Cybercity Computer Classes

Something has to tell the chip what to do with

Basic Computer Literacy Information
each input signal in order to combine it with other input
Not everyone today knows the basics needed to
signals to make the output: the program. The program is
understand use of computers for communications and
just more information; it is written in a 'programming
information technology applications in education. These
language' that is a cross between English and Algebra. An
notes give a very simplified explanation of the most basic
input device called an 'interpreter' or 'compiler' converts
concepts; you should use them as a guide to find out more
the typed program into input signals to the chip. The chip
about each topic listed below. Ultimately, the best way to
combines the other input information with the program
learn to use these tools is to practice using them 'hands-
information to create its output signals. All information for
on', but you need to know a few basics to get started and
the chip has to be in the form of a simple electric signal:
to know where to go from there. (Some points below are a
voltage on (or voltage high) vs. voltage off (or voltage low).
bit over-simplified.)
This simple signal is represented by a '1' (for ON or High)
1. What computers are and are not
vs. a '0' (for OFF or Low) in writing programs. Every letter
The term 'computer' is misleading for many
of the alphabet, every number, every color, every location
people. It suggests that these machines are mainly about
on the computer screen, every sound has a code in terms
computing with numbers; that was their original use, but
of a long sequence of 1's and 0's (voltage signals), such as:
they are in fact 'all-purpose' machines. A computer can
100111010100011101.
work as a telephone, a television, a VCR, a CD player, a
Since this form of coding is slow and hard to
typewriter, a bulletin board, a post office, a multimedia
remember, programming languages are built so that the
textbook, a mini-library, an art gallery, a music-composing
program writer puts in words and special symbols (for
tool, etc. You can use it to design a house, create a 3D
operations like comparing two codes, storing a code
painting, simulate a science experiment, and, yes, even
temporarily in the computer's memory chip, etc.), and the
compute with numbers. Most uses of computers in
language runs its own program to convert these into the
education today do not involve numbers at all.
actual 1 and 0 codes. As computer languages have become
2. How a computer works
more advanced they have basically become complex
The brain of the computer is called the Central
programs themselves: they tell the CPU how to convert
Processing Unit (CPU). It is located inside the main box on
instructions from the user into 1 and 0 codes. A long set of
a printed electric circuit called a Motherboard; it is a
instructions makes up a program, and is also called 'the
'micro-chip', a piece of ceramic-like material that has
code' for that program. The 1's and 0's are called the
billions of microscopic electrical connections etched onto
'machine language code' -- since they directly control the
it. Any form of information (words, pictures, sounds,
electric signals to the chip -- and the instructions about
numbers) can be converted to electric signals that are
what to do with each unit of information is called the
'input' to the chip. The electric connections on the chip
'assembly language code'. Most programmers write in a
allow these signals to be compared to one another and
'high level language' (e.g. C++ or Visual Basic or Java),
combined with one another according to a 'program' that
which runs a little program to convert itself into the
'processes' or manipulates the information into a new
machine code. In high level languages the kinds of
form, which becomes the 'output' electric signal from the
instructions you write are things like: Open a window on
chip. Everything else in a computer is designed to take
the screen, take the words from this file and display them
human information and convert it to the input electric
in the window, highlight the word that the mouse cursor
signals for the chip, or to take the chip's output signals and
(see below) is over, etc.
convert them back to a form that humans can recognize.
4. The parts of the computer
These other components are called 'peripherals', or just
What you see when you look at a typical computer
input and output devices.
workstation is:
3. Computer programs
 a Monitor -- looks like and basically is a TV screen
and controls
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Developed By - Vijay Nimje
M - 09325303774
Mama Chowk Civil Line, Gondia
 Cybercity Computer Classes
 a Keyboard -- like a typewriter but with many  The Disk and CD-ROM drives -- the main part of
useful extra keys them is inside the box
 a Mouse -- a palm-size gadget that rolls on a ball  The specialized 'Boards' -- these run the input
and has buttons on it and output devices
 a Printer -- inkjet or laser-xerox miniature  The Modem -- one of the boards; connects to the
printing machine a microphone and speakers -- if telephone line
you're lucky, not all machine have these  Network Board -- another board, connects to the
 a pair of stereo Speakers, for multimedia systems LAN (see below)
(also sometimes a Microphone to speak into)  Video Board -- connects to the monitor
 a miniature TV camera -- if you're very lucky; not  An electric power supply, battery, and a lot of
yet common connecting cables
 the BOX -- contains the CPU microchip and all the Every input device and output device is connected
really important components first to a specialized Board that has its own microchip to
So then, what's in/on the BOX? convert signals and pass them on to the CPU (on the main
On the Front of the box: or Mother Board).
 On/Off switch (sometimes on the side) On the back of the Box. This is where all the input/output
 Reset button -- only on some machines peripherals are connected to the Box, and the Box is
 Floppy-disk Drive -- you put in a square disk that connected to the electric outlet, the telephone system (for
contains information a modem), and the local area computer network (LAN)
 CD-ROM drive -- you put in a digital CD platter cable system. There are a lot of confusing cables back
that contains a lot of information here. Sometimes they come lose. The specialized Boards

