TABLE OF CONTENTS

U NI V ERSIT Y O F S A N C A RL OS
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Computer Science

CHAPTER 1 HEALTH RISKS WHEN USING A COMPUTER ....................................................... .5

EXERCISE 1.1 .............................................................................................................................. 11
CHAPTER 2 HISTORY OF COMPUTERS. .................................................................................. 14
EXERCISE 2.1 .............................................................................................................................. 23
EXERCISE 2.2 .............................................................................................................................. 24
EXERCISE 2.3 .............................................................................................................................. 25
EXERCISE 2.4 .............................................................................................................................. 27
CHAPTER 3 COMPUTER SYSTEM.............................................................................................. 28

COMPUTER OPERATION
FUNDAMENTALS

EXERCISE 3.1 ............................................................................................................................... 48

EXERCISE 3.2 ............................................................................................................................... 49
CHAPTER 4 BASIC KEYBOARDING USING TYPING TUTOR. .................................................. 50
EXERCISE 4.1 ............................................................................................................................... 53
EXERCISE 4.2 ............................................................................................................................... 54

WORKBOOK

EXERCISE 4.3.55
CHAPTER 5 DISK OPERATING SYSTEM (DOS) COMMANDS.................................................. 56
EXERCISE 5.1: .............................................................................................................................. 64
EXERCISE 5.2: .............................................................................................................................. 65
EXERCISE 5.3: .............................................................................................................................. 66

Name of Student

________________________________________________

Course/Year

________________________________________________

Class Schedule

________________________________________________

Room Number

________________________________________________

Name of Instructor

________________________________________________

EXERCISE 5.4: .............................................................................................................................. 68

EXERCISE 5.5: .............................................................................................................................. 69
EXERCISE 5.6: .............................................................................................................................. 70
EXERCISE 5.7 ............................................................................................................................... 71
EXERCISE 5.8 ............................................................................................................................... 74
CHAPTER 6 WINDOWS 7............................................................................................................. 76
EXERCISE 6.1 ............................................................................................................................... 82
EXERCISE 6.2 ............................................................................................................................... 83

CHAPTER 7 MICROSOFT WORD................................................................................................ 85

EXERCISE 10.12 ......................................................................................................................... 181

EXERCISE 7.1 ............................................................................................................................ .104

EXERCISE 10.13 ......................................................................................................................... 194

EXERCISE 7.2 ............................................................................................................................. 105

EXERCISE 10.14 ......................................................................................................................... 196

EXERCISE 7.3 ............................................................................................................................. 106

EXERCISE 10.15: ........................................................................................................................ 198

EXERCISE 7.4 ............................................................................................................................. 107

EXERCISE 10.16 ......................................................................................................................... 202

EXERCISE 7.5 ............................................................................................................................. 108

EXERCISE 10.17.....201

EXERCISE 7.6......109

REFERENCES 203

EXERCISE 7.7..110

APPENDICES..204

CHAPTER 8. MICROSOFT POWERPOINT................................................................................ 110

SAMPLE EMPLOYEE MEMORANDUM 205

SAMPLE LETTERHEADS... 206

EXERCISE 8.1 ............................................................................................................................. 126

EXERCISE 8.2 ............................................................................................................................. 127
EXERCISE 8.3..128
EXERCISE 8.4.....130
CHAPTER 9 WINDOWS MOVIEMAKER. ................................................................................... 131
EXERCISE 9.1.140
EXERCISE 9.2.141
CHAPTER 10 MICROSOFT EXCEL ......142
EXERCISE 10.1...151
EXERCISE 10.2 ........................................................................................................................... 162
EXERCISE 10.3 ........................................................................................................................... 163
EXERCISE 10.4 ........................................................................................................................... 164
EXERCISE 10.5 ........................................................................................................................... 165
EXERCISE 10.6 ........................................................................................................................... 166
EXERCISE 10.7 ........................................................................................................................... 167
EXERCISE 10.8 ........................................................................................................................... 170
EXERCISE 10.9 ........................................................................................................................... 171
EXERCISE 10.10 ......................................................................................................................... 173
EXERCISE 10.11 ......................................................................................................................... 181

As more and more work, education and recreation involves computers, you need
to be aware of the health risks that you are exposed to as a user. This section serves
only as an introduction to these potential hazards as you will want to continually update
yourself on risks associated with computer use.

CHAPTER 1.

Repetitive Strain Injury

Every computer user needs to be aware of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). RSI
occurs from repeated physical movements which can damage tendons, nerves,
muscles, and other soft body tissues. The effect of the light-touch keyboards that allow
high-speed typing and long periods of clutching and dragging the mouse slowly
accumulate to cause computer-related RSI.

HEALTH RISKS WHEN

USING A COMPUTER

Symptoms of RSI include:

tightness, discomfort, stiffness, soreness or burning in the hands, wrists, fingers,
forearms, or elbows
tingling, coldness, or numbness in the hands
clumsiness or loss of strength and coordination in the hands
pain that wakes you up at night
feeling a need to massage your hands, wrists, and arms
pain in the upper back, shoulders, or neck associated with using the computer.
Eye Strain
Looking at a computer screen for extended periods of time can also cause
ailments related to your vision. Improper lighting, glare on the monitor screen and sitting
too far from the monitor can create unnecessary strain on your eyes. This can cause
headaches, dry, red or tired eyes, temporary blurred vision and even more long-term
vision problems.
The main causes of eye discomfort are thought to
be:
a very dry or dusty atmosphere
very bright light sources in your field of view
screen flicker or drifting
reflection on the screen
looking at near objects for continuously for
long periods
focusing on objects that are rapidly moving or not stable.
Lighting
Glare is the main lighting concern when working with
computers. To help minimize glare and reduce eye strain:
the room should always be lit from above
the windows should be fitted with non- reflective blinds
or curtains, preferably beige
work surfaces should be non-reflective and cleankeep
your monitor screen clean
position computer screens away from light reflection and glare. The optimum
position is at right angles to the sources of natural light coming through windows

Here are some other good tips for adjusting

your chair for best comfort:
the computer screen should be at eye
level so that little neck movement up
or down is necessary
the chair should be adjusted so that
your forearms and wrists are
horizontal to the keyboard and
little wrist movement is necessary
the chair should be at a level so that
your legs are bent in a 90 degree
angle with your feet flat on the floor.

a more vertical screen is generally

better for reflections and head
posture
if necessary, use a desk light to
illuminate your documents to the
same brightness as your screen

Adjustable Chair

A chair should be adjusted many

times during the day. This will help to relieve
muscle tension in specific muscle groups

Computer users tend to spend most of their

day seated. As such, it is important that you are
able to adjust you chair height in various ways and
positions to prevent strains and other health
problems. To provide comfortable support for each
particular individual, the following features of a
chair are important:
easily adjustable chair height from 42-54
cm
seat pan large enough to provide support to
thighs and buttocks, but not pressing the
back of your knees
seat pan with a waterfall edge at the front
to avoid pressure on the underside of your lower thigh
easily adjustable seat pan tilt
easily adjustable back rest tilt and height providing lumbar support
easily adjustable arm height
sturdy base with five legs and casters
breathable material and a dense foam that gives way no more than 2.5 cm.

while loading others.

Rest periods
It is important that you take periodic breaks as you work with a computer. The
timing of breaks is more important than length of the breaks. Take short, frequent breaks
before you become tired. A 2-3 minute break after 30 minutes of screen and keyboard
work is more refreshing than a 15-minute break after 2 hours.
Taking a break need not mean going for a cup of coffee. Simply changing
activities is a useful type of break. Alternate between screen and non-screen based
tasks throughout the day. Make sure the change of activity uses different muscles and
tendons to your computer work. Take short pauses from your work to stretch.
Use your formal breaks to get away from your keyboard and screen. Help to
relax your eyes by finding somewhere that allows you to look at a distant object. Here
are some more tips for relieving strain on your body from extended periods of computer
use:
look away from the screen every few minutes at a distant object.

