JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

MR.
CHARLES
FAFA
MEDICAL
Page

TRAINING
1
SIMI
YU
MAL
ABA
MAH
AMM
UD

COLLEGE
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INTRODUCTION
What is a computer?
Is an electronic machine, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory
that can accept data, manipulate the data according to specified rules, produce results, and store
the results for future use.
An electronic machine manipulates and process data into information in response to a list of
instructions.

USES OF A COMPUTER
1. Accepting data and processing it into information.
2. Storing information of data and information for future reference

Ways in which they can be used as a teaching and learning resource

1. They teachers can interact with learners even when away from class through email.
2. Using special computer programs to produce maps that are more accurate, graphs and
other documents and printing them.
3. Using CAT designed for individual learning at different levels of education, learners are
able to work at their own pace and get feedback, and hence they are able to evaluate their
performance.
4. When used in combination with DVDs and CDs, pre-recorded information can be availed for
use when needed.
5. When used in conjunction with satellite communication, radio programs and broadcasts
can be received in schools.
6. Researching on internet which makes it possible for teachers and learners to access a
wealth of accurate and current information from the comfort of their desk.

Merits of computers (Used T/L resource)

 Better and more accurate information can be accesses.
 They break the monotony of routine teaching.
Page  They heighten learners’ interest in learning.
2  Teachers and learners can present their work in a more organized manner as they can use
SIMI the computer to write down and print.
YU  Teaching and learning can be made more interactive.
MAL  Alternative teaching approaches can be easily and conveniently implemented.
ABA  They can store, retrieve, manipulate, process, transmit and receive information.
MAH
AMM Disadvantages of using computers
UD  Computers can be expensive to buy and maintain.
 Use of computers require skilled manpower thus need that both teachers and learners
should be literate.
 Schools may not have access to the internet especially in areas not well served with
electric power.
 Learners may access other peoples’ work and present it as their own (plagiarism).
 Learners may waste time playing computer games. This may distract their attentions.
 If misused especially the internet, learners and teachers can access improper information.

Definition of Terms

ICT; This is the integration of computerized electronic devices and telecommunication facilities /
infrastructure for purpose of communication.
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Information system; This is the collection of specific human and machine efforts needed to
support the decision making process, data processing, information output and presentation.

Communication; This is the distribution of data and information from place / person to another.

Information Technology; This is a term that encompasses all forms of technology used to
create, store, exchange, and use information in its various forms. That’s, the study of use of
systems especially for storing, retrieving, and sending information .

Technology; This is a body of knowledge devoted to creating tools, processing actions and
extraction of materials. It is also the application of science to solve a problem.

Access time; The length of time needed to write or read data from storage media.

Menu; A program’s list of user choices or possible actions usually shown on a screen.

Integrated circuits; Thousands of small circuits etched on a silicon chip.

Drive; Devices used read and write data on a storage media.

Information processing circle; This is the full set of operations that take place, from collection
of input to the availability of output.

Data; Is a collection of raw/ unprocessed facts, figures, and symbols.

Information; Is data that is organized, meaningful, and useful. To process data into information,
a computer uses hardware and software.

Hardware; Is the electric, electronic, and mechanical equipment that makes up a computer.

Software; Is the series of instructions that tells the hardware how to perform tasks.

Artificial Intelligent; Is the branch of computer science that deals with development of
machines that emulate human-like qualities such as learning, reasoning, communicating, sensing,
hearing and seeing.

Robotics: Is the use of computer controlled device that emulate a human being in carrying out
tasks that would otherwise be dangerous and difficult.
Page
3 Biometric analysis; This is the study, measurement and analysis of human biological
SIMI characteristics.
YU
MAL Perception system; They are systems/ robots that are able to sense, feel shapes of objects,
ABA listen to ultrasound, defects smell of leaking gas or chemicals and seeing using the miniature
MAH video camera.
AMM
UD A network is a collection of computers and devices connected together via communications
devices, such as a modem, and communications media, such as cables, telephone lines, cellular
radio, and satellites.

A notebook computer is a portable personal computer small enough fit on your lap.

A PDA (personal digital assistant) is a handheld computer that provides personal organizer
functions, such as a calendar, appointment book, and notepad.

A wireless service provider (WSP) provides wireless Internet access to users with wireless
modems or Web-enabled handheld computers or devices

A browser is a software program used to access and view Web pages.

Main parts of a computer

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The computer is made up of the system unit and the peripheral devices/components.

1. System unit
Is a box-like case made from metal or plastic that protects the internal electronic components of
the computer from damages. The system unit contains the central processing unit and memory.
The central processing unit (CPU) is the electronic device that interprets and carries out the
basic instructions that operate the computer. Memory is a temporary holding place for data and
instructions.

2. Peripheral devices
They are the major electronic devices/components that are connected to the system unit. These
devices have to be there for the computer to be complete.
They Marjory include;
a) Monitor/Visual display unit.
Is a peripheral device that enables the computer to see/track what is happening or going on in
the system unit.

b) Keyboard
Is a peripheral device that lets the user to enter data/information and commands or instructions
into computer through typing by pressing the keys.

c) Mouse (Manual Operated User System Exceeder)

Is a device that enables the user to give instructions and commands to a computer by controlling
a cursor or a special mouse pointer on the screen.
This device requires a flat surface for movement. It has buttons, i.e. Left mouse and right
button.

Advantages of Computers
1. They process data faster because of their high speed.
2. They are more accurate as long as correct instructions and data are entered.
3. They are more efficiency in terms of utilizing resources to process data, i.e. Needs less effort to
process repetitive tasks.
Disadvantages of computers
1. They are relative expensive to purchase in terms of cost.
2. They are electronic devices hence they can’t work without presence of power.
3. They require knowledge and skills to be operated.

Page Application areas of computers

4 The computers have a wide range of applications. They are used in processing of data into
SIMI information in different areas. Some of the areas include;
YU
MAL A) In retail stores such as supermarkets, and distributor outlets.
ABA They are used in management of stock control. They enables the user to track and monitor what
MAH is in the stock and what needs re-ordering thus reducing the risk of under stocking or
AMM overstocking.
UD Thy enables transaction handling at the point of EPOS terminals which is used in retails stores to
input and output data at the point where sales are transacted. It has all the facilities of normal
cash registers with additional direct data capture devices such as bar code reader, card reader
and receipt printer. Goods are identified using bar codes. They are used in processing prizes of
items by use a special device called barcode reader that automatically detects the prize into the
computers.

B) Domestic and Entertainment

Computers are used at home for preparing domestic budgets, entertainment, research and
teaching children on educational concepts.
They are applied in playing of movies, music video and audio as well as playing games in our
homes and entertainment places.
There are computer games that simulate sports such as driving, war combat etc giving the player
maximum pleasure in a virtual environment on the screen.
Computers enable recording, synthesizing, editing and adding special effects to music.
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C) Banks
They are used in keeping of all customers details and processing the transactions.
Most common is ATM machines which enable automation of cash deposit and withdrawal services.
They are used in the following ways;
 Processing customer transactions; Computers are used to carry out financial
transactions such as recording deposits, withdrawals and calculating interests on
savings and loans. They generates reports on current status of account.
 Cheque clearing and processing; Computerized cheques and processing is enabled due
to special characters on cheques printed using ink containing magnetic particles. Details
such as banks in which Cheque is drawn, customer account number, Cheque number
and mount of the cheque are entered into the computer automatically for processing
using MICR reader.
 Electronic funds transfer (EFT) which is the transfer of money using information and
communication technology.

D) Offices
They are in storing of information that needs to be used in offices for special and specific
purposes hence increasing efficiency by reducing the time required to access and receive
information.
There are also office expert systems which are the information system that usually developed
and installed in the office of human expert or knowledge worker. This system has ability to
simulate the decision making processes and intelligent problems solution just like a human
expert, having a set of rules that assists it make conclusions when correct parameters re entered.

E) Communication
They are used in transfer of both voice and text data and information through the integration of
them with telecommunication facilities. Computers together with devices such as cell-phones,
radios and television enable effective and efficient data communication.
Examples;
 Radio and television broadcasting; Computers are used here to manager radio and TV
programmes and signal transmission and track performance for easy troubleshooting and
operation, automate the running of selected programmes; create slides, simulated objects
and sound effects when preparing electronic and printed media advertisement, download
information from the internet that can be used in the preparation international news.
 Video conferencing; Use of computers, digital video camera, audio video camera, audio
capturing devices and communication networks to enables people in different locations to
see and talk to one another.
Page  The internet which is the interconnection of networks and individual computers globally to
5 enable transfer of messages and information across continents; and email which involves
SIMI sending and receiving of electronic letters and documents on the internet. They are able to
YU access worldwide webs to online communication by sending each other texts and pictures.
MAL  NB; WWW is the collection of web pages which may be made up of text, images,
ABA animations, sounds and video held on web servers.
MAH
AMM F) Education
UD They are used in teaching and learning in educational institutes in the following ways;
 Computer aided instruction (CAT) which is the use of computes to drill and practice
particular educational principles. There are CAT programs that present the learning
content in form of educational games, making learning more fun especially for young
children, e.g. Typing tutor program.
 Computer Aided Learning (CAL) which is a computerized system that presents
educational materials the way a teacher does in a class.
 Electronic learning; The lessons and lecturers are presented from a central site and the
presentation is transmitted to the remote conference terminal or displayed on TV sets.
The learners can access learning materials on the internet, sit online examinations and
receives results the same way.
 Computer based simulation, which is the science of representing the behavior of real
life situation by using computerized models. Simulation programs are used in
educational areas where practical skills have to be learned and instructed using a
virtual environment.
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G) Hospital
Computers are used health sciences in hospitals by health professional to diagnosis, keeping
patients’ records, inventory control, etc.
Computers are now used in intensive care unit to control devices that help to care for the
handicapped such as deaf, blind, bed ridden, etc.
They are used in keeping of patients’ records in order to provide easy access to patients’
treatment. They control life support machines in intensive care unit (ICU).

H) Transport
They are used in the following areas of transport sector;
 Automobile traffic control– Computers and small clock control traffic lights at regular
intervals. Computerized traffic systems have sensor pads laid underneath the road to
detect and sense pattern flow of the traffic. The collected data is sent to the computer
system which detects and analyses traffic flow and builds up simulated image of actual
scene. The control signals can then be output to the traffic lights or motorists thro’ their
receivers to vary their timings, redirect the traffic to less busy roads.
 Air traffic control-Computers are used to track and monitor air traffic control
movement, take off and landing of crafts, minimizing human control mistakes that could
result from human controlled system. (Computers technology used to direct aircrafts to
follow the shortest path between is the geographical positioning system, GPS)
 Shipping control-Computers are used to control and guide the path taken by
spaceships and water vessels as they travel to distant lands.

I) Laws enforcement agencies

Computers are used in biometric analysis to provide crucial immediate and accurate
information in crime detection.
They are in to store information such as fingerprints, images and other identification details of
people hence helping law enforcers to carry out criminal investigation.

J) Library
Computers enable library personnel to easily access and keep updated records of library
materials more easily.
They help in lending of material; they manage the issuing and returning of borrowed returning of
borrowed reading materials
They also help in the inventory control which involves use of computers to manage stock which
includes checking for books currently in the shelves and those on high demand for the purpose of
Page adding more.
6
SIMI K) Industries
YU They are used in different kinds of industries to control the processing of variety of goods where
MAL by they control special machines e.g., robots that makes the control some work that very tedious
ABA and strainers and also dangerous that can’t be done people.
MAH They are used in the following ways;
AMM  Computer process control which involves the controlling on-going physical processes
UD especially in manufacturing such as regulation of temperatures, pressure, fluid flow and
chemicals.
 The industrial simulation –Allows some activities that would be otherwise be
expensive and dangerous in real life situation to be put under test. Computers are used
to simulate design virtual model hat tries to depict real situation or objects and then test
them on the computer system.
 Computer aided design and manufacturing –Computers are used to design products
using design application software. The designed model is then feed into an automated
machine which engineers the needed shape and dimensions as per the specification
(Computer aided design). They are used in computer aided manufacturing which is the
use of computers in an automated manufacturing system to manufacture the products
as the computer level. An example is the use of robots, that is, computer controlled
devices that emulates human being in carrying out operations that would otherwise be
hazardous, repetitive ma d boring to human being such as lifting heavy objects, spray
and painting of vehicle bodies, removing red hot materials form furnaces.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

L) Weather forecasting
Computer is used in processing, analyzing large volumes of data collected from weather
elements thus predicting weather patterns. The most used software used is geographical
information system, (GIS), geographical positioning system (GPS) and geographical
information system.

M) Military and space exploration

Computers are used by space exploration and military research bodies for research, design,
development and control spaceships, airplanes and missiles.

