introduction to ict, computer and windows

8/7/2019 INTRODUCTION TO ICT, COMPUTER AND WINDOWS

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Introduction to I.C.T. and Computer

INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (I.C.T)

ICT is an acronym that stands for Information Communications

Technology

Information Communication Technology (I.C.T) is the study, design,

development, implementation, support or management of computer-based

information systems, particularly software applications and computer

hardware.

A good way to think about ICT is to consider all the uses of digital

technology that already exist to help individuals, businesses and

organisations use information.

ICT covers any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or

receive information electronically in a digital form. For example,

personal computers, digital television, email, robots.

So ICT is concerned with the storage, retrieval, manipulation,

transmission orreceiptof digital data. Importantly, it is also concernedwith the way these different uses can work with each other.

In business, ICT is often categorised into two broad types of product: -

1. The traditional computer-based technologies (things you can

typically do on a personal computer or using computers at home or at

work); and

2. The more recent and fast-growing range of digital communication

technologies (which allow people and organisations to communicate

and share information digitally).

Under these two categories, there are products and ideas that are covered

by ICT.Traditional Computer Based Technologies


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These types of ICT include:

Application Use

Standard Office Applications - Main Examples

Word

processing

E.g. Microsoft Word: Write letters, reports etc

Spreadsheet

s

E.g. Microsoft Excel; Analyse financial information;

calculations; create forecasting models etc

Database

software

E.g. Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, Access; Managing data in

many forms, from basic lists (e.g. customer contacts through

to complex material (e.g. catalogue)

Presentation

software

E.g. Microsoft PowerPoint; make presentations, either

directly using a computer screen or data projector. Publish in

digital format via email or over the Internet

Desktop

publishing

E.g. Adobe Indesign, Quark Express, Microsoft Publisher;

produce newsletters, magazines and other complex

documents.

Graphics

software

E.g Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator; Macromedia Freehand

and Fireworks; create and edit images such as logos,

drawings or pictures for use in DTP, web sites or otherpublications

Specialist Applications - Examples

Accounting

package

E.g. Sage, Oracle; Manage an organisation's accounts

including revenues/sales, purchases, bank accounts etc. A

wide range of systems is available ranging from basic

packages suitable for small businesses through to

sophisticated ones aimed at multinational companies.

Computer

Aided

Design

Computer Aided Design (CAD) is the use of computers to

assist the design process. Specialised CAD programs exist for

many types of design: architectural, engineering, electronics,

roadways

Customer

Relations

Managemen

t (CRM)

Software that allows businesses to better understand their

customers by collecting and analysing data on them such as

their product preferences, buying habits etc. Often linked to

software applications that run call centres and loyalty cards


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for example.

The C part of ICT refers to the communication of data by electronic

means, usually over some distance. This is often achieved via networks

of sending and receiving equipment, wires and satellite links.

The technologies involved in communication tend to be complex. You

certainly don't need to understand them for your ICT course. However,

there are aspects of digital communications that you need to be aware of.

These relate primarily to the types of network and the ways of

connecting to the Internet.

Types of Network

Internal networks

Usually referred to as a local area network (LAN), this involves linking

a number of hardware items (input and output devices plus computer

processing) together within an office or building.The aim of a LAN is to be able to share hardware facilities such as

printers or scanners, software applications and data. This type of network

is invaluable in the office environment where colleagues need to have

access to common data or programmes.

External networks

Often you need to communicate with someone outside your internalnetwork; in this case you will need to be part of a Wide Area Network

(WAN). The Internet is the ultimate WAN - it is a vast network of

networks.

ICT in a Broader Context


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ICT will almost certainly cover the above examples of ICT in action,

perhaps focusing on the use of key applications such as spreadsheets,

databases, presentation, graphics and web design software.

It will also consider the following important topics that deal with the way

ICT is used and managed in an organisation:

The nature of information (the "I" in ICT):

This covers topics such as the meaning and value of information; how

information is controlled; the limitations of ICT; legal considerations

Management of information:

This covers how data is captured, verified and stored for effective use;

the manipulation, processing and distribution of information; keeping

information secure; designing networks to share information

Information systems strategy:

This considers how ICT can be used within a business or organisation as

part of achieving goals and objectives

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

WHAT IS A COMPUTER


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Computers are not very intelligent devices, but they handle instructions

flawlessly and fast. They must follow explicit directions from both the

user and computer programmer. Computers are really nothing more than

a very powerful calculator with some great accessories. Applications like

word processing and games are just a very complex math problem.

A computer can be defined as an electronic device which is capable of

accepting data as input, process the data with a set of prescribed

instructions called a program to produce accurate results which is

information in a short period of time. It has the added capability of

storing the processed information, which could be retrieved when

required for future reference.

COMPUTER BOOTING

Booting your computer is the process of powering it on and starting the

operating system.

There are too types of booting in computer. These include:

Cold booting : when the computer is started after having beenswitched off.

Warm booting: when the operating system alone is restarted(without being switched off) after a system crash or 'freeze.' Both

types of booting clear out (for the time being) the bugs, bombs,

memory conflicts, and other idiosyncrasies of the operating system.

DATA AND INFORMATION

Data

Think of data as a "raw material" - it needs to be processed before it can

be turned into something useful. Hence the need for "data processing".


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Data comes in many forms - numbers, words, symbols. Data relates to

transactions, events and facts. On its own - it is not very useful.

Think of the data that is created when you buy a product from a retailer.

This might includes:

Time and date of transaction (e.g. 10:05 Tuesday 23 December

2003)

Transaction value (e.g. 55.00)

Facts about what was bought (e.g. hairdryer, cosmetics pack,

shaving foam) and how much was bought (quantities)

How payment was made (e.g. credit card, credit card number and

code)

Which employee recorded the sale

Whether any promotional discount applied

At its simplest, this data needs processing at the point of sale in order for

the customer to receive a valid receipt. So the data about the transaction

is processed to create "information" - in this case a receipt.

Information

Information is data that has been processed in such a way as to be

meaningful to the person who receives it. Similarly, information is a

processed data.