To adjust the chair to your specific needs:

1. stand in front of the chair. Adjust the height so that the highest point of the seat
is just below your knee cap
2. sit so that the clearance between the front edge of the seat and the lower part of
the legs just fits a clenched fist
3. adjust the angle and height of the backrest of the chair so that it supports the
hollow of your lower back
4. adjust the seat pan tilt to a comfortable position.

When you sit at your computer workstation, ensure that when you put your fingers on
the middle row of the keyboard your forearms and hands are horizontal, with your
elbows vertically under your shoulders and not angled at the wrist.

alternate work tasks

use a stretching routine to relax
the body
keep the mouse at keyboard level
do not grip the mouse tightly
click the mouse lightly.

Reasons for maintaining a clean working environment

Computer maintenance is necessary to increase the computers lifespan. To
minimize the money spent on fixing your computer as well as preventing possible
hazards, you should always ensure that your computer is safe from dirt, dust, light, heat,
liquid and other potentially harmful substances.

Heat
Heat is the greatest enemy to a computer as it causes the internal components to
wear out and lowers the performance of your system.
Here are some tips for avoiding your computer overheating:
check the ventilation around the system
if the computer is placed in an enclosed cabinet, cut a hole in the back of the
cabinet behind the cooling fan. This will draw cool air into the system
have at least 100mm of space to the rear of the computer, in order not to block
the flow of air into the computer.
Here are some tips for protecting your monitor:
the top and rear of your monitor should be kept clean at all times
papers, books, boxes, etc, should not be put on top of the monitor
the ventilation slot in the top of the monitor allows excess heat to escape. If that heat
is not released, it causes abnormal wear to the monitors internal parts and can cause
colour shifting, screen flickering and screen failure.

Cleaning the computer

Cleaning your computer is very important to ensure that dust and dirt do not
cause damage to the computer. Dust keeps the chips of your components hot. The
more dust, the hotter they get. Even a small amount can raise internal temperature of
your components by 5%, shortening the lifespan of your system. You should clean all
parts of the computer, the keyboard, the mouse, the monitor and the system unit. Use
covers for all parts of your computer when not in use.

Posture
Computer workstations should be set up to
accommodate your body postures.

Distance from monitor

Check the distance of the monitor. For most
people to view the screen comfortably it should be
about 55 - 65 cm away, so that your eye focus
muscles do not have to work too hard.
If you are sitting much closer than this, consider if
there is a problem with your eyesight, the screen
quality or settings, or the desk depth. Usable desk
depth can often be increased by pulling the desk
away from the wall and allowing the monitor to
overhang at the back.

You should be able to sit comfortably in the

chair, using as much of the chair back as possible to
avoid back problems.
Proper workstation setup:
Tips for healthy sitting posture

Keep open angles. Hips, elbows, and knees should be at slightly open angles
(greater than 90 degrees). Sitting erect or leaning forward increases the strain
on the lower back. This is for short term use, but is not recommended for
prolonged periods of time.
Keep thighs parallel to the floor. Your thighs should be roughly parallel to the
floor.
Recline slightly. Reclining eases pressure off your lower back.
Avoid pressure points. Uncomfortable pressure (such as on the back of your
knees) can impede blood circulation.
Rest feet flat on floor. Your feet should be flat on either the floor or a footrest.
Get a footrest if you need one. Otherwise, if your chair is too high, you may find
yourself sliding forwards and either slumping or sitting upright with your back
unsupported.
Move around. Making slight adjustments to your sitting posture throughout the
day is healthy.

Make an effort to sit correctly - very upright. Most of us have learned to sit
habitually in a slumped posture
which is bad for our backs.

Check the side-to-side position of the

monitor - it should be directly in front of you.

Adjust the backrest on your chair to

give support to your lower spine.

Do not put the monitor in the corner either it will be hard to get close enough to the
keyboard, or you will be twisted and your back
and neck may develop problems.

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EXERCISE 1.1

intervention?
Display
screen
equipment

Applying Health and Safety Standards when using a Computer

Name

Class Schedule

Teacher

Date Today

19.
Is the top of the visible area at eye height when you are sitting
upright?
20. Is the monitor at a suitable distance from your eyes (55-65cm)?
21. Is the monitor directly in front of you so that you do not sit twisted?
22. Is the screen free from glare and reflections?
23. Is the information on the screen well defined and easy to read?
24. Is the image stable and flicker free?
25. Are you free from discomfort in the eyes and neck?
26. Is the screen tilted between 0 and 15 degrees up from the vertical?
27. Can you adjust the brightness and contrast easily?

Sit at your computer workstation. Are you able to sit with the correct body posture?
Take note of what is not correct. How can you adjust yourself or the workstation
accordingly?
This questionnaire will guide you through improving your workstation.

Keyboard
28. Is the keyboard angle set to prevent an angle through the wrist when
typing?
29. Is the keyboard at a distance from you that puts your elbows vertically
under your shoulders when typing?
30. Are you aware that you should move the keyboard over for intensive
mouse or keypad use?
31.
Is the standard keyboard width satisfactory (e.g. can you use the
mouse without having to reach excessively to the side)?

For each question, answer with a YES or NO.

Desk
1.
Is there enough space on your desktop for the flow of work?
2.
Is there adequate leg room (height, width and depth)?
3.
Is the desk deep enough for the monitor to be at least 55-60cm from
the eyes?
4.
If the monitor is located at one end of the desk, is there legroom to roll
the chair to that end of the desk, so you can sit square to it?
5.
Do you have, and habitually use, a comfortable resting place for your
hands/wrists when not keying (in the lap, a gel wrist rest)
6.
Is the layout of the desktop equipment satisfactory?

Mouse
32. Is the mouse close enough to be used without extending the arm at
the elbow?
33. Does the mouse run smoothly on its mat and work accurately, without
fiddling?
34. Do you know how to clean the mouse?
35.
Do you know how to adjust the tracking speed and double-click
interval?
36. Do you know how to minimise mouse use by using quick keys, styles
and templates?

Chair
7.
Is your chair at a height that means your elbows are at approximately
the same height as the desk edge when you are using the keyboard?
8.
Is the bottom-cushion a suitable length for your upper leg length, i.e.
can you sit fully back in the seat without any pressure behind the knee?
9.
If fitted, are the armrests at a suitable and supportive height when you
are sitting upright?
10.
Can you get the chair close enough to the desk to type with your
elbows vertically under your shoulders?
11. Does the backrest support the small of your back (lumbar spine) in an
upright posture?
12. Does the foam on the bottom and back of the chair cushion your fist
when you press hard into them?
13. Is the chair comfortable?
14.
Can the backrest be adjusted to provide adequate support and
encourage good posture?
15. Is the chair stable and undamaged?

Document
Holder
37. Can all of your tasks be completed without the need to refer to paper
documents?
38.
If so, does the duration of these tasks mean you do not need a
document holder (e.g. 20 minute stints)?
39. Can documents be reviewed with your head in a balanced posture?
40. If no, has a document holder been provided?
41. If yes, is the document holder of a suitable size and position?
Other
equipment
42. Is other equipment at the workstation appropriate for its use?
43.
Is the extra equipment located in a position that is compatible with
correct posture?

Footrest
16. With the seat and desk adjusted correctly for the elbows, are the feet
firmly on the floor without compressing the underside of the thighs?
17. If a footrest is required, is an appropriate one present?
18.
If not, are you going to get one without a Health & Safety

Space and
room layout

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44. Is there adequate access to the workstation?

