Basics of Computer System

Basics of Computer System Chapter 1

A computer is an electronic device which is capable to store data and retrieve information from its memory Most Computers today are digital, which means they perform operations with quantities represented electronically as digits.

Basics-of-Computer-System

Basic Concepts of Computer

A computer is an electronic device which is used to store the data, as per given instructions it gives results quickly and accurately.

·           Data: Data is a raw material of information.

·           Information: Proper collection of the data is called information.

Characteristics of Computer

The characteristics of computers that have made them so powerful and universally useful. These are the following:

·           SPEED: Computers work at an incredible speed. A powerful computer is capable of performing about 3-4 million simple instructions per second.

·           ACCURACY: In addition to being fast, computers are also accurate. Errors that may occur can almost always be attributed to human error (inaccurate data, poorly designed system or faulty instructions/programs written by the programmer)

·           DILIGENCE: Unlike human beings, computers are highly consistent. They do not suffer from human traits of boredom and tiredness resulting in a lack of concentration. Computers, therefore, are better than human beings in performing voluminous and repetitive jobs.

·           VERSATILITY: Computers are versatile machines and are capable of performing any task as long as it can be broken down into a series of logical steps. The presence of computers can be seen in almost every sphere — Railway/Air reservation, Banks, Hotels, Weather forecasting and many more

·            STORAGE CAPACITY: Today's computers can store large volumes of data. A piece of information once recorded (or stored) in the computer, can never be forgotten and can be retrieved almost instantaneously

·            POWER OF REMEMBERING: It can remember data for us.

·            NO IQ: The computer does not work without instruction.

·              NO FEELING: Computer does not have emotions, knowledge, experience, and feeling.

Computer and its Components

The computer itself a combination of different types of separate electronic devices. I.e. Computer only will be a computer if it has an INPUT DEVICE, PROCESS UNIT, and OUTPUT DEVICE.

·            Central Processing Unit (CPU): It is heart and mind of the computer without this unit computer unable to process.

·            Keyboard: This is an input device that is used to input the data into the computer.

·            Mouse: This is also an input device that is used to input the data into the computer.

·            Monitor: This is an output device which is used to show the result of the instructions.

There are a variety of monitor available in the market such as CRT Monitor, LCD Monitor, Touch Screen Monitor, TFT Monitor etc.

·            Switched Mode Power Supply (SMPS): This is an electronic device that is used to manage th_e power supply of the computer.

·            Hard Disk (HDD): This is used to store the data in a massive amount. There are so many types of HDD available in the market, i.e. SATA, PATA, External HDD, and Internal HDD.

·            Printer: This is an output device that is used to show the result on the paper. There is plenty _of printers available in the market like inkjet, Laser printer, dot matrix printer, etc.

·            Universal Serial Bus (USB): This is used to connect the external device to the computer.

·            Ethernet Cable: This is used to connect the computer with another computer.

·            CD/DVD ROM: This is used to store the data.

·            Speaker: This is an output device that is used to listen to the voice, songs, etc.

·            Mike: This is an Input device that is used to record the sound.

·            Laptop: This is a complete computer that can be carried anywhere at any time.

·            Netbook: This is called a mini laptop which is generally lighter and smaller than a laptop.

·            Random Access Memory (RAM): This is called primary memory. This is also called the main memo_ry of the computer. Whatever data is written in this memory, is lost after switching off the system.

·            Read-Only Memory (ROM): This is called primary memory. Data is written in this memory by the vendor of the computer permanently.

·            Pen Drive: This is a very popular device nowadays for carrying data on move.

·            Blue Ray Disk: This is the same as CD/DVD but only different is it can store multi-time of data from CD/DVD and faster than    CD/DVD.

·            Scanner: This is an input device that is used to scan the document for the soft copy.

·            LCD: It is known as Liquid Crystal Display. It is an output device as a monitor.

·         Motherboard: It is a combination of electronic circuits.

·            Sound Card: This is also a combination of electronic circuits that help to give output in the form of sound.

·         Graphics Card: This is also a combination of electronic circuits that help to give output the data into the monitor.

Computer Software

Software is a logical program to handle/solve complex problems.

·         System Software: This is a special type of software which is responsible for handle the whole computer system.

·            Application Software: This is a special type of software that is used to solve a particular problem.

·         Embedded Software: This type of software embedded with hardware to do a specific type of job.

·        Proprietary Software: In general, this type of software required to purchase to use that particular
software for some time or single-user as per conditioned by the vendor of that particular software.

·        Open Source Software: This type of software may be freely available and cannot be used commercially. We can modify, and use it under the same license.

Computer Languages

·            Machine Level Language: This is a low-level programming language. Computer or any electronic

the device only understands this language. I.e. Binary number i.e. 0 and 1.

·            Assembly Level Language: This is a low-level programming language which is converted into

executable machine code by a utility programmer referred to as an assembler.

·         High-Level Language: High-level language is a programming language that is easily

understandable/readable by a human.

·         Interpreter: This is a converter which converts high-level language program to low-level

language program line by line.

·           Compiler: This is also a convertor which converts whole high-level language program to low-level language program at a time.

Number System

·           Binary Number System: It has only base 2 i.e. 0 and 1

·           Octal Number System : Base of octal is 8 i.e. 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

·           Decimal Number System: Base of Decimal is 10 i.e. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

·           Hexadecimal Number System: Base of this number system is 16 i.e. 012 345 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F Operating System

·           Windows: This is a Proprietary Operating system and vendor is Microsoft. I.e. Windows 2007, Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windowsl0, etc.

