Reviewer in Living in the I.
T Era management and sharing of hardware
What is computer?
• an electronic device, hardware device.
• It operates and function under the control of
instruction called Program stored in its
memory.
• The information which enters the computer
is data.
Elements of computer system (6)
1. People
2. Software
3. Hardware
4. Data
5. Connectivity
6. Procedure
People – most important element of a computer
system.
Software – program or instructions that a computer
must follow its task.
Hardware – physical components that you can feel
and touch.
Data – includes text and numbers, sounds images
and video that we input into the computer for
processing.
Connectivity – means that the computer must be
connected to other computers specially through
internet.
Procedure – are step by step instructions to follow
when using hardware, software and data.
AVR – automatic voltage regulator
People – Computers touch people’s lives every day.
When we connect to the internet. Listen to music and
watch movies, do our assignments and play
computer. People come in contact with computers.
Software – are set of instructions that tell the
computer what to do to fulfill its task.
2 kinds of software
1. System Software
• Operating system – is a program that is
basically responsible for the coordination
resources and task in the computer.
• Utility Software – is a program that
performs maintenance tasks for the
computer resources such as clean up and
organizing file s and programs.
• Device Driver – is a program that allows
particular hardware device to work and
communicate with the computer system.
Application Software
Basic Application Software – includes word
processors, spreadsheets, database and presentation
software. An internet browser is also an important
basic software for one to connect and surf the
internet.
Specialized Application Software – includes
software for graphics multimedia audio, web
designing and many other applications that focus on
a certain discipline pr profession.
Advantages of using computer
1. Speed – Computer operates on a data and
command at incredibly fast speed.
2. Storage – Computers can store enormous
amount of data and information in their
memory.
3. Reliable – Modern computers rarely
breakdown and when they do, they are easily
repaired.
4. Consistent – If you input the same data into
the computer using the same program, it will
give you the same result all the time.
5. Communicate – People connect with others
by the use of computers.
Disadvantages of using computer
1. Safety and Security – People have to be
careful in sharing photos and personal
information on the computer and internet.
2. Health Risks – Long and improper use of the
computer can be lead to injuries and hazards
to the user.
3. Environment – old computer must me
disposed off properly.
4. Use of power – computers need electricity to
run.
 5. Privacy Violation – personal information
when stored in a computer can be viewed and
stolen.
Ten Commandments of The Computer Ethics
- Was written by Dr. Ramon C. Barquin in
1992 for the Computer Ethics Institute
- He wrote a paper entitled “In pursuit of a
“Ten Commandments”.
Ten Commandments
1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other
people
2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people's
computer work
3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other
people's files
4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal
5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false
witness
6. Thou shalt not use or copy software for which
you have not paid
7. Thou shalt not use other people's computer
resources without authorization
8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people's
intellectual output
9. Thou shalt think about the social
consequences of the program you write
10. Thou shalt use a computer in ways that show
consideration and respect
Types of Computers
1. The Personal Computer (PC)
- General purpose, cost-effective computer
that is designed to be used by a single end-
user.
- A desktop computer (PC) is a computer
meant for a desk or a home, it is not wireless
or portable.
- Have a mouse, a keyboard and a base unit
which includes the computer components.
- Desktops are generally cheaper than laptops
have a longer life span.
- An example of a Desktop is an Apple Mac.
- In the mid-1960s and into the 1970s,
computers occupied entire rooms and were
only affordable by a large universities and
enterprises.
- In its earlier days’ PCs, were bulky and
expensive
- In 1981, IBM came into the arena by
introducing its first personal computer,
termed as the IBM PC rapidly became
popular in the market.
- Only few companies could survive the
popularity of IBM pcs, including Apple
which remained a leading provider in the PC
Market.
- Later, other manufacturers adapted to the PC
trend advanced by IBM by developing IBM
clones, Clones were PCs with almost the
same configurations as IBM PCs, but at a
lower price. Gradually, IBM lost their
dominance in the PC Arena.
- Presently (as of 2011), the realm of PCs is
mainly divided between Apple Macintoshes
and PCs from other manufacturers.
PCs usually consist the following parts:
• Computer case
• Power supply
• Motherboard
• Random access memory (RAM)
• Hard disk(s)
2. Laptop
- Portable wireless PC, it can do everything a
desktop can do, but it can do it on the more
which makes laptops generally more popular
because you can use a laptop anywhere in the
home.