Data Processing

Data processing is any process that uses a computer program to enter dataand summarise, analyse or otherwise convert data into usable

information. The process may be automated and run on a computer. It

involves recording, analysing, sorting, summarising, calculating,

disseminating and storing data. Because data is most useful when well-

presented and actually informative, data-processing systems are often

referred to as information systems.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS


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Computers can be classified into three main groups namely;

Mainframe Computer

Mini Computer

Micro or Personal Computer (PC)

MAINFRAME COMPUTERS

They are relatively Centralized large computers built to handle very large

databases, thousands of user terminals with fast response times, and

millions of transactions. 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 and bank transaction processing.

MINI COMPUTERS

Minicomputers (colloquially, mini) came after the Mainframes. Though

centralized, they are smaller in size and capacity compared to the

mainframes. It can also be referred to be a largely obsolete term for a

class of multi-user computers which make up the middle range of thecomputing spectrum.

MICROCOMPUTERS

Microcomputers or PC's as they are often called, are abundant on our

desks, tables, offices, suitcases, everywhere. This is the most visible

form of computers in the present world and comes in all forms and

breeds. There are many generations of particular design and technicalspecifications from the start of this particular design. Examples of micro

computers are the Desktops and portable computers

Desktop Computers

Desktop computers are made up of individual components, such as a

monitor, a keyboard, a system unit, and a printer. Desktop computers are

not portable and are generally placed on the surface of a desk or a table.

The components of desktop computers can easily be replaced orupgraded. Desktop computers usually have more memory, a larger hard


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drive, more ports, and a bigger display than laptops and other portable

computers. Desktop computers can run continuously for long periods of

time.

Portable Computers

The main feature of laptop computers is that they are small and portable.

As the name suggests, these can easily be placed on the lap of a user.

Desktop computers run on electricity only, while laptop computers run on

electricity or on batteries that can be recharged. However, laptop

computers consume more power than desktop computers with a similar

hardware setup. Laptop computers perform the same tasks as desktop

computers, but laptop computers generally cost more than desktop

computers.

Laptop computers are lightweight personal computers. Laptop

computers are smaller in size as compared to a desktop computer and

are designed for travel. Laptop computers are also called notebook

computers.

Handheld (PALM) computers are devices used for specific everydaytasks, such as managing personal data. These are smaller than laptops

and provide fewer features compared to desktop computers or

laptops. These can also perform basic word-processing activities and

help you access the Internet. Several handheld computer models can

also work as cellular phones or digital cameras.

Tablet computers are fully functional computers that allow you towrite directly on the screen by using a tablet pen. You can also use

the tablet pen to perform mouse functions. Tablet computers,

therefore, do not need a keyboard and a mouse.

HARDWARE

The hardware are the parts of computer itself including the Central

Processing Unit (CPU) and related microchips and micro-circuitry,

keyboards, monitors, case and drives (hard, CD, DVD, floppy, optical,

tape, etc.). Other extra parts called peripheral components or devices


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include mouse, printers, modems, scanners, digital cameras and cards

(sound, colour, and video) etc. Together they are often referred to as a

personal computer.

Central Processing Unit

The thinking part of the brain of the computer is the CPU or Central

Processing Unit. This component provides all the control and manages

calculations and manipulation of data.

Computer manufacturers are always trying to squeeze more speed and

multiprocessing capability (doing multiple things at the same time) out of

it. This has led to the dual core or multiple core CPU which is popular

today. A core is basically a computer so that a dual core computer is

really 2 computers in one.

Computer speed is usually measured in GHz which means Gigahertz

which in turn means billions of cycles per second. The basic idea is that

the higher the number of cycles, the faster the computer is. Today the

computer manufacturers are depending on the combined power ofmultiple cores to provide the power instead of the number of GHz.

Though the term relates to a specific chip or the processor a CPU's

performance is determined by the rest of the computer's circuitry and

chips.

Currently the Pentium chip or processor, made by Intel, is the mostcommon CPU though there are many other companies that produce

processors for personal computers. Examples are the CPU made by

Motorola and AMD.

Keyboard

The keyboard is

used to typeinformation into the


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computer or input information. There are many different keyboard

layouts and. The standard keyboard has 101 keys. Notebooks have

embedded keys accessible by special keys or by pressing key

combinations (CTRL or Command and P for example). Ergonomically

designed keyboards are designed to make typing easier. Hand held

devices have various and different keyboard configurations and touch

screens.

Some of the keys have a special use. There are referred to as command

keys. The 3 most common are the Control orCTRL, Alternate orAlt and

the Shift keys though there can be more (the Windows key for example

or the Command key). Each key on a standard keyboard has one or two

characters. Press the key to get the lower character and hold Shift to get

the upper.

Removable Storage and/or Disk Drives

All disks need a drive to get information off - or read - and put

information on the disk - or write. Each drive is designed for a specific

type of disk whether it is a CD, DVD, hard disk or floppy. Often the term'disk' and 'drive' are used to describe the same thing but it helps to

understand that the disk is the storage device which contains computer

files - or software - and the drive is the mechanism that runs the disk.

Digital flash drives work slightly differently as they use memory cards to

store information so there are no moving parts. Digital cameras also use

Flash memory cards to store information, in this case photographs. Hand

held devices use digital drives and many also use memory cards.

Mouse

Most modern computers today are run using a mouse

controlled pointer. Generally, the mouse has two buttons;

the left one is used to select objects and text and the right

one is used to access menus.


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One type of mouse has a round ball under the bottom of the mouse that

rolls and turns two wheels which control the direction of the pointer on

the screen. Another type of mouse uses an optical system to track the

movement of the mouse. Laptop computers use touch pads, buttons and

other devices to control the pointer. Hand helds use a combination of

devices to control the pointer, including touch screens.

Note: It is important to clean the mouse periodically, particularly

if it becomes sluggish. A ball type mouse has a small circular

panel that can be opened, allowing you to remove the ball.

