Page19LEARNING OUTCOME #1PLAN AND PREPARE FOR THE TASK TO BE UNDERTAKEN

CONTENT/S: Main Types of Computers and Basic Features of Different Operating Systems.ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: Requirements of tasks determined in accordance with the required output Appropriate hardware and software selected according to task assigned and required outcome Task planned to ensure that OH and S guidelines and procedures followed Client-specific guidelines and procedures followed Required data security guidelines applied in accordance with existing proceduresCONDITIONS:The student/trainee must be provided with the following: Equipment: 1 unit of computer voltage regulator / UPS Learning Materials: Learning Manuals Work Instruction Hand-outs Supplies / Materials: Operating System Application program

ASSESSMENT METHODS: Hands-on Direct observation Practical demonstration

Learning Experiences Learning Outcome 1:

Plan and Prepare for the Task to be Undertaken

Learning ActivitiesSpecial Instructions

Read Information Sheet 5.1-1Main Types of Computers and Basic Features of Different Operating Systems This Learning Outcome deals with the development of the Institutional Competency Evaluation Tool which trainers use in evaluating their trainees after finishing a competency of the qualification. Go through the learning activities outlined for you on the left column to gain the necessary information or knowledge before doing the tasks to practice on performing the requirements of the evaluation tool. The output of this LO is a complete Institutional Competency Evaluation Package for one Competency of Consumer Electronics Servicing NC II. Your output shall serve as one of your portfolio for your Institutional Competency Evaluation for Perform Computer Operation.

Feel free to show your outputs to your trainer as you accomplish them for guidance and evaluation.

Answer Self-check 5.1-1Compare with the model answer

Information Sheet 5.1-1

Main Types of Computers and Basic Features of Different Operating Systems

Learning Objectives:

After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:1.Understand the types of computers.2.Learn the basic features of operating systems.3.Identify the parts of computer systems.

Introduction;

Acomputeris an electronic device that manipulates information, or data. It has the ability tostore,retrieve, andprocessdata. You can use a computer to type documents, send email, and browse the Web. You can also use it to handle spreadsheets, accounting, database management, presentations, games, and moreComputer Electronic device Converts data into information Modern computers are digital Work by the numbers Break information into tiny units, represented by numbers Older computers were analog Represent data as variable points along a continuous spectrum of values

Computers for Individual Users1. Desktop Computers The most common type of PC Sits on the desk or floor Seen in schools, home, offices Performs a variety of tasks Model : desktop or tower

2. Workstations Specialized computers More power and features than a desktop Popular among scientists, engineers, architects, animators Have greater-than-average speed and power to perform sophisticated tasks Often have high-resolution monitors and accelerated graphics-handling capabilities

3. Notebook Computers Also called laptop computers Mobile computers - portability Weighs between 3 and 8 pounds, about 8 by 11 inches Can operate on alternating current or special batteries

4. Tablet Computers Has the functionality of a notebook PC Lighter Input is through a pen (stylus or digital pen) Run specialized versions of office products

5. Handheld PCs Computing devices that fit the handEx. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) Appointment book Note taking Contact management (tel #s, addresses) Keep tracks of dates & agenda Most uses pen May have tiny built-in keyboard & microphone Internet access through wireless connection

6. Smart Phones Hybrid of cell phone and PDA Web surfing, e-mail access Personal organizer Digital camera Music player

Computers for Organizations1. Network Servers Centralized computer All other computers connect Usu. a powerful PC with special software & equipment that function as primary computer in the network Provides access to network resources

2. Mainframe Computers Large, powerful systems used in large organizations Handle thousands of users who frequently need the same data Users access through a terminal Dumb terminal - only I/O device, does not process or store data Intelligent terminal- can do some processing, usually no storage3. Minicomputers Called midrange computers (power between mainframe and PC) Handle hundreds of users in smaller organizations Users access through a terminal or a standard PC

4. Supercomputers The most powerful computers made Handle large and complex calculations Process trillions of operations per second Found in research organizationsEx. Human genome mapping Weather forecasting Nuclear fission modelingComputers in Society More impact than any other invention Computers are important because: Provide information to users Information is critical to our society Managing information is difficult

