Computer Skills

Introduction to Computer
1
By: Khalil Ullah Khalil
MS-IT (Leading to PhD)
2 Computer
 A computer is an electronic device, operating
under the control of instructions stored in its own
memory that can accept data (input), process the
data according to specified rules, produce
information (output), and store the information for
future use.
3 Functionalities of a computer

Any digital computer carries out five functions in gross terms:

 Takes data as input.
 Stores the data/instructions in its memory and use them when
required.
 Processes the data and converts it into useful information.
 Generates the output
 Functionalities of a computer(Contd.)
4

Processing

Data Information
5 Computer Components

 Hardware
 Software
6 Hardware

 Computer hardware is the collection of physical

elements ”Tangible objects”
 that constitutes a computer system.
 The actual machinery, wires, transistors, and
circuits … etc.
7 Hardware:
8 Software

 Computer Programs
 instructions and data
9 Computer Units

1.Input Unit
2.Central processing Unit
3.Primary Memory Unit
4.Secondary storage Unit
5.Output Unit
10 Input Devices
 Input device is any peripheral (piece of computer
hardware equipment to provide data and control
signals to an information processing system such
as a computer or other information appliance.
 Input device Translate data from form that humans
understand to one that the computer can work
with. Most common are keyboard and mouse
11 Computer Units
12 Input Devices
13 Example of Input Devices

Keyboard Mouse (pointing device) Microphone

Touch screen Scanner Webcam
Touchpads MIDI keyboard
Graphics Tablets Cameras Pen Input
Video Capture Hardware Microphone Trackballs
Barcode reader Digital camera Joystick
Gamepad Electronic Whiteboard

Note: The most common use keyboard is the QWERTY keyboard.

Generally standard Keyboard has 104 keys
14 Central Processing Unit

 CPU
 known as microprocessor or processor
 It is responsible for all functions and processes
15 CPU Components

 The CPU is comprised of three main parts

1. ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)
2. Control Unit (CU)
3. Registers: Stores the data that is to be executed next.
16 ALU
 Executes all arithmetic and logical operations.
 Arithmetic calculations like as addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division.
 Logical operation like compare numbers, letters, or
special characters
17 Control Unit (CU)

Control Unit (CU): controls and co-ordinates computer components.

 Read the code for the next instruction to be executed.
 Increment the program counter so it points to the next instruction.
 Read whatever data the instruction requires from cells in memory.
 Provide the necessary data to an ALU or register.
 If the instruction requires an ALU or specialized hardware to
complete, instruct the hardware to perform the requested operation.
18 Registers

 Registers: Stores the data that is to be executed

next, "very fast storage area".
19 Primary Memory
 1. RAM.
 2.ROM
20 Primary Memory
1. RAM: Random Access Memory: is a memory scheme within the
computer system responsible for storing data on a temporary basis,
so that it can be promptly accessed by the processor as and when
needed.
 It is volatile in nature, which means that data will be erased once
supply to the storage device is turned off.
 RAM stores data randomly and the processor accesses these data
randomly from the RAM storage.
 RAM is considered "random access" because you can access any
memory cell directly if you know the row and column that
intersect at that cell.
21 Primary Memory

2. ROM (Read Only Memory): ROM is a permanent

form of storage. ROM stays active regardless of
whether power supply to it is turned on or off. ROM
devices do not allow data stored on them to be
modified.
22 Secondary Memory

 Stores data and programs permanently

 its retained after the power is turned off
 Main Examples
1. Hard Disk
2. Optical Disk
3. Flash memory
23 Hard Disk

 Called Disk drive or HDD

 stores and provides relatively quick access to large
amounts of data.
 Stores data on an electromagnetically charged
surface or set of surfaces.
24 Optical Disk & Flash

 an optical disc drive (ODD) is a disk drive that uses laser light to
store data.
 There are three main types of optical media: CD, DVD, and Blu-ray
disc
CD “Compact Disk” can store up to 700MB
DVD “ Digital Video Disk “ can store up to 8.4 GB
Blu-ray disc. can store up to 50 GB
25 3. Flash Disk

 A storage module made of flash memory chips. A Flash disks have

no mechanical platters or access arms, but the term "disk" is used
because the data are accessed as if they were on a hard drive. The
disk storage structure is emulated.
26 RAM V.s Hard Disk

 What are the differences between RAM as a main

memory and HDD as a Secondary Memory.
27 RAM V.s Hard Disk
28 Output Unit
 An output device is any piece of computer
hardware equipment used to communicate the
results of data processing carried out by an
information processing system (such as a
computer)
 converts the electronically generated information
into human-readable form.
29 Output devices Examples

Monitor LCD Projection Panels

Printers (all types) Computer Output Microfilm (COM)
Plotters Speaker(s)
Projector
30 Output devices Examples

1. A monitor

CRT: Cathode Ray Tube

LCD: Liquid crystal display most familiar
these days
31 Output devices Examples

2. Printer:
 transfers data from a computer onto paper

Printer types:
1-Laser Printer.
2-Ink Jet Printer.
3-Dot Matrix Printer
32
Software
 Software is a generic term for organized
collections of computer data and instructions, often
broken into two major categories two major
categories:
1. system software
2. application software
33 System software
 Known as Operating System
 is responsible for controlling, integrating, and
managing the individual hardware components of a
computer system
 Windows is an example of OS.
 example of System Software:
 1) Microsoft Windows
 2) Linux
 3) Unix
 4) Mac OS
 5) DOS
34 Application software
 is used to accomplish specific tasks other than just running the computer system.
 It may consist of:
 a single program, such as an image viewer;
 a small collection of programs (often called a software package) that work closely together to
accomplish a task, such as a spreadsheet or text processing system;
 a larger collection (often called a software suite) of related but independent programs and packages that
have a common user interface or shared data format, such as Microsoft Office,
35
36 Unit of Measurements - Storage
Storage Units