N) Virtual / artificial reality

This is the condition in which a person becomes psychologically immersed in an artificial
environment generated by a computer system.
Computers are applied here in the following ways;
 Training in such areas as medicine, military equipment operations, education, design
evolution, prototyping, simulation and assemble of sequences, assistance to the
handicapped.
 Representation of any 3-D object or idea those are either real or abstract.

O) Marketing;
Computers are used in business to control marketing especially in competitive business
environment such areas include electronic commerce (e-commerce), electronic presentations
and advertisement.
Computers re used by marketing agents to create interesting and exciting presentations
concerning the products of a business and present them to audience using presentation
software.
NB: e-commerce is the way of doing business where the transactions are done electronically
without physical interaction between the buyer and the seller.

Generations
of
computers
The history of computer development is often referred to in reference to the different generations
of computing devices. Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technological
development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly
smaller, cheaper, and more powerful and more efficient and reliable devices.

Page The Abacus

7 This was a Chinese counting instrument which dates back to 3000BC. This instrument had bead-
SIMI like parts that move along the rods, and each bead above the middle bar stands for five units.
YU
MAL Napier’s bones
ABA It was developed by John Napier, a Scottish mathematician in the 17 th century. The instrument
MAH helped in multiplication and division.
AMM
UD The analytical engine
The instrument was developed by an English mathematician, Charles Babbage in 1832. This
instrument is recognized as the first real computer thus Babbage is referred to as the father of
computing.

First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes

 The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and
were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in
addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was often the
cause of malfunctions.
 First generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-level programming
language understood by computers, to perform operations, and they could only solve one
problem at a time. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was
displayed on printouts.
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 The Electronic Numeric Integrator and calculator (UNIVAC) and Electronic Discrete
Variable Automatic Computer (ENIAC) computers are examples of first-generation
computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered to a business
client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.

Second Generation (1956-1963) Transistors

Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers. The
transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 1950s.
The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster,
cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Though
the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a
vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched
cards for input and printouts for output.
Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic, or
assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level
programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL
and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory,
which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.
The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.

Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated Circuits

The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers.
Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which
drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through
keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run
many different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory.
Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller
and cheaper than their predecessors.

Fourth Generation (1971-Present) Microprocessors

The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated
circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. What in the first generation filled an entire room
could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the
components of the computer—from the central processing unit and memory to input/output
controls—on a single chip.
In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the
Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many
Page areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors.
8 As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks,
SIMI which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw
YU the development of guis, the mouse and handheld devices.
MAL
ABA Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial Intelligence
MAH Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development,
AMM though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use
UD of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality.
Quantum computation and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of
computers in years to come. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that
respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.
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CLASSIFICATION
OF COMPUTERS /CLASSES
OF
COMPUTERS
There are different types of computers according to the following classifications.
1. Physical size.
2. Functionality.
3. Purpose.

1. Physical size
There are 4 types of computers according to how big they are, the speed at they process data.
They include;

a) Supercomputers
These computers are focused on performing tasks involving intense numerical calculations such
as weather forecasting, fluid dynamics, nuclear simulations, theoretical astrophysics, and
complex scientific computations. A supercomputer is a computer that is at the frontline of current
processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation.
b) Mainframe computers
The term mainframe computer was created to distinguish the traditional, large, institutional
computer intended to service multiple users from the smaller, single user machines. These
computers are capable of handling and processing very large amounts of data quickly. Mainframe
computers are used in large institutions such as government, banks and large corporations
c) Minicomputers (Midrange computers)
Is a class of multi-user computers that lies in the middle range of the computing spectrum, in
between the smallest multi-user systems (mainframe computers) and the largest single-user
systems (microcomputers or personal computers). The contemporary term for this class of system
is midrange computer, such as the higher-end SPARC, POWER and Itanium -based systems from
Sun Microsystems, IBM and Hewlett-Packard
d) Microcomputers (Personal computers)
They are the most common type of computers in existence today, whether in a workplace, at
school or on the desk at home.
These computers include:
i. Desktop computers – A case and a display, put under and on a desk. In-car computers
(“carputers”) – Built into a car, for entertainment, navigation, etc. A separate class is
that of mobile devices:
ii. Laptops, notebook computers and Palmtop computers – Portable and all in one
case. Varying sizes, but other than smart books expected to be “full” computers without
Page limitations.
9 iii. Tablet PC – Like laptops, but with a touch-screen, sometimes entirely replacing the
SIMI physical keyboard.
YU iv. Smartphone, smart books and pdas (personal digital assistants) – Small handheld
MAL computers with limited hardware.
ABA v. Programmable calculator– Like small handhelds, but specialized on mathematical work.
MAH vi. Game consoles – Fixed computers specialized for entertainment purposes (computer
AMM games).
UD vii. Handheld game consoles – The same as game consoles

2. Functionality
Computer types can be divided into 3 categories according to electronic nature. Types of
computers are classified according to how a particular Computer functions. These computer types
are
a) Analogue Computers
b) Digital Computers
c) Hybrid Computers

a) Analogue Computers
Analogue types of Computer uses what is known as analogue signals that are represented by a
continuous set of varying voltages and are used in scientific research centers?, hospitals and
flight centers
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With analogue types of computer no values are represented by physical measurable quantities
e.g. Voltages. Analogue computer types program arithmetic and logical operations by measuring
physical changes i.e. Temperatures or pressure.

b) Digital Computer type

With these types of computers operation are on electrical input that can attain two inputs, states
of ON=1 and state of OFF = 0. With digital type of computers data is represented by digital of 0
and 1 or off state and on state. Digital computer type recognizes data by counting discrete signal
of (0 0r 1), they are high speed programmable; they compute values and stores results. After
looking at the Digital computer type and how it functions will move to the third computer type as
mentioned above.

c) Hybrid type of Computer

Hybrid computer types are very unique, in the sense that they combined both analogue and
digital features and operations. With Hybrid computers operate by using digital to analogue
converter and analogue to digital converter.

3. According to purpose
They are two types;
a) General purpose computers.
b) Special purpose computers.
General purpose computers
They are designed to perform variety of tasks when loaded with appropriate different
programmes
E.g. Desktop and laptops.
Special purpose computers
They are designed to solve specific tasks e.g. Robots, calculator, cell phones

What is a smart phone?

This is a mobile phone that offers more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a
contemporary feature phone.
Characteristics of a smart phone
i. It has an operating system.
ii. Ii. It has a quartz type of keypad.
iii. Iii. Can connect to the internet and send emails.
iv. Iv. Has ability to edit a document.

Page1
0 The
SIMI process
YU of
MAL booting a computer
ABA (Starting a computer)
MAH Booting a computer
AMM This is a process by which a computer loads the system files (files that runs the computer) into
UD the main memory by switching on a computer either original off or on.
Precautions before booting on the computer
 Ensure all the components are properly connected to the active power supply.
 Ensure all the peripheral devices are correctly connected to the system unit.
 Ensure you switch on the monitor first before the system unit.
 Since you may switch the computer either when it’s originally on or off, there are two
types of computer booting processes.
These are;
A. Cold booting
B. Warm booting

Cold booting
This is the turning on switching on of the computer when it’s originally off by pressing the power
button on the system unit. During this process, the computer will; go through a process called
power-on-self test (POST). POST is a process by which a computer goes through a process of
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

self test and preparation for use whereby the monitor will display the information about the status
of each device being tested and alerts the user in case of a missing devices.

Warm booting
Refers to processing of restarting a computer that is original on by pressing the restart button on
the system unit or by pressing a combination of keys on the keyboard or by using the restart
command from the shutdown down dialog box.

THE KEYBOARD
This is a device consisting of keys. The keys on this device are grouped into different categories.
These categories are;
A. Alphanumeric keys.
B. Cursor movement and editing keys.
C. Function keys.
D. Special PC Operation keys.
E. Numeric keypad keys.

A. Alphanumeric keys
These are keys labeled with alphabetic letters from A to Z and numbers arranged from 0 to 9 and
includes also punctuation and other symbols.
They include;
 Caps lock key.
 Tab keys.
 Back space key.
 Space bar key.
 Keys with letters A to Z and symbols.

Caps lock key

These keys assist the user to type in capital letters or small letters, i.e. switching between
uppercase and lower case.

Tab key
This moves the blinking cursor in relatively longer distance when typing.
Back space
This deletes the text from right to the left.
Space bar key
Used to space between words when typing.
B) Cursor movement and editing keys
Page1 They are keys used to move the cursor on the screen.
1 They are;
SIMI  Arrow keys– keys for moving the cursor either to the left , right , up and or down, .e. Left
YU key, right key, up key and down keys.
MAL  Page up and page down keys– For moving the cursor the previous page and next page.
ABA  Home and end keys-For moving the cursor to the beginning and end of the line.
MAH  Editing keys, i.e. Inset keys and delete keys.
AMM
UD C) Function keys
They are located along the top part of the keyboard and used for shortcuts. They are used to give
special commands to the computer. They are labeled F1– F12.

D) Special PC Operation keys.

They are keys used in combination with other keys to give special instructions and commands to
the computer.
Include;
SHIFT KEY, CTRL KEYS, ALT and ESC and ENTER KEYS

E) Numeric keypad keys

They are keys consisting of numerical numbers from 0 to 9 and they located to the most right of
the keyboard.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

THE MOUSE
These devices consist of left and right buttons and some it may have a scroll ball at the middle.
Terms used when using mouse/Mouse terminologies
 Clicking—Pressing the left mouse button once. Often used to select an object or item or a
text.
 Double clicking—Pressing the left mouse button twice in a quick succession. Usually used
to start or open a program or a file.
 Right Clicking—Pressing the right hand mouse button at once. Displays a list of
instructions or commands called short cut menu or context sensitive menu.
 Drag and drop- This is to move an item from one place to another on the screen by
pointing on it and holding down the left mouse button and the releasing when the item
reaches the intended position.

The
Computer
lab
This is a well designed room for computers and other devices that work with the computers in
order to provide secure or safe condition environment for the purpose of learning and teaching
computer studies.
The computer should be designed to the best style and located strategically in good and safe
environment.
Therefore, there before the lab is established, the following factors should be put into
consideration;
 General security of computer hardware and software and lab itself plus the computer
users.
 The reliability of the power supply; the electricity should be enough and stable.
 The size of the room in relation to the numbers of computers and its components to be
installed and available floor space.
 The number of users to be accommodated; the room should accommodate all the
computers operators without overcrowding.

The Safety Precautions and Practices in the Computer Lab

A) Behaviour
The rules and precautions here are concerned with the computer/lab users. How they should
behave while in the computer room. Some of them are listed below;
 Avoid smoking or exposing computers to dust, smoke and gas since these may damage
computer components and cause wearing of moving parts.
 Avoid carrying food and drinks into the computer lab as drops damage the moving parts of
Page1 the computer.
2  Avoid unnecessary movement because you may accidentally knock down peripheral
SIMI devices.
YU  Follow the correct procedure for starting and shutting down the computer.
MAL  Avoid opening the metallic covers of the computers or peripheral devices without
ABA permission particularly when power is on.
MAH
AMM B) Stable power supply
UD The computer users should;
 Ensure there’s stable power supply since fluctuations affects the systems.
 Avoid direct connection to the main supply because of experiencing power over voltage or
under-voltage.
 Usually install the standby generator to enable continuity of work when the main supply is
absent.
 Make use of Ups (uninterruptible power supply). The Ups gives beeping sound to alert
the user when power goes off, stores power for emergence and protect the electronic
components guarding them against power surge fluctuations.

C) Ventilation
The computer room should be opened when in use and avoid overcrowding of machines and
people inside it.
D) Dust and dump control.
 The computer room should be situated away from excessive dust.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

 It should be fitted with special carpets or cartens to reduce entry of dust.

 Humidity be maintained at optimum 50%, lower than this allow static electricity to build up
and damage electronic components of computers.
 Eliminate low humidity by placing humidifiers in the room while installing dehumidifiers
control high temperature.
E) Lighting
 Adjust the brightness of the computer screen for comfortable use before embarking on any
computing session.
 Avoid flickering monitor screens as this would affect the eyes.
 It’s advisable to fit additional screen to minimize radiation which be harmful to the eyes.

F) Standard furniture.
 Computer table must be strong and wide enough to bare the weight and accommodate all
the peripheral devices.
 Seat of the user must be comfortable and allow the users to sit with back erect to avoid
back and neck strain.
 Seat must be high enough to enable comfortable use of the hands on the keyboard and
eyes must be at same level as the top of the screen when the user is seated upright.

G) Security against theft, fire and also cable installation.

