.
Physically, computer keyboards are an arrangement of rectangular or near-rectangular buttons, or
"keys". Keyboards typically have characters engraved or printed on the keys; in most cases, each
press of a key corresponds to a single written symbol. However, to produce some symbols
requires pressing and holding several keys simultaneously, or in sequence; other keys do not
produce any symbol, but instead affect the operation of the computer, or the keyboard itself.

Roughly 50% of all keyboard keys produce letters, numbers or signs (characters). Other
keys can produce actions when pressed, and other actions are available by simultaneously
pressing more than one action key.

Monitor

A computer display, monitor or screen is a computer peripheral device capable of showing still
or moving images generated by a computer.

Typical computer monitor

System Unit or Central Processing Unit

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The system unit is the part of a computer that contains the microprocessor, memory, and
hardrive. It is the "main" component of a desktop computer system or a mainframe. All other
devices (such as the monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, etc.) plug into it. It is sometimes also
called the "Central Processing Unit," although that term is also used to describe the
microprocessor.

Printer

A computer printer is a device which records computer output to paper. Printers come in many
forms as described in a later section.

Disk Drive

A disk drive is a device which stores data onto a platter (the disc) which has been coated with a
magnetically sensitive material. Data on a disk drive can be stored for long periods of time even
when the device is powered off. There are two types of disk drives: hard drives and floppy
drives.

5. Know the difference between and uses for the following

printers
Laser

A laser printer is a common type of computer printer that produces high quality printing, and is
able to produce both text and graphics.

An electric charge is first projected onto a revolving drum. The drum has a surface of a special
plastic or garnet. Electronics drive a system that writes light onto the drum with a laser. The light
causes the electrostatic charge to leak from the exposed parts of the drum. The surface of the
drum passes through a bath of very fine particles of dry plastic powder, or toner. The charged
parts of the drum electrostatically attract the particles of powder. The drum then deposits the
powder on a piece of paper. The paper passes through a fuser, which, with heat and pressure,
bonds the plastic powder to the paper.

Laser printers are the workhorse printer of the business world. They are capable of producing
very high quality prints very cheaply. Although most laser printers only work in black and white,
some models can also produce color prints. Because of their speed and economy, laser printers
have largely replaced all other types of printers except ink jet and thermal printers.

Ink Jet

Most current inkjets work by having a print cartridge with a series of tiny electrically-heated
chambers. To produce an image, the printer runs a pulse of current through the heating elements.
A steam explosion in the chamber forms a bubble, which propels a droplet of ink onto the paper
(hence Canon's tradename for its inkjets, Bubblejet). When the bubble condenses, surplus ink is

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sucked back up from the printing surface. The ink's surface tension pumps another charge of ink
into the chamber through a narrow channel attached to an ink reservoir.

Compared to earlier consumer-oriented printers, ink jets have a number of advantages. They are
quieter in operation than impact dot matrix or daisywheel printers. They can print finer, smoother
details through higher printhead resolution, and many ink jets with photorealistic-quality color
printing are widely available.

The disadvantages of inkjets include flimsy print heads (prone to clogging) and expensive ink
cartridges (sometimes costing US$30 – $40 or more). This typically leads value-minded
consumers to consider laser printers for medium-to-high volume printer applications.

A common business model for inkjet printers involves selling the actual printer at or even below
production cost, while dramatically marking up the price of the (proprietary) ink cartridges.

6. Show or describe how to protect a computer system from

dust, dirt, static electricity, power surges and outages, or
other potentially dangerous factors that could hamper or
hurt a computer system.
Dirt and Dust

One way to protect a computer from dust and dirt is to locate it in an area where there is little
dust or no dirt at all. A computer should be elevated off the floor. It can be stored on a desk, or
even on top of a block of wood - getting it even an inch or two off the floor will prevent it from
accumulating much dust.

Static Electricity

Computer circuitry can be damaged by static electricity. One generally doesn't have to worry
about that too much as long as the cover of the computer is on. However, when installing a new
card in a PC, adding an internal hard drive, or performing any maintenance that requires one to
remove the cover, care must be taken to discharge static electricity. This can best be done by
wearing an anti-static wrist strap while handling components. One end of the strap is worn
around the wrist, and the other is connected to the same electrical ground that the computer is
connected to. However, not all computer users own an anti-static strap. In those cases, other
precautions can be taken to avoid static discharge into the electronic components. One way this
his can be done is by touching the metal frame of the computer before touching any of the
sensitive electronic components inside.

When installing new components into a computer, the component should be left in its protective
packaging until it is ready to be inserted into the computer. Touch the package first, then remove
the component. If not wearing a wrist strap, touch the computer's frame next, and then install the
component.

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Power Surges and Outages

Computers should be protected from power surges by plugging them into a surge protector.
These can be purchased at computer stores, office supply stores, or even hardware stores. A
surge protector will not protect a computer from a power outage though. For that, an
uninterruptible power supply (or UPS) can be used. An UPS is a device that will continue to
supply electrical power to the computer for a short while after the power fails. Some UPS's can
supply power for hours, while others can supply power for only a few minutes - long enough to
shut the computer down to prevent loss of data. A good UPS can tell the computer when it has
lost its primary source of power and instruct the computer to shut itself down when backup
power is nearly spent.

