Computers can be connected to multimedia, such as sound graphics, photographs, and video equipment to manipulate, input, and generate output, but special software is required.
If a personal computer is within 1,000 feet of another computer, a cable can directly connect it. If the devices are more than 1,000 feet, the electrical signal weakens. Then a modem is used. A computer is designed to process data as digital signals, individual electrical pulses grouped together to represent characters. Telephone equipment was designed to carry voice, which is made up of a continuous electrical wave called an analog signal. The purpose of a modem is to send the converted digital signals of a computer to analog signals to send and then convert the analog signals it receives to digital to send the message back to the computer. A modem may be a part of the computer or a stand-alone device that is connected to the computer and phone line.
Modems can transmit data at rates from 1,200 to 56,200 bits per second (bps) for the personal user.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
software
Computer productivity is determined by programs which are step by step instructions telling the computer how to process data. Software can be divided into two groups, system and application.
System software - The operation of your computer is controlled by system software. As you boot the computer, the system software is stored in the computer's memory which instructs the computer to load, store, and execute an application.
Examples of system software are Windows 95 and Windows 98 which use a graphical user interface (GUI) that provides visual clues (icons) to help the user. DOS, another disk operating system, is text based and not user friendly.
Professional programmers write a variety of application software to satisfy needs of the public who wants to perform specific tasks on their computers. The basic types of application software are word processing, database, spreadsheet, desktop publishing, and communication.
Word Processing - Word processing is the most commonly used software in schools, home, and business. A key advantage of word processing software is that users can make changes such as spelling, margins, additions, deletions, and movement of text. A beginning computer student should learn word processing, as it is the basis of most software. Once you have learned how a word processor functions, you will be able to learn other software quicker.
Database Software - Database software allows us to store and manipulate large quantities of data using the computer. For example, a database can sort the names, addresses, grades and activities for all of the students in a school. It would be possible to add or delete data and produce printed reports using the database.
Spreadsheet Software - Spreadsheets store numeric data that can be used in calculations. A spreadsheet is used to store a teachers grades and then calculate student averages. The primary advantage of a computerized spreadsheet is its ability to redo the calculations should the data it stores be changed. Calculations can be made automatically as formulas have been preset into the spreadsheet.
Desktop Publishing - Desktop publishing applications allow the user to create newspapers, newsletters, brochures, and similar types of publications. It is similar to word processing except it allows the user to use text, graphics, pictures, lines, shapes, patterns, and borders. Desktop publishing requires more skill and computer knowledge of design and layout.
Presently a user can purchase an integrated program. This means that a single program performs all applications and allows data to be transferred from one application to another. Microsoft Office 97, Works, and ClarisWorks are examples of integrated software. Each application includes a word processing, data base and spreadsheet section of the software.
There are numerous other applications available. There are software programs that can be used by musicians to produce musical scores and play them on a synthesizer, programs that assist an architect in designing a building, programs that produce the special effects that you see in movies, and programs that allow e-mail or electronic mail. Every line of work you can think of has had applications developed, which can ease or enhance its effectiveness and consistency.
System software - The operation of your computer is controlled by system software. As you boot the computer, the system software is stored in the computer's memory which instructs the computer to load, store, and execute an application.
Examples of system software are Windows 95 and Windows 98 which use a graphical user interface (GUI) that provides visual clues (icons) to help the user. DOS, another disk operating system, is text based and not user friendly.
Professional programmers write a variety of application software to satisfy needs of the public who wants to perform specific tasks on their computers. The basic types of application software are word processing, database, spreadsheet, desktop publishing, and communication.
Word Processing - Word processing is the most commonly used software in schools, home, and business. A key advantage of word processing software is that users can make changes such as spelling, margins, additions, deletions, and movement of text. A beginning computer student should learn word processing, as it is the basis of most software. Once you have learned how a word processor functions, you will be able to learn other software quicker.
Database Software - Database software allows us to store and manipulate large quantities of data using the computer. For example, a database can sort the names, addresses, grades and activities for all of the students in a school. It would be possible to add or delete data and produce printed reports using the database.
Spreadsheet Software - Spreadsheets store numeric data that can be used in calculations. A spreadsheet is used to store a teachers grades and then calculate student averages. The primary advantage of a computerized spreadsheet is its ability to redo the calculations should the data it stores be changed. Calculations can be made automatically as formulas have been preset into the spreadsheet.
Desktop Publishing - Desktop publishing applications allow the user to create newspapers, newsletters, brochures, and similar types of publications. It is similar to word processing except it allows the user to use text, graphics, pictures, lines, shapes, patterns, and borders. Desktop publishing requires more skill and computer knowledge of design and layout.
Presently a user can purchase an integrated program. This means that a single program performs all applications and allows data to be transferred from one application to another. Microsoft Office 97, Works, and ClarisWorks are examples of integrated software. Each application includes a word processing, data base and spreadsheet section of the software.
There are numerous other applications available. There are software programs that can be used by musicians to produce musical scores and play them on a synthesizer, programs that assist an architect in designing a building, programs that produce the special effects that you see in movies, and programs that allow e-mail or electronic mail. Every line of work you can think of has had applications developed, which can ease or enhance its effectiveness and consistency.
Bits and Byets
A computer stores data in units called bits and bytes. Computer chips called integrated circuits have one of two states, off or on. Therefore, a system was developed that used only two numbers, 0 and 1. Zero representing off and 1 representing on. You can think of this as a sort of light switch. Each switch is called a bit.