 For security against theft, windows should have strong metallic grills and logs and well
positioned, strangers should not be allowed in the room unless with permission and
security sensors (alarms) can be put at strategic access points to alert security personnel
in case of brake in.
 For protection from fire, ensure fire extinguishers are available at strategic points and
avoid use of water or powder based extinguishers because can cause computer damage
and use CO ones.
 The power cable and socket should be properly insulated and laid away from busy runway.

Page1
3
SIMI
YU
MAL
ABA
MAH
AMM
UD
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

THE COMPUTER
SYSTEM
This is a collection of both electronic and non-electronic entities that works together to process
and manage data and information using the computer. They consist of parts that can be touched
only, those that can be seen and read only and also the computer users/operator.

COMPUTER SYSTEM

COMPUTER COMPUTER SOFTWARE COMPUTER

HARDWARE USER

Input Output Central Storage

devices devices Processin devices
1. Keying 1. Softcopy g Unit 1. Magnetic storage
input output devices.
devices. devices, e.g. 2. Optical storage
2. Pointing monitors, devices.
input speakers,
devices. projectors.
3. Scanning 2. Hardcopy COMPUTER SYSTEM
devices output
and services,e.g.
other printers and System software Application
Page1 COMPUTER COMPUTER SOFTW
data plotters. software
4
capture HARDWARE
SIMI Main Central Unit Arithmetic
YU devices. memory
4. Speech and Logic
MAL
Input Unit (ALU) Output Central Storage
ABArecogniti
MAH on. devices devices Processin devices
1. Word
5.
AMMTouch 1. Keying 1. Softcopy g Unit processors.
1. Magnetic storage
UD Read only
screens, Random Access input 1. Operating
output 2. Spreadsheets.
devices.
memory.
digitizers Memory. devices. system.
devices, e.g. 3. Databases.
2. Optical storage
and 2. Pointing 2. Firmware
monitors, 4. Desktop
devices.
digital input software.
speakers, publishers.
cameras devices. 3. Utility software.
projectors. 5. Presentation
3. Scanning 4. Networking
2. Hardcopy programs.
devices outputsoftware. 6. Graphic
NOTE: The computer software from theandabove diagram services,e.g.
has been categorized according designers.
to the
other
purpose. Note that there are other categories used to classify and
printers software. Syste
7. Web browsing.
data plotters.
capture
devices. Main Central Unit Arithmetic
4. Speech memory and Logic
recogniti Unit (ALU)
on.
5. Touch
Read only
screens, Random Access 1. Operati
memory.
digitizers Memory. system
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

ELEMENTS
OF
A COMPUTER
SYSTEM
These elements are 3;
a. Hardware.
b. Software.
c. Live ware or human ware.

Why a computer is referred as a system?

The computer hardware; They are physical mechanical and electronic tangible
parts both plastic and metallic of the computer. They may be inside the system
unit or outside.

The Computer software ;These are intangible parts of the computer, i.e. they
are set of programs or instructions that guides or directs the computer in data
Page1 processing.
5
SIMI
YU Computer user/live ware ;These are computer operators issuing commands to
MAL the computer depending on his or her needs/requirements.
ABA
MAH
AMM COMPUTER
UD
HARDWARE
The tangible parts of the computer are mainly grouped into four categories as stated, described
and defined ahead. There, they include;
A. Input devices.
B. Output devices.
C. Central processing unit.
D. Storage devices.

A. INPUT DEVICES.
These are devices used to enter data into the computer. Their major function is to let the
computer receive data for processing.
Here, we have the following types;
a. Keying devices.
b. Pointing devices.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

c. Scanning devices and other data capture devices.

d. Speech recognition/Voice input devices.
e. Touch screen, digitizers and digital cameras.

i. Keying devices.
They are used to enter data and information into the computer by typing. E.g. Keyboard.
There are several types of keyboards. These are;
Braille keyboard; This is a keyboard designed for use by the blind. It consists of keys identified by
raised dots.
Traditional keyboard; this is the most common type of keying device having a full sized rigid
keyboard such as the one described in chapter one.
Flexible keyboard; This is a more portable keyboard that can be folded and packed into a bag.

ii. Pointing devices.

They are input devices that enter data or information by controlling a special pointer (cursor) on
the screen.
They include.
Mouse, Trackball, Joystick and light pen.
Mouse
This device enables the user to give instructions and commands to the computer by controlling a
special mouse pointer on the screen. There are 3 types;
 Standard mouse; This one has a ball at the bottom that control the cursor movement
when rolled on the flat surface.
 Optical mouse; This one uses light that senses movement hence controlling the
movement of the cursor on the screen.
 Cordless mouse; This is a wireless mouse that uses internal battery and infrared light to
control the cursor on the screen. It is not connected on the system unit, but simply at
placed a certain distance from the main computer.

 Trackball
This device has a ball fixed on its top part which is rolled using index finger. The device has no big
different from the mouse except its does not require flat space for movement.

 Joystick
This is an input device resembling a car gear lever which can be moved sideways, upwards and
downwards to control the position of pointer on the screen.
Mostly used for playing computer games.

Page1  Light pen

6 This is a handheld device resembling a pen having a sharp light-sensitive pointer.
SIMI Mostly used for making selections, placing images draw and indicate dimensions by simply
YU touching a screen.
MAL
ABA iii. Scanning devices
MAH They are devices that are used to capture data into the computer directly.
AMM There are 2 types according to the technology they capture data.
UD i. Magnetic scanners.
ii. Optical scanners.

i. Magnetic scanners.
These capture data using magnetic technology. Data captured can be either in form of special
magnetic characters or continuous strips.
Examples
 Magnetic Ink character recognition (MICR)
 Magnetic strip recognition (MSC)

 Magnetic Ink Character recognition (MICR)

They are scanners that are able to detect characters written in special magnetic ink.
They are mostly used to read characters written on Bank and Credit cards and slips and others.

 Magnetic Strip Recognition (MSC)

 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

They are scanning devices that recognize data in magnetic strips. The magnetic strips are thin
magnetic tape or bands of magnetically encoded data found on the back of plastic card such as
ATM and Credit cards.

ii. Optical Scanners.

They capture data by use of beam of light which is passed over the object or picture or text and
convert it to digital form and passes it to the computer for processing.
Examples
 Optical mark recognition (OMR) reader.
 Optical bar recognition (OBR) reader.
 Optical character recognition (OCR) reader/Image scanner.
 Optical mark recognition
They are scanners that read and recognize marks made on a page using a soft pen or a pencil.
They scans the marks using infrared light which is greatly reflected where there are marks than
where that they don’t exits. They are applied in areas such as marking and scoring
examination multiple choices and answers in national exams, selecting correct
numbers in lottery ticket and analyzing responses from structures from structured
questions.

 Optical Bar Recognition

They scan and translate bar code into a machine understandable mode/form.
Bar codes are radical lines of different thickness that holds item information such as country,
name of manufacturer and item codes.
Interpretation of bar codes is based on the width of the bar rather than their locations.
The examples are Award/Laser printer and Post-sale terminals.

 Optical Character Recognition

They are used to scan characters, real objects, images and pictures they way photocopy
machines works e.g. flatbed.

iv. Voice Input/ Speech Recognition devices

They are the types devices that are used to enter data into the computer in form of spoken words.

They are mostly applied in handicapped, especially those with impaired hands, electronic
funds transfer and house car security and voice activator.

Limitations
Page1
7  they makes some words sound the same,
SIMI  their recognition is very low and complex to develop.
YU  it doesn't take care speech related problems such as accents, inflections and tones hence
MAL they must learn the unique and recognition.
ABA
MAH v. Touch screen ,digitizers and digital cameras.
AMM  Touch Screens
UD When the user touches the screen, the computer detects the position of the finger and responds
accordingly through a built of sensing lines.

They are applied in areas such as ATM machines in banks, Information and reservation
centers , airports and hotels.

 Digitizers/Graphic tablets
They have graphic tablet which the user writes on using devices such as a pen called stylus. As
the stylus moves on the tablet, its drawing is directly reflected on the screen. Mostly applied in
engineering and architectural drawings and designs.

 Digital cameras.
They are devices used to take pictures of an object and then store them in digital form. There are
those that take objects in motion and those take stationery objects.

B. OUTPUT DEVICES
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

They are devices that a computer uses to give out information produced after the processing
operations.
There are two types of output devices depending on the kind of information they output.
They include;
a. Softcopy output devices.
b. Hardcopy output devices.

a. Softcopy Output Devices

They are devices that give intangible output or information from the computer. The information is
in a form that you can only here or read but don’t touch.
Examples
i. Monitors
ii. Sound-output/speakers.
iii. Light-emitting diodes (LED)
iv. Data projectors.

i. Monitors
They are visual display unit (VDU) that displays information on its on screen thus helping the user
to track/see operation carried out by a computer.
There are several types depending on the colour of Images they display and the shape of
the screen.
Depending on the colour
There are two types;
 Monochrome monitors.
 Colour monitors.

 Monochrome monitors
These displays images and text in only one colour, mostly black and white colour.
 Colour monitors
They display images in multiple colours.

Depending on the Shape of the Screen

There are two types’
 Cathode ray tube monitors.
 Flat-panel display monitors.
Page1
8  Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors
SIMI They are monitors designed using CRT with its screen slightly curved outward forming a convex
YU shape.
MAL
ABA
Advantages of CRT monitors
MAH
AMM  They are cheaper in price.
UD Disadvantages of CRT monitors
 They consume a lot of power.
 They occupy more space due to their huge size.
 They are heavy in size.
 They have low quality clarity.

 Flat-panel display monitors

They have a flat screen. They include;
 Liquid crystal Display (LCD)
 Gas-plasma display
 Electro-lumiscent.
 Thin-film transistor

 Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

They don't display by emitting light of their own. They have tiny liquid crystals that reflect light
falling on them from the environment. They are used in watches, calculators, cell phones and
digital cameras.

 Gas– plasma display.

They use a gas that emits light in the presence of electric current.

 Electro-luminescent
These display are an improvement on LCDs. They emit light when electrical charged.

 Thin-film transistor (TFT)

They are the latest achievement in displays. They provide high quality output than all the others.

NOTE:
For the monitors to display the images they use a separate piece of circuit board called video
adapter/graphic adapter that usually plugged inside the monitors.

What is a video graphic adapter?

This internal circuit allows a display device such as a monitor to display images from the
computer.
Therefore, there are different examples of video adapter. Different monitors may have different
video adapters and this translations difference in image display.
There are several video graphic adapters.
These are;

b. Hardcopy Output devices

These are devices used to produce tangible information from the comp on paper.
There are two types;
i. Printers.
ii. Plotters.

Printers
They are hardcopy output devices that print characters, symbols and perhaps graphics on papers,
that is, produces the produced information on papers.
Page1 They are devices produces the information on papers.
9
SIMI Classification of printers;
YU  Classification according to printing technology and mechanisms.
MAL  Classification according to the speed of printing.
ABA
MAH  Classification according to the technology and mechanism.
AMM There are majorly two types depending on the printing mechanisms;
UD i. Impact printers.
ii. Non-impact printers.

i. Impact printers
They prints information by using the striking technology. The printing head comes in contact with
the papers as the information is being received from the computer.
Examples;
 Dot-matrix printers.
 Daisy-wheel printer.
 Drum printers.

Advantages of impact printers.

 They are cheaper to purchase.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

Disadvantages of impact printers.

 They are expensive to maintain.

Dot-matrix printers.
They prints /stamps characters on paper in form of dots. They have a very low print quality.

Daisy-wheel printers
They have a wheel representing a daisy flower that rotates to stamp information on papers. As
the paper comes together with wheel, information is printed on the paper.
They are slow in printing, noisy, and their print quality is low.

Drum printers
A complete set of characters for each print position on a line is on a continuously rotating drum
behind an inked ribbon with paper in front of a ribbon. Identical characters are printed
simultaneously at all required positions on a line, on fly, by signal-controlled.

ii. Non-impact printers.

These are types of printers that use a more advanced printing mechanism. They don’t print by
striking mechanism but they prints either the use of light or heat whereby the paper is charged
and the ink is attracted on paper hence information is stamped on papers.

Advantages of non-impact printers

 They are much quiet
 They are fast while printing.
 They much more durable that the impact printers.
 They are cheap to maintain.

Disadvantages of non-impact.
 They are relatively expensive to purchase.

Examples of non-impact printers;

 Inkjet printers
 Laser printers
 Thermal printers
Page2  Photo
0
SIMI  Ink jet Printers
YU Form characters by spraying ink from tiny nozzles through an electrical field that arranges the
MAL charged ink particles into characters.
ABA They are cheap to purchase, have high print quality for producing colour documents.
MAH
AMM
UD  Thermal printers
They use heat to transfer characters into a piece of paper, i.e. they bond characters into a paper
by using hot pins, which presses against a special ribbon.
They produce high quality printouts.
They are more expensive to purchase and run.