 Tape Drive -- optional, for storing information in stick out the back slightly, just like the drives stick out the

case something goes wrong front slightly. The Boards have connector sockets called

 Other special drives -- old-fashioned big diskette Ports where the keyboard, mouse, printer, monitor, etc.

drive, super-new storage drives are supposed to be plugged in.

 On/off light, Hard Disk Operating light, 5. How to turn it on

miscellaneous lights and buttons To make the computer work, there has to be

Inside the Box. What you see on the front is just the electric power to several different parts, so there are

opening slot of the actual drives. A 'drive' is a storage sometimes several ON switches; you need to turn ALL of

device. In addition to the CPU chip and the input and them on. If you are lucky there will be one Master Switch

output devices, computers need places to store to do all this for you, but don't count on it. First make sure

information either temporarily or more permanently (for there are no disks VISIBLE in any of the drives (look, don't

reuse later), the short-term storage is called RAM touch). If there is one in the drive, push the release button

(random-access memory) and is expensive. For longterm to get it out. Now, turn on the power supply switch if there

storage various kinds of disks and platters and cassettes is one (sometimes called Master Switch). Turn on the

are used; these are basically like videotape, but much Monitor (watch for a light to come on). Turn on the Printer

higher quality, or like CDs. The drives read the information (optional). Turn on the Box.

off these storage media and pass it on to the CPU; some The machine is working if: lights come on all the parts,

drives can also write new information onto the disk or after a minute or less you see something on the monitor

platter/CD or cassette. screen: words, numbers, changing colors. It takes a few

 The CPU and RAM memory chips on the minutes for a computer to warm up and get itself ready to

'motherboard' work, be patient.