Bit BIT 0 or 1

Byte B 8 bits

Kilobyte KB 1024 bytes

Megabyte MB 1024 kilobytes

Gigabyte GB 1024 megabytes

Terabyte TB 1024 gigabytes

37 Unit of Measurement -Speed

 The speed of CPU measured by unit called Hertz

(Hz)
 1 Hz represent 1 cycle per second.
 The speed of CPU is known as Computer Speed.
38 Computer Classification

 Computers can be classified by size and power to:

1. Personal computer (PCs)
2. Workstation:
3. Minicomputer
4. Mainframe:
5. SuperComputer
39 Computer Classification
 Personal computer (PCs): a small, single-user
computer based on a microprocessor. In addition to the
microprocessor, a personal computer has a keyboard for
entering data, a monitor for displaying information, and a
storage device for saving data.
 Workstation: a powerful, single-user computer. A
workstation is like a personal computer, but it has
a more powerful microprocessor and a higher-
quality monitor.
40 Computer Classification
 Minicomputer: multi-user computer capable of
supporting from 10 to hundreds of users simultaneously.
 Mainframe: powerful multi-user computer capable of
supporting many hundreds or thousands of users
simultaneously.
 Supercomputer: an extremely fast computer that can
perform hundreds of millions of instructions per second.
41 Laptop computer

 is a portable computer.
 personal computer that can be easily carried and used in a
variety of locations.
 runs the same software and applications like PCs
42 Mobile Devices
 A mobile device is basically any handheld computer.
 It is designed to be extremely portable.
 Some mobile devices are more powerful
 Types:
1.Tablet Computers
2.E-Book Readers
3.Smartphones
43 Tablet Computers

 designed to be portable.
 The most obvious difference is that tablet
computers don't have keyboards or touchpads.
 Best used for tasks like web browsing, watching
videos, reading e-books, and playing games.
44 Tablet Computers
 The most obvious difference is that tablet computers don't have
keyboards or touchpads. Instead, the entire screen is touch-sensitive,
allowing you to type on a virtual keyboard and use your finger as a
mouse pointer.
 Tablet computers are mostly designed for consuming media, and they are
optimized for tasks like web browsing, watching videos, reading e-books,
and playing games
45 Smartphones

 a powerful mobile phone

 designed to run a variety of applications in
addition to phone service.
 Internet access is an important feature of
smartphones. (3G or 4G)(Wi-Fi Service)
46 Data and Information

 Data:
 Facts and figures which relay something specific
 but which are not organized in any way and which
provide no further information regarding patterns
 unstructured facts and figures
47 Data and Information

 Information:
 For data to become information, it must be
contextualized, categorized, calculated and
condensed. (Processed)
 it is data with relevance and purpose.
48 Characteristics of Computer

1.Speed
2.Accuracy
3.Diligence
4.Storage Capability
5.Versatility
49 Characteristics of Computer

 Speed :The computer can process data very fast,

at the rate of millions of instructions per second
 Accuracy: Computer provides a high degree of accuracy. For
example, the computer can accurately give the result of division
of any two numbers up to 10 decimal places.
 Diligence: When used for a longer period of time, the
computer does not get tired or fatigued. It can perform long and
complex calculations with the same speed and accuracy from the
start till the end.
50 Characteristics of Computer
 Storage Capability: Large volumes of data and
information can be stored in the computer and also
retrieved whenever required. A limited amount of data can
be stored, temporarily, in the primary memory. Secondary
storage devices like floppy disk and compact disk can
store a large amount of data permanently.
 Versatility: Computer is versatile in nature. It can perform
different types of tasks with the same ease. At one
moment you can use the computer to prepare a letter
document and in the next moment you may play music or
print a document.
51 Computer Viruses

 Viruses:
 E-mail viruses:
 Trojan horses:
 Worms:
52 Viruses

 A computer virus is an application program designed and

written to destroy other programs.
 A virus is a small piece of software that piggybacks on real
programs
 virus might attach itself to a program such as a spreadsheet
program
 and it has the chance to reproduce (by attaching to other
programs)
53 E-mail viruses:

 e-mail virus travels as an attachment to e-mail messages

 Replicates itself by automatically mailing itself to dozens
of people in the victim's e-mail address book.
54 Trojan horses

 simply a computer program

 The program claims to do one thing (it may claim
to be a game) but instead does damage when you
run it
55 Worms

 A worm is a small piece of software that uses

computer networks and security holes to replicate
itself.
 worm scans the network for another machine that
has a specific security hole.
56 Malicious Software

 How do you know if you have a virus?

 Lack of storage capability
 Decrease in the speed of executing
programs
 Unexpected error messages
 Halting the system
 Tips to avoid viruses and lessen their impact?
57

1. Delete e-mails from unknown or suspicious,

untrustworthy (unreliable) sources, especially
those with files attached to an e-mail.
2. Never open a file attached to an e-mail unless
you know what it is, even if it appears to come
from a friend.
3. Download files from the Internet only from
legitimate and reputable sources.
4. Update your antivirus software at least every two
weeks as over 200 viruses are discovered each
month.
5. Backup your files periodically