 Laser Printers
They print by passing a laser beam back and over a rotating drum. Laser beam draws images on
the drum by static electricity.
The charged areas pick-up the ink tones from a cartridge and passes it into the paper.
They are faster and cheaper to run.
They produce high quality printouts.
They are expensive to purchase.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

 Classification according to the speed of printing

1) Character printers.
They are printers that produce one character at a time. E.g. Dot-matrix.

2) Line printers
They produce a line at a time. E.g. Laser printers.

3) Page printers.
They produce an entire page at once. E.g. Laser-jet printer.

Plotters
They resemble printers but specialize in producing big charts such as maps, pictures and
drawings.
They are used for printing geographical, architectural and engineering drawings.
Examples;
Flat-bet and drum plotters.

C. CENTRAL PROCESSSING UNIT (C.P.U)

This is the brain of the computer where all data processing and contact operations are co-
ordinated.

The main parts of the C.P.U

1. The arithmetic and logic unit. (ALU)
2. Control unit.
3. Main memory.

1. Arithmetic and logic unit (ALU)

This is a unit of the C.P.U where all arithmetic and logic operations are carried out.
Has a special temporary storage locations called registry which holds data just before processing
and holds results after processing.

2. Control unit.
These part co-ordinates all the processing activities in the C.P.U as well as input, storage and
output operations.
Page2 Determines which operations/instruction to be executed next by using a system clock which
1 sends electric signals.
SIMI
YU 3. Main memory.
MAL Provides location for data and instruction accessed by the control unit.
ABA There are two types of the main memory;
MAH a) Read only memory (ROM)
AMM b) Random access memory (RAM)
UD
a) Read only memory
This is an integrated circuit programmed with specific data during the time of manufacturing.
Used to store programmed instructions and data permanently or semi-permanently. E.g. POST
instructions, special purpose computers, computerized fuel pumps instructions.
Their contents are not lost when the computer is switched off, one can only read its content but
can’t write on it unless it’s a special type of ROM and stores permanent or semi-permanent
instructions of the manufacturer called firmware.
This part is also divided into 4 parts;
1. Mask read only memory.
Once the content is written on by the manufacturer, it cannot be changed.

2. Programmable read only memory

Allow the user to alter its content only once after the content is written on it.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

3. Erasable programmable read only memory

Has a transparent quartz window through which its contents can be erased by exposing it to ultra-
violet light and then reprogrammed for another use.

4. Electrically Erasable Programmable read only memory.

Its contents can be erased and reprogrammed for another
use by the use of power. E.g BIOS.

b) Random access memory.

The contents of this part can be read directly regardless of the sequence in which it was stored.
Its contents are only held while there is power and once power is off, the contents are lost, data
can be read and written on it and its contents is user defined, i.e. the user dictate what is to be
contained in the RAM.

Special purpose memories

These may be part inside or in other electronic device that increases the overall performance of
data and instruction moving in and out of the C.P.U.
They include;
1. Buffers.
2. Cache memories.
3. Registers.

Buffers
They are temporary holding place that may be part of the C.P.U or built in an input or output
device.
They enable the C.P.U to carry out other activities instead of waiting for all data to be entered and
for information to be output.

Register memories
They hold one piece of data at a time and are inside the C.P.U.
They are the fastest memories with small sizes acting as waiting rooms for data and instruction
just before and after processing.
Examples of registers include;
i. The instruction register; It temporary hold an instruction just before its interpreted into
a form that the CPU can understand.
ii. The accumulator; It temporary hold result of the last processing step of ALU.
iii. Address register; It temporary hold the next piece of data waiting to be processed.
iv. Storage register; It temporary hold a piece of data in its way to and from the CPU and
Page2 the main memory.
2
SIMI Cache memories
YU They are special memory in which frequently used instructions or data are stored for faster access
MAL by the processor.
ABA This allows the processor to access data and instructions even more than it would have taken to
MAH fetch it from the relatively slow RAM.
AMM There are three types;
UD i. The primary cache (level one)- Located inside the microprocessor.
ii. The external cache (Level two)-May be located inside the microprocessor or mounted on
motherboard.
iii. Level three; latest type of cache memories that work to optimize system performance.

C.P.U BUSES
They are channels/electrical pathway or links for transmitting electric data signals from one part
of the C.P.U to the another.
There are 3 types;
1. Control bus.
This is the pathway for all timing and controlling sent signals by the control unit to another part of
the system.
2. Address bus.
This is the pathway used to locate the storage position in memory where the next instruction data
to be processed is held.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

3. Data bus.
This is the pathway where the actual or real data transfer takes place.

Memory capacity
The amount data or information the memory holds is usual measured in bytes, i.e. a byte is a
group of 8 bits.
Hence we have the following other units;
 Kilobytes ; refers to one thousand bytes ,i.e., 1 Kilobyte=
 1, 000bytes.
 Megabytes; refers to one million bytes, i.e., 1 megabyte = 1,000,000 bytes.
 Gigabytes ; refers to one billion bytes, i.e., 1 gigabyte=
 1,000,000,000.
 Terabytes ; refers to one trillion bytes , i.e., 1 terabyte =
 1,000,000,000,000bytes.
NB: therefore it’s possible to convert one unit to the other.
Hence;
1megabyte = 1,000kilobytes
1gigabyte = 1,000megabytes.
1terabyte = 1,000gigabytes.
 Take regular back-ups from your hard discs into removable storage media to complete
lose of data in case of serious break down of fixed storage media.
 Insert your removable media into their drives with a lot care to avoid scratches.

D. SECONDARY AUXILIARY STORAGE DEVICES

These are parts of the computer system that are used to store data and information.
They are alternative storage locations that are not part of the main memory.
These devices are use to permanently store information for future reference.
They are usually not accessed directly by the central processing unit.

Classification
They are classified according;
A) Portability, i.e. Removable and Fixed storage devices.
B) Technology used to store data, i.e. Magnetic and Optical devices.

REMOVABLE DEVICES
These are either magnetic or optical storage devices that are not housed inside the computer.
Page2 They are;
3  Magnetic tapes.
SIMI  Magnetic disks.
YU  Optical storage media. E.g., Compact disc, compact disks (CDs), Digital Video disk (DVD),
MAL Optical cards, and Optical tapes.
ABA
MAH 1. Magnetic tapes.
AMM They are plastic like material corded with a thin layer of Iron Oxide on which information is
UD recorded.
E.g., Cartridge tapes, cassette tapes, reel –to-reel tapes.

Advantages
They are cheap to purchase.

Disadvantages
 Slow in speed of accessing data.
 Can be easily damaged by dust, touching and tearing heat.
 There‘s a space between data records (inter-record gap) resulting in wastage of storage
space.

2. Magnetic disks
They have magnetic disk platter that stores data.
Examples;
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

Floppy disks (Diskettes), Zip disks, Jazz disks.

Floppy disks (Diskettes)

They have small disk that can be removed from the computer, and the disk is corted with Iron
Oxide.

Zip disks
They are higher capacity magnetic disks than the diskettes.
They resemble the diskettes.

Jazz disks
They are portable disks with higher storage capacity of about 1GB—2GB.

Care of Magnetic Storage Media

 Avoid removing a media from the drive when its still accessed by the computer.
 Don’t touch the magnetic surfaces.
 Don’t bend .fold the magnetic media or put heavy weights on them to avoid
breaking or damaging them.
 Keep magnetic media away from excessive heat, because heat energy weaknesses
magnetic media ability to store data.
 Don’t drop the disk on the ground, because the impact weakness magnetism.
 Avoid exposing the magnetic media to strong magnetic field.

3. Optical Storage Media

They are media on which data is written or read using laser beam.
They are made from polycarbons and corted with a thin shiny layer of Aluminum.

Advantages
 They store large volumes of data.
 Data stored on them is more stable and permanent compared to magnetic media.

Examples;
A. LS—120 Super disks
They resemble the 3.5inch floppy disk but uses optical technology to record and read data.
They have higher storage capacity and greater speed retrieved.

B. Compact disks (CDs)

They hold large amount of data and information of up to 700MB.
Page2 There are three types;
4 i) Compact disk –ROM (CD-ROM).
SIMI Ii) Compact disk –Recordable (CD-R).
YU Iii) Compact disk—Rewritable (CD—RW).
MAL
ABA i) CD-ROM
MAH The computer can only read data written on them but can’t change data stored on them.
AMM They are mostly used for storing music recordings, transporting and installing software packages,
UD movies and games.

Ii) CD– R
The data can only be written on them at once and read as many times.

Iii) CD-RW
They allow the user to write as well as read data as many times as possible (They allows the user
to record, erase and rewrite new data many times as he/she can).

C. Digital Video Disks (DVDs).

They resemble CDs but have higher capacity for storage of data of more than 700MB to up to
17GB.
They are also found in the three forms/categories;
i. DVD-ROM.
ii. DVD-R.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

iii. DVD-RW.

D. Optical cards.
They resemble the magnetic Ink Character recognition (MICR) card but they have optical
recordable strips that store data and information.

E. Optical tapes
They resemble magnetic tapes but only data is stored on and retrieved from them using optical
technology.

FIXED STORAGE MEDIA

They are storage devices housed inside the system unit. These are the hard discs (Winchester).

The Hard disks

This is a sealed unit in which shiny, rigid disks / platters arranged vertically on a common axis,
which provides permanent / semi-permanent storage of data and information. They use the
integrated circuits (ICs) for data and information storage.

 Structure of the hard disk

This consists of a circular disk platters arranged on top of each other with spaces between them.
In between the disk platters, there is writing / read heads that moves in and out of the spaces to
write / read the data and information on / from them as the disk rotates.

Advantages
 They provide permanent, cheap and large storage capacity that is recordable.
 They are very fast compared to other auxiliary storage devices in terms of data transfer.
 They allow random access of information stored on them.
 They are affordable because of falling prices.

Care of the hard disc and other disks

 Keep the discs from smoke and dust because they cause damage to the surfaces of disc
by scratching.
 Switch off computer using the right procedure.
 Avoid touching the surface of any disks because grease and dust from your hands can
destroy data on the discs.
 Keep them away from chemicals and strong magnetic fields that delete / erase data and
Page2 information stored on them.
5  Avoid shaking or dropping a busy drive for that could result to head-crash.
SIMI  Take regular back-ups from your hard discs into removable storage media to complete
YU lose of data in case of serious break down of fixed storage media.
MAL  Insert your removable media into their drives with a lot care to avoid scratches.
ABA
MAH New storage technology
AMM There is a recent technology of data storage that uses solid electrons to store and retrieve
UD information.
These devices are like flash discs and memory cards.
They provide rewritable storage of data and information, i.e. data stored on them can deleted and
a new one stored on them as many times as possible.

Solid state storage

It provides permanent /semi-permanent storage of data and information. They integrated circuits
for data and information storage.
Example
 Memory stick
 Memory card

CABLES
They are wired materials used to transfer either power or data signals.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

There majorly two types of cables;

1. Power cables.
2. Interface cables.

1. Power cables
These are used to connect computer components, drives and motherboard to power supplies.

2. Interface cables.
They are used to peripheral devices and other devices to the computer hence to the C.P.U for
transmission of electrical data signals.
There are several types of interface cables and there cables;
i. Parallel cables and ports.
ii. Serial cables and ports.
iii. Universal serial bus (USB) cables and ports.
iv. Small computer system interface (SCSS) cables and ports.
v. Other cables and ports.

a. Parallel cables and ports.

They provide transmission of data signals simultaneously using a set of many conductor wires.
They transmit data signals over a short distance.
They are relatively cheap to purchase.

ii. ii) Series cables and ports.

They transmit one electrical data signal at a time. Data signals moves in a series form.
They are much more reliable that the parallel cables although they are slow.
They can be as long as 15m in length..
They are slow in terms of data signals transmission hence transmit a small amount data.

iii. Iii) Universal Serial Bus (USB) cables and ports.

This is new standard serial interface cable that is set to replace the convectional parallel and
serial cables and ports.
They provide high speed and quality data transmission as well as provide a wide range of devices.

iv. Small computer system interface cables and ports.

They transmit data in parallel but faster than the parallel cables.
They allow the user to connect up to eight peripheral devices.

v. Other cables and ports.

Page2
6 Parallel system 2 (PS/2) pin.
SIMI They are mostly used to connect the mouse and keyboard to the system unit.
YU
MAL Monitor cables and ports.
ABA They are used to connect monitors to the system unit, e.g. 9Pin-D, 15Pin-D and Hi-D.
MAH
AMM Audio connectors.
UD They are jack plugs found on sound interface adapters to connect speakers, microphones and
other portable audio devices.