Mouse Techniques

Mouse Pointer

Point

Left click

Right click

Drag

Double click

Monitors

The monitor shows information on the screen

when you type. This is called outputting

information. When the computer needs more

information it will display a message on thescreen, usually through a dialog box. Monitors

come in many types and sizes. The resolution of

the monitor determines the sharpness of the

screen. The resolution can be adjusted to control

the screen's display.


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To get the full benefit of today's software with full colour graphics and

animation, computers need a colour monitor with a display or graphics

card.

Printers

The printer takes the information on your screen and transfers it to paper

or a hard copy. There are many different types of printers with various

levels of quality. The three basic types of printer are; dot matrix, inkjet,

and laser.

Dot matrix printers work like a typewriter transferring ink from a

ribbon to paper with a series or 'matrix' of tiny pins.

Ink jet printers work like dot matrix printers but fire a stream of

ink from a cartridge directly onto the paper.

Laser printers use the same technology as a photocopier using

heat to transfer toner onto paper.

Modem

A modem is used to translate information transferred through telephone

lines, cable or line-of-site wireless.

The term stands for modulate and demodulate which changes the signal

from digital, which computers use, to analogue, which telephones use and

then back again. Digital modems transfer digital information directly

without changing to analogue.

Modems are measured by the speed that the information is transferred.

The measuring tool is called the baud rate. Originally modems worked atspeeds below 2400 baud but today analogue speeds of 56,000 are


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standard. Cable, wireless or digital subscriber lines can transfer

information much faster with rates of 300,000 baud and up.

Anyone who has used the Internet has noticed that at times the

information travels at different speeds. Depending on the amount of

information that is being transferred, the information will arrive at it's

destination at different times. The amount of information that can travel

through a line is limited. This limit is called bandwidth.

There are many more variables involved in communication technology

using computers, much of which is covered in the section on the Internet.

Scanners

Scanners allow you to transfer pictures and photographs to your

computer. A scanner 'scans' the image from the top to the bottom, one

line at a time and transfers it to the computer as a series of bits or a

bitmap. You can then take that image and use it in a paint program, send

it out as a fax or print it.

Digital cameras allow you to take digital photographs. The images are

stored on a memory chip or disk that can be transferred to your computer.

Some cameras can also capture sound and video.

The System Unit

The case houses the microchips and circuitry that

run the computer. Desktop models usually situnder the monitor and Tower models beside.

They come in many sizes, including desktop,

mini, midi, and full tower. There is usually room

inside to expand or add components at a later

time. By removing the cover off the case you may

find plate covered empty slots that allow you to

add cards. There are various types of slotsincluding IDE, ASI, USB, PCI and Firewire slots.


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Depending on the type notebook computers may have room to expand.

Most Notebooks also have connections or ports that allow expansion or

connection to exterior, peripheral devices such as monitor, portable hard-

drives or other devices.

Cards

Cards are components added to computers to increase their capability.

When adding a peripheral device makes sure that your computer has a

slot of the type needed by the device.

Sound cards allow computers to produce sound like music and voice.

Though the human ear can't distinguish the fine difference between

sounds produced by the more powerful sound card they allow for more

complex music and music production.

Colour cards allow computers to produce colour (with a colour monitor

of course). The first colour cards were 2 bit which produced 4 colours

[CGA]. It was amazing what could be done with those 4 colours. Nextcame 4 bit allowing for 16 [EGA and VGA] colours. Then came 16 bit

allowing for 1064 colours and then 24 bit which allows for almost 17

million colours and now 32 bit and higher allow monitors to display

almost a billion separate colours.

Video cards allow computers to display video and animation. Some video

cards allow computers to display television as well as capture framesfrom video. A video card with a digital video camera allows computers

users to produce live video. A high speed connection is required for

effective video transmission.

Network cards allow computers to connect together to communicate with

each other. Network cards have connections for cable, thin wire or

wireless networks. For more information see the section on Networks.


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Cables connect internal components to the Motherboard, which is a board

with series of electronic path ways and connections allowing the CPU to

communicate with the other components of the computer.

SOFTWARE

Computer software, or software, is the collection of computer programsand related data that provide the instructions telling a computer what to

do. The term was coined to contrast to the old term hardware (meaning

physical devices). In contrast to hardware, software is intangible,

meaning it "cannot be touched". Software is also sometimes used in a

more narrow sense, meaning application software only.

TYPES OF COMPUTER SOFTWARESystem Software (Operating System)

Application Software (Programmes)

System Software (Operating System)

An Operating System is a suite of programs that acts as a platform or

takes over the operation of the computer to the extent of being able to

allow a number of programs to run on the computer without any humanintervention. The process of loading the operating system to prepare the


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computer for use is known as Booting the computer. The operating

system provides an interface between the user or application progammes

and Hardware itself to control and manage the operations of the

computer. To run a programme, the first thing needed is to run the

operating system. Examples of operating systems are MSDOS (Disk

Operating System) and Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000,

Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows NT, Novell NetWare and Unix

etc. The two types of Operating system software are Graphical User

Interface (GUI) e.g. Windows and Test Interface e.g. MS-Dos

Application Software (Programmes)

These are programmes that help the user to perform a task, such as

creating documents, performing calculations, making presentations,

sending mails and faxes etc. Examples of Application Software include

Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, Desktop

Publishing/Graphics, Database, etc.

THE MOTHER BOARD

Even though the processor is the brain of the operation, without a

Motherboard all you will have is a cluster of components, which do notfit each other. Consider the motherboard as the skeleton or a computer

where parts, similar to human organs, fit within it. All motherboards

share some basic elements. All motherboards must include an integrated

chipset, which establishes the types of components that are compatible

with it. All Motherboards must accommodate at least 1 CPU, capabilities

for some type storage device, as well as some common input/output

devices such as keyboard and mouse. Every motherboard includes BIOS(Basic Input/ Output System) chip, which performs system checks at

boot-up time of the system. The BIOS also provides the means of

communication between the processor and installed peripherals. Most

BIOSs allow a limited amount of customization such as power-saving

functions and even password protection for the system even before the

operating system (OS) loads as a method of protecting your computer

from unauthorized users.