Bits are grouped together in sets of eight. Each set of eight bits is called a byte. Setting different combinations of those eight "on and off" combinations can be developed to stand for letters numbers, spaces, and symbols. For practical purposes, think of a byte as one character. When computers refer to memory or storage they refer to terms using the following forms of measurement.
Bits are grouped together in sets of eight. Each set of eight bits is called a byte. Setting different combinations of those eight "on and off" combinations can be developed to stand for letters numbers, spaces, and symbols. For practical purposes, think of a byte as one character. When computers refer to memory or storage they refer to terms using the following forms of measurement.
- 8 bits = 1 byte
1024 bytes = 1 Kilobyte (K)
1024 Kilobytes = 1 Megabyte (MG)
1024 Megabytes = 1 Gigabyte (GB)
computer hardware processing
Processing
The central processing unit or (CPU) is the "brain" of your computer. It contains the electronic circuits that cause the computer to follow instructions from ROM (read only memory) or from a program in RAM (random access memory). By following these instructions information is processed. The CPU contains three parts.
The central processing unit or (CPU) is the "brain" of your computer. It contains the electronic circuits that cause the computer to follow instructions from ROM (read only memory) or from a program in RAM (random access memory). By following these instructions information is processed. The CPU contains three parts.
- 1. Arithmetic Logic Unit - ALU is where the "intelligence" of the computer is located. It can add and compare numbers. To multiply 2 x 4 the computer would add 2 + 2 + 2 + 2. The ALU makes decisions by determining if a number is greater, less, or equal to the other number. Processing is completed in nanoseconds, which is a billionth of a second.2. Memory - Two types of memory contained on a chip are RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory). ROM memory has been installed on your computer by the manufacturer and can not be altered. ROM is the memory that determines all the basic functions of the operation of your machine, such as startup, shut down, and placing a character on the screen. RAM is temporary memory, which displays the information you are working on. RAM remembers what you see on your screen while you are working. Today's applications required large amounts of temporary memory, which may require you to upgrade and add more RAM memory.
3. Control Unit - This is the part of the unit, which directs information to the proper places in your computer, such as calculation of information by the ALU unit or to store and print material
Computer hardware
Computer hardware is made up of the equipment used to make up you computer unit. These parts include your monitor, central processing unit (CPU), keyboard, mouse, printer, and modem.
The computer is an electronic machine that performs the following four general operations:
The input hardware allows you to enter data into the computer. The primary devices used are the keyboard and mouse.
Keyboard - The keyboard looks like the typewriter. A numeric keypad is located to the right of the keyboard. Numeric keys have the same placement as a 10-key calculator, which allow the operator to enter data rapidly.
Mouse - The mouse is a device that allows you to control the movement of the insertion point on the screen. The operator places the palm of the hand over the mouse and moves it across a mouse pad, which provides traction for the rolling ball inside the device. Movement of the ball determines the location of the I beam on the computer screen. When the operator clicks the mouse the I beam becomes an insertion point which indicates the area you are working on the screen. You can also click the mouse and activate icons or drag to move objects and select text. There are other input devices, such as touch screen, joystick, modem, scanner, and voice recognition systems.
The computer is an electronic machine that performs the following four general operations:
- Input
- Storage
- Processing
- Output.
The input hardware allows you to enter data into the computer. The primary devices used are the keyboard and mouse.
Keyboard - The keyboard looks like the typewriter. A numeric keypad is located to the right of the keyboard. Numeric keys have the same placement as a 10-key calculator, which allow the operator to enter data rapidly.
Mouse - The mouse is a device that allows you to control the movement of the insertion point on the screen. The operator places the palm of the hand over the mouse and moves it across a mouse pad, which provides traction for the rolling ball inside the device. Movement of the ball determines the location of the I beam on the computer screen. When the operator clicks the mouse the I beam becomes an insertion point which indicates the area you are working on the screen. You can also click the mouse and activate icons or drag to move objects and select text. There are other input devices, such as touch screen, joystick, modem, scanner, and voice recognition systems.
What can you do with your computer?
In the workplace, many people use computers to keep records, analyze data, do research, and manage projects. At home, you can use computers to find information, store pictures and music, track finances, play games, and communicate with others—and those are just a few of the possibilities.
You can also use your computer to connect to the Internet, a network that links computers around the world. Internet access is available for a monthly fee in most urban areas, and increasingly, in less populated areas. With Internet access, you can communicate with people all over the world and find a vast amount of information.
Here are some of the most popular things to do with computers:
The web
The World Wide Web (usually called the web, or web) is a gigantic storehouse of information. The web is the most popular part of the Internet, partly because it displays most information in a visually appealing format. Headlines, text, and pictures can be combined on a single webpage—much like a page in a magazine—along with sounds and animation. A website is a collection of interconnected webpages. The web contains millions of websites and billions of webpages.
Monday, June 9, 2014
computer types.
Computers range in size and capability. At one end of the scale aresupercomputers, very large computers with thousands of linked microprocessors that perform extremely complex calculations. At the other end are tiny computers embedded in cars, TVs, stereo systems, calculators, and appliances. These computers are built to perform a limited number of tasks.
The personal computer, or PC, is designed to be used by one person at a time. This section describes the various kinds of personal computers: desktops, laptops, handheld computers, and Tablet Pcs.
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