Firewire interface
They resemble USB but transmit data signals faster compared to USB.
They are used for streaming videos from digital video cameras.

COMPUTER SOFTWARE
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

They are set of programs that guide the computer in its operations.
Computer software is grouped according to the following criteria;
a) According to purpose.
b) According to acquisition.
c) According to end-user license.

a) According to purpose
There are two categories of computer software: system software and application software.
System software serves as the interface between a user and the computer's hardware. An
example of system software would be an operating system such as Microsoft Windows.
Application software consists of programs designed to perform specific tasks. An example of
application software would be a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel

COMPUTER SOFTWARE

System Software Application Software

1. Operating system. 1. Word processors.

2. Firmware. 2. Spreadsheets.

3. Utility Software. 3. Databases.

4. Networking Software. 4. Desktop publishers.

5. Presentation COMPUTER
programs. SOFTWARE

6. Graphic designers.
These are;
1) System software.
2) Application software.
Page2 System Software Applica
7 1) System software.
SIMI They perform variety of fundamental functions / operations that avails computer resources to the
YU user.
MAL 1. Operating system. 1. Word proce
ABA Main functions of system software
MAH 2. Firmware. 2. Spreadshee
 Controls booting the computer and ensuring that all the hardware and software parts of
AMM the computer are functioning and working correctly and properly.
UD 3. Utility Software. 3. Databases.
 They perform operations such as retrieval, loading, execution and storage of application
programs.
4. Networking
 They control the storage and retrieval / opening / accessSoftware. 4. Desktop pu
of files stored in the computer.
 They also enable the performance of variety of system utility such as the commonly
frequently performed operations, e.g. opening, saving, copying. 5. Presentatio

Types of system software. 6. Graphic de

There are 4 types;
i. Operating system.
ii. Firmware.
iii. Utility Software.
iv. Networking software.

i. Operating system.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

This is the main program that controls the execution of user’s applications and enables the user
to access both hardware and software resources.

ii. Firmware.
These are combination of both hardware and software resources stored permanently on electronic
chips by the manufacturer.

iii. Utility software.

These are special programs that perform commonly used operations that make certain aspects of
computing go on smoothly, e.g. disk management, sorting, saving files, file handling, copying,
moving, opening files.
They are also two types;
System level utility; They help the user to work with operating system more easily and
effectively.
Application-level utility; They make application programs run more smoothly and efficiently.

iv. Networking software.

They are used to establish communication between two or more computers by linking them using
a communication channel to create a computer network.

2) Application software.
They are programs designed to assist the user accomplish specific tasks.
They are;

Application Software Examples

1. Word processors Microsoft office word, Corel WordPerfect, WordStar,
Lotus WordPro

2. Spreadsheets. Microsoft office Excel,

3. Databases Microsoft office access,
4. Desktop publishers. Microsoft office publisher, Adobe PageMaker.

5. Presentation Microsoft office PowerPoint.

programs.
6. Graphic designers. Adobe draw, Adobe Photoshop,
Page2
8 7. CAD AutoCAD
SIMI
YU 8. Web browsing Internet Explorer, Mozila Firefox,
MAL
ABA
MAH b) According to acquisition
AMM There are two types;
UD 1) In-house developed / Tailored software- These are programs developed uniquely and
tailored to meet the particular needs of the user. They are usually not available on the
market and once designed for one company or use they cannot meet the needs of other
users.
2) The Vendor-off-the shelf / Standard software – These software are developed by the
software engineers, packaged and made available for purchase through a vendor or a
distributor or directly from the developer. They may be bundled as one package consisting
closely related software to form a suit or integrated software as opposed to single-
purpose software.

The merits of the standard software over in-house developed

i. They can easily be installed and run.
ii. Cheaper than in-house developed software.
iii. Readily available for almost any task.
iv. Minor or no errors since they are thoroughly tested.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

v. They can be easily modified to meet user’s needs.

Disadvantages of standard software

i. They may have some features not required by the user which may take extra storage.
ii. They may need the user to change the processors and hardware for compatibility which
may in turn be expensive.
iii. They may lack some features needed by the user.

c) According to End-User license.

There are three types;

1) Open source / Non-proprietary – These are software whose source code, that is,
programmed set of instructions, is freely made available to users. They allow modification
by other programmers or users. Usually made available through the general public
license (GPL).
2) Proprietary software – Their source code is hidden from the users thus modification can
only be made by the developers themselves.
3) Freeware software – These are soft\ware products that are made freely available to the
users.

CRITERIA
FOR
SELECTING
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

Hardware
i. The processor type and its speed.
ii. The warranty.
iii. The cost.
iv. Upgradability and compatibility.
v. Portability.
vi. The user needs.
vii. The monitor type.
viii. Multimedia capability.
ix. The available port, wireless connectivity and system unit form factor.

Software
Page2
9 i. The authenticity, that is, the genuineness, validity or legitimacy of an item.
SIMI ii. Documentation – Manuals prepared by developer having details on how to install, use and
YU maintain the software.
MAL iii. The user needs –The needs of the user determines which application programs to be used.
ABA iv. User-friendliness – This is the measure of how the user can be able to interact with the
MAH software and the computer. Some programs are more user-friendly than others.
AMM v. The cost of the software – The software tends to be more hardware, therefore, before
UD purchasing the software, make sure that its cost is directly proportional to its benefits as
per the use.
vi. Compatibility and system configuration-Should be compatible with the existing hardware,
OS or application and be readily upgradable.
vii. Portability-Can the program be installed or copied in more than one computer.
viii. Reliability and security – A good software should be reliability and not vulnerable to
crashing and provide for security for the data and information and the system.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

OPERATING
SYSTEM
This is the main program that controls the execution of user applications and enables the user to
access both hardware and software resources.

This program is usually installed / stored on a hard disk and during booting process; the C.P.U
reads the program from the hard disks and transforms it into machine understandable language
so that it can run as expected. Once it has been compiled, it is granted an opportunity to ensure
all the other programs are smoothly functioning and the user is able to access the computer
resources.

The resources under the operating system are like the processor, main memory (RAM), input
and out devices and ports, secondary storage devices and communication devices.

USER: Runs the application programs.

APPLICATION SOFTWARE: Send user requests to

operating system.

OPERATING SYTEM: Receives and controls the

execution of application

requests.
Page3
0
SIMI HARDWARE: Receives and does the OS’s
USER: Runs the application programs
YU commands.
MAL
ABA FUNCTIONS OF THE OPERATING SYSTEM.
MAH  The OS determines which task will be processed first and ensures that one that is currently
AMM being processed is closely monitored to avoid wasting time in the processor
APPLICATION (Job
SOFTWARE: Send user requ
UD scheduling).
operating system.
 OS organizes the main memory into blocks of sizes (partitions). Constantly assigns the
main memory storage partitions for data and instructions (Memory management).
 The OS is responsible for managing various communication devices and provide an
environment within which communications protocols operates (Communication control
and management). OPERATING SYTEM: Receives and contro
executiondevices
 The OS co-ordinates between various input and output and other peripheral of application
like
storage devices, making sure that data flows properly between them and setting out any
possible confusion (Input and output handling). requests.
 The OS ensures that when two tasks request to use a resource at the same time, one with
higher priority interrupt is granted the opportunity.
 The OS usually expresses what error is and where possible make suggestions
HARDWARE: on how
Receives andto does the O
correct the errors by monitoring the status of computer system performing error-checks on
commands.
both hardware and software (Error handling).
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEM

There are different types of operating system depending on the following classifications;
a) According to the number of tasks.
b) According to the number of users.
c) According to human computer interface.

a. According to the number tasks.

There are two types basing on the number/operations/programs that can be run at a particular
time.
 Single operation/task operating system.
 Multi-task operating system.

Single-task operating system.

This allows the user to run one task / activity at a time. The user must close the current task for
him / her to start a new task.

Multi-task operating system

This allows the central processing unit to execute what appears to be more than one program at
the same time.

b) b) According to the number of users.

There are two types;
 Single user operating system.
 Multi-user operating system.
Single user operating system.
This kind of operating system is designed to be used by one person at a time and he / she runs
only one interactive program / task at a time.

Multi-user operating system.

This operating system allows / supports more than one user to interactively use the computer.

c) According to Human Computer Interface.

Human Computer Interface: Refers to the way / method of interaction between the computer
and the user and determines how easily the user can operate the computer.
Page3
i. Command line operating system.
1
ii. Menu driven interface.
SIMI
iii. Graphical user interface.
YU
MAL
i. Command line operating system.
ABA
The user interacts with computer by typing a command / interaction at the prompt found on the
MAH
command line.
AMM
UD
ii. Menu driven interface.
It provides the user with a list of options to choose from.
iii. Graphical user interface.
It is an interface that represents small pictures on the screen called icons which the user can
select to do a certain operation.
Example, the user can instruct a computer to perform a specific task by simply clicking on a
specific icon, e.g. a user may click My Computer icon on the desktop to open My Computer
Window.

Factors considered when buying an Operating system.

 The hardware set-up / configuration and provision of the computer.
 The application intended for the computer.
 User friendliness / Human computer interface.
 Cots of operating system.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

 Security provided by the operating system.

 Reliability.
 The number of users it can support.
 The number of hardware and processors it can support.

Examples of the operating system (OS).

 Windows Operating Systems such as 95, NT, ME, 98, 2000, XP, and 07.
 UNIX.
 LINUX.
 Macintosh.

WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEMS.

These operating systems are the products of Microsoft Company. There are several versions;
 Windows 95.
 Windows NT.
 Windows ME.
 Windows 98.
 Windows 2000.
 Windows o7.

They have the followings features in common;

 They have similar user interface.
 They have ability to handle long file names.
 They support multiple tasks and multiple users.
 Various versions of these operating systems automatically accept a new hardware once it
is connected to the computer.

MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP OPERATING SYSTEM.

This is one of the versions of windows operating system for the Microsoft company. It is one of the
most easiest and used operating system.

How does the windows operating system manages data and information stored in
storage media.
The windows operating systems control the management of data and information stored in
storage media by organizing it into;
1. Folders.
2. Files.

Page3 Folders (Directories)

2 They are named storage media areas / locations where the user can store files to enable easy
SIMI access.
YU A folder within / inside a folder is called a sub-folder.
MAL
ABA Files
MAH These are collection of related data and information stored in one location and give a unique
AMM name that enables the operating system to identify it during storage and retrieval.
UD They have a unique name and file extension name and information about size, date and time of
creation.
Types of files
 System files.
 Application files.
 Data files.

System files.
They are files containing information that is critical for the operation of the computer.
They are there to enable the computer run.

Application files.
They are user based files. They hold programs’ application data and information.

Data files-These holds user data.

 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

Drives
These are physical storage devices / media available on computers such as floppy drives, hard
disk drives, CD/DVD drives, memory card / Flash disk drives.
They are identified by the computers using letters.

Parts of the windows XP.

The immediate part of the windows operating system is the desktop.

Desktop
This is the part displayed immediately once the computer has booted and is read for use.
The below diagram shows the desktop;
The desktop is made up of the following parts;
a) The desktop background.
b) The Icons.
c) The taskbar.

The desktop background.

This is the colour / appearance of the desktop at the back. The ground may be a colour or a
picture.
How to change the background.
 Right-click any empty space on the desktop.
 Choose Properties from the menu displayed.
In the Display Properties dialog box, click the Desktop tab. Locate the background and select
one of your own choice.

Click Apply button and then Ok to finish.

The Icons.
These are graphical representation of programs and folders.
They provide a pictorial methods of working with folders and files in the computer.

The Taskbar.
This is a strip at the bottom of the desktop that enables the user to easily switch between
different programs and documents that are currently running.
It has the following parts;
a) Start button.
b) Task manager.
Page3 c) System tray.
3
SIMI a) Start button.
YU It displays a list of choices or menu in which makes a choice to start a task. It is the most left part
MAL of the taskbar.
ABA Usually, it has the menu such as;
MAH  Programs / All programs.
AMM  Documents / My recent documents.
UD  Control panel / Setting.
 Help and Support.
 Run
 Set Programs Access and Defaults.
 Log on / Off.
 Shutdown.
All programs / Programs
Provides right kicked menu that displays all the programs that are installed in the computer.

Documents
Provides access to documents that were saved on the computer with no specific location being
chosen.

Control panel / Setting

 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

Provides tools that can be used to make setting changes that could affect the behaviour and
appearance of the computer interfaces and programs.

Run
It enables the user to install programs, open folders and files from storage locations and run
programs from removable media.

b) Task manager.
This is the middle part of the taskbar that currently running programs are controls.

c) System tray.
This is the most right side part of the taskbar. It has tools for some of the programs.
It provides direct access to the system time and volume.
In the Display Properties dialog box, click the Desktop tab. Locate the background and select
one of your own choice.