 The HARD DRIVE -- the main long term storage 6. The 'Boot Up' Process

system for programs and info Watch the monitor screen while the machine is
starting up. It may go by fast at times, but you can learn a
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Developed By - Vijay Nimje
M - 09325303774
Mama Chowk Civil Line, Gondia
 Cybercity Computer Classes
lot. There are ways to slow it down, too, but that's for commands or don't want to be bothered, the alternative is
advanced users. The first things you usually see on a PC a GUI, graphical user interface: a pretty set of little pictures
(not a Mac) is the count-up of the RAM memory. 8000 is called 'icons' with printed labels on them that appear on
very small, 16000 is ok, 32000 is good, more is wonderful. the screen to remind you of the commands. The Mouse is
The machine is really testing the short-term memory used to 'click' on an icon or label to issue a command. The
storage to see that it's working and how much there is. most common commands are the ones to start new
You can add more memory by paying for it and sticking it programs. The programs then give you more choices of
in the box. specialized commands to edit text, draw pictures, access
Now the machine starts to check all the different the internet, etc.
input and output devices. It looks for the keyboard and 8. Programs, Commands, Folders and Files
tests it, the mouse, the monitor, the printer, the hard An 'application program' is the most common
drive, the disk drive, the CD-ROM drive, etc. For each of kind of program. A word-processor is an application
these it loads a program called a 'driver' program to program for writing, reading, and editing text. A paint or
convert signals between the CPU and the device. This is draw program is for making, viewing, and changing
the time when the machine detects any problems. Hope pictures. A calculator program is for doing arithmetic.
that it doesn't find anything wrong! This is also usually the Almost everything you want to do with a computer is
time when a program is run automatically to check for available, for a price, as a program or set of connected
'viruses' (these are unwanted programs that can damage programs. Every program appears on screen as an icon, or
the machine or make it not work properly; they have has a command to start it.
nothing to do with biological viruses at all). Once you start a program, there are special
If everything is working, the machine displays the USER commands that work only in that program to make it do
INTERFACE. This is your signal that you can now take over things, or there are special icons that appear to help you
and tell the machine what to do. Everything before this do these things. Many programs have a linked Help
was automatic, run by programs built into the machine. program, that tells you what to do. Some have Wizard
The basic startup program is called the BIOS, then there programs that walk you step by step through something.
are other programs that you can sometimes change (like There are also Tutorial programs to introduce a new
how to check for viruses, what kind of CR-ROM drive you program to you. And there are program manuals, printed
have, etc.). books that explain how to use the program. To use any
7. The Operating System and the User Interface program you have to LEARN how.
The operating system is the master program that Most programs create, read, and modify
runs the computer behind the scenes while you work. It information. This information is then stored in a FILE.
translates your instructions into actions by the machine. It There are text files, picture files, sound files, video files,
also heads off conflicts between one part of the machine multimedia files, and others. All information in a computer
and another, making them all take turns. The most is stored in some kind of a file. To keep track of all these
common operating systems are Windows, Mac OS and files, there is a Filing System, a special program built into
Unix. DOS is an older system that is now a small part of the operating system. What you see are Folders (also
Windows. called directories or subdirectories), and inside a folder
The User Interface is what you see on the screen at the there are files. There can also be folders inside other
beginning. You can come back to this screen anytime you folders. To locate a particular file of information, the
need it. Sometimes a part of it is always visible. The computer, and sometimes you, need to know the Path to
simplest user interface is a Command Line. The line is the file, which consists of telling what DRIVE it is stored on,
shown by a Prompt, some symbols that tell you where to what folder it is in, what folder that folder is in, and so on.
type your commands (e.g. C:\windows> ...); this is not so Usually each drive has a letter, or an icon. If there are
common today, but it is easy to use -- if you remember the letters, A: and B: are the floppy disk drives, C: is the main
Commands. Since most people can't remember a lot of hard disk drive (where most of the files are kept
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Developed By - Vijay Nimje
M - 09325303774
Mama Chowk Civil Line, Gondia
 Cybercity Computer Classes
permanently), and other letters can be other disk drives you made to a file in permanent storage. If it was a new
and CD-ROM drives. A path might look like file, say YES; if it was a file you found already in the
C:\windows\system\audio.dll -- this is the path to a file computer, say NO, unless you are really sure that it is ok to
called audio.dll that contains information that the make a change in it. A file remains unchanged in storage
windows operating system uses to communicate with the unless you specifically SAVE changes to it. The copy on file
speakers and play music or sound; it is in a folder called is not the copy you see on the screen, until you tell the
System and that is in a folder called Windows and that machine to replace the file copy with the one on screen.
folder is permanently stored on the C: hard drive. Usually This is called SAVING the new file.
you can just use the icons for the file system to click on The operating system usually knows what program goes
folders, 'open' them, and see more folders or files 'inside' with what file (this is called an 'association'), but
them. These are just visual images on the screen, not the sometimes you have to tell it. Sometimes a program
actual files, but you can link to the real files by clicking on cannot use a file of information until it has been
their image icons. 'converted' to work with that program. If you have a paper
10. Actually doing something you wrote on a Mac and want to print it on a PC, it has to
Start up the computer (section 5). Wait till be converted first. If you have a paper you wrote with the
everything stops. Click on an icon on the user interface MSWord program and you want to edit it with the