- Generally, more expensive the desktops and
netbooks
- Instead of mouse, laptops have touchpads
which is built in with integrated keyboard.
- Examples: Dell, Acer and Apple Mac
3. Notebook/Netbook
- Smaller than laptops
- Notebook/netbook which is that is sometimes
known as, is PC that a similar to a laptop but
it is cheaper, lighter and a lot small.
- Netbooks are great for business men because
they can use them on the more and they can
 also easily put them in a brief case or shoulder
bag without taking up too much space.
- Extremely light weight personal computer.
- Typically, weight less than 6 pounds and are
small enough to fit easily in a briefcase.
- Aside from size, the principal difference
between a notebook computer and a personal
computer is the display screen.
- Notebook computers use a variety of
techniques, known as flat-panel technologies,
to produce a lightweight and non-bulky
display screen.
What is netbook?
- The term “netbook” is a perfect description of
the product: a small laptop PC intended
mostly for using internet-based tools and
services -- surfing the web, running
lightweight apps, saving files to the cloud,
and so on.
Advantages of Netbook
- Less costly than most laptop/tablets
- Convenient to hold, carry and pack
- Extremely lightweight
- Physical keyboard for email and business
- Long battery life (generally)
Netbooks have some major differences compared
to laptops:
Processor:
• Netbook processors need to operate within
even smaller spaces than laptop processors,
so netbooks typically use low-voltage, low-
power CPUs similar to those used in tablet
PCs.
• This limits their cycle times to the range of 1
GHz to 2 GHz and makes advanced
spreadsheet or photo editing programs slower
than on other systems.
Storage:
• To achieve their light weight (typically about
2 lbs.), netbooks contain much smaller hard
drives and, therefore, less storage space.
• Capacities vary widely, from smartphone-
like 32-64 GB models to ones with 150 GB
or more.
• Systems with solid-state drives offer higher
capacities but the cost of the drives pushes
them to the upper half of the netbook price
range.
Features:
• Like tablets, netbooks are built to use the
internet for accessing and using remote
services, saving data to the cloud, and so on.
• So, you won't find a DVD drive on most
netbooks. There are still multiple ports to
attach USB devices, external monitors, etc.,
but the number and type of ports typically
goes down along with the price of the system.
4. PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)
- Phone like device that manage operation
- Most modern PDAs can access the internet
and can operate like phones so they are now
commonly known as smartphones.
- PDA are becoming uncommon mainly
because phones can do all the things PDAs,
can do, but they can also do more.
- PDA also known as handheld PC, is a variety
mobile device which functions as a personal
information manager
- PDA have been mostly displaced by the
widespread adoption of highly capable
smartphone.
- Also called palmtops or handheld computers
and pocket computers.
- A typical PDA can function as a cellular
phone, fax sender, and personal organizer.
Unlike portable computers, most PDAs are
pen-based, using a stylus rather than a
keyboard for input. This means that they also
incorporate handwriting recognition features.
- Some PDAs can also react to voice input by
using voice recognition technologies.
- The field of PDA was pioneered by Apple
Computer, which introduced the Newton
MessagePad in 1993.
 5. Game Console
- Purpose: to play video games
- Like most modern devices you can now
access the internet play other types of media
and talk with friends.
- Examples: PS3 and the xbox 360 -4th
generation game consoles
6. Tablet
- Wireless phone like computer
- Enables you to control the pointer by moving
your finger around the screen.
- Use a virtual keyboard rather than physical
one.
- Tablets are bigger than PDA and phone and
are more limited to what they can do
compared to a laptop or notebook.
- E.g., tablet is the iPad.
Mainframe Computer
- IBM 1970 – output is punch card
- Less powerful than super computers but are
capable of great processing speed multi-
tasking capability and high data storage.
- They are used by most banks to process
information of depositors 1 million of daily
bank transactions
- Insurance companies use them for their
policy holder’s database.
- These computers have specialized wiring
system and usually occupies a big room with
temperature control.
Super Computer
- Must powerful available
- High capacity that run continuously are being
use by very big organizations mostly big
companies.
- Include NASA and US government, some big
schools of companies
- Used for sensitive and calculation.