Click Apply button and then Ok to finish.

The Icons.
These are graphical representation of programs and folders.
They provide a pictorial methods of working with folders and files in the computer.

The Taskbar.
This is a strip at the bottom of the desktop that enables the user to easily switch between
different programs and documents that are currently running.
It has the following parts;
a) Start button.
b) Task manager.
c) System tray.

a) Start button.
It displays a list of choices or menu in which makes a choice to start a task. It is the most left part
of the taskbar.
Usually, it has the menu such as;
 Programs / All programs.
 Documents / My recent documents.
 Control panel / Setting.
Page3  Help and Support.
4  Run
SIMI  Set Programs Access and Defaults.
YU  Log on / Off.
MAL  Shutdown.
ABA
MAH
AMM All programs / Programs
UD Provides right kicked menu that displays all the programs that are installed in the computer.

Documents
Provides access to documents that were saved on the computer with no specific location being
chosen.

Control panel / Setting

Provides tools that can be used to make setting changes that could affect the behaviour and
appearance of the computer interfaces and programs.

Run
It enables the user to install programs, open folders and files from storage locations and run
programs from removable media.

b) Task manager.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

This is the middle part of the taskbar that currently running programs are controls.

c) System tray.
This is the most right side part of the taskbar. It has tools for some of the programs.
It provides direct access to the system time and volume.

· Go and right at the location where you want to place the file and choose Paste from the menu
provided.
NOTE: Alternatively, you can move folders or files stored in another folder provided the folder
holding them is open. In this case, select the folder or file you wish to rename, go to Edit menu,
choose Cut. .
Go and open the location you wish to paste your folder or file and choose Paste from the Edit
menu.

Restoring deleted folder or files.

The Recycle located the desktop provides a point for restoring those folder or deleted.
Note that when you delete any folder or file, it is not completely removed from the hard disk. To
free the space occupied by that folder or file, you delete it from the recycle bin.

Therefore, if you deleted a folder or file and wish to restore it;

 Open the recycle bin, locate your folder or file.
 Right click on the folder or file and choose Restore from the menu displayed.

SETTINGS / CONTROL.
The control provides features that you can use setting to your system such as;
 Changing the appearance and themes such as screen saver, desktop
background, screen resolution.
 Changing Date and Time.
 Adding and removing programs.
 Changing the setting for the mouse and keyboard.

DISK MANAGEMENT
A disk is a storage media.

The operations that can be done include;

Page3 1. Disk formatting.

5 2. Disk defragmentation.
SIMI 3. Compressing files and folders.
YU 4. Disk partitioning.
MAL 5. Scan disk.
ABA Disk formatting
MAH
AMM This is a process of preparing a disk for use by creating tracks and sectors so that the OS can
UD
recognize it. For the flash rewritable storage devices, formatting deletes all data and
information stored on them.

Disk defragmentation

This refers to arranging scattered files and folders and consolidating them to occupy less
space.

Compressing files and folders

Compressing reduces amount of space occupied by files.

Scan disk
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

Tool that help to check and repair minor problems within a disk.

Disk partitioning

This refers to dividing a large physical disk into more than one partition called the logical
drives. This can be done when you want to install more than one OS in the computer or for
purposes of backing up of data and information.

COMPUTER
VIRUSES
These are dangerous programs written by malicious person aimed at conducting unwanted
process in the computer.
(They are destructive programs that attach themselves in files and storage media causing
damage to computer software and files).

Types of computer viruses.

Trojan Horse
A Trojan horse program has the appearance of having a useful and desired function.

Worms
A worm is a program that makes and facilitates the distribution of copies of itself; for example,
from one disk drive to another, or by copying itself using email or another transport mechanism.

Boot sector Virus

A virus which attaches itself to the first part of the hard disk that is read by the computer upon
boot up. These are normally spread by floppy disks.

Macro Virus
Macro viruses are viruses that use another application's macro programming language to
distribute themselves. They infect documents such as MS Word or MS Excel and are typically
spread to other similar documents.

Memory Resident Viruses

Memory Resident Viruses reside in a computers volatile memory (RAM). They are initiated from a
virus which runs on the computer and they stay in memory after it's initiating program closes.

Page3 Root kit Virus

6 This is an undetectable virus which attempts to allow someone to gain control of a computer
SIMI system.
YU
MAL Polymorphic Viruses
ABA A polymorphic virus not only replicates itself by creating multiple files of itself, but it also changes
MAH it's digital signature every time it replicates. This makes it difficult for less sophisticated antivirus
AMM software to detect.
UD
Logic Bombs/Time Bombs
These are viruses which are programmed to initiate at a specific date or when a specific event
occurs. Some examples are a virus which deletes your photos on Halloween, or a virus which
deletes a database table if a certain employee gets fired.

ANTIVIRUS
PROGRAMS.
They are programs created or designed and installed in the computer to guard it against virus
attacks.
Examples
 Norton Antivirus
 Kaspersky Antivirus
 Microsoft Security Essentials.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

 AVG Antivirus.

What are some of the indicators that show that your computer is infected with virus?

What are some of the precautions should put in place in order to prevent your computer against
infection with virus.

 Installation of up to data antivirus program in the computers.

 Scanning a removable storage media for virus before scanning.

State and explain sources of computer viruses.

Page3
7
SIMI
YU
MAL
ABA
MAH
AMM
UD
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

WORD
PROCESSING
Definition

Purpose of word processing

Using a word processing application package

Creating a Document

Editing and Formatting a document

Creating and editing a table

Mail merging

Importing and Inserting Objects

WHAT IS WORD PROCESSING?

This is the process of creating, editing, formatting, saving and printing documents by using a
word processing application program.

What are word processors?

They are application programs that lets the user create, edit, retrieve and format as well as print
documents.

Outline the advantages of word processors over the typewriter

1. Typing is easier and more efficient because some actions are automated.
Page3 2. Has editing tools like spelling and grammar checker that help the user easily correct grammar
8 and spelling errors.
SIMI 3. Have superior document formatting feature like bolding, underlining, super script, italicing.
YU 4. Enable the user to produce multiple copies per session as needed.
MAL 5. Document can be stored in the computer for future reference that doesn’t occupy physical
ABA space.
MAH 6. Typing modes like over type and insert modes assist the user to easily replace or insert a
AMM ward without affecting the structure and neatness of the document.
UD 7. They let user produce organized and neat work.

Basic word processing concepts

1) Allow the user to create a file, save it and open it again and again for reuse, editing, formatting
and printing.
2) Nearly all of them have spelling and grammar checker, autocorrect options, thesaurus.
3) Have ability to create and import tables, text and graphics from other programs.
4) Provide for the use of headers and footers, indexing, footnotes, endnotes, refences and fonts
{typefaces}
5) They have the following similar features:
a. Most of them are designed to look like a piece of paper with few electronic
improvements.
b. Most of their screen is blank before typing a text.
c. There is a blinking cursor at the position where you begin entering text.
d. There is a status bar or line providing the user with current status information.
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

e. Word wrap; these feature automatically moves a ward or a blinking cursor to the
beginning of the next line if it doesn’t fit at the end of current line.
f. Scrolling; vertical or horizontal movement of the text document on the screen.
They have vertical and horizontal scroll bars and arrows.
g. They have help feature containing instructions, tips, points, explanations and
guidance.

Examples of word processors

1. Microsoft office word.
2. Corel WordPerfect.
3. WordStar.
4. Lotus WordPro.

Essential Word Terms

Term Definition
AutoCorrect Options The autocorrect Options button first appears as a
Small blue box when you rest the mouse pointer near text that was
Automatically corrected, and changes to a button icon when you point to
it.
If you find on occasion that you do not want text to be corrected, you can
Undo a correction or turn autocorrect options on or off by clicking the
Button and making a selection.
Drag When you read the instruction “drag” this means that you hold down the
Left mouse button and “drag” the cursor over the text, graphics, or
pictures,
That you want selected or to drag the already selected items to another
Location.
Drawing Canvas An area upon which you can draw multiple shapes.
Because the shapes are contained within the drawing canvas, they can
be
Moved and resized as a unit.
Font Set of all the characters available in one typeface and size,
Including uppercase and lowercase letters, punctuation, and numerals.
Hard Return (Enter) A hard return is when you press the Enter key to move to the next line.
When you press the Enter key you are forcing Word to start a new
Paragraph. A hard return’s hidden code appears as ¶ and can be seen in
the typed example below.
Page3
9 Insertion Point Small flashing vertical bar that indicates where
SIMI You can begin entering or editing data.
YU Paragraph A group of text that belongs together and is ended when you
MAL Use the enter key to move to the next line to start over.
ABA Paste Options The Paste Options button appears just below your
MAH button Pasted selection after you paste text. When you click the button, a list
AMM Appears that lets you determine how the information is pasted into your.
UD The available options depend on the type of content you are pasting, the
Program you are pasting from, and the format of the text where you are
Pasting.
Section Break Sections can be used to vary the layout of a document within a page or
Between pages. A section break is used to show the end of one section. A
Section break stores the section formatting such as columns,
Headers/footers, page layout (portrait and landscape), and margins.
Show/Hide Too This is a toggle button. To show hidden formatting marks, click on the
Show/Hide button. The button will become highlighted. To turn this
option off, click on the button again.
When you turn this option on, you will be able to see markings for
spaces,
hard returns, soft returns, tabs, section breaks, manual page breaks, and
more.
Smart Tags Smart tags can save you time in performing actions
 JAIMWI TECHNOLOGIES

in Word that you would normally open other programs to do

Soft Return (Manual A manual line break ends the current line and continues the text on the
Line Break) next line and does not create a new paragraph like a Hard Return. You
create a Soft Return by
clicking Shift + Enter.
Status Bar Provides information about the open document, and the
current settings and operations in progress.
Styles Collection of character and paragraph formatting that can be
Saved.
Tab Tab stops are locations across the page that help you to align text. When
you use the Tab key, the tab stops are set every half-inch
Taskbar The taskbar is used to open and switch between applications. It contains
the Start button, the quick start buttons, task buttons, and the system
tray.
View Buttons The View buttons allow you to quickly switch between the most common
Word views. The buttons are located in the bottom left corner of the
Word window.

Microsoft office word

This is word processing application program that is the product of Microsoft Company. There are
several versions;
Microsoft office word 98.
Microsoft office word 2000.
Microsoft office word 2003.
Microsoft office word 2007.
Microsoft office word 2010.

Parts of Microsoft office word program

They have the following parts;

Title bar.
This is the most top strip having the application title and file name, application icon that is to
the most left top corner, and the three minimize, restore and maximize , close buttons located
to the most top right corner.

Menu bar
Page4 This is a bar having list of items listed horizontally. These lists are like File, Edit, View, Insert,
0 Format, Tools, Table, Window, and Help.
SIMI
YU Tool bars
MAL These are bars having tools that are used to do processes like formatting, editing by clicking
ABA them. Examples of tool bars are standard, formatting, drawing, tables and borders,
MAH pictures tool bars etc.
AMM
UD Blank page
This is an area where the user types, creates graphical objects for formatting and editing,. Texts
and objects placed on this area printable.

Rulers
They are important in measurements when working with texts and objects on a page. There are
horizontal and vertical rulers,

Application program border.

It is a strip surrounding the application program.

Status bar
This is a strip at the bottom of the application program that shows the current process/activity
going on a page.
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A task pane
This is a side pane that appears on the right side of Word’s editing window that
allows you to choose from all options available to perform a task.

How to use Microsoft Office Word 2003

In order to start this application program, click start button, point to all programs/programs,
point to Microsoft office, then select Microsoft office word 2003 from the drop-right menu.

Creating a new document

To create a new file; click File menu, then select New. The task pane as the one shown below is
displayed.

From the task pane, choose Blank document or XML document or Web page or E-mail
message.

Saving a document
This refers to keeping or storing a document in the computer for future reference.
In order to save a document with a different name, click File menu, choose Save As.
Enter the File name; choose the location you want to save and then click Save button.

Use the Save drop down menu from the File menu to continue saving your work without a
different name. Alternatively, click the save button on the standard tool bar.

Protecting your document with a password

A password is a combination of characters that prevents other users with no authority from
opening and changing a document.
In the Save As dialogue box, locate and click Tools, and select Security Options.

Enter a Password to open and a Password to modify then click Ok. Re-enter these passwords
as being instructed.

Closing a file document

This means unloading the current active document from the memory so that the user can create
or open another without necessarily exiting from word program.

To do this, choose Close from the File menu.