Computers at home Computers are used for Communication : e-mail Business : home-based Finances : pay bills, shop Education Entertainment

Computers in education Classes aided w/ computers nowadays Distant learning classes Schools add computer technology to curricula Computer literacy required at all levels

Computers in small business Makes businesses more profitable, self-sufficient & have reduced operating expenses Enable business owners to manage & handle tasks :Ex. Accounting, Inventory management, Marketing, Payroll

Computers in industry Use computer-aided design or computer-aided manufacturing system in product creation, fabrication & assembly Production facilities use robotics to manufacture products Assembly lines are automated Track vehicle location & contents Manage maintenance, driver schedules, invoices, billing etc.

Computers in government First computer users US government played a key role in developing the Internet Military : calculate trajectory of missiles primary purpose Necessary to track data for population Tax calculation and collection Police operations : search info on criminals, crime scenes, procedures etc.

Computers in science Biology Astronomy Meteorology Surgery Medicine

Computers in health care Revolutionized health care for more accurate procedures : Ultrasound, fetal monitoring, magnetic resonance imaging Laser surgeries Virtual reality trainings Surgeons use robotic surgical devices Perform delicate operations or implants Take pictures inside the body to detect polyps, cancer, other abnormalities Conduct surgeries remotely Managing schedules Hospitals & doctors maintaining patient records, medical tests Billings

Computers in publishing Special software assists graphic designs Develop pages w/ text, graphics & pictures

Computers in travel Onboard navigation system Online reservations in car, hotel, flights Print directions & map from the Web

Four (4) Parts of the Computer System 1. Hardware Parts of computer that can be touched Interconnected devices used to control the computers operation, input & output

2. Software Set of instructions that tells the computer what to do Also called a program Thousands of programs exist

3. Data Individual facts or pieces of information (no sense by themselves) Processed to become useful

4. Users People operating the computer Design, build, program, repair computer systems etc.

Information Processing Cycle Set of steps the computer follows to process data Input Processing Output Storage

Four (4) Hardware Categories 1. Processing devices Processor - brain of the computer Carries out instructions from the program Consists of 1 or more specialized chips (microprocessors), which are slivers of silicon or other material etched with many tiny electronic circuits Manipulate the data Most computers have several processors Central Processing Unit (CPU) Processors made of silicon and copper

system unit case that contains the electronic components of the computer that are used to process data its circuitry usu. is part of or is connected to a circuit board (motherboard)

2. Memory devices Stores data or programs a. Random Access Memory (RAM) Volatile Stores current data and programs More RAM results in a faster system Read/write memoryb. Read Only Memory (ROM) Non-volatile Permanent storage of programs Holds the computer boot directions

byte - unit for describing computers memory - amount it takes to store a single characterUNITABBREVATIONACTUAL VALUE (bytes)

KilobyteKB1,024

MegabyteMB1,048,576

GigabyteGB1,073,741,824

TerabyteTB1,099,511,627,776

3. Input and output devices Allows the user to interact Input devices accept data & instruction keyboard, mouse Output devices return processed data monitor, printer, speaker Some devices are input and output touch screens communication devices (in networking) modem (modulator-demodulator), Network Interface Card (NIC)4. Storage devices Hold data and programs permanently Different from RAM Magnetic storage Floppy disk, hard disk Uses magnet to access data Optical storage Compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD) Uses laser to access data

