CHP – 1 INFORMATION ABOUT COMPUTER

What is a Computer:
An electronic device that stores, retrieves, and processes
data, and can be programmed with instructions. A computer is
composed of hardware and software, and can exist in a variety
of sizes and configurations.
Hardware & Software
The term hardware refers to the physical components of
your computer such as the system unit, mouse, keyboard,
monitor etc.
The software is the instructions that makes the computer
work. Software is held either on your computers hard disk, CD-
ROM, DVD or on a diskette (floppy disk) and is loaded (i.e.
copied) from the disk into the computers RAM (Random Access
Memory), as and when required.

Types of Computers
1) Supercomputers: The most powerful and expensive
computers, used for complex scientific and engineering
calculations.

2) Mainframe computers: Large and fast computers, used

for large-scale data processing and business applications.
 3) Minicomputers: Smaller and cheaper than mainframes,
used for specific purposes or as servers.
4) Microcomputers: The smallest and most common
computers, used for personal or professional tasks.
Examples include desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones,
and game consoles.
5) Personal Computers: A personal computer, often referred
to as a PC, is a computer designed for individual use. It is
typically used for tasks such as word processing, internet
browsing, email, multimedia playback, and gaming.

Components of Computer
1) Hardware Components:
Input Devices -- "How to tell it what to do“
A keyboard and mouse are the standard way to interact with
the computer. Other devices include joysticks and game
pads used primarily for games.
Output Devices -- "How it shows you what it is doing"
The monitor (the screen) is how the computer sends
information back to you. A printer is also an output device.
a) Input Devices:
1) Keyboard : The keyboard is the most frequent and
widely used input device for entering data into a
computer. Although there are some additional keys for
performing other operations, the keyboard layout is
similar to that of a typical typewriter.
 Types of Keys
 Numeric Keys: It is used to enter numeric data or move the
cursor. It usually consists of a set of 17 keys.
 Typing Keys: The letter keys (A-Z) and number keys (09) are
among these keys.
 Control Keys: These keys control the pointer and the screen.
There are four directional arrow keys on it. Home, End, Insert,
Alternate (Alt), Delete, Control (Ctrl), etc., and Escape are all
control keys (Esc).
 Special Keys: Enter, Shift, Caps Lock, Number Lock, Tab,
etc., and Print Screen are among the special function keys on
the keyboard.
 Function Keys: The 12 keys from F1 to F12 are on the
topmost row of the keyboard.

2) Mouse: The most common pointing device is the mouse.

The mouse is used to move a little cursor across the
screen while clicking and dragging. The cursor will stop
if you let go of the mouse. The computer is dependent on
you to move the mouse; it won’t move by itself. As a
result, it’s an input device.
3) Joystick: A joystick is a pointing device that is used to
move the cursor on a computer screen. A spherical ball
is attached to both the bottom and top ends of the stick.
In a socket, the lower spherical ball slides. You can move
the joystick in all four directions.

4) Track Ball: Track Ball is an accessory for notebooks

and laptops, which works on behalf of a mouse. It has a
similar structure to a mouse. Its structure is like a half-
inserted ball and we use fingers for cursor movement.
Different shapes are used for this like balls, buttons, or
squares.

5) Light Pen: A light pen is a type of pointing device that

looks like a pen. It can be used to select a menu item or
to draw on the monitor screen. A photocell and an optical
system are enclosed in a tiny tube. When the tip of a light
pen is moved across a monitor screen while the pen
button is pushed, the photocell sensor element identifies
the screen location and provides a signal to the CPU.
6) Scanner: A scanner is an input device that functions
similarly to a photocopier. It’s employed when there’s
information on paper that needs to be transferred to the
computer’s hard disc for subsequent manipulation. The
scanner collects images from the source and converts
them to a digital format that may be saved on a disc.
Before they are printed, these images can be modified.

7) Bar Code Reader: A bar code reader is a device that

reads data that is bar-coded (data that is represented by
light and dark lines).Bar-coded data is commonly used
to mark things, number books, and so on. It could be a
handheld scanner or part of a stationary scanner. A bar
code reader scans a bar code image, converts it to an
alphanumeric value, and then sends it to the computer to
which it is connected.
Output Devices: Output Devices are the devices that show us
the result after giving the input to a computer system. Output
can be of many different forms like image, graphic audio, video,
etc. Some of the output devices are described below.

1) Monitor: Monitors, also known as Visual Display Units

(VDUs), are a computer’s primary output device. It creates
images by arranging small dots, known as pixels, in a
rectangular pattern. The amount of pixels determines the
image’s sharpness.

2) Printer: Printers are output devices that allow you to print

information on paper. There are certain types of printers
which are described below.

3) Speakers: Speakers are devices that produce sound after

getting a command from a computer. Nowadays, speakers
come with wireless technology also like Bluetooth
speakers.
4) Plotter: Plotter is a device that helps in making graphics or
other images to give a real view. A graphic card is mandatorily
required to use these devices. These are the pen-like devices that
help in generating exact designs on the computer.