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THE HARD DISK

The function of the hard disk drive is to provide convenient persistent

storage for data and programs. By persistent I mean that the information

will survive when the power to the computer is turned off. Hard disks

provide convenient storage for large amounts of data as it is always

accessible. You don't have to find and insert the next floppy disk, or data

storage tape.

Be aware that hard drives do not

provide permanent storage. Lots of

things can go wrong and your data can

be lost. You simply must look at it this

way... If you don't backup your data,

obviously you don't really want it! It

can and ultimately will be lost without

warning.

THE FLOPPY DISK

The floppy disk drive works on the same principals as a hard disk drive,

however it cannot record at such high data densities as the hard diskdrive. This is because of the nature of the disk material, and because it is

not rigid, nor fixed to the drive motor.

Floppy disks are made of Mylar coated with a

magnetic material and enclosed in a rigid

plastic case. Earlier floppy disks were larger

and had a much more flexible plastic case.They were truly floppy and could easily be

damaged. Floppy disk drives are the slowest

type of disk drive you can get.

THE CD-ROM DRIVE

CD-ROMs encode data by

having small areas eitherstrongly reflective to light or


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ProcessingInformation (Output)Data (Raw Material)Input DeviceProcessor

CPU/Brain

Output DeviceMemory/Storage


non-reflective to light. To read this data, a CD-ROM drive employs a

laser diode to emit an infrared light beam which is reflected onto a track

on the CD-ROM by a mirror that is positioned by a motor. The light

reflected by the disc is gathered and directed by a system of lenses to a

photo detector that converts the reflected light pulses into an electrical

signal, which is then decoded by the drive electronics and sent to the

motherboard.

These devices are slower than hard disks, but much faster than floppy

disks.

HOW COMPUTERS WORKS

Input

Information and programs are entered into the computer through Input

devices such as the keyboard, disks, or through other computers via

network connections or modems connected to the Internet. The input

device also retrieves information off disks.

Output

Output Devices displays information on the screen (monitor) or the

printer and sends information to other computers. They also display

messages about what errors may have occurred and brings up message or


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dialog box asking for more information to be input. The output device

also saves information on the disk for future use.

Processing

The CPU or central processing unit is sometimes called the Control Unit

and directs the operation of the input and output devices. The

Coprocessor or the Arithmetic-Logic Unit does arithmetic and

comparisons. The memory or RAM temporarily stores information (files

and programs) while you are using or working on them. The BIOS or

basic input/output system controls the dialogue between the various

devices.

Input Devices

An input device is any peripheral (piece of computer hardware

equipment) used to provide data and control signals to an information

processing system (such as a computer). Input and output devices make

up the hardware interface between a computer as a scanner. E.g. of input

devices are Mouse, keyboard, microphone, webcam, etc.

Output Devices

An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to

communicate the results of data processing carried out by an information

processing system (such as a computer) to the outside world.

In computing, input/output, or I/O, refers to the communication betweenan information processing system (such as a computer), and the outside

world. Inputs are the signals or data sent to the system, and outputs are

the signals or data sent by the system to the outside.

Examples of output devices:

Speaker

Headphones Screen (Monitor)


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Printer

Storage Devices

Storage Devices are the data storage devices that are used in the

computers to store the data. The computer has many types of data storage

devices. Some of them can be classified as the removable data Storage

Devices and the others as the non removable data Storage Devices.

The storage devices are one of the most important components of the

computer system. The memory is of two types; one is the primary

memory and the other one is the secondary memory.

The primary memory is the volatile memory and the secondary memory

is the non volatile memory. The volatile memory is the kind of the

memory that is erasable and the non volatile memory is the one where in

the contents cannot be erased. Basically when we talk about the data

storage devices it is generally assumed to be the secondary memory.

The secondary memory is used to store the data permanently in thecomputer. The secondary storage devices are as follows: hard disk drives,

floppy disk drives, the CD ROM, and the DVD ROM. The flash memory,

the USB data card etc.

The storage devices are used to record the data over any storage surface.

The memories may also be of different types depending upon the

architecture and the design like the optical data storage memory,magnetic media storage and the mechanical storage media etc and also

the flash memory devices etc.

The data in the storage devices can be in the form of the files, databases,

digital video and the audio etc. The storage devices that are called as the

non volatile can store the data permanently until otherwise erased

purposely. This is in the case of the hard disk drives or the floppy diskdrives.


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The other kinds of the storage media like for example the CD and the

DVD can even have again two types of the storage; the first one is that in

which the data once written cannot be erased. It is stored permanently

over it. While the second type of the CDs or the DVDs are called as the

rewritable; where in the data that is once written can be erased

completely and the same storage device can be used again for storing the

different data.

DATA ENTRY

ENTER or RETURN - Moves the cursor down one line and to the left

margin. Enter also process commands such as choosing an option in a

dialog (message) boxes and submitting a form.

DEL or DELETE - Deletes the character at cursor and/or characters to the

right of the cursor and all highlighted (or selected) text.

BKSP or BACKSPACE - Deletes the character to the left of cursor and

all highlighted text.

SPACE BAR - Moves the cursor one space at a time to the right

SHIFT KEY - Use the shift keys to type capital letters and to type the

upper character on keys with two characters on them

CAPS LOCK - Locks the keyboard so it types capital letters (a light goes

on when caps lock is on)

TAB - Moves the cursor five spaces to the right (number of spaces are

usually adjustable). Tab moves to the next field in a form or table (Shift-

Tab for previous field).


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ESC or ESCAPE - Cancels a menu or dialog box

ARROW KEYS - Moves the cursor around document without changing

text

FUNCTION KEYS or F KEYS - Access commands by themselves or in

combination with the three command keys; CTRL, SHIFT, and ALT

COMMAND OR SPECIAL KEYS

Command keys normally do nothing on their own but work in

combination with other keys. Each piece of software uses the command

keys differently though there is a move to standardize some functions.