Supercomputers have been used for highly
compute-intensive tasks such as quantum
physics, weather forecasting, climate
research, oil and gas exploration, molecular
modeling, and physical simulations.
Introduction of computer
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
Functionalities of a computer
Any digital computer carries out five functions in gross
terms:
1. Takes data as input
2. Stores the data/instructions in its memory and
use them when required.
3. Process the data and converts it into useful
information
4. Generate the output
5. Controls all the above four steps.
Computer Components
Any kind of computers consists of HARDWARE
AND SOFTWARE.
1. Hardware:
Computer hardware is the collection of physical
elements that constitutes a computer system.
Computer hardware refers to the physical parts or
components of a computer such as the monitor,
mouse, keyboard, computer data storage, hard drive
disk (HDD), system unit (graphic cards, sound cards,
memory, motherboard and chips), etc. all of which
are physical objects that can be touched.
2. Software
Software is a generic term for organized collections
of computer data and instructions, often broken into
two major categories: system software that provides
the basic nontask-specific functions of the computer,
and application software which is used by users to
accomplish specific tasks.
 The CPU is comprised of three main parts :
1. Arithmetic Logic Unit (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
2. Control Unit (CU): controls and co-ordinates
computer components.
Input Devices 1. Read the code for the next instruction to be
Input device is any peripheral (piece of computer executed.
hardware equipment to provide data and control 2. Increment the program counter so it points
signals to an information processing system such as to the next instruction.
a computer or other information appliance. Input 3. Read whatever data the instruction requires
device Translate data from form that humans from cells in memory.
understand to one that the computer can work with. 4. Provide the necessary data to an ALU or
Most common are keyboard and mouse register.
5. If the instruction requires an ALU or
specialized hardware to complete, instruct the
hardware to perform the requested operation.
3. Registers: Stores the data that is to be executed
next, "very fast storage area"
Primary Memory:-
1. RAM: Random Access Memory (RAM) 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.
Central Processing Unit (CPU) 2. ROM (Read Only Memory): ROM is a
permanent form of storage. ROM stays active
A CPU is brain of a computer. It is responsible for
regardless of whether power supply to it is
all functions and processes. Regarding computing
turned on or off. ROM devices do not allow
power, the CPU is the most important element of a
data stored on them to be modified.
computer system.
Secondary Memory: -
Stores data and programs permanently: it’s retained
after the power is turned off
1. Hard drive (HD): A hard disk is part of a Output devices
unit, often called a "disk drive," "hard drive,"
An output device is any piece of computer hardware
or "hard disk drive," that store and provides
equipment used to communicate the results of data
relatively quick access to large amounts of
processing carried out by an information processing
data on an electromagnetically charged
system (such as a computer) which converts the
surface or set of surfaces.
electronically generated information into human
2. Optical Disk: an optical disc drive (ODD) is
readable form
a disk drive that uses laser light as part of the
process of reading or writing data to or from
optical discs. Some drives can only read from
discs, but recent drives are commonly both
readers and recorders, also called burners or
writers. Compact discs, DVDs, and Blu-ray
discs are common types of optical media
which can be read and recorded by such
drives. Optical drive is the generic name;
drives are usually described as "CD" "DVD",
or "Bluray", followed by "drive", "writer",
etc. There are three main types of optical
media: CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disc. CDs can Example on Output Devices:
store up to 700 megabytes (MB) of data and 1. Monitor
DVDs can store up to 8.4 GB of data. Blu-ray 2. LCD Projection Panels
discs, which are the newest type of optical 3. Printers (all types)
media, can store up to 50 GB of data. This 4. Computer output Microfilm (COM)
storage capacity is a clear advantage over the 5. Plotters
floppy disk storage media (a magnetic 6. Speaker(s)
media), which only has a capacity of 1.44 7. Projector
MB.
3. Flash Disk: A storage module made of flash Note Basic types of monitors are
memory chips. A Flash disks have no a. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT).
mechanical platters or access arms, but the b. Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD).
term "disk" is used because the data are c. light-emitting diode (LED)
accessed as if they were on a hard drive. The Printer types:
disk storage structure is emulated. 1-Laser Printer.
2-Ink Jet Printer.
3-Dot Matrix Printer