Other Dangers

Be careful about eating or drinking around a computer. It is easy to drop food crumbs into a
computer keyboard, and more than one computer has been destroyed by a spilled drink. Don't set
a drink down next to a computer, or worse yet, on a shelf or desk above the computer. It is best
to keep these things away from the computer, but if that cannot be avoided, they should be
placed in a position such that a spill is unlikely to reach the computer.

Computers should be protected from other forms of liquid as well - if the roof begins to leak,
unplug the computer and move it to a dry area.

Do not drop a computer. Some of the components are easily damaged by the shock, especially
those components with moving parts such as disk drives. A sharp jolt to a computer may also
dislodge components, bend connectors, or in severe cases, break solder joints.

Operate a computer in a cool environment. Excessive heat can damage a computer or cause it to
lose stability. Programs can misbehave, and memories and other devices can fail in high
temperature environments.

When transporting a computer, pack it appropriately. Laptops should be carried in special bags
made for that purpose. Desktop systems should be boxed in their original packaging when
possible. If transporting a monitor by car, place the screen against the back of the seat. The front
of the screen is the heaviest side of the monitor, so placing it against the back of the seat will
make it less likely to slide around, as well as protect the screen from other objects that might fly
around (such as a keyboard!) during a sudden stop.

7. Name at least four input devices for computers

• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Digital Camera
• Scanner
• Microphone
• Network Interface Card
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 • Modem
• Flash Drive
• Floppy Drive
• CD Rom Drive
• Frame Grabber

8. What does it mean to back up a disk or a file? Why is it

important?
Backing up a disk or a file means making another copy of it. Although computers are highly
reliable machines, they are not perfect. Floppy discs can be lost or damaged. All hard drives will
eventually fail. When this happens, it can be difficult, expensive, and even impossible to recover
the data that was stored on them. For this reason, all important data should be backup up. This
can be accomplished by copying it to another computer, burning the data onto a CD Rom,
copying it to a floppy drive, a second hard drive, or a flash drive. In some cases, a file can be
backed up by emailing it to oneself so that the data is stored on an email server, although in this
case, care must be taken that the data really is stored on a different computer.

9. What is computer preventative maintenance? Why is it

important?
Guard Against Malicious Software

There are many things a computer user can do to keep the computer running smoothly. The most
important is to prevent the computer from getting infected with a virus, a worm, or spyware.
Many places on the internet will entice the user to download malicious software, so computer
users should be especially careful. An infected computer system can get so bogged down with
junk programs that it is virtually inoperable. Sometimes the only way to "cure" it is by
performing a complete reinstall of all the programs and the operating system. Anti-virus and
firewall software can be an effective means to protect a computer from malicious software.

Security Updates

Software vendors often issue security updates to the software they provide. Often, a vulnerability
in a program is discovered, and the software vendor fixes the problem an issues an update. These
updates should be applied as soon as possible (or better - automatically) because there are other
people in the world who are watching for these updates with evil intent. As soon as the security
update is announced, these individuals will attempt to develop a program to exploit the
vulnerability. These programs, once they have breached a computer, usually put the computer to
work looking for other vulnerable computers, and thus, the infection spreads. Do not believe that
because you are an anonymous person, your computer will not be affected. These programs do
not care who you are - they are only concerned that your computer is vulnerable. Sometimes
these programs only attempt to spread themselves around. Other times, they can install
themselves invisibly, log the user's keystrokes, and forward them to the author of the malicious

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program. In these cases, the program is looking for sensitive information about you: bank
account numbers, social security numbers, etc. Keep your computer software secured and up to
date!

Defragment the Hard Drive

Another thing a computer user can do to tune the computer's performance is to defragment the
hard drive. This operation puts all the data from each file sequentially on the hard drive, so it can
be accessed more quickly. A computer can store data from single file in locations physically
scattered all over the drive. The data is still presented to the computer as if it were stored
sequentially - it just takes it a lot longer to collect all that information.

Dust Bunnies Inside

A computer should be dusted any time it is opened. Dust can be blown out using a can of
compressed air. Care should be taken when this operation is performed - the dust can easily fly
back into the maintainers face and get into the eyes. Be careful that all fans are operating
properly after they are cleaned. Cooling fans often fail immediately after they are cleaned. One
should also check under the cooling fan to make sure the fins of the heat sink are clean. If the
heatsink is plugged up with dirt and grime the processor will overheat.

10. Successfully boot, load (install), and use a prepared

software program for use in a computer system. (No
computer games.)
There are many programs that can be used to meet this requirement. Some programs can be
purchased at a store, and others can be downloaded for free (legally!) from the Internet. Some
excellent programs that can be downloaded for free include OpenOffice (an Office suite with a
word processor, spread sheet, presentation program, and drawing package), Firefox (a web
browser), Thunderbird (an email program), and The Gimp (a photo/image editing program). All
of these programs are of excellent quality and compare very favorably to their commercial
counterparts. Best of all, they are FREE.

11. Tell several ways an individual or family could use a

personal computer other than for games.
Tracking finances, staying in contact with other family members, record keeping, making
documents, producing web pages, connecting to the Internet, researching a school (or work)
assignment, getting directions, finding lost friends, downloading pathfinder honors requirements
and answers, and many, many more!

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