The Control key or Ctrl is often used to access commands. The

Alternative key or Alt is often used to access menus. The Shift key is

used to type CAPITAL LETTERS. As well the command keys are all

used to move through documents and edit text faster and easier. As well

many computers have Special keys design specifically for the particularcomputer. Apple computers have the Apple keys and Macs have

Command keys. Many keyboards now have a Windows key specifically

for Windows 9x and newer systems. Many older computers also have

special keys used for a variety of different functions.

Some Notebook or Laptop keys are left out because of space limitations

and they usually have a Special function key which allows other keys todouble for the missing ones.

BASIC TYPING RULES

Place one space between each word, after a punctuation mark and at the

end of a sentence. Always start a sentence with a capital letter. Use

capitals for names, addresses, provinces and countries, places,

organizations, businesses, associations, schools, colleges, universities,


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days of the week, months, holidays, nationalities, ethnic groups and

languages.

Learning the keyboard is the first step to learning computers. Learning

involves practice. It really is as simple as that. There are two kinds of

typing.

The first is called Touch Typing. The Touch Typist uses the Home Keys

(ASDF for the left hand and JKL; for the right) and all the fingers on both

hands as well as the thumbs for the Space Bar while typing. There are

many commercial and public domain programs that are designed to teach

this method.

The other method is some times called 'Hunt and Peck' or depending on

finger strength 'Search and Destroy'. This involves using one or more

fingers on one or two hands to type. It is a perfectly acceptable way of

using a computer and many people get along fine with this technique.

PERIPHERAL DEVICESA peripheral is a device attached to a host computer but not part of it, and

is more or less dependent on the host. It expands the host's capabilities,

but does not form part of the core computer architecture.

Examples are computer printers, image scanners, tape drives,

microphones, loudspeakers, webcams, and digital cameras.

Whether something is a peripheral or part of a computer is not alwaysclearly demarcated. A video capture card inside a computer case is not

part of the core computer but is contained in the case. However, whether

something can be considered a peripheral or not is a trivial matter of

nomenclature, and is not a significant issue.

THE COMPUTER MEMORY

This is the part of the computer, which holds instructions and data withinthe computer or the electronic holding place for instructions and data that


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your computer's microprocessor can reach quickly. It holds the

computers thoughts and it is divided into two main parts namely the

ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory).

Read Only Memory (ROM)

This part of the memory remembers information permanently. The

information in this part of the memory is remembered even when the

power is turned off. One can only read the information but cannot

change it.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

The data that the computer receives and the information that the

computer processes are kept in the RAM during the work section. It

remembers the information temporarily. When the computer isswitched off the information in the RAM is deleted thus it is advisable to

save the work on a disk to avoid losing ones work.

UNITS OF MEASUREMENT

The information stored in the computer is internally represented in the

form of 0s and 1s. Each 0 or 1 is called a bit. A combination of eight bits

is called a byte. 1 character (8 Bits) = 1 byte 1024 bytes = 1 Kilobytes 1024 Kilobytes = 1 megabyte 1024 megabyte = 1 Gigabyte

1024 Gigabyte = 1 Terabyte


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INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT WINDOWS

Windows Operating System

Microsoft Windows is a Graphical User Interface (GUI). This is a screen

that appears when you start a computer, containing all the choices

available to you. You interact with the GUI using a mouse to move an

on-screen pointer. You choose an option by clicking the left mouse

button once, sometimes twice in quick succession (a double-click). You

can also use the pointer to mark bits of text or graphics that you want to

copy, move or delete, to draw diagrams or pictures, to move items on the

screen, and carry out various tasks in different applications (i.e.programs). Microsoft Windows is the GUI used by most IBM compatible

PCs.

The Windows Desktop


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In the above figure, you can see an example of the Windows XP desktop.

When you first switch on your machine and Windows XP loads, it will

look similar to that shown in our example (although Windows XP by

default has a picture for the desktop background).

Desktop refers to the main background area (in our example the white

area). You can customize your desktop in various ways, including adding

a background picture, changing the background colour, and changing

the size of the icons on the desktop.

Desktop Icons

Icons are small graphical images that can represent your computer's

programs, files, folders and printers amongst other things as in the figure

above.

To activate the program/file/folder that an icon represents you simply

double click (two clicks in quick succession) on it with the left mouse

button. This will activate the icon and either start a program or open a

file/folder.

The icons on your desktop can be renamed by right clicking on them and

selecting rename. They can be deleted by right clicking and selectingdelete.

It's possible to create your own Windows desktop icons for programs,

files, folders, etc.

In our example we have two icons. The outlook icon is for example

purposes only; you may have different icons including My Documents,My Computer, My Network Places and the recycle bin icon.


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Recycle Bin

When you delete a file, Windows XP will place the file into the recycle

bin (instead of deleting it altogether), this allows you to restore the file in

case you deleted it by mistake.

For example, if you deleted a file by accident you could double click on

the recycle bin icon to see its contents. Inside you will see the file/folder

that you deleted, to restore the file back to where you deleted it from,

right click on it and then select restore from the menu that appears.

Keeping your Windows Desktop Tidy

The more you use Windows XP the more your desktop may start to fill

up with icons, either because you install more software or you create your

own icons.

Windows XP can automatically align and sort your desktop icons to keep

the desktop tidy.

To achieve this, click the right mouse button anywhere on the desktop

and a menu will appear (similar to that shown in the figure above). Hover

the mouse pointer over Arrange Icons By and a submenu will appear;

from here you can sort your desktop icons by name, size, type and last


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modified.

Selecting the Auto Arrange option will automatically align your desktop

icons every time one is added to the desktop.

The Desktop Cleanup Wizard will remove any desktop shortcuts that

have never been used. They get stored in a new folder on your desktop

called Unused Desktop

The Windows XP Start Button

The start button is a very important part of

Windows XP. Clicking on the start button

opens up what is called the start menu; the

start menu is used to access your programs, settings, printers and more.

The Start button (at the bottom of the screen, on the Taskbar), allows you

to run programs. A button appears on the Taskbar each time a program is

started or a window opened.


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The Start Button Menu Overview

Here is an overview of the different options:

Log off- Log off the current user.

Turn off Computer- shutdown, restart and standby.

All Programs - Access to installed programs.