Keyboard The most common input device Must be proficient with keyboard Keyboarding is the skill of fast & accurate typing Alphanumeric keys Typewriter keys, TAB, CAPS LOCK, BACKSPACE, ENTER keys QWERTY layout Modifier keys SHIFT, ALT (Alternate), CTRL (Control) keys Numeric keypad Calculators keypad 10 digits, mathematical operators (+ - * /), NUM LOCK Function keys F1 to F12 keys arranged in row along the top Cursor-movement keys Cursor/insertion point shows where the next character typed will appear Arrow keys, Page Up/Down, Home/End Special-purpose keys START (Windows logo), SHORTCUT, ESC, PRINT SCREEN, SCROLL LOCK, PAUSE, INSERT (insert/overtype mode), DELETEMouse Input device moved around on a flat surface (usually on mouse pad) to control the pointer A pointer/mouse pointer is an on-screen object, usu. an arrow 2 types of mouse :1. Mechanical mouse- Rubber ball determines distance, direction & speed- The ball often requires cleaning2. Optical mouse- Emits a beam of light onto mouse pad- Lights reflection determines distance, direction & speed- Requires little maintenanceInteracting with a mouse Pointing to an object Clicking selects the object Double-clicking launches a program Dragging click-and-drag, drag-and-drop Right-clicking activates the shortcut menu Modern mice include a scroll wheel

Benefits of Using Mouse

Pointer positioning is fast Menu interaction is easy Users can draw electronically

Variants of the Mouse1. Trackballs Upside down mouse Hand rests on the ball User moves the ball Uses little desk space

2. Trackpads/Touchpads Stationary pointing device Small plastic rectangle Finger moves across the pad Popular on laptops

3. TrackPoint Little joystick on the keyboard Move pointer by moving the joystick

Devices for the Hand Pen based input Pen-based systems : tablet PCs, PDAs Pen (stylus) used to write data & as a pointer

Touch screens Sensors determine where finger points Sensors create an X,Y coordinate Usually presents a menu to users Found in cramped or dirty environments

Game controllers Enhances gaming experience Provide custom input to the game Modern controllers offer feedback 2 broad categories:

Joystick Enable user to fly or drive through a game, directing a vehicle or character May include actual steering wheel, foot pedals, gearshifts

Game pad Small, flat device, provides 2 sets of controls for each handOptical Input Devices Allows the computer to see input through the use of light

Bar Code Readers Converts bar codes to numbers Computer find number in a database

Image Scanners or Scanners Converts printed media into electronic form that can be stored in computers memory into a bitmap (grid of dots) Reflects light off of the image, sensors read the intensity Filters determine color depths RGB (red, green, blue) primary additive colors

Optical Character Reader (OCR) Converts scanned text into editable text Letters are compared to known letters

Audiovisual Input Devices Microphones Used to record speech Also used for audio & videoconferencing over the Internet Speech/voice recognition Translates voice to text Understands human speech Allows dictation or control of computer (instead of typing) Matches spoken sound to known phonemes Enters best match into document

Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) Connects musical instruments to computer Digital recording or playback of music Musicians can produce professional results Use it to write, record, edit music & control instruments & effects during performances

PC Video Camera Digitize images by breaking them into individual pixels* pixel 1 or more dots expressing a portion of an image Webcam - popular & inexpensive type of PC video camera- sits on top of PC monitor or placed on a stand- user can capture images while working at computer- handy for videoconferencing (multiple users see & talk to one another in real time over an Internet connection) Digital cameras Captures images electronically No film is needed Image is stored as a JPG file Memory cards store the images Image can be edited, copied, printed, embedded in a document or transmitted to another user

Monitors Most common output device Categorized by color output Monochrome monitors One color (green, amber, white) against contrasting black background Used for text-only displays

Grayscale monitors Varying degrees of gray (from very light gray to black) against white/off-white background Used in low-end portable systems to keep cost down

Color monitors Display between 16 to 16 million colors Can be set to work in monochrome or grayscale mode

Types of Monitors:a. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Most common type of monitor Looks like a TV screen & works the same way CRT drawbacks Very large Very heavy Uses a lot of electricity

b. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Flat-panel display Creates images with special kind of liquid crystal Commonly found on laptops Solve the problems of CRT Drawbacks to LCD More expensive than CRT Must sit directly in front of screen (limited viewing angle) Difficult to see images in bright light Can be more fragile than CRTData Projectors Digital light projectors/video projectors Replaced overhead and slide projectors Project image onto wall or screen LCD projectors Most common type of projector Small LCD screen Require a darkened room

