Basics of computers

<–2/”>a >Basics of Computers

Computer is a device that transforms data into meaningful information. Data can be anything like marks obtained by you in various subjects. It can also be name, age, sex, weight, height, etc. of all the students in a class.

A computer is a programmable machine. It allows the user to store all sorts of information and then ‗process‘ that information, or data, or carry out actions with the information, such as calculating numbers or organising words.

Computer can also be defined in terms of functions it can perform. A computer can i) accept data, ii) store data, iii) process data as desired, and iv) retrieve the stored data as and when required and v) print the result in desired format.

Mainframe computers are large-sized, powerful multi-user computers that can support concurrent programs. That means, they can perform different actions or ‗processes‘ at the same time. Mainframe computers can be used by as many as hundreds or thousands of users at the same time. Large organisations may use a mainframe computer to execute large-scale processes such as processing the organisation‘s payroll. Mini-computers are mid-sized multi-processing computers. Again, they can perform several actions at the same time and can support from 4 to 200 users simultaneously. Workstations are powerful, single-user computers. They have the capacity to store and process large quantities of data, but they are only used by one person at a time.

All the components of Computer can be classified as:-

Input Unit: This unit is used for entering data and programs into the computer system by the user for processing. b. Storage Unit: The storage unit is used for storing data and instructions before and after processing. c.Output Unit: The output unit is used for storing the result as output produced by the computer after processing. d.Processing: The task of performing operations like arithmetic and logical operations is called processing. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) takes data and

instructions from the storage unit and makes all sorts of calculations based on the instructions given and the type of data provided. It is then sent back to the storage unit. CPU includes Arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and control unit (CU)

Input devices accept data and instructions from the user. For Example 1. Keyboard 2. Mouse 3. Light Pen 4. Optical/magnetic Scanner 5. Touch Screen 6. Microphone for voice as input 7. Track Ball

Output devices return processed data that is information, back to the user. Some of the commonly used output devices are:

Monitor (Visual Display Unit) 2. Printers 3. Plotter 4. Speakers

Software is the computerised instructions that operate a computer, manipulate the data and execute particular functions or tasks.

Programming language: An artificial set of rules, vocabulary and syntax used to instruct the computer to execute certain tasks.

Computer program: A sequence of instructions that can be executed by a computer to carry out a process.,

Computers are electronic devices that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations automatically. Modern computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These programs enable computers to perform a wide range of tasks.

Computers are used for a variety of purposes, including:

Data processing
Control
Communication
Entertainment
Education
Research
Administration

Computers are made up of two main parts: hardware and software.

Hardware is the physical part of a computer, such as the central processing unit (CPU), the memory, and the storage devices. Software is the set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do.

Input devices are used to enter data into a computer, such as the keyboard and the mouse. Output devices are used to display data from a computer, such as the monitor and the printer.

Storage devices are used to store data on a computer, such as the hard drive and the floppy disk.

An operating system is a program that manages the computer’s Resources, such as the CPU, memory, and storage devices. Applications software is a program that performs a specific task, such as word processing or spreadsheet analysis.

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a Network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless, and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries an extensive range of information resources and Services, such as the inter-linked hypertext documents and applications of the World Wide Web (WWW), electronic mail, telephony, and file sharing.

Computer networks are a group of computers that are connected together so that they can share information and resources. There are many different types of computer networks, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet.

Security and privacy are important issues when using computers. Security is the protection of computer systems and data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. Privacy is the right of individuals to control how their personal information is collected and used.

Ethical issues are also important when using computers. Some ethical issues include copyright infringement, plagiarism, and cyberbullying.

Future trends in computers include the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and wearable computers.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of a computer or machine to mimic the capabilities of a human brain. AI is used in a variety of applications, such as facial recognition, natural language processing, and self-driving cars.

Quantum computing is a type of computing that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to perform operations on data. Quantum computing is still in its early stages of development, but it has the potential to be much faster than traditional computing.

Wearable computers are computers that are worn on the body. Wearable computers can be used for a variety of purposes, such as fitness tracking, Health monitoring, and communication.

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Which of the following is not a component of a computer?
(A) CPU
(B) Monitor
(C) Keyboard
(D) Printer
What is the name of the program that allows you to interact with your computer?
(A) Operating system
(B) Application software
(C) System software
(D) Utility software
What is the name of the program that allows you to create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations?
(A) Word processing software
(B) Spreadsheet software
(C) Presentation software
(D) All of the above
What is the name of the program that allows you to connect to the internet and access websites?
(A) Web browser
(B) Email client
(C) Instant messaging client
(D) All of the above
What is the name of the program that allows you to play games, watch Videos, and listen to music?
(A) Entertainment software
(B) Educational software
(C) Business software
(D) None of the above
What is the name of the program that allows you to manage your computer’s files and folders?
(A) File manager
(B) Disk cleanup
(C) System restore
(D) All of the above
What is the name of the program that allows you to protect your computer from viruses and malware?
(A) Antivirus software
(B) Firewall
(C) Anti-malware software
(D) All of the above
What is the name of the program that allows you to back up your computer’s files?
(A) Backup software
(B) Restore software
(C) Recovery software
(D) All of the above
What is the name of the program that allows you to share files with other people?
(A) File sharing software
(B) Email client
(C) Instant messaging client
(D) All of the above
What is the name of the program that allows you to connect to a printer?
(A) Printer driver
(B) Scanner driver
(C) Camera driver
(D) All of the above