Run - Used to manually start executable files (programs).

Search - Search your PC for pictures, music, documents, files and

folders.

Help and Support- Opens the built-in Windows help system, including

various help and support topics. You can control windows updates and

also request remote assistance from a friend/colleague via the internet or

network.

Printers and Faxes - Access to your printers and faxes folder, allows you

to add and configure printers/faxes.

Control Panel- The control panel is used to configure various Windows

XP settings. We will be looking at the Win XP control panel in detail

later in the tutorial.

My Computer - Gives you access to your computer's disk drives and

files. We will be looking more closely at the My Computer function laterin the tutorial.

My Music - Links to a folder created by Windows XP which is used (by

default) to store any music files on your hard drive.

My Pictures - Links to a folder (again created by Windows XP) used (by

default) to store any pictures/images on your hard drive.


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My Recent Documents - This folder contains any recently viewed

documents.

My Documents - Gives access to a folder created by Windows XP which

is used (by default) to store any documents on your hard drive.

Tour Windows XP- Starts the built-in tour of Windows XP's features.

Windows Movie Maker- Opens Windows XP's movie editing software.

Outlook Express - Opens the Outlook Express mail program.

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard - Allows you to import or export

your files and settings from or to a different installation of Windows XP.

Note: some of the options have a small black arrow to their right, this

means that another submenu will appear when you hover your mouse

pointer over it

The All programs Menu

Overview

When you hover the mouse over

All Programs on the Start Menu,

you will see a menu appear

similar to that shown in the figure.

The menu gives you access to theprograms currently installed on

your PC.

Your menu might be different

from this example, as you will

have different programs installed

on your PC.


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To open a program simply left click on it with the left mouse button.

Notice some options have a small black arrow to the right hand side, this

indicates that it contains another sub-menu.

For example, the accessories folder in our example has a sub-menu, if

you wanted to open a program from within the sub-menu, you would

hover the mouse pointer over accessories and click on the program you

want from the list that appears.

You can rename any program on the menu by right clicking on it and

selecting rename from the menu that appears.

After installing new software it will (usually) appear on the programs

menu.

To remove a program from the All Programs menu simply right click on

it and select delete.

Note: if you want to uninstall a program then use the control panel touninstall it.

Overview of the TURN-OFF COMPUTER menu


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If you click on the Turn Off Computer option on the start menu you will

see a dialogue box like that shown in the figure. Below is a summary of

the options available:

Standby - This will put your computer into standby mode. Windows XP

will power down components like the monitor and hard drive to preserve

energy.

Turn Off - Shuts down the PC, always use this option to turn off your

PC.

Restart- this will restart the computer.

The taskbar is another important part of the Windows XP operating

system. One of its main uses is to switch between any open programs or

documents;

Window Tabs - The Windows tabs are used to switch between any open

windows (programs, folders, documents, etc).

In the figure above, we have 2 windows open (word and excel). You can

switch between the windows by simply clicking on the corresponding

window tab, clicking a second time on the same tab will minimise the

window.

Grouping Window Tabs - A nice feature of Windows XP is that, unlike

previous versions of windows, when the taskbar fills up with window

tabs it can group all files/windows within a single program into just one


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window tab. In other words, if you have 2 documents open in Word; you

will only have one tab on the taskbar (instead of 2). You can then access

each document by left clicking on the tab and selecting the file/window

you want from the menu that appears. This feature can be switched off by

right clicking on the taskbar, clicking on properties and then unchecking

the box next to Group similar taskbar buttons.

System Tray - The system tray displays icons for programs that are

loaded into memory, although not all programs place an icon in this tray.

The Windows XP Clock

The clock sits on the taskbar (see fig

1.1) and displays the system time.

Hovering the mouse pointer over the

clock will reveal the date, to learn how

to change the time and date see our guide to changing the date/time in

Win XP

Changing the Date/Time in WindowsThe first thing to do is double click the clock on the taskbar; you will be

presented with the Windows XP Date and Time Properties box.

In figure beside, you can

see an example of a

typical Windows XP

Date and Time Propertiesbox, we have pointed out

the areas of interest.

To adjust the date, use

the monthly calendar (A)

along with the month

selector (B) and yearselector(C).


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To adjust the time, click on the part of the time you want to change (hour

or minutes) (D) and then use the up and down arrows (E) to change it.

To adjust the time zone click on the Time Zone tab (F) and then select

your time zone from the selection tool provided.

The Internet Time tab (G) allows you to synchronise your PC's clock

with an internet server.

The Program Window

Every program window has a title bar, and a menu bar. The title bar

identifies the contents of the window: it may be the name of a program

running, or a file you are working on within a program (like a word

processed document). If it is coloured, it shows that the window is active,

i.e. that it is the one you are using right now. If it is grey, it shows that the

window is inactive. You can also use the title bar to move windows on

the screen. Put the pointer in the title bar, hold down the mouse button,

and move the mouse, and the whole window will move.

At the right end of the title bar there are three buttons, a minimise button,

a maximise/restore button and a close button. The minimise button will


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reduce the window to a button on the taskbar. To change this button back

to a window, click on the taskbar button. The maximise/restore button

switches between a maximise button, which expands the window to fill

the whole screen, and a restore button which returns the window to its

original size. The close button closes the window, and quits the running

program.

The size of windows can be changed. When you place the pointer over

the border of the window, it will change shape to a double-headed arrow;

then the window border can be moved, by dragging (i.e. holding the left

mouse button down and moving the mouse).

The Menu Bar shows the headings for menus that will appear if the

heading is clicked. A typical menu (File) options include Open,

Save and Exit.

If a window contains more information than can be displayed, a scroll

bar will appear either at the side or bottom of the window, or both. The

bar has arrow buttons at each end; clicking these will move the full

contents of the window up and down or from side to side within the

window, allowing all of it to be viewed. There is also a movable block onthe scroll bar, which can be dragged to achieve the same end.

Dialog Boxes

Windows applications frequently have to ask the user for further

information to complete an operation. Thus if you want to save a new

file, you will be asked to supply a filename and to indicate the drive and

directory where the file will be located. To make these requests,Windows applications use a dialog box.