45. Is there space to manoeuvre the chair?
46. Does the layout of the immediate work area allow the job to be done
in a correct posture?
47. Is there sufficient storage space?
48.
Are the cables in a safe and secure position, such as to avoid
tripping?
49.
Is the monitor positioned at right-angles to the windows, or at least
optimally within structural constraints?
50.
Is the work area free from obstructions and hazards to prevent, for
instance tripping over something?

CHAPTER 2.
HISTORY OF COMPUTERS

Lighting
51. Is there adequate lighting for all the tasks?
52.
Is the background behind the screen slightly less bright than the
screen?
53. Is the lighting positioned to prevent glare and reflections?
54. Do the windows have effective blinds to control daylight?
Noise
55.
56.

Is the workstation quiet enough for concentration and conversation?

If NOT, is the noise from something not part of the workstation?

57.
58.
59.
60.

Is the temperature comfortable, most of the time?

Can you adjust the temperature locally?
Is humidity normally comfortable for your eyes and sinuses?
Is the work area free from draughts?

Temperature
and humidity

Training and
information
61.
Have you been shown how to adopt a good posture at the
workstation?
62. Have you received information on how to avoid tiredness of the eyes?
63.
Have you been made aware of ways to detect and avoid stress at
work?
64. Have you received information about the provision of eyesight tests?
65.
Have you been informed about taking breaks and to change work
activities?
66.
Have you had training and information in how to adjust your
workstation?
67. Do you know where to report workstation problems?
Cleaning
activities
68.
69.

Is your workstation tidy and cleaned regularly?

Is your equipment cleaned regularly?

Tasks and
postures
70. Do you never or only infrequently have to hold the phone and type at
the same time?
71. Do you type with your wrists not resting on the table?
72. Are your wrists in a flat, neutral position when you are typing?

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The first device that might be considered to be a computer in the modern sense
of the world was conceived in 1822 by the British
mathematician and inventor Charles Babbage. In Babbage's
time, mathematical tables, such as logarithmic and
trigonometric functions, were generated by teams of
mathematicians working day and night on primitive calculators.
In 1822, Babbage proposed building a machine called the
Difference Engine to automatically calculate these tables.

The development of the modern day computer was the result of advances in
technologies and man's need to quantify.
The first tools used as aids to calculation were almost certainly man's own
fingers. As the need to represent larger numbers grew, early man employed readily
available materials for the purpose. Small stones or pebbles could be used to represent
larger numbers than fingers and toes, and had the added advantage of being able to
easily store intermediate results for later use.

The difference engine was

only partially completed when
Babbage conceived the idea of
another, more sophisticated machine called an Analytical
Engine. The Analytical Engine was intended to use loops of
Jacquard's punched cards to control an automatic
calculator, which could make decisions based on the
results of previous computations. Babbage called the two
main parts of his Analytic Engine the "Store" and the "Mill",
as both terms are used in the weaving industry. The Store
was where numbers were held and the Mill was where they were "woven" into new
results. His description of the analytical engines stored program is remarkably close to
the concept of the stored program of modern computers which gained him the title the
Father of Computers.

The first actual calculating mechanism known to us is

the abacus. It was an ancient calculating device made of
beads and wires mounted on a frame. It is known to have
existed in Babylonia and in China, with invention to have
taken place between 2400 BC and 300 BC.
In the year 1612, a Scottish
mathematician named John Napier invented a tool called
Napier's Bones, which were multiplication tables
inscribed on strips of wood or bone. Napier also invented
logarithms, which greatly assisted in arithmetic
calculations.

Herman Hollerith is widely regarded as the

father of modern automatic computation. He chose the
punched card as the basis for storing and processing
information and he built the first punched-card
tabulating and sorting machines as well as the first key
punch. Hollerith realized how useful it would be to
punch (write) new cards based upon an analysis
(reading) of some other set of cards. The machine was
developed to solve the census problem in the U.S. In
February 1924, Hollerith's company, Tabulating
Machine Company, changed its name to International
Business Machines, or IBM.

Blaise Pascal started developing a device to help

his father add sums of money. The first operating model,
the Arithmetic Machine, was introduced in 1642. This was
the first mechanical adding machine. However, Pascal's
device could only add and subtract.
In the 1670s, a German Baron called
Gottfried von Leibniz (sometimes von Leibnitz)
took mechanical calculation a step beyond his
predecessors. Leibniz developed Pascal's ideas
and, in 1671, introduced the Stepped Reckoner, a
device which, as well as performing additions and
subtractions, could multiply, divide, and evaluate
square roots by series of stepped additions.

Howard Aiken at Harvard University

developed Mark I which was officially known as
the IBM Automatic Sequence Controlled
Calculator (ASCC) which was finished in 1944.
The 5-ton device contained almost 760,000
separate pieces. It was used by the US Navy for
gunnery and ballistic calculations. It was in
operation from 1944 - 1959. Mark I is the
worlds first operational electro-mechanical
computer.

A
French silk weaver named Joseph-Marie
Jacquard in 1801 invented a power loom that
could base its weave upon a pattern automatically
read from punched wooden cards, held together
in a long row by rope. This device was called the
Jacquards Loom.

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J. Presper Eckert Jr. and John W. Mauchly developed a high-speed electronic

computer, together with their associates at the Moore School of Engineering of the
University of Pennsylvania, named the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And
Computer)--the world's first electronic digital computer. ENIAC could discriminate the
sign of a number, compare quantities for equality, add, subtract, multiply, divide, and
extract square roots.

Generations of Computers
A generation refers to the state of improvement in the development of a product.
This term is also used in the different advancements of computer technology. Each
generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development that
fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly smaller,
cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliable devices. As a result of the
miniaturization, speed, power, and memory of computers have proportionally increased.
New discoveries are constantly being developed that affect the way we live, work and
play.

In August 1944, Mauchly and Eckert

proposed the building of a new machine
called the Electronic Discrete Variable
Automatic Computer (EDVAC). It became
fully operational in 1952. When it was
finally completed, EDVAC contained
approximately 4,000 vacuum tubes and
10,000 crystal diodes.

The First Generation (1940 1956): The Vacuum Tubes

The first generation computers were huge,
slow, expensive, and often undependable. They used
vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for
memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire
rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in
addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a
lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions.

Another machine called the Electronic Delayed Storage Automatic Calculator

(EDSAC) performed its first calculation
at Cambridge University, England, in
May 1949. EDSAC contained 3,000
vacuum tubes and used mercury delay
lines for memory.

The Second Generation (1956 1963): The Transistors

Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in
the second generation of computers. The transistor was
invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in
computers until the late 50s. The transistor was far superior
to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller,
faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable
than their first-generation predecessors. One transistor
replaced the equivalent of 40 vacuum tubes.

The first commercially available computer was the Universal Automatic Computer
(UNIVAC I). Work started on UNIVAC I in 1948, and the first unit was delivered in 1951.
The machine was used to record the exploding population in the U.S.

The Third Generation (1964 1971): The Integrated Circuits

The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation
of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and
placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which
drastically increased the speed and efficiency of
computers. Computers for the first time became
accessible to a mass audience because they were
smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.

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The Fourth Generation (1971 Present): The Microprocessor

c. Microcomputers or Personal Computers
The term personal computer or PC is generally
a microcomputer intended to be used by one person at
a time, and suitable for general purpose tasks such as
word processing, programming, or game play.

The microprocessor brought the fourth generation

of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were
built onto a single silicon chip. What in the first generation
could fill an entire room could now fit in the palm of the
hand. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of
desktop computers and into many areas of life as more
and more everyday products began to use
microprocessors. The microprocessor was made to be
used in calculators, not computers. It led, however, to the
invention of personal computers, or microcomputers.

d. Notebook computers
Also called laptop computers. They can
operate on alternating (plug-in) current or special
batteries.
Notebooks
are
fully
functional
microcomputers; the people who use them need the
power of a full-size PC wherever they go.

The Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond): Artificial Intelligence

e. Handheld Personal Computers

These computing devices are small enough to fit
in your hand. They are also called palmtop computers. A
popular type of handheld computer is the personal digital
assistant (PDA). These are normally used for special
applications such as taking notes, displaying telephone
numbers and addresses and keeping track of dates or
agendas.

Fifth generation computing devices, based

on artificial intelligence, are still in development,
though there are some applications, such as voice
recognition, that are being used today. The use of
parallel processing and superconductors is helping
to make artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum
computation,nd molecular and nanotechnology will
radically change the face of computers in years to
come. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to
develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and
self-organization.

f. Miniature Computer
These are advanced cellular devices which
combine digital cell-phone service with email capabilities
i.e. Nokia 9290.

The Shapes of Computers Today

Computers come in many different sizes and ranges of power, and different
types of computer systems have varying capabilities. Basically, todays computer
systems fall into one of the following categories:

g. Tablet PC
It is the newest development in portable, fullfeatured computers. Tablet PCs offer all the functionality
of a notebook PC, but they are lighter and can accept
input from an electronic pen or the users voice.

a. Supercomputers
These are the most powerful computers made,
and physically they are some of the largest.
Supercomputers are used in Weather Forecasting,
mapping of human genome, complex calculation for
outer space environment and modeling complex
processes like nuclear fission.

Applications of Computers
Computers changed the world a lot. It helped man step forward into the future.
They make our lives a lot easier and they make the world an easier place to live in.
Computers are helpful because they offer a wide range of functions &
applications and services that are not available anywhere else.

b. Mainframe Computers
Mainframes (often colloquially referred to as big
iron) are large and "expensive" computers used mainly
by government institutions and large companies for
mission critical applications, typically bulk data
processing such as censuses, industry/consumer
statistics, ERP, and bank transaction processing.

The business field uses the computers a lot for their companies
and organizations. Banks use computers to do transactions with
clients like keeping track of accounts. Another example of the use of
computers in banks is the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) which is
a value-added service that performs basic teller functions, such as
accepting deposits, cash withdrawals, and account balance inquiries.
In retail stores, the Point-Of-Sale (POS) system is used to record

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customers purchases, accepts payments to speed up customer transactions and it also

adjusts inventory levels.

training and testing of military equipments. Computers are also used for general
administration and planning.

In the field of education,

computers help out students in a lot of
today's projects and reports. Teachers
use computers as well. They use
computers to keep track of grades,
type out instruction for their students,
and to let students use the computer
for school purposes. A new teaching
methodology is developed due to the advancement of computers and this is known as
the Computer-Aided Teaching. Computer-Based Training materials are also developed
using computers.

Computers have played an important role in the

advancement of the field of entertainment. Most of the
movies today use computer graphics and audio to make
character objects look and sound more realistic. Computer
graphics are mostly used on spaceships, aliens, monsters, and special
effects. Computer audio are used in voice-over narrations and sound effects.
With the advent of the computer technology, the Internet technology was also
created. The government uses the Internet to provide fast communications for scientists
working on national security issues around the globe. The
internets primary focus is business. Most medium to large
companies have their own "Home Page" and use these
pages to provide information and services to their
customers. Online shopping which is the process wherein
consumers go through to purchase products or services
over the internet is also provided. Online shopping is
popular mainly because of its speed and ease of use. The
internet also provides tutorial sites and e-books for students
to do research on the internet.

Computers also play a very significant role in the

medical field. The computers helped the hospitals out very
much. In pharmacies, the pharmacists use computers to
keep a record of what medication to give to a patient and the
amount they need. Most computers in the hospital are used
to keep data of patients and their status. Computers are also
used as a diagnostic device to perform tests on a patient and
analyze results. They are also used to keep track of
equipment placement and equipment status as well.
Scientists need the help of computers to find cures for
diseases like cancer and STDs. The use of computerequipped surgical equipments has also revolutionized the
field of surgery like Ultrasound, Computer Tomography (CT)
Scan and Radiology.

Other fields of science also make use of computers in research and experiments.
It is also used in space exploration and designs of transportation.

The methods for producing technical drawings has evolved from using drafting
tables and ink to using high-tech Computer Aided
Design (CAD) applications in the field of engineering.
CAD provides an environment in which the user can
produce technical documents three to four times
faster than what was done previously with manual
methods. 3-Dimensional models of cars, planes,
buildings and other real-world objects can be
generated with the CAD software. With this, design is
made a lot easier.
In the field of communication, teleconferencing,
e-mail, cellular phones, Voice Over Internet Protocol
(VOIP), electronic messengers (e.g. Yahoo & MSN
messengers) are excellent examples of technologies
that have transformed the way the communication
world operates and have greatly improved the way
people communicate with globally.
In government, computers are used to assist
local and national law enforcement agencies by
providing instant access to police records. The military also use computers for research,

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EXERCISE 2.1

EXERCISE 2.2

Advancement /Development of Computers

Name

Class Schedule

Teacher

Date Today

Recently-developed Computer Technology

Draw a graph showing the timeline of the advancement/development of

computers

Name

Class Schedule

Teacher

Date Today

Draw or paste a picture of a recently-developed computer technology that is not

presented in Chapter 2 and give its description, inventor, year invented, and
purpose why it was developed.

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Impact on society

EXERCISE 2.3

Computers have numerous direct and indirect effects on our society. As you
might already know or have guessed, some are good and some are bad.

Specific uses of Computers

Employment

Name

Class Schedule

Teacher

Date Today

The introduction of computer-controlled technology has had considerable effect

on employment patterns. Here are some of the changes:
many of the manual tasks, such as assembly work and paint-spraying in
factories, are now being performed by computer-controlled robots
many industrial processes operate 24 hours a day and are continually being
monitored and controlled by computers.
there are fewer paper-based systems in offices. Some jobs such as filing clerks
no longer exist. New jobs involving computers, including database administrators
and programmers, have been created.
more and more people work from home, with the advantage of no travelling and
the freedom of being able to live in any part of the country, or the world, for that
matter.
computers are sometimes used to monitor the performance of their users. For
instance, in supermarkets they can tell the management about the number of
customers dealt with per hour or how many items are passed through the
scanner in a day
there is a continual need to retrain people, who no longer spend year after year
doing the same job. Job mobility is increasing and new technologies are
constantly evolving. Use basic computer equipment and accessories.

Give at least ten (10) specific uses or applications of computers in your chosen
field. Describe each.

Information access and storage

As you learned above, probably the most important function of computers is their
ability to store large amounts of data. The World Wide Web is probably the largest
source of information and is available to anyone in the world with a computer and
Internet connection. By the end of 2006, there were well over 120 million users
connected to some 7 million websites. However, a good portion of information stored on
computers is sensitive and critical, and if lost or accessed by the wrong person, could
potentially create tremendous personal anxiety and global problems. Hacking, which
means gaining access to computer system illegally, is on the rise and people are
becoming in a sense more vulnerable as they store information on computer systems.
Communication
The Internet has also tremendously increased peoples ability to communicate
with others from all over the world efficiently and (relatively) cheaply. Email, short for
electronic mail, can be sent over the Internet with the click of your mouse. Unlike mail
sent from Post Offices, email is sent over wires so that the receiver gets the message
almost immediately.

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EXERCISE 2.4

CHAPTER 3.

Impact of Computers on Society

Name

Class Schedule

Teacher

Date Today

COMPUTER SYSTEM

Talk to a friend about how computer technology has impacted and affected
his/her life. Discuss the social issues that surround computer technology and
their impact on Philippine society.

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The Personal Computer Hardware

WHAT IS A COMPUTER?