5) Video Card: A video Card is a device that is fitted into the

motherboard of the computer. It helps in improvising
digital content in output devices. It is an important tool that
helps people in using multiple devices.

6) Headphones: Headphones are just like a speaker, which is

generally used by a single person or it is a single-person
usable device and is not commonly used in large areas.
These are also called headsets having a lower sound
frequency.
Storage Devices:
- Hard disk drives are an internal, higher capacity
drive which also stores the operating system which
runs when you power on the computer.
- Floppy" disk drives allow you to save work on small
disks and take the data with you.

Hard Disks
Speed: Very fast!
- The speed of a hard disk is
often quoted as "average
access time" speed, measured
in milliseconds. The smaller
this number the faster the disk.
Capacity:
- Enormous! Often 40/80
Gigabytes. A Gigabyte is
equivalent to 1024
Megabytes.
Cost:
- Hard disks costs are
falling rapidly and
normally represent the
cheapest way of storing
data.
Main parts of Computer:
Memory -- "How the processor stores and uses immediate data.

1) RAM - Random Access Memory:

The main 'working' memory used by the computer.
When the operating system loads from disk when you first
switch on the computer, it is copied into RAM.
As a rough rule, a Microsoft Windows based computer will
operate faster if you install more RAM. Data and programs
stored in RAM are volatile (i.e. the information is lost when you
switch off the computer).

2) ROM – Read Only Memory:

Read Only Memory (ROM) as the name suggests is a
special type of memory chip that holds software that can be
read but not written to. A good example is the ROM-BIOS
chip, which contains read- only software. Often network cards
and video cards also contain ROM chips.

How Computer Memory Is Measured

1) Bit: All computers work on a binary numbering system, i.e.
they process data in one's or zero's.These 1 or 0 levels of
storage is called a bit.
2) Byte: A byte consists of eight bits.
3) Kilobyte: A kilobyte (KB) consists of 1024 bytes.
4) Megabyte: A megabyte (MB) consists of 1024 kilobytes.
5) Gigabyte: A gigabyte (GB) consists of 1024 megabytes.

Microprocessors -- "The brain of the compute

PCs primarily use microprocessors (sometimes called
the chip). The older Intel versions include the 386, 486 and
now the Pentium line.
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is normally an Intel
Pentium (or equivalent) and it is one of the most important
components within your computer. It determines how fast
your computer will run and is measured by its MHz speed.
Thus a 600 MHz Pentium is much faster than say a 400 MHz
Pentium CPU. It is the CPU that performs all the calculations
within the computer.

2) Software Components:

a) Operating systems software: The operating system is a

special type of program that loads automatically when you
start your computer. The operating system allows you to
use the advanced features of a modern computer without
having to learn all the details of how the hardware works.

Information about Network:

A computer network is a system that connects numerous
independent computers in order to share information (data)
and resources. The integration of computers and other
different devices allows users to communicate more easily. A
computer network is a collection of two or more computer
systems that are linked together.
uses of Computer Networks
 Communicating using email, video, instant messaging, etc.
 Sharing devices such as printers, scanners, etc.
 Sharing files.
 Sharing software and operating programs on remote systems.
 Allowing network users to easily access and maintain
information.

Types of Computer Networks

There are mainly five types of Computer Networks
1. Personal Area Network (PAN)
2. Local Area Network (LAN)
3. Campus Area Network (CAN)
4. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
5. Wide Area Network (WAN)

1) Personal Area Network (PAN): PAN is the most basic type

of computer network. This network is restrained to a single
person, that is, communication between the computer devices is
centered only on an individual’s workspace. PAN offers a
network range of 1 to 100 meters from person to device
providing communication. Its transmission speed is very high
with very easy maintenance and very low cost.
2) Local Area Network (LAN): LAN is the most frequently
used network. A LAN is a computer network that connects
computers through a common communication path, contained
within a limited area, that is, locally. A LAN encompasses two
or more computers connected over a server. The two important
technologies involved in this network are Ethernet and Wi-fi. It
ranges up to 2km & transmission speed is very high with easy
maintenance and low cost.
3) Campus Area Network (CAN): CAN is bigger than a
LAN but smaller than a MAN. This is a type of computer
network that is usually used in places like a school or
colleges. This network covers a limited geographical area
that is, it spreads across several buildings within the
campus. CAN mainly use Ethernet technology with a range
from 1km to 5km.

4) Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): A MAN is larger

than a LAN but smaller than a WAN. This is the type of
computer network that connects computers over a
geographical distance through a shared communication
path over a city, town, or metropolitan area. This network
mainly uses FDDI, CDDI, and ATM as the technology with
a range from 5km to 50km. Its transmission speed is
average. It is difficult to maintain and it comes with a high
cost.
5) Wide Area Network (WAN): WAN is a type of computer
network that connects computers over a large geographical
distance through a shared communication path. It is not
restrained to a single location but extends over many
locations. WAN can also be defined as a group of local area
networks that communicate with each other with a range above
50km.

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