·  Linux: This is an open-source Operating System such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, Mandriva, CentOS, etc. Linux (Ubuntu) Desktop Elements. File Management in Linux (Ubuntu) Computer Security

·            Virus and worms: These are the computer program which malfunction the computer system. a virus requires a carrier while worms do this by itself. A worm does not require any carrier.

·            Spoofing: Through this, deceiving the computer users and making the fool.

·            Intrusion or Hacking: If a computer is used and controlled by unauthorized users then it is called hacking and who does this is called a hacker. The main purpose of hacking to steal private data or alter the actual data.

·            Denial of Services: The main aim of this attack is to bring down the targeted network and make it to deny the service for legitimate users.

Basics-of-Computer-System

Generation of Computer

Data can be seen and watched when it travels one computer to another computer. Generation of the Computer Charles Babbage is known as the father of the computer, he has invented the first analytical computer in the year 1822.

·            First Generation (1940 — 1955) :Example : Electronic Numerical Integrator &Computer (ENIAC) , EDVAC

·            Second Generation (1956 — 1965) : IBM 1401

·      Third Generation (1966 — 1975) : IBM System/360

·      Fourth Generation (1976 — 1985): Macintosh 128k

·      Fifth Generation (1986 -to date): Supercomputer

About Windows 8/ 10

Windows 8/10 is a personal computer operating system developed by Microsoft. It is a part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. Windows 8.1 is the latest versions of windows the main features are:

·      The next generation of Microsoft Windows.

·      An operating system produced by Microsoft.

·      Primarily focuses on TOUCH.

·      used for personal computers.

·      Some Major Features

·      The touch factor.

·      Picture Password.

·         New File Copy Confirmation dialog box.

·      Support for USB 3.0

·        Native support for mounting VHD and ISO disc images.

·        Faster boot time.

About Window Explorer

Windows Explorer, presently known as File Explorer, Microsoft Windows Explorer is a graphi_cal file management utility for the Windows operating system (OS). It is used to navigate and

manage the drives, folders, and files on a computer.

About Run Command

Run command is a Dialog box. Type the name of a program, folder, document, or internet

About Files & Folders

Folders: A folder is a container you can use to store files and other folders. A folder within a folder is usually called a subfolder. You can create any number of subfolders, and each can hold

any number of files and additional subfolders. You can create a folder on any storage location by right-clicking and select new 4 folder. You can also use shortcut Ctrl+Shift+N for the same.

Files: A file is an item that contains information—for example, text or images or music. On your computer, files are represented with icons; this makes it easy to recognize a type of file by looking at its icon.

1.   Create the following Folder and subfolders on the Desktop.

2.   Open the WordPad, write something about MS-Paint, save the file in the "Software" folder.

3.   Open the Word Pad, write about Keyboard, save the file in the "Keyboard" folder.

4.   Copy the above-made files and paste them into the "CPU" folder.

5.   Move the file of the "Software" folder into the "Hardware" folder.

6.   Create a shortcut of MS-Paint in the "Software" folder.

 

Applications Extension & Run Commands

Application                    Extensions                                                        Run Command

Calculator                                                                                                                      calc

Notepad                           .txt (Text)                                                                             notepad

WordPad                          .rtf (Rich Text File)                                                                WordPad

MS-Paint                          .png (Portable Network Graphic                                 MSPaint

MS- Word                        .docx (Document)                                                            WinWord

MS-Excel                          .xlsx                                                                                                    excel

MS-Power Point                 .pptx                                                                                  PowerPoint

 Shortcuts of MS-Office

Shortcut	Description
Ctrl + N	New a File
Ctrl + 0	Open a File
Ctrl + S / Shift +F12	Save a File
F12	Save As a File
Ctrl + W / Ctrl + F4	Close the File
Ctrl + C / Ctrl + Insert	Copy
Ctrl + X	Cut
Ctrl + V / Shift + Insert	Paste
Ctrl + Z	Undo
Ctrl + Y	Redo / Repeat
Ctrl + B	Bold
Ctrl + I	Italic

 

 

Ctrl + U	Underline Print
Ctrl + P / Ctrl + Shift + F12
Ctrl + A	Select All PrintPreview
CTRL+F2
Ctrl+Shift+>	Grow (Increase) Font
Ctrl+Shift+<	Shrink (Decrease) Font
Ctrl+Shift+P/ Ctrl+Shift+F	Font Dialogue box
Ctrl+L	Left Align
Ctrl+E	Centre Align
Ctrl+R	Right Align
Ctrl+Home	Beginning of the Document
Ctrl+End	End of the Document
Home	Beginning of the line
End	End of the line
F7	Spelling & Grammer
Shift+Arrow Keys (E--,4,1•,4,)	Select (Left, Right, Up, Down)
Shift+Home	Select the line from Right side
Shift+End	Select the line from Left side
Ctrl+Scroll wheel	Zooming/ Application view
Ctrl+Shift+C	Format Painter/ Copy the formatting
Ctrl+Shift+V	Paste the formatting
Ctrl+K	Hyperlink
Ctrl+F	Find
Ctrl + G / F5	Goto
Ctrl+H	Replace
Alt+F8	View Macros
Ctrl+Page Up	Previous Page
Ctrl+Page Down	Next Page
Alt+ Tab	Switch the Program