A typical personal computer consists of a case or chassis in desktop or tower shape and
the following parts:

A computer is a data processor. It can accept

input (data and instructions), remember the input
by storing it in memory cells, process the stored
input by performing calculations and making
logical comparisons, and
communicate or
output information.

Motherboard or system board with slots for expansion cards and holding parts
including:
Central processing unit (CPU)
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Read Only Memory (ROM)
Basic Input-Output System (BIOS)
Buses :
o PCI bus
o PCI-E bus
o AGP bus
o USB
Power supply
Storage controllers of IDE, SATA, SCSI or other type, that controls the hard disk,
floppy disk, CD-ROM and other drives
Video display controller
Computer bus controllers (parallel, serial, USB, FireWire)
Removable media writer:
CD
o CD-ROM Drive , CD Writer
DVD
o DVD-ROM Drive
o DVD Writer
Floppy disk Drive
Zip drive
USB Flash Drive
Internal storage
Hard Disk
Sound card
Networking
Modem
Network card

To simply put it, a computer is a machine that

carries out instructions. The set of instructions, which tell a
computer to execute a series of specific tasks, is called a program. A complete
computer consists of the hardware, the physical components; the software, the
programs that control it; one or more users; and the data.
Computer Hardware
Computer hardware refers to the physical components of a computer system.
This consists of the input devices, output devices, circuitry, memory, and the central
processing unit (CPU). These devices are capable of accepting and storing computer
data, executing a systematic sequence of operations on computer data and producing
control outputs. Also they can perform substantial interpretation, computation,
communication, control and other logical functions.

In addition, hardware can include external components of a computer system. The

following are the very common and standard external parts:
Input or Input devices
Text input devices
o Keyboard
Pointing devices
o Mouse
o Trackball
o Light Pen
o Touch Screen
o Digitizing Tablet

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The Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The CPU called as the heart of the computer is
the computer chip that is primarily responsible for
executing instructions. It processes the instructions and
manages the flow of information through a computer
system.
The CPU has two principal sections: the Arithmetic
Logic Unit (ALU) and the Control Unit (CU). The ALU is the section of the CPU that
performs arithmetic and logical operations. Arithmetic operations include tasks such as
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Logical operations involve comparing
two items of data to determine their equality or inequality. The CU is the section of the
CPU that directs sequence of operations, interprets coded instructions, and initiates
proper commands to other parts of the computer.

Gaming devices
o Joystick
o Gamepad
o Game Controller
Video input devices
o Web cam
o Digital Camera
o Digital Video Recorder
Scanning Devices
o Flatbed scanner
o Bar-code reader
o Optical-Mark Recognition
o Optical-Character Recognition
o Magnetic-Ink Character Recognition
Audio input device
o Microphone
Output or Output devices
Image, Video output devices
o Printer
o Monitor
Audio output devices
o Speakers
o Headphone

The Random Access Memory (RAM)

The RAM is a memory chip that stores data that can be edited and changed. It is
the largest part of a computers memory which can both read and write information that
which can be updated by the user. It requires a power source because information will
be erased when the computer is turned off.
There are two basic types of RAM:
dynamic RAM (DRAM)
static RAM (SRAM)
The two types differ in the technology they use to hold data, dynamic RAM being the
more common type. Dynamic RAM needs to be refreshed thousands of times per
second. Static RAM does not need to be refreshed, which makes it faster; but it is also
more expensive than dynamic RAM. Both types of RAM are volatile.

The Motherboard
The motherboard or the system board is the main circuit board of a
microcomputer. It contains the connectors for attaching additional boards. Typically, the
motherboard contains the CPU, BIOS, memory, mass storage interfaces, serial and
parallel ports, expansion slots and all the controllers required to control standard
peripheral devices, such as the display screen,

The Read Only Memory (ROM)

The ROM is a permanent, non-volatile, memory chip used to store instructions
and data including computer startup instructions.
The Basic Input-Output System (BIOS)
The BIOS is a set of routines that works closely with the hardware to support the
transfer of information between elements of the system, such as memory, disks, and the
monitor. It is responsible for starting your computer up and initializing your hardware. It
also communicates between the operating system and the computers hardware.
The Buses
In computer architecture, the bus is a subsystem that transfers data or power
between components inside a computer or between computers. A bus can logically
connect several peripherals over the same set of wires. Each bus defines its set of
connectors to physically plug devices, cards or cables together. Examples:
o The Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) standard specifies a computer bus
for attaching peripheral devices to a computer motherboard. It is a bus on a PC
Motherboard

Back Panel Connectors

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The Removable Media Writer

node. It is typically used for input/output but also to connect nodes with a
communication network.
o

Compact Disc (CD)

A CD is the most common type of removable
media. It uses a single track and is made up of
polycarbonate substrate, a thin reflective metallic layer
and a lacquer coating. It is a high density storage media
based on a 4.75" reflective optical disc. Can hold up to
650,000,000 bytes (650MB) of data, which is equivalent
to 12,000 images or 200,000 pages of text. Data on this
surface may be randomly accessed.

The Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCI-E) is the new PCI

standard which is an implementation of the PCI computer bus that uses existing
PCI programming concepts and communications standards, but bases it on a
much faster serial communications system.

CD-ROM Drive
A CD-ROM drive is a device that reads information stored on compact
discs in the form of audio or CD-ROM. A CD-ROM holds data (perhaps audio as
well). Newer CD-ROM drives will read CD-R (Writable CDs) and CD-RW
(ReWritable CDs). A CD-ROM (an abbreviation for "Compact Disc Read-Only
Memory") is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical
format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive.

The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) bus is a PCI-based interface that was
designed specifically for demands of 3D graphics applications. It is a high speed
connection only used by video cards, so there is only one of them in a computer.

CD Writer
A CD writer or CD burner is a compact disc drive that
can be used to produce discs readable in other CD-ROM drives
and audio CD players. They are generally used for small-scale
archival or data exchange, being slower and more materially
expensive than mass-manufacture pressed discs.
Digital Versatile Disk (DVD)
DVD is the next generation of optical disc storage
technology. It is essentially a bigger, faster CD that can hold
video as well as audio and computer data. It can hold a
minimum of 4.7GB (gigabytes), enough for a full-length
movie. A DVD+R or DVD-R, a recordable DVD format similar
to CD-R, can only record data once and then the data
becomes permanent on the disc. DVD+RW is a recordable
DVD format similar to CD-RW in that it is re-recordable
medium.

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an external peripheral

interface standard for communication between a computer and
external peripherals over a cable using bi-serial transmission.
It is a new technology theoretically capable of connecting a
very large number of external devices on a computer.
The Power Supply
It is a source for the power needed for active electronic circuitry. It generally
comes with a case that holds a transformer, voltage control and fan.
The Storage Controllers
Storage controllers of IDE, SATA, SCSI and other types, that control the hard
disk, the floppy disk, the CD-ROM and other drives, sit directly on the motherboard (onboard) or on expansion cards.

DVD-ROM Drive
A device that can read information from a DVD. One
of the best features of DVD-ROM drives is that they are
backward-compatible with CD-ROMs. This means that DVDROM players can play old CD-ROMs, CD-I disks, and video
CDs, as well as new DVD-ROMs.

The Video Display Controller

The video display controller is the circuitry driving the monitor display. It
produces the output for the computer display. This circuitry may be on the motherboard
or on a video adapter card.

DVD Writer
A DVD drive that creates a DVD discs, using a laser that burns the information
onto the disc, that are compatible with most DVD video players.
NOTE: DVD+R and DVD-R are both write-once media used for permanent storage of
your data. The only difference is the drive which supports the type of media. DVD-R

The Computer Bus Controllers

Computer bus controllers (parallel, serial, USB, FireWire) are used to connect the
computer to external peripheral devices such as printers or scanners.