SAVE AND SAVE AS

In most programs you will see a file drop down menu that has both a save

and save as option on it. Most new computer users do not clearly see the

difference between Save and Save as. They look very similar, sound like

they do the same thing, but are not alike at all. They both are relating to


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saving files onto your computer but can both have very different

outcomes.

When you are saving a file for the first time and press save you will see

options on choosing a file name, file location, and file type.

When you save a file that already has a previous version saved, with the

exact filename, pressing save will overwrite that file. You will not see the

same options as you did when you first pressed save on a new file. In fact

you will most likely see absolutely nothing. It will just silently overwrite

the original file.

Pressing save as will again give you the options to change the file

location, file type, and most importantly, the file name. This will allow

you to save your file under a new name and avoid overwriting the

original file.

Savings a Document/File

Saving your files keeps you from losing your work in the event of a crashor power failure, and lets you name your files so that you can easily find

it again. You can also save the file in a format that is compatible with all

versions of the application you plan on using to access it, later.

Choose File => Save

You can find File on the Menu bar near the top of the file that you

want to save.If youve saved a document before, choosing FileSave saves the

most recent changes to the document without having to go through

the Save As dialog box settings again. However, if you want to save

an existing document with another name or different settings (such as

a new format), select FileSave As and enter the new information.

The newly saved file doesnt overwrite the original, but does create a

new version.


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Locate the folder where you want to save the fileLocate the folder by using the Save In drop-down list or by clicking

an icon along the left side, such as My Documents or My Computer.

If youre saving a file and want to create a new folder to save it in,

from within the Save As dialog box click the New Folder button,

enter a folder name in the New Folder dialog box, clickOK, andthen

Name the fileIn the File Name text box, enter a descriptive name for the file.

Check the file's formatIf you want to save the file in the default application format, you don'thave to do anything, but if you want to save the file in a format other

than the default application format, open the Save as Type drop-

down list and select the format.

You might also look for a Save as Web Page command on many File

menus. This allows you to publish a document in a format that will be

readable by browsers if you post to a Web site.

Click the Save button.


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Clicking the Save button saves the file in the location you chose and

with the name you specified.

WORD PROCESSING

What Is Word-Processing?

Word Processor is a Software package that enables you to create, edit,

print and save documents for future retrieval and reference. Creating adocument involves typing by using a keyboard and saving it. Editing a

document involves correcting the spelling mistakes, if any, deleting or

moving words sentences or paragraphs.

Advantages of Word Processing

One of the main advantages of a word processor over a conventional

typewriter is that a word processor enables you to make changes to adocument without retyping the entire document.

Features of Word Processing

Most Word Processor available today allows more than just creating and

editing documents. They have wide range of other tools and functions,

which are used in formatting the documents. The following are the main

features of a Word Processor


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Text is typing into the computer, which allows alterations to be made

easily.

Words and sentences can be inserted, amended or deleted.

Paragraphs or text can be copied /moved throughout the document.

Margins and page length can be adjusted as desired.

Spelling can be checked and modified through the spell check

facility.

Multiple document/files can be merged.

Multiple copies of letters can be generated with different addresses

through the mail-merge facility.

Some Common Word Processing Packages

The followings are examples of some popular word processor available

SoftWord

WordStar

Word perfect

Microsoft word

WINDOWS KEYBOARD SHORTCUTSGeneral keyboard shortcuts

CTRL+C (Copy)

CTRL+X (Cut)

CTRL+V (Paste)

CTRL+Z (Undo)

DELETE (Delete)

SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently withoutplacing the item in the Recycle Bin)

CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)

CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the

selected item)

F2 key (Rename the selected item)

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning

of the next word)


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CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of

the previous word)

CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning

of the next paragraph)

CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the

previous paragraph)

CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)

SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a

window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)

CTRL+A (Select all)

F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)

ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)

ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)

ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)

ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)

CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to

have multiple documents open simultaneously)

ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)

ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had beenopened)

F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the

desktop)

F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows

Explorer)

SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)

ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window) CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)

ALT + Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding

menu)

Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the

corresponding command)

F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)

RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open asubmenu)


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LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)

F5 key (Update the active window)

BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or

Windows Explorer)

ESC (Cancel the current task)

SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent

the CD-ROM from automatically playing)

CTRL+SHIFT+ESC (Open Task Manager)

Microsoft natural keyboard shortcuts

Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)

Windows Logo +BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)

Windows Logo + D (Display the desktop)

Windows Logo + M (Minimize all of the windows)

Windows Logo + SHIFT + M (Restore the minimized windows)

Windows Logo + E (Open My Computer)

Windows Logo + F (Search for a file or a folder)

CTRL+ Windows Logo +F (Search for computers)

Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)

Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)

Windows Logo +R (Open the Run dialog box)

Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)

THE INTERNET

A global network connecting millions of computers. More than 100

countries are linked into exchanges of data, news and opinions. Unlikeonline services, which are centrally controlled, the Internet is

decentralized by design. Each Internet computer, called a host, is

independent. Its operators can choose which Internet services to use and

which local services to make available to the global Internet community.

Remarkably, this anarchy by design works exceedingly well. There are a

variety of ways to access the Internet. Most online services, such as

America Online, offer access to some Internet services. It is also possibleto gain access through a commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP).


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INTERNET ADVANTAGES

There many advantages to using the internet such as:

Email

Email is now an essential communication tools in business. It is also

excellent for keeping in touch with family and friends. The

advantages to email is that it is free (no charge per use) when

compared to telephone, fax and postal services.

Information

There is a huge amount of information available on the internet for

just about every subject known to man, ranging from government law

and services, trade fairs and conferences, market information, new

ideas and technical support.

Services.Many services are now provided on the internet such as online

banking, job seeking and applications, and hotel reservations. Often

these services are not available off-line or cost more.

Buy or sell products.The internet is a very effective way to buy and sell products all over

the world.

Communities.Communities of all types have sprung up on the internet. Its a great

way to meet up with people of similar interest and discuss common

issues.