Exiting the document

Page4 This process will close the file as well as the application program itself.
1
SIMI To exit, click File menu and select Exit from the drop down menu displayed.
YU Alternatively, click the close button on the most right top part of the Title bar.
MAL
ABA Methods of selecting {Highlighting} a text.
MAH There are two ways;
AMM 1. Using a mouse; Put the blinking cursor and insertion pointer at the end or beginning of a
UD letter, word or sentence, hold down the left mouse button and then drag the mouse across the
text. Finally, release the left mouse button.

2. Using the keyboard; Selecting a text using a keyboard involves holding down the shift
combined with any arrow key depending on the direction of selection.
Example, to select a word, place the blinking cursor at the end or the beginning of a word, hold
down the shift and start pressing the left of right arrow key as you proceed.

EDITING
A
DOCUMENT EDITING
This means making necessary changes to an existing document. This involves things like
copying, moving, deleting a text finding and replacing, typing modes/text insertion, use of
proofreading tools like spelling and grammar checker, thesaurus, auto-complete, autocorrect,
undo and redo of actions.
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Deleting a text
To delete your text from right to left, use the backspace key. Place the blinking cursor at the end
of a word or sentence then press the backspace key.

To delete a text from left to right, use the delete key. Place the blinking cursor to the beginning of
a word or sentence then press the delete key.

Alternatively, highlight the text you want delete then press the delete key.

Reversing the actions

This involves changing from one action to the other. You can go the previous stated action or go
to the current action by use Undo and Redo features.
Undo
This reverses the last command that was issued in order to reverse back to the previous state.

Redo
This does the last undone action.

Copying a text
This involves multiplication / duplication of the text of the same type
To copy;
Highlight the text; choose Copy from the Edit menu. Place the blinking cursor to a location where
you want to copy and choose Paste from the Edit menu.

Alternatively, right click on the selected text and choose Copy and then right an empty location
and choose Paste.

Moving a text
This refers to change of the location of a text in a document.
To move a text, select and then choose Cut from the Edit menu, Place the blinking cursor to a
location where you want to place a text and choose Paste from the Edit menu

Alternatively, right click on the selected text and choose Cut and then right an empty location
and choose Paste.

Find, Replace and Go To

Why would you use this?
Page4  To locate all instances of a word or phrase in a document (can be case
2  sensitive).
SIMI  To locate all instances of a word or phrase and make a change (can be case sensitive).
YU  Allows you to quickly jump to a certain page, section, comment, etc.
MAL
ABA Procedure
MAH From the Edit menu, Find Edit, Replace Edit, Go To.
AMM (Regardless of the menu option, you choose the Find and Replace box displays. The three tabs
UD (Find, Replace, Go To) can be easily selected by clicking on the tab)
To find, Replace or Go To;
 Enter the word to find, and click Find Next button or you can click in the Highlight all
items found in checkbox to highlight all instances of the word or phrase in the document.
You can also be more specific in your search and select the checkboxes under the Search
Options section.
 You can use the Replace button to replace one instance of a word or Replace All button
to change all instances of a word.
 Select what you want to go to and then the identifying information in the Enter…field.
You can then use the Next and Previous buttons to navigate.

Office Clipboard
This allows you to collect text and graphic items from any number of Office documents and then
paste them into any Office document.
Why would you use this?
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 To copy items from other Office programs into Word.

 To copy many items to the Clipboard at one time and then pasting into the
 Word document when needed.

Paste Special
Allows you to insert or embed an item into a Word document.
Why would you use this?
 To paste an Excel spreadsheet into your Word document that allows you to
 make changes in the Excel spreadsheet as if you were in Excel (embed).
 To paste a selection from another Office program into Word and then use this as a link to
the other Office file (insert).

What is a Hyperlink?
This a colored and underlined text or a graphic that you click to go to a file, a location in a file, a
Web page on the WWW, or a Web page on an intranet.

Proofreading the document

This is the process of checking whether the document has topographical or grammatical errors.
The following tools are used in proofreading the document;
 Spelling and grammar checker.
 Thesaurus.
 Auto complete.
 Autocorrect.

Spelling and grammar checker

This is an inbuilt tool that enables the user to correct spelling errors and incorrect grammar
structures.
To use this feature;
 Go to Tools menu, select Spelling and Grammar.
 Click ignore once or ignore rule button if you wish your text to remain as
typed, change if you wish to replace your text with errors with suggestions.

Thesaurus.
This is an editing tool that helps the user find words or phrase with similar meaning (synonyms) or
opposite meaning (antonyms) to the one selected.
To use thesaurus;
 Select your word you wish to find its synonyms or antonyms.
Page4  Go Tools menu, point to Language and final choose Thesaurus.
3
SIMI Alternatively, you can choose Research from the Tools menu and type the word you want to
YU search for, then press Enter key.
MAL
ABA Autocorrect
MAH It automatically detects wrongly spelled or capitalized words and replaces them with the correct
AMM word.
UD In order to use this feature, ensure the correct options are turned on.
To set the autocorrect options;
 Go to Tools menu and from the drop down menu Auto Correct Options.
 In the Auto Correct Options dialog box, click the AutoCorrect button. Check the
Show Autocorrect Options buttons. Make other autocorrect settings and finally
click Ok.
Note that you can make settings to the AutoFormat As You Type, AutoFormat as well as
AutoText.

Auto-complete
Displays a complete word when the user types the first few characters or letters of the word.
To set the autocorrect options;
 Go to Tools menu, and from the drop down menu Auto Correct Options.
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 In the Auto Correct Options dialog box, click the AutoText and finally check
Show Auto-complete suggestions.

FORMATING A DOCUMENT
FORMATING refers to applications of various styles to enhance the document’s appearance.
Formatting will make the document more attractive and appealing to the eyes the user.

The format menu

It has the following;

 Font
 Paragraph
 Bullets and Numbering
 Borders and Shading
 Columns
 Tabs
 Drop Cap
 Text Direction
 Change Case
 Background
 Theme
 AutoFormat
 Styles and Formatting
 Reveal Formatting
 Picture

Text formatting
Refers to application text based features like fonts, text colour, underlying, bolding, italicing, etc
to a text.

Bolding, underlying, font size, fonts

Page settings.
The page set up feature lets the user make settings to the page margins, page orientation, and
page layout

Paragraph formatting
Page4
4
SIMI Bullets and Numbering
YU Why would you use this?
MAL  To create a list of items in the document.
ABA  To automatically number a process
MAH
AMM Borders and Shading
UD Why would you use this?
 To create a border around a paragraph.
 To add a border to the page.
 To add a color to the background of a paragraph or page.

Columns
This refers to the formatting of text so that it flows side-by-side on a page like a newspaper.
Why would you use this?
 To flow text across the page similar to that of a magazine or newspaper.
 To divide the page into separate sections, therefore allowing you to vary the
 number of columns in each section of the page.

Tabs
A tab stop is a position you set on the horizontal ruler to place and align text.
Why would you use this?
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 To indent the first line of a paragraph.

 To create a bibliography.
 To create a directory.
 To add a quote to a document or article.
 To create custom layouts by using various horizontal positions for text.

Drop Caps
A drop cap is a way to add a special style or formatting to the first letter of the first word in a
paragraph. A drop capital letter is typically used at the beginning of a lesson, chapter, or section
of a book, manual, or report
Why would you use this?
 To add extra impact at the beginning of a lesson, chapter, or section of a book, manual, or
report.

Types of drop caps in MS Word

 In margin
 Dropped.

Text Direction
You can change the direction of the text in drawing objects (such as text boxes, shapes, callouts,
or in table cells). You can change the text so that it displays vertically or horizontally.
Why would you use this?
 To rotate the text for a special effect.
 To create stationary.

Change Case
They include;
 Lower case.
 Upper case.
 Sentence case.
 Toggle case.

Background
Watermark Any graphic or text such as “Confidential,” that when printed appears either on top
of or behind existing document text.
Why would you use this?
 To add a watermark on a confidential document.
 To add “Draft” to a document that needs to be reviewed and is not in a final state.
Page4  To add a color to the background of the entire document page.
5
SIMI Why would you use this?
YU  To change all selected text to uppercase.
MAL  To change all selected text to lowercase.
ABA  To change all selected text to what is appropriate for sentences.
MAH
AMM Theme
UD A theme is a set of unified design elements and color schemes. A theme helps you easily create
professional and well-designed documents for viewing.

Auto Format
Allows you to quickly format text. Using this option after you type, will allow you to review all
changes Word makes and accept or reject each one. Word analyzes each paragraph to see how it
is used in the document. For example, as a heading or as an item in a numbered list and then
applies a style that is appropriate for that item.

Styles and Formatting

 Heading styles are the predefined styles called Heading 1 through Heading 9, that
determine the size, numbering, and position of document headings. They are an important
aspect of document organization.
 Normal style refers to the default text style that Word uses as a basis for defining other
styles.
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Why would you use this?

 To create consistency and organization in your document.
 To allow for easy creation of Table of Contents.
 To allow use of Words outlining feature.

Reveal Formatting
Why would you use this?
 To check for formatting inconsistencies within the document.
 To have quick access to most formatting options as you are working with a document.

Cropping and Compressing a Picture

Crop is to trim vertical or horizontal edges of an object. Pictures are often cropped to focus
attention on a particular area.
Compress Compressing pictures can discard extra information such as cropped areas from the
file, reduce image resolution, and where possible, make the graphics file format more efficient.
Why would you use this?
 To change the properties of a picture.
 To change the size of a picture.
 To adjust the text wrapping of a picture.

MAIL MERGING
A process of generating personalized letters, labels or envelopes by merging two files; main
documents such as letters, mailing labels with a data source or address book.
Tasks under mail merging
 Main document like a letter.
 Creating a data source, that is, address book.
 Merging two files to a new document, printer or e-mail.

Procedure for creating a merged document

 Type or create the main document.
 From Tool, choose Letters and Mailing, and then click Mail Merge.
 From the Task Pane displayed choose the type of document and follow the
guidelines given by the wizard.
 Highlight document type and click next.
 Select starting documents.
 Select recipients, e.g., Type a new list.
 On the data form displayed, click Customize button to add, remove or rename.
Page4  Save the data source.
6  A merge tool bar is activated.
SIMI  Edit data source to type recipients.
YU  On the mail merge task pane, click More Items, to display merge fields.
MAL  From the list, insert each field as desired.
ABA
MAH
AMM CREATING, EDITING AND FORMATING THE TABLES
UD TABLES-They are made up of rows and columns and contain cells that you can fill with numbers,
text, pictures, graphics, other tables, and more.
Table options include;
 Draw Table
 Insert
 Delete
 Select
 Merge Cells
 Split Table
 Table Auto Format
 Auto Fit
 Heading Rows Repeat
 Sort
 Formula
 Show Gridlines
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 Table Properties

The table and Boarders tool bar has the following;

 Draw Table Allows you to draw a table by clicking and dragging.
 Eraser Allows you to erase lines in the table.
 Line Style Allows you to pick a style for the borders of the cells.
 Line Weight Allows you to pick the thickness of the borderlines.
 Border Color Allows you to pick a color for the borderlines.
 Border Allows you to apply borders to selected cells.
 Shading Color Allows you to shade a cell (or cells) in a table.
 Insert, Table Allows you to insert a table using the Insert Table box.
 Merge Cells Allows you to merge connected cells together to form one cell.
 Split Cells Allows you to split a cell into multiple rows and columns.
 Align Allows you to align text, pictures, tables, or objects in a cell.
 Distribute Rows Evenly Makes all rows the same height.
 Distribute Columns Evenly Makes all columns the same width.
 Table Auto Format Allows you to utilize predefined formats in a table.
 Change Text Direction Allows you to change horizontal text to vertical text or vice versa
 Sort Ascending Sorts a list in A-Z order.
 Sort Descending Sorts a list in Z-A order.
 AutoSum Quickly totals a row or column of numbers.

Creating a table
Click where you want to insert a table and form the Table menu, choose Insert and click Table.
Specify the number of rows and columns and then click OK.
NB: You can also draw a table by selecting Draw Table and drag the mouse to draw the rows
and columns.

Formatting and Editing a table

Inserting and deleting rows or columns
 To insert a row or column, place the cursor where you want to insert the row or column.
 Right click the mouse button and select the insert column or row.

Adjusting rows / column width

 Position the cursor to the boundary until it changes to row arrow cross.
 Drag the boundary to the required size.

Page4 Deleting the rows, columns and cells

7  To delete a row, column or cell, select the row / column / cell.
SIMI  Right click the mouse button and select Delete.
YU  Specify delete options and click OK (If any).
MAL
ABA Merging and splitting cells in a table
MAH Merging refers to combining more than one cell in a table.
AMM To merge;
UD  Select the cells to be merged.
 Right click the mouse button and select merge cells.