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recordable drives will only write to DVD-R and DVD+R recordable drives will only write to
DVD+R media. There are, however, some drives that support both DVD-R and DVD+R.

Networking
Modem (modulator/demodulator)
A modem is a device that you connect to your computer
and to a phone line that allows the computer to talk to other
computers through the phone system. Modems convert the digital
signal to analog so it can travel the phone line and then back to
digital again for processing. It is usually used for dial-up connections.

Floppy disk drive

A cheap common universal and removable media
drive that reads from or writes to separate diskettes which
the user inserts. Information is stored on the diskettes
themselves, not on the drive. A floppy disk is a data storage
device, allowing up to 1.44MB capacity, that is composed of
a circular piece of thin, flexible (i.e. "floppy") magnetic
storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic
wallet. Floppy disks are read and written by a floppy disk
drive.

Network card
Network Interface Card or NIC is a component of a computer
that enables the computer to communicate with other computers in
the Local Area network (LAN) or computers over the Internet.

Zip drive
Zip drive is a small, portable disk drive used
primarily for backing up and archiving personal computer files. The trademarked Zip
drive was developed and is sold by Iomega Corporation. Zip drives and disks come in
two sizes. The 100 megabyte size ZIP disk actually holds 100,431,872 bytes of data or
the equivalent of 70 floppy diskettes. There is also a 250 megabyte drive and disk.

Input Devices
Input devices are used to accept data and instructions that are needed by the
computer to operate. These devices convert data and programs that humans can
understand into a form that the computer can process. They translate the letters,
numbers and other natural-language symbols that we humans use in reading and writing
into the configurations of 0 and 1 bits that the computer uses to process data.

USB Flash Drive

Text input devices

A USB Flash Drive is a flash memory integrated with a USB
1.1 or 2.0 interface used as a small, lightweight, removable and
rewritable data storage device of up to 64 GB, the most popular
retail sizes being perhaps 512MB. The flash drive is a very fast
memory device that is more reliable than a floppy drive.

Keyboard
The keyboard is the main input peripheral used by all computers. The keyboard
allows for user input and action with the computer. Much like many type writers, the
keyboard has all the letters of the alphabet, numbers 0 - 9 and additional special
operational keys.

Internal Storage Device

Hard disk
A hard disk (or hard drive) is an internal hardware which stores
and provides access to large amounts of information. Unlike its "floppy"
counterparts, a hard disk can typically hold much more data (1 GB
pcs. of 1.44 MB floppy diskettes) and is much faster, but is nonremovable, or "fixed" to your computer. This is
typically where the computers operating system and
other software is installed. The terms "hard disk" and
"hard drive" are often used interchangeably since the disk and the
drive are usually contained in the same unit. Most new computers
include an internal hard disk that contains several gigabytes of
storage capacity. This storage capacity ranges from 40 GB up to 300
GB.
Sound card

Function keys start program actions. Software or programs usually assign

actions to each of the function keys. Each program uses different function
keys for different purposes.
Additional keys move the cursor up the page, down the page, to the
beginning (home), or to the end of a document.
Indicator lights show if the Num Lock, Caps Lock, or Scroll Lock keys are
activated.
Windows keys open the Windows Start menu.

Sound card is a hardware interface that is either built into a

computer's motherboard or inserted into one of the computer's
internal expansion slots (i.e.: PCI slot) that translates signals from the
system board into analog voltage levels, and has terminals to plug in
speakers. Sound cards allow the computer to play digital audio
and/or musical instrument sounds. A speaker system connected to
the sound card will reproduce and play the sound for the listener.

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Gaming devices

The application key opens a menu for the current program.

Directional keys move the cursor up, down, right, or left.
The numeric keypad types numbers when Num Lock is activated.

Joystick
Used mostly for computer flight simulators and action
games, a joystick is an input device that transfers movements
the user make with the device into movements on your
computer screen. It is used to simulate arcade-style play for
computer games. A joystick can be quite simple, with only one
or two buttons and a trigger or very elaborate, possessing many
buttons and advanced capabilities.

Pointing devices
Pointing devices are used in menu-driven programs. There are several types of
pointing devices and they include the following:
Mouse
A mouse is a handheld pointing device for computers,
involving a small object fitted with One to Three buttons and
shaped to sit naturally under the hand. The underside of the
mouse houses a device that detects the mouse's motion
relative to the flat surface on which it sits. The mouse's 2D
motion is typically translated into the motion of a cursor on the
screen.

Gamepad
A pointing device like a mouse used to move an object on
a computer screen. A game pad is a flat hand held pad with
several control buttons connected to the computer by a special
port. This is most frequently used in computer games

Trackball
Essentially, a trackball is a mouse lying on its back. To move
the pointer, you rotate the ball with your thumb, your fingers, or the
palm of your hand. There are usually one to three buttons next to
the ball, which you use just like mouse buttons. The advantage of
trackballs over mice is that the trackball is stationary so it does not
require much space to use it. In addition, you can place a trackball
on any type of surface, including your lap. A trackball is a great
alternative to a mouse when you have limited desk space.

Game controller
A game controller is an input device used to control a video game. A controller is
typically connected to a video game console or a personal computer. A game controller
can be a keyboard, mouse, gamepad, joystick, paddle, or any other device designed for
gaming that can receive input. Special purpose devices, such as steering wheels for
driving games and light guns for shooting games, may also exist for a platform.
Video input devices
Web cam
A web cam is a video camera, usually attached directly to a
computer, whose current or latest image is requestable from a Web
site. A live cam is one that is continually providing new images that
are transmitted in rapid succession or, in some cases, in streaming
video. Web cam allows you to take live video pictures through the
computer and use for videoconferencing.

Light Pen
A light-sensitive input device shaped like a pen, is used
to draw on the computer screen or to make menu selections.
As the tip of the light pen makes contact with the screen, it
sends a signal back to the computer containing the x-y
coordinates of the pixels at that point.
Touch Screen
An input device over the special monitor or an interactive
visual display device that is used to simplify user input and
response by letting the user make choices by touching icons or
graphical buttons on the screen rather than a keyboard, keypad,
or mouse to control the output. Touch screens work best with
menus or multiple-choice decision points. Touch screens work by
sensing the position of the finger using infra-red sensors located
in the screen surround.

Digital Camera
Digital cameras work much like PC Video cameras,
except that they are portable, handheld devices that capture
still images. Whereas normal film cameras capture images on
a specially coated film, digital cameras capture images
electronically. The digital camera digitizes the image,
compresses it, and stores in on a special disk or memory card.
The user can then copy the information to a PC, where the
image can be edited, copied, printed, embedded in a document, or transmitted to
another user.

Digitizing Tablet
A digitizing tablet or graphics tablet is a computer
peripheral device that allows for a relatively simple method
of inputting hand-drawn graphics or art into a computer in
real time. They typically consist of a large flat surface for
drawing on, and an attached "stylus" for drawing on the
surface, originally as a part of the electronics, but later
simply to provide an accurate but smooth "point".

Digital Video Recorder (DVD)

Digital video recorder (also called Personal Video Recorder
(PVR)) is a device that records video to a digital storage medium.
The term includes stand-alone set-top boxes, digital video cameras
with such functionality and software for personal computers which
enables video capture and playback to and from disk.

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Scanning Devices
New technologies allow computers to use light as a source of input. Scanning
devices use light-sensitive equipment to record data. The data is then converted to
electronic form that can be processed by the computer. Examples of scanning devices
are:

is used mainly in the banking industry to encode checks with account and routing
numbers. The use of specially designed characters and ink with a magnetic signature,
the error rate for scanning the numbers at the bottom of a typical cheque is smaller than
with usual OCR systems. The letters are read with a device similar in nature to the head
of an audio tape recorder.