COMPUTER VIRUS

Computer viruses are malicious computer programs. These are written

with the sole intention of causing you grief or stealing your sensitive


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information. A virus is a type of malware and this simply means that it's

not beneficial for your computer.

Not all computer programs are friendly. A virus is one example of nasty

software which will make your computer less reliable and can even

jeopardize your personal information.

The Spread of Computer Viruses

Computer viruses have been around for a long time. In the past they used

to spread whenever people shared floppy disks. Before the internet, the

sharing of programs and data on floppy disks was very common.

Nowadays most viruses are spread through the internet. The internet has

made viruses spread much quicker and what once took days now takes

hours. Computer viruses can replicate themselves and infect other files on

your computer. This means that if your PC is infected with a virus then

whatever files you share with other people could contain the virus.

Computer Virus Risk

Computer viruses are a major concern for anyone using a computer.

There are a number of serious risks caused by these programs. Computerviruses will start to make your computer misbehave. Some viruses are

harmless and simply make your computer do something slightly

annoying.

However, there are also a number of very dangerous viruses which can

put your entire identity at risk. Identity theft is a major threat which can

affect anyone when they least expect it. Computers know a lot about youand viruses can help share this information with criminals.

A virus or Trojan could be all a hacker needs to learn all about you. They

will be able to use this information to apply for credit cards and other

loans in your name.

Protecting your PC


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It's essential that you protect your computer against viruses as this will

help to protect your identity. To protect your computer it's important that

you install a virus scanner. It's also essential that you keep your virus

scanner updated regularly. Choosing a reliable antivirus application

which offers a subscription will ensure your PC is fully protected.

A firewall should also be used to ensure your PC is protected from

hackers. The security of your computer is very important and isn't

something that you should overlook.

FOLDERS

Folders are the basic organizational building blocks of any computer

system. Without folders it would be virtually impossible to keep track of

all the files that are found on even the smallest system. New folders can

be created just about anywhere, but three methods are shown below.

Creating a FolderNew Folder on Desktop

Right click anywhere on an open area of the desktop

Select New and then click Folder


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A new folder with the default name New Folder will be created on the

desktop. Either accept the default name New Folder (bad idea) by

hitting the enter key or type a new name for the folder (good idea)

and then hit enter on the keyboard.

New Folder Using Windows Explorer in Hierarchical View

There are two easy methods for creating a new folder in this view

On the Menu bar select File => New => Folder and the folder will

be created in the right hand pane. The trick is to make sure that prior

to making the selections from the Menu that you are located at the

proper place in the hierarchical view in the left pane. The new folder

will always be created as a subfolder of whatever location you have

selected

Alternatively,


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New Folder Using Windows Explorer in Task View

Once again, make sure you're in the location where the new folder is to

be created.

In the File and Folder Tasks section, click the Make a New Folder

selection.

The New Folder is created in the right hand pane as shown in the

screen capture below.


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Note that the File and Folder Tasks section also expands to include

new entries relative to what can be done with the folder just created.

BACKING UP FILES

Computer errors and software failures happen occasionally so it is

important to backup your files and documents.

One simple way to backup your files is to copy them to a disk. If there

are only a few small files a floppy disk will work but if you are backing

up lots of large files a CD/DVD burner, a second hard drive or tapebackup may be needed. You can use a software program to automate

backups or do it manually. A manual backup usually involves dragging

the files or folders to the backup disk or tape to create the duplicate

backup.

Store your backup files in a safe place out of the sun and away from

electro-magnetic devices such as speakers and wires with strong electricalcurrents.

Every file that you create and plan to keep should be backed up. This

includes word processing documents, financial information, databases,

photos, etc...

COMPRESSION AND DECOMPRESSION


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Most software you buy or get off the Internet is compressed. Computers

store information in bytes which are made up of on or off signals. The

software applications that uses these files need to have all the on and off

signals (bytes) in place but when the file is stored they can be modified to

take up less space on the storage disk or tape.

There are commercial and shareware programs that will compress and

decompressed files for you. The most popular form of data compression

is called zip but there are others available as well.

Programs are also available to compress and decompress your files as

you or the application you are using requires them. This can be a way of

making more space available on a hard drive. Windows comes with a

program that will compress part of your hard disk. Be sure to read the

documentation before embarking on a project like compressing a hard

drive.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Health and Safety is crucial to the effective operation of a computer.Stress is widely accepted as a common and possibly the most dangerous

aspect of using a computer.

It is possible to use a computer safely if a few simple rules are

maintained.

Musculoskeletal problems can occur when improper office equipment isused. Chairs should be adjustable so that legs are at a right angle. The

back should have good support for the spine and lower back. The seat

should swivel and be made from fabric that is porous.

Eye strain can be caused by staring at a fix object for extended periods of

time (like a computer). People who use glasses may have to get their

prescriptions changed and people who use bifocals can find that the lineinterferes with the screen and trifocals triple the problem. Regular users


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of computers may develop focusing problems. Temporary colour

distortion has also been reported.

A safe working environment is crucial. Ventilation is an integral part of

the new technological workplace. Though standards are set by the

manufacturer of computer equipment the modern office has many

different pieces of equipment. All electronic equipment emits some level

of electromagnetic field which, on its own, most likely isn't a concern but

when combined with other equipment can create hazardous working

environments. Pregnant women should take extra care when working

around electromagnetic fields. Like any piece of equipment, computers

should have scheduled maintenance.

Stress is caused by many things including poor or inadequate training,

monitoring, fear of new technology, lack of control over work, physical

problems, hardware problems causing delays, poor layout of work space

and the myriad of other problems that people experience that combine to

create stressful situations.

Time away from the computer during the work day is crucial! This gives

the body a chance to stretch and gives the eyes a chance to rest. Breaks

should be scheduled and followed with great discipline. Computers, even

more so than television, have a mesmerizing effect on the user so that it is

easy to work right through breaks without noticing.

There are many other issues to be discussed around computer health andsafety but it is important to understand that there are problems and

solutions to those problems that the user, administrator and manager must

address.