screen. If nothing happens, 'double click' (twice very fast) WordPerfect program, it has to be converted first. Always
or hit the Enter key. This will either start a program or keep a copy of the original version, just in case something
open a folder than contains files and programs. On many goes wrong. This safety rule is called 'backing up' the file,
computers if you double-click a file that can be seen or i.e. keeping a spare copy of the old version in case the new
heard with a program, the program will automatically start version doesn't work or is accidentally lost or ruined.
up and show the file (a text, a picture, etc.). Otherwise you Key Things to Learn First:
have to start the program first and then use its special How to use the Mouse to start a program and use menu
commands to open a particular file. commands in a program How to copy a file from a disk to
Look for a MENU bar at the top of the screen the hard drive and vice versa How to make a back-up copy
once a program has started. Move the mouse around to of a file on a disk or on the hard drive How to find a
put the cursor on the menu bar and press the button on program or a file in the computer's filing systems of folder
the mouse. You should see a list of commands. Click on a icons How to check a disk to make sure it has no viruses on
command, or move the mouse with the button held down it (VERY IMPORTANT!!) How to start a Browser program to
over a command and then let go of the mouse button access the Internet (WWW, web) How to print a file How
(takes a little practice). If there is a FILE menu of to store on disk or hard-drive a copy of a file you found on
commands, one will be the OPEN command. If you activate the internet
this command, a little box will usually appear to ask which The Most Important Types of Application Programs
file you want to open, and very often there will be a way to  Word Processor -- creates, reads, edits text files;
see a list of all the files that the program can use. There sometimes can add pictures or tables
will also be a NEW command, to let you create a new file,  Paint or Draw -- creates, shows, and changes
e.g. a new text document, a new picture, etc. pictures and images; usually in color
There is also usually a HELP command somewhere near  Database -- stores and organizes information, helps
the end of the MENU bar, or pressing the F1 key (one locate needed information
special key, not F and 1) may start the Help program.  Spreadsheet -- does simple math calculations,
The FILE menu will also usually have a QUIT or EXIT or especially for businesses
CLOSE or STOP command which will either close the file  Communications -- helps connect to other
you are using or stop the program altogether (it does not computers by modem and telephone
stop the computer, just one program). The program will  Browser -- connects to the Internet to show web
usually ask you if you want to save the new file or changes pages
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Developed By - Vijay Nimje
M - 09325303774
Mama Chowk Civil Line, Gondia
 Cybercity Computer Classes
 Email -- write, read, send, receive, store, and Floppy Disk Drives: It is a common form of removable
organize electronic mail messages storage, floppy disk are extremely inexpensive and easy to
Input Devices: Keyboard, Mouse, Microphone, Trackball, save information.
Joystick; Disk or CD drive when it reads a disk or CD Output Scanner: It is an input device. A scanner scans an image
Devices: Monitor, Printer, Speakers; Disk drive when it and transform the image to ASCII Graphics . These codes
writes information onto a disk Storage Devices: Hard disk, can be edited, manipulated & than printed.
Floppy diskette disk, CD-ROM platter disk, Tape Backup Cd-Rom Drive: It is an input device. To read a Cd-Rom disk
drive a Cd-Rom drive is required . One can only read from it and
Types of Computers: Macintosh, Windows PC, Unix cannot write on it.
workstation, Mainframe, Supercomputer Dvd-Rom: DVD-Rom is similar to Cd-Rom but is capable of
BIOS (Basic input/output system): A type of ROM that is holding much more information.
used by the computer to establish basic communications Cd-Writer: It is input device. To write from other CD to
when the computer is first turned on caching-The storing your CD , writer is used.
of frequently used data in extremely fast RAM that Display Adaptor: The electronic work behind information
connects directly to the CPU. of images on the screen is handled by the vision controller.
Virtual Memory: space on harddisk used to temporarily The video controller along with the memory that holds the
store data and swap it in and out of RAM as needed. display data are together referred to as the PC which can
Mother Board: This is the main circuit board that all of the represent data on the screen in two modes. One is the text
other internal components connect to. The CPU and mode on which only text or individual characters can be
memory are usually on the motherboard. displayed . The other is graphic mode, Where graphic can
Hard Disk: This is large-capacity permanent storage used be shown by building up a drawing made of dots.
to hold information such as programs and documents. Different Connections : Ports
Parallel: This port is commonly used to connect a printer.
AGP(Accelerated Graphics Port):It is a very high speed Serial: This port is typically used to connect an external
connection used by the graphic card to interface with the modem, mouse etc.
computer. USB(Universal Serial Bus): This port is becoming most
Sound Card: This is used by the computer to record and popular external connection, USB ports offer power and
play audio by converting analog sound in to digital versatility and are incredibly easy to use.
information and back again. Connections Internet/ Network:
Graphics Card: This translates image data from the Modem: This is the standard method of connecting to the
computer in to a format that can be displayed by the Internet.
monitor. LAN(Local Area Network) card: This is used by many
Common Input–Out Put Devices: computers, particularly those in an Ethernet office network

Keyboard: Generally used to type or select an option on to connected to each other.

the screen. It is an input device. Cable modem: Some people now use the cable –television

Mouse: It is an input device which is used to point and system in their home to connect to the internet.

select some option on VDU. DSL(Digital Subscriber Line) modem: This is a high speed

Vdu(Visual Display Unit): It is an output device where the connection that works over a standard telephone line.

output of any command is displayed ie. The screen. VDSL (Very high bit- rate DSL) modem: A newer variation

Printer: Is the output device .Different types of printer. of DSL , VDSL requires that your phone line have fiber optic

1. Dot matrix printer cables.

2. Inkjet Printer
3. Laser Printer etc.

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Developed By - Vijay Nimje
M - 09325303774
Mama Chowk Civil Line, Gondia