Flatbed scanner
This is a device that scans images with the use of light
sensitive equipment, in a moving carriage mounted under a
sheet of glass, that generates a digital representation of an
image for data input to a computer. The original art is positioned
face down on a glass plate.

An example of one of the uses of magnetic ink

in automatic character recognition. Because of
the difficulties in forging magnetic-ink
characters, and the speed with which they can
be read by computer systems, MICR is used
extensively in banking.

Bar-code reader
A barcode reader (or barcode scanner) is a computer
peripheral for reading barcodes printed on various surfaces. Like a
flatbed scanner, it generally consists of a light source, a lens and a
photo conductor translating optical impulses into electrical ones.
Additionally, nearly all barcode readers currently produced contain
decoder circuitry analyzing the barcode's image data provided by
the photo conductor and sending the barcode's content to the
scanner's output port. Barcode is also called the Universal Product
Code or UPC. It is a series of short black lines of varied thickness usually accompanied
by alphanumeric digits used to uniquely identify a piece of property.

Audio input devices

An audio input device records music and voice input into your computer. An
example of audio input device is the microphone.
Microphone
The microphone is an input device used to convert
sound waves or signals into electric signals. Used with a
mixer, it may be used to combine many signals together to
give the final recording. Most computers now have a
microphone built to the machine.

Optical-Mark Recognition
The Optical Mark Reader (OMR) is a device that "reads"
pencil marks on National Computer System (NCS) compatible
scan forms such as surveys or test answer forms. The computer
test forms designed for the OMR are known as NCS compatible
scan forms. Tests and surveys completed on these forms are read
in and checked by the scanner, and the results are saved to a file.
This data file can be converted into an output file of several
different formats, depending on which type of output you desire.

Output devices
Output is the result of processes that are done on the computer. An output
device receives information from the computer and translates it from machine language
to a form that humans can read or so that another machine can read the information.
Output that is readable by the user can be categorized into two categories: hard copy or
soft copy. Hard copy is a relatively permanent form of output that can be read
immediately or stored for later use, such as paper. Printers are the most common hard
copy output devices. Soft copy is a transient form of output, for example, text on a
screen display and sound from a speaker. It is lost when the computer is turned off
unless it is saved in the main memory or on a disk.

Optical-Character Recognition
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is the process of
converting an image of text, such as a scanned paper
document or electronic fax file into computer-editable text or
character codes, such as ASCII. The text in an image is not
editable: the letters are made of tiny dots (pixels) that together
form a picture of text. During OCR, the software analyzes an
image and converts the pictures of the characters to editable
text based on the patterns of the pixels in the image. This is an efficient way to turn
hard-copy materials into data files that can be edited and otherwise manipulated on a
computer. This is the technology long used by libraries and government agencies to
make lengthy documents quickly available electronically.

Image, Video Output Devices

Printer
A printer is a device that translates signals from a computer into words and
images onto paper in black & white or colored. Printer types include dot matrix, ink jet,
laser, impact, fax, and pen and ink devices. A printer outputs data that is seen on the
computer screen. Most printers are used through a parallel port, but some newer ones
use USB connections. USB is somewhat faster, but there's not much of a difference for
printers. Networked computers usually print to a printer through the network card. The
most crucial printer measurement is its dots per inch rating. Although this can be
misleading, a higher number is generally better.
There are many types of printers. In terms of the technology utilized, printers fall
into the following categories:

Magnetic-Ink Character Recognition

A technology used for printing text with magnetic ink
or toner so that it can be read by a scanner. This technology

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Daisy-wheel: Similar to a ball-head typewriter, this type of printer has a plastic or

metal wheel on which the shape of each character stands out in relief. A hammer
presses the wheel against a ribbon, which in turn makes an ink stain in the shape of
the character on the paper. Daisy-wheel printers produce letter-quality print but
cannot print graphics.
Dot matrix: Creates characters by striking
pins against an ink ribbon. Each pin makes a
dot, and combinations of dots form
characters and illustrations.
Ink-jet: Sprays ink at a sheet of paper. Ink-jet
printers produce high-quality text and
graphics.
Laser: Uses the same technology as copy machines. Laser printers produce very
high quality text and graphics.
LCD & LED: Similar to a laser printer, but uses liquid crystals or light-emitting diodes
rather than a laser to produce an image on the drum.
Line printer: Contains a chain of characters or pins that print an entire line at one
time. Line printers are very fast, but produce low-quality print.
Thermal printer: An inexpensive printer that works by pushing heated pins against
heat-sensitive paper. Thermal printers are widely used in calculators and fax
machines.
Printers are also classified by the following characteristics:

Monitor
The high-resolution TV-like or screen is a computer peripheral device capable of
displaying computer output in still or moving images generated by a computer and
processed by a graphics card.
CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) are
the two basic types of technology used for computer monitors.
CRT technology has proven to be a very reliable and high quality
standard. Television screens have been using this technology for
a very long time with great success. Flat CRTs are designed to
reduce the glare and distortion created by conventional CRT
monitors. The flat tube increases image clarity while reducing glare
from light sources within the room.

Quality of type: The output produced by printers is said to be either letter quality (as
good as a typewriter), near letter quality, or draft quality. Only daisy-wheel, ink-jet,
and laser printers produce letter-quality type. Some dot-matrix printers claim letterquality print, but if you look closely, you can see the difference.
Speed: Measured in characters per second (cps) or pages per minute (ppm), the
speed of printers varies widely. Daisy-wheel printers tend to be the slowest, printing
about 30 cps. Line printers are fastest (up to 3,000 lines per minute). Dot-matrix
printers can print up to 500 cps, and laser printers range from about 4 to 20 text
pages per minute.
Impact or Non-impact: Impact printers include all printers that work by striking an ink
ribbon. Daisy-wheel, dot-matrix, and line printers are impact printers. Non-impact
printers include laser printers and ink-jet printers. The important difference between
impact and non-impact printers is that impact printers are much noisier.
Graphics: Some printers (daisy-wheel and line printers) can print only text. Other
printers can print both text and graphics.
Fonts: Some printers, notably dot-matrix printers, are limited to one or a few fonts. In
contrast, laser and ink-jet printers are capable of printing an almost unlimited variety
of fonts. Daisy-wheel printers can also print different fonts, but you need to change
the daisy wheel, making it difficult to mix fonts in the same document.

Headphone
Headphones (also known as earphones, stereophones, or
headsets) are a pair of transducers that receive an electrical signal
from a media player or receiver and use speakers placed in close
proximity to the ears (hence the name earphone) to convert the
signal into audible sound waves. Headphone is worn on the head
to allow the wearer to listen in hands-free mode.

LCD monitors are most commonly used for laptop screens but are
becoming increasingly popular and more affordable for desktop
users.
Audio output devices
Speakers
A Speaker is a device which converts an electrical
signal into sound. If your system has a sound card, it needs a
pair of speakers. A pair of headphones will work just fine, or if
your card has a LINE OUT jack (and most do) you can
connect it to a home stereo system. Multimedia speakers
have a built-in amplifier so you can hear the music and
control the volume without need of a rack of stereo
equipment.

COMPUTER SOFTWARE
Software refers to a program or a set of instructions describing the tasks to be performed
by the computer.
Two major categories of software:
1.
System Software
2.
Application Software
System Software
The software that control and support operations of a
computer system. It is a group of programs rather than one
program. Most of it is responsible directly for controlling,
integrating, and managing the individual hardware

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components of a computer system. System software include the

following programs: operating systems, communications control
programs, service and utility programs, and programming language
translators.
o

machine language into object code. In computer science,

object file or object code is an intermediate representation of
code generated by a language translator after it processes a
source code file. Object code contain compact, pre-parsed
code, often called binaries, that can be linked with other object
files to generate a final executable or code library. An object
file is mostly machine code (code directly executed by a
computer's CPU).

