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M1 (Introduction To Computers) Academic Script

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29 views

M1 (Introduction To Computers) Academic Script

Uploaded by

Nitin Kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Computers

What is a computer?

A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of


Instructions stored in its own memory. These instructions tell the
machine What to do. The computer is capable of accepting data
(input), processing Data arithmetically and logically, producing output
from the processing, and storing the results for future use. Most
computers that sit on a desktop Are called "PCs," or personal
computers.*

Different Parts of a Computer

Keyboard
Speakers for sound
Mouse
Central Processing Unit: CPU
Game "joystick"
Monitor: Usually described in inches, "I have a 17" monitor."
RAM: Random Access Memory
Processor: Defined in MHz: i.e., "I have a 233mhz Processor" The
more MHz, the faster.
CD ROM
Hard Drive
Floppy Drive

Difference between software and hardware

Software is the stuff that makes your computer do things for you. The
Computer without software would be like a home entertainment
system
With no tapes, CD's, or movies - you have the machine, but there's
nothing
to play on it.
Software is continually developed. Each time the software maker
(Microsoft, Adobe, Corel, etc) develops a new version of their software
They assign it a version number. Before Microsoft Word 7, there was
Microsoft Word 6.0.1, and before that Word 6.0. The larger the
Developments made to the software, the larger the version number
changes.
Usually a large change will result in a whole number upgrade; a
Small change may result in a tenth of a decimal place.
Hardware are those components or physical pieces that make up the
Computer. Hardware are those things you can touch. Earlier have told
you
About different parts of the computer's hardware: monitor, speakers,
Mouse, CDROM, hard drive, keyboard, CPU, RAM, Processor, etc. Each
part plays a vital role in the operation of computer.

Using a keyboard

The keyboard is one of the ways you can tell the computer what to do.
It
consists of the standard typewriter keys as well as a numeric keypad.
You
can use the keyboard to give the computer commands, as well as use
it to
name folders and files and type text in word processing documents.

Using the Mouse


The mouse is another way you can tell the computer what to do. The
Mouse is used to move a small arrow pointer on the screen. By
pointing
and clicking you can carry out commands. The computer may ask you
to
Verify that you are sure you want to rename a file, by clicking on the
'Ok'
Button.

The tip of the mouse pointer must be positioned on the item you want
to
use. To select an item, position the mouse pointer on the item and
click
once. Double-clicking on an icon invokes a command or launches an
Application. To drag an item (icon or other object) from one location to
another, position the mouse pointer on the item, click and hold the
mouse
button down, and move the item to the new location.
On Windows machines, there is a left and right mouse button. Most of
the
time you use the left mouse button (if you are right-handed). The right
mouse button when clicked will display a contextual menu. On some
newer Macs, the same feature can be used with their single mouse
button
by holding down the Control key as you click an item on the screen.

Using a "desktop"

The computer's interface uses a "desktop" metaphor. The desktop is


the
Colored background you see on the screen when you start your
computer.
It is the place where you manipulate the work you are doing by
handling
icons, or little pictures that represent your files, folders, and disks.

Working with Windows

Working with “windows” gives you the ability to “look at” something. It
allows you to look into a document, or a folder, or a disk. To move a
window on the screen, simply drag it around by its title bar.

What is an operating system?


When you use your computer you sit facing some of your computer
hardware. Basic hardware consists of the keyboard and mouse, the
screen
you use to view your work, and the Central Processing Unit (CPU),
which
is the box that houses all the inner workings of the computer.
You use computer applications (or software programs) when you
create
your spreadsheets, word processing documents and graphics. Some
popular applications are Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
You cannot directly use computer applications with computer
hardware.
Instead, you need a translation system between the hardware and the
applications. This translation system is called the operating system
(OS).
The Windows or Mac OS works "behind-the-scenes" to run your
computer. It tells the computer what to do when it starts up and keeps
track of your documents, files, and other software. It also provides the
standard user interface component (like menus and the desktop) that
you
see when you look at your computer screen. Both the Windows and
the
Mac OS operating systems use a graphical interface (pictures or icons
instead of text) that allow you to immerse yourself in multitasking
(accessing multiple applications and files simultaneously). You work
with
“windows” in this interface. These windows are a series of boxes,
which
can be opened and closed as needed.

Using folders & files

Your computer's hard drive is just like using a large filing cabinet. The
drawers are "folders", and the folders inside the drawers are "sub-
folders". The information inside of the folders, or sub-folders is stored
in "files".
The files can be many types:

Word-processing
Spreadsheet
Database
Graphics etc. Typically, on your hard drive you may thousands of
folders, sub-folders and files. An example of the hierarchical structure
of a hard drive is shown below.

Understanding the difference between Windows & Macs

The personal computer industry has generally sorted itself out along
the lines of two major operating systems: Mac and Windows. The Mac
OS runs on CPUs made by Apple Computer. The Windows OS, made by
Microsoft, runs on CPUs made by many different companies, but not
Apple. Some of these companies are: IBM, Dell, Compaq, Gateway,
Fujitsu, Sony, etc. When people talk about the differences between
Windows and Macs, in general, they are expressing a Personal
preference about which operating system or hardware they believe to
be superior.

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