Splitting cells is the sub-dividing a cell into more than one cell in a table.
To split;
 Select the cells to split and right click and select split cells.
 Specify the number of cells in the dialogue box and click OK.

Boarders and Shading

You can format table by clicking on the Table and Boarders from Table menu or right click on
the table and select Table and Boarders.

NOTE: Other operations that can be done on a table are converting a table into a text and
vice versa.
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Why would you use the AutoFit?

 (AutoFit to Contents) To make columns the exact size of the text in the cells.
 (AutoFit to Window) To adjust the table to the size of the window.
 (Distribute Rows Evenly) To make all rows the same height.
 (Distribute Columns Evenly) To make all columns the same width

IMPORTING AND INSERTING OBJECTS

Page4
8
SIMI
YU
MAL
ABA

DATABASES
MAH
AMM
UD

Definition

Functions of Database Management Software

Components of a database

Creating a database

Editing a database

Form Design
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Queries

Reports and Labels

What is a database?

These are collection of structured and related data items organized so as to provide a consistent
and controlled access to data and information.

Database Management Software (DBMS)

These are computerized software designed to manage a dtabase4 or collection of a database of
file.

Functions of DBMS
 They allow the user to add or delete data.
 They help statistics of data items in a database.
 They up-date or modify existing records.
 They act as interface between database and other application programs.
 They organize data for easy access, retrieval and manipulation of records.
 They ensure security of data in the database by safeguarding it against unauthorized
access and corruption or damage.

Examples of DBMS software

 Microsoft Office Access.
 Oracle.
 FoxPro.
 Dbase IV.
 Lotus Approach.
 Phase 3 and 4

Database Models

a) Flat-file model
The database holds one set of data and has no different from the manual.
Page4
9
SIMI b) Hierarchical (Tree) Model
YU Data items are arranged in a tree form with a single path leading to each item at a lower level.
MAL To access level 2, you have to access root component.
ABA
MAH c) Network Model
AMM Links are used to express relationship between different data items forming a network of
UD items. Access to one item can be through multiple paths and from any item.

Data item

Data item
Data item

Data item

d) Relationship Model
Related data items are stored in structures called tables / relations.
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e) Object-oriented Model
Text generation of database will look at records as that arte independent and relate with the
objects in the database.

Components of Database
A database is made up of the following components;
a) Tables / Files.
b) Queries.
c) Forms.
d) Reports.
e) Macros.
f) Computer programming language.

a) Tables / Files
These are database structure consisting of rows and columns that are used to hold related
records.

b) Queries
They are database tools that are used to search or question a database on specified records, that
is, enables the user to display records as well as perform calculations on fields form one or maple
tables.

c) Forms
They are graphical interface that enables the user to view and make data entries into an
underlying table or queries more easily.

d) Reports
They provide the user with means to specify the output layout and what is to be output or printed
on a report.
They are usually used to summarize and present the information from a database and print them.

e) Macros
These are tools used to automate frequently performed procedures or tasks.

f) Programming Module Language

This is a visual basic programming language that can be used to create programs that will print
results over and over again until a certain condition is true.
Page5
0 Data Organization in a database
SIMI a) Fields
YU These are characters or logical combination of characters that represent a data item.
MAL
ABA b) Records
MAH These are collection of related fields that represent a single entity.
AMM
UD c) Tables / Files
These are collection of related records.

d) Database
Highest in database organization hierarchy holding all related files or fields.

Database

Tables / Files

Records

Fields
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Guidelines on designing a good database

 Carefully study the needs of the user in order to define all the data inputs relationship and
output needed.
 Design a draft database on the paper to determine number of files or tables needed.
 Divide the information into separate fields, records and tables to allow flexibility in
manipulation the database (normalization).
 Define a field for each table that will be used to identify each record uniquely (primary
key).
 Give the most important fields the first priority when constructing a table structure.
 Design data entry forms needed for the database.

Designing a database using MS Office Access

Tables

These are collection of related records.

Field data types in a table

Data types Explanation

Text They are alphanumeric letters, numbers, spaces and punctuation marks. A
text file contains unformatted readable characters, such as letters and
numbers, and special characters such as tabs, line feeds and carriage returns.
Page5
1 Number Fields consisting numeric number 0-9 that are to be manipulated
SIMI
mathematically
YU
MAL Memo Field made up of alphanumeric data
ABA Data / Time Used to identify a field as either data or time
MAH Currency Used to identify numerical values that have decimal or fractions
AMM Auto number Numeric values that are used if you wish MS Access to automatically increase
UD the values in a field.
Yes / No Is a logical field where an entry is Yes or No, True or False?
Object linking and Type of field mostly used with graphical user application for inserting
Embedding (OLE) graphical objects like pictures, charts, drawings.
Hyperlink
Attachment You use the Attachment feature in Microsoft Office Access 2007 to add one or
more pieces of data — Microsoft Office Word 2007 documents, Microsoft
Office PowerPoint 2007 presentations, images, and more to the records in
your database
Lookup wizard Lookup column (or field) is a field in a table whose value is retrieved from
another table or from a value list. You can use a lookup column to display a
list of choices in a combo box or list box.
Field properties
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Field Property Explanation

Filed size Allows the user set the number of characters in a field instead of the default,
that is, maximum number of characters you can enter in as field. The largest
maximum you can set is 255. They may be integers, longer integers, byte,
single or double.
Format Determine how information appears on the screen and when printed, e.g.,
general format, percentage, currency.
Decimal places For a number and currency you can specify the number of decimal places.
Input mask Automatically format the field in a specified format.
An input mask is a set of literal characters and mask characters that control
what you can and cannot enter in a field. For example, an input mask can
require users to enter dates or telephone numbers that follow the conventions
for a specific country/region.

Caption Is a more descriptive name for a field to be used in a table or display format.
Default value Values that will name for a field appear automatically in the database.
Validation rule Logical expression that restricts the values to be entered in a field, e.g., >=1
and <=100
Validation text Message that appears once the validation rule has been violated.
Required Determines if an entry must be made before you proceed to the next record.
Allow zero length Allows the user to proceed without making an entry in a field set as zero
length.
Indexed Facilitates the organization of records for easy search, e.g., primary key.
Smart tags Smart tag to be applied.
Text align Alignment a text in a field.

Primary key and Index key

Primary key

This is a special feature that enforces uniqueness in a table to prevent double entry of records. A
primary key is a field or set of fields in your table that provide Microsoft Office Access 2007 with a
unique identifier for every row. In a relational database, such as Office Access 2007, you divide
Page5 your information into separate, subject based tables. You then use table relationships and primary
2 keys to tell Access how to bring the information back together again. Access uses primary key
SIMI fields to quickly associate data from multiple tables and combine that data in a meaningful way.
YU
MAL Index key
ABA
MAH This a special feature used to speed up or sort operations in a table.
AMM
UD
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Queries

These are tools that enable the user to display records as well as perform calculations on fields
from one or more tables.

Types
a) Action query.
b) Select query.

a) Action query.
It is used to make changes to many records once.
There are 4 types of action query in MS Access;
i. Update query; Update data in a table.
ii. Append query; adds data in a table from one or more tables.
iii. Make table query; creates a new table from a dynaset.
iv. Delete query; deletes specified records from one or more tables.

b) Select query
It is used for searching and analyzing data in one or more table.

Parts of Query in MS Access

i. Field row; Field from table (s) to be used are placed here.
ii. Sort row; You can specify sort order.
iii. Show row; Specify whether to display the field in a query.
iv. Criteria row; Location where you type conditional statements that will be used by the
query to display records.
v. Or row; Used to specify an alternative condition

How to specify search criteria

Use either;

a) Relational operations such as <,>,=. <=,>=.

b) Logical operations such as;
i. ADD-Display values in a specific range, e.g., >400 and <600.
ii. OR-Get one of the two values.
Page5 iii. NOT-If you want to list all records except those that you do not want to see.
3 iv. BETWEEN-If you want to display data in a particular range.
SIMI v. LKE or WILDCARDS-Display records if you are not sure of the field name but you
YU recall a few characters. Wildcards are special symbols mostly an asterisk (*) and
MAL (?) mark used in place of other characters.
ABA NOTE: Recall that query is a tool used to search records but get to know that Find Command
MAH from Edit menu can be used to do the same task.
AMM
UD

How to perform calculations in a query

You can perform calculations using;

i. Total functions such as SUM, AVG, MAXIMUM (MAX), MINIMUM(MIN)

ii. Creating or designing user basic formulas.

Relationship (Select query form multiple query)

When creating relationships between different tables, ensure they have similar data types.
Primary key is important feature when developing these types of queries.

Types of relationship
i. One-to-one relationship
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For a particular field in one table there is only one matching record in the related table and
vice versa.

ii. One-to-many relationship

For a particular field in one table there are several matching record another related table.

iii. Many-to-many relationship

For particular records in one table there are several matching record another related table
and vice versa.

NOTE: It is recommended that you study and analyze the fields of each table carefully
before you design the relationship.

Forms
These are interfaces that enable the user to view and make data entries into an underlying
table or query more easily.

Form controls
These are objects like textbox, label, checkbox, command button or shapes that you place
on a form design grid to display data or perform actions.

Data controls
They include;
i. Bound data control
This is one whose source of data is a field in a table or query.
ii. Unbound data control
This is a control that is not connected to any data source.

Ways of creating forms

There are several ways you can apply to design forms;
 Using form wizard.
 Using auto-form wizard.
 From scratch (Using design view).
Forms that can be created sung form wizard

i. Columnar form
Fields for each record are displayed down a column, that is, each value displayed on a separate
Page5 line with fields, labels to the left.
4
SIMI
YU ii. Tabular form
MAL Records are displayed from left to the right across the page and labels appear at the top of each
ABA column and each row represents a new record.
MAH
AMM iii. Data sheet
UD The form resembles a table.

iv. Justified
Records occupy the whole form.

Data manipulation in a form of adding and displaying records

The form provides the user with navigation buttons located at the bottom that can be used to
navigate the form. The navigation buttons include First record, previous record, Next record, Last
record, new record.

Reports
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These are output screens used to summarize and present information form a database and print
them on papers.

They are designed with their data source from underlying table or queries.

Parts of report layout in design view

Part Description
Report header Contains unbound controls that display title of the report.
Page header Contains headings or label data items to be displayed in every column.
Detail Holds bound controls that display data items for the table or query it was
created form.
Page footer Hold controls that are to be displayed on every page.
Report footer Used to display summary form a report such as the grand total for numerical in
a particular field column.

Ways of creating reports

i. Using the report wizard.

ii. Using design view.
Labels
These are stickers of pieces of paper put on items for the purpose of identification. In order to
create labels use the report label wizard.

Macros

These are tools used to automate frequently performed procedures or tasks.

Programming Modules

These are VB programming language that can be used to create program that will print results
over and over again until a certain condition is true.

The language included in similar to VB language used to develop new programs except for this
you can’t develop a new program. It only let you to create more defined procedures in your
Page5 database on certain objects
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YU
MAL QUESTIONS
ABA
MAH What is a file?
AMM
UD This is a large organized data structure that contains related data such as records.

Outline the properties of a file

 The program can write on it.

 There is no limit to the size of a file.
 They can be kept in secondary storage media.
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SPREADSHEETS What is a spreadsheet?

Types of spreadsheet

Advantages of electronic over the manual spreadheet

Components of a spreadsheet

Uses of a spreadsheet / Application

Parts of Ms Excel Window

Procedure for creating a worksheet/Workbook in Ms Excel

Cell Data types

Cell referencing

Basic Formulae and functions

Worksheet Data Management

Generating Charts

Types of Charts

Printing Workbooks

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MAL
ABA
MAH
AMM
UD
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DESKTOP
PUBLISHING
Definition & Introduction to DTP

Purpose of DTP

Types of DTP Software

The Ms Publisher Wndow

Designing a publication

Editing a publication

Formatting a Publication

Printing.

PRESENTATION
Definition of Presentation Software
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SIMI Purpose Of Presentation Software
YU
MAL Types of Presentation Software
ABA
MAH Components of a Presentation
AMM
UD
The MS Powerpoint Window

Creating a presentation

Modifying Presantation Themes

Adding and editing Text to Slides

Inserting Images and Graphics

Delivering a presentation
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ABA
MAH
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INTERNET AND E-
MAIL Definition

Development of the Internet

Importance of the Internet

Internet Connectivity

Internet Services

Accessing the Internet

Electronic Mail

Effects of the Internet Social, Spiritual etc

DATA SECURITY
AND CONTROL
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MAL
Definition of data security and privacy
ABA
MAH Security Threats and Control Measures
AMM
UD Computer Crimes

Detection and Protection against Computer crimes

Laws governing protection of ICT