Operating System (OS)

The operating system is the most basic program in a computer that is
initially loaded by a boot program. The operating system controls,
administers, maintains and provides access to the resources of a computer
system like receiving input from the keyboard and mouse, sending
information to the screen, manages memory and files, multi-tasking functions,
keeping track of files and directories on the disk, as well as controlling the
various units such as printers, flash disk/drives, other external devices and is
the interface between application programs and the computer.

Compiler
A software-development tool that translates source code from
a high level language (e.g. ,C, Pascal, VB, Delphi) to a lower
level language (e.g., assembly language or machine
language) that a particular processor can understand and
execute. Put it this way it takes a source code file, processes
it, and generates a translated version of the source code that
the computer can understand. This translation is called an
object and is usually saved in an object file.
Interpreter
An interpreter will execute a source code program by
translating one instruction at a time into machine code and
then sending the machine code to the processor for immediate
execution. Interpreters are often used for developing software
as they work quickly and are good for debugging. Final
versions of software are nearly always compiled into machine
code using a compiler. Interpreters are good for development
and compilers are used to produce final versions of software.
Interpreters differ from compilers in that compilers create
machine language code to be run later while Interpreter create
and execute machine language code "on the fly."

All computers have an operating system that among other things is

used for starting the computer and running application programs. Here are
some of the most popular OS: DOS; MS Windows OS (Win95, 98, 2000, ME,
XP); UNIX / Linux OS (RedHat, Slackware); MacOS for Apple computers;
BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution) like FreeBSD.
Note: A boot program starts automatically when the computer is switched on
its only task is to load a slightly larger program, usually from a hard disk,
which in turn loads the main operating system.
o

Communication Control Programs

Communications control is a collection of programs that support the
various communication protocols. All communication between the various
external users of the system and the actual application programs is controlled
by the communications control program (CCP). As such, the CCP is the
interface between the application programs and the communication network.

Service and Utility Programs

Are programs with a standard set of routines designed to assist in the
operation of a computer system by performing maintenance work on the
system or on system components, for example, a storage backup program; a
disk or file recovery program; format, check and defragment disks programs;
or a resource editor. Also, utility programs are software that allows you to
view and use content on the internet. Examples of these programs are Flash
player, Java, Acrobat Reader, and WinZip. You cannot view/use the content
without one of these utility programs. Browsers are software programs that
enable you to view WWW documents.

Application Software

Application software are programs that are used to accomplish specific tasks
not related to the computer itself but for the users like creating, processing or
manipulating data.
Classifications of Application Software:
Packaged Software
Packaged software are ready-made application
software. These are programs generally designed to meet
the needs of any user and are pre-written for common
applications. Packaged software are written or programmed
by professional programmers and readily available at
computer stores or companies. Examples are Word
processors, Spreadsheets, Accounting systems, Database
Management software, Graphics software, Games,
Multimedia packages, Business software, Education
software and Application suites.

Programming Language Translators

A program that converts the programming language instructions
usually written in high-level language into machine language code. Major
types include assemblers, compilers and interpreters.
Assembler
An assembler is a computer program for translating assembly
language essentially, a mnemonic representation of

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Word Processing Software

A word processor is used to create, manage, edit, print, and store textbased documents like memos, reports, briefs, documents, letters, etc.
MS Word
Corel Word Perfect
Nisus Writer, a high-end multi-lingual word processor
o Spreadsheet
A grid of columns and rows used for recording and evaluating numbers.
It is also used primarily for financial analysis, record keeping, and
management as well as to create reports and presentations.
MS Excel
Lotus 123
Corel Quattro Pro
o Database Management System
A computer program used to manage the storage, organization,
processing, and retrieval of data in a database.
Microsoft SQL Server
Oracle
Sybase
MySQL
MS Access
o Multimedia
Elements of text, graphics, animation, video, and sound combined for
presentation to the audience.
Media Players (DivX Player, MS Media Player, Winamp)
Computer Games
Video Editing Software (Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas)
Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
2D & 3D Graphics (3DS Max, Maya)
Audio Editing Software (Sound Forge, CoolEdit Pro)
Image Editing Software (Adobe PhotoShop, CorelDraw)
o Educational Software
A software whose primary purpose is teaching or self-learning.
Encarta
Encyclopedia Britannica
Grolier Encyclopedia
o Application Suite
Microsoft Office Suite and OpenOffice Suite
o Text Editors
Text editor is a software that is used for editing plain text. It is
distinguished from a word processor in that it does not manage document
formatting or other features commonly used in desktop publishing.
Notepad
UltraEdit
jEdit

software program that helps a company or business increase productivity, such

as Accounting System, Product Inventory Software, Management Information
System, Project Management Software, Human Resource Information System
and Enrolment System.

Users
A person who uses computers for work or entertainment or communication or business.
Some examples of Computer Users
Data Encoder / Computer Operator / Customer Service Representative
A person who transfers data from documents / forms or answers incoming
telephone calls from customers into the computer.
Computer or IT Technician / Computer Maintenance Personnel
A person who performs assembly, testing and refurbishment of systems including
servers and peripherals. IT Technician also performs failure analysis and
troubleshooting on components/systems as well as daily housekeeping around the
equipment
Computer Programmer / Web Application Developer / System Programmer /
Application Programmer or Developer
A programmer is someone who does computer programming and develops
computer software. A programmer can be one who develops and maintains software
on a large system or one who develops software primarily for use on personal
computers. In this sense, a programmer may be considered a software engineer or
software developer
System Analyst
A person responsible for studying the requirements, feasibility, cost, design,
specification, and implementation of a computer-based system for an organization/
business
Network Administrator
A person who manages a local area communications network (LAN) within an
organization. Responsibilities include network security, installing new applications,
distributing software upgrades, monitoring daily activity, enforcing licensing
agreements, developing a storage management program and providing for routine
backups.
System Administrator
The person responsible for installing, configuring, and maintaining the networks
and computers in a company. The responsibilities of a system administrator and
network administrator often overlap; however, the system administrator is more
geared to the computer hardware and less on the network, although in many cases,
system and network administrator are one in the same, especially in smaller
companies.
Database Administrator (DBA)
The Database Administrator is responsible for the physical aspect of the data
warehouse. This includes physical design, performance, and maintenance
activities including backup and recovery. DBA is responsible for the planning,
implementation, configuration, and administration of relational database
management systems. Database administrators are normally proficient with one

Customwritten Software
Customwritten software are specific programs written for special
purposes. These are tailored for a specific user or users, rather than the general
public. These are also written or programmed by professional programmers. An
example of a custom-written software is the business software, which is a

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EXERCISE 3.1

or more popular database software packages, such as Oracle or Microsoft SQL

Server, and are normally familiar with one or more database query languages,
such as SQL or MySQL.
IT Manager
A person responsible for the overall management of the IT functions within the
company. Normally, IT manager works with other functional team members to
manage and implement the best possible solutions to enhance workflow
efficiency of the company.
Project Manager
A person who manage and direct all project initiatives, includes resource
planning, costing, requirement gathering, design, review and implementation of
project ; handle work schedule and progress of multiple vendors; as well as
resolve all technical issues and ensure timely delivery of project
IT Consultant
An IT consultant gives independent and objective advice to organizations on how
best to use information technology to approach business challenges. A
consultant's work will often be based on the need to improve efficiency and the
way companies function, with IT used as a means to achieve this.
Other users or the General users
Persons who uses computer for class presentations or lectures; browsing the
internet for research or class assignments. Persons who use the Internet
in general; to record, edit, or view the data for business or personal data.

Computer Components
Name
Teacher

Class Schedule
Date Today

Directions. Identify the names of these hardware components.

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