Headphones and Headsets Replacement for speakers and microphones Offer privacy Does not annoy other people Outside noise is not a factor Headsets have 1 or 2 speakers & a microphone, mounted on adjustable head strap Headsets useful for speech-recognition applications, use computer to make phone calls, participate in videoconferences

Categories of Printers Impact printers Generate output by striking the paper Uses an inked ribbonEx. Dot matrix printers Used to print multi-sheet pages Print head strikes inked ribbon Can produce plain text very quickly Speed measured in characters per second (cps)

Non-impact printers Use methods other than force Tend to be quiet and fastEx1. Ink jet printers Inexpensive home printer Sprays ink through tiny nozzles onto paper Color output common using CMYK Cyan, magenta, yellow, black (subtractive colors) Speed measured in pages per minute Quality expressed as dots per inch

Ex2. Laser printer Produces high quality documents, faster More expensive than ink jet printers Colored or black & white Print process Laser draws text on page Toner sticks to text Toner melted to page Speed measured in pages per minute Quality expressed as dots per inchOther Printers All-in-one peripherals Printer, scanner, photocopier & fax machine Popular in home offices, small businesses Prices are very reasonable Black & white, colored

High-Quality Printers Photo printers Produces film quality pictures Prints very slow Prints a variety of sizes Thermal wax printers Dye-sublimation (dye-sub) printers Plotters Used to print large-format images & high quality blueprintsEx. construction drawings by architects Older models draw with pens Operational costs are low Output is very slow

Storage a. Magnetic Storage Devices Most common form of storage All magnetic drives work the same Ex. diskettes/floppy disks, hard disks b. Optical Storage Devices CD-ROM Most software ships on a CD Read using a laser Written from the inside out DVD-ROM Digital Video Disc Use both sides of the disk Capacities can reach 18 GB c. Solid State Devices Data is stored physically No magnets or laser, have physical switches Very fast Flash memory Found in cameras and USB drives Combination of RAM and ROM Long term updateable storage Smart cards Credit cards with a chip Chip stores data Eventually may be used for cash Hotels use for electronic keys Software Consists of instructions, tells the computer what to do (program) Two major categories1. System software Most important software Program that controls the hardware, or maintains the computer to run efficientlya. Operating System (OS) Tells the computer how to use its own components Interpreter between HW, SW & userEx. Windows XP, Linuxb. Network Operating System (NOS) Allows computers to communicate & share data Controls network operations, oversees network security Ex. Windows Server 2003c. Utility perform maintenance-type task usu. related to managing a computer, its devices, or its programsEx. Symantec AntiVirus 2. Application software Accomplishes a specific task consists of programs designed to make users productive or assist them w/ personal tasks Major Categories of Application Software: Word processing Spreadsheets DBMS (Database Management System) Presentation programs Graphic programs Multimedia authoring applications Entertainment & educational softwares Games

Computer Data Fact with no meaning on its own Piece of info without context Digital, i.e., reduced to digits or numbers, stored using the binary number system Data is organized into file

SELF-CHECK 5.1-1

Identification1. It is a part of the computer that houses the CPU, motherboard, bus wires etc.

2. AVR stands for what?

3. It is like a TV structure where we see the output or softcopy.

4. It is the physical component of the computer system that can be touched.

5. This is one of the steps in the information processing cycle wherein the user enters data in the keyboard or clicks the mouse.

6. This is an output device that produces hardcopies or printouts.

7. This is the brain of the computer.

8. This is a repetitive stress syndrome where the wrist or hand swells.

9. Bit stands for what?

10. It is an electronic device that can accept process and output data.

Answer key Self Check 5.1-1

1. System unit

2. Automatic Voltage Regulator

3. Monitor / computer screen

4. Hardware

5. Input

6. Printer

7. CPU (Central Processing Unit)

8. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

9. Binary digit

10. Computer

Date Developed: July 18, 2013Republic of the PhilippinesTechnical Education and Skills Development Authority XIPROVINCIAL TRAINING CENTER - DAVAOPoinsettia St. Mintal, Tugbok District Davao CityConsumer Electronics Servicing NC II

Developed by: Dante F. De Castro