Types of computer monitors

By EDITOR | Published: SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

Most people use computer monitors daily at work and at home. And while these come in a
variety of shapes, designs, and colors, they can also be broadly categorized into three types.
If you are not sure what these are and would like an introduction to the different types of
computer monitors then here we explain the three main types, as well as the pros and cons
of each.

CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors

These monitors employ CRT technology, which was used most commonly in the
manufacturing of television screens. With these monitors, a stream of intense high energy
electrons is used to form images on a fluorescent screen. A cathode ray tube is basically a
vacuum tube containing an electron gun at one end and a fluorescent screen at another end.

While CRT monitors can still be found in some organizations, many offices have stopped
using them largely because they are heavy, bulky, and costly to replace should they break.
While they are still in use, it would be a good idea to phase these monitors out for cheaper,
lighter, and more reliable monitors.

LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors

The LCD monitor incorporates one of the most advanced technologies available today.
Typically, it consists of a layer of color or monochrome pixels arranged schematically
between a couple of transparent electrodes and two polarizing filters. Optical effect is made
possible by polarizing the light in varied amounts and making it pass through the liquid
crystal layer. The two types of LCD technology available are the active matrix of TFT and a
passive matrix technology. TFT generates better picture quality and is more secure and
reliable. Passive matrix, on the other hand, has a slow response time and is slowly becoming
outdated.
LED (light-emitting diodes) monitors
LED monitors are the latest types of monitors on the market today. These are flat panel, or
slightly curved displays which make use of light-emitting diodes for back-lighting, instead of
cold cathode fluorescent (CCFL) back-lighting used in LCDs. LED monitors are said to use
much lesser power than CRT and LCD and are considered far more environmentally
friendly.
Different types of computer keyboards
Keyboards are an indispensable accessory for a computer. One of the most basic input
devices, computer keyboards are used in navigation, execution of processes,
programming and several other purposes. Several software based application directly
derive their existence from a keyboard. For instance, social networking websites,
programming languages, navigation over the computer menus etc. utilize a computer
keyboard. Even this very article wouldn’t have been possible without a keyboard.

Different Types of Computer Keyboards

A normal computer keyboard is composed of around 110 keys. Although on the basis
of key arrangements there are four major keyboard layouts being used
worldwide, QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ and HCESAR, but they can be
classified in many more different categories depending on types of computer
connector, size, number of keys etc. Among the various types listed below, keyboards
can be based on multiple types. For instance, an ergonomic keyboard can have a PS2
interface and be an internet keyboard too.

ERGONOMIC KEYBOARD
The artifact of this keyboard is slightly broader and different in shape, when compared
with the normal keyboard. In this key board certain space will be existing between the
two sets of keys and the countered shape of this key board allow the users to place
their hands in the natural position to type. These key boards are mostly used by the
people who often work with the key board as their usage is easier and is less stressful
for the wrist. The following figure: Ergonomic keyboard shows how the set of keys
are separated with gaps in between.

ADB (Apple Desktop Bus)

ADB refers to a special type of port which is enabled in some computers such as
Apple computers. The ADB key boards can be connected only to the ADB jack
enabled computers, but with the use of the adapter, the ADB key boards can also be
inserted over a USB port.
XT
An obsolete type, these keyboards only support the older computers such as IBM
8086/8088, XT-286. Not supported by present computers, keyboards are much larger
than the modern keyboards and the “Enter” key is backward-“L” shaped.

PERSONAL SYSTEMS (PS/2)

In the late 1990, most of the computers are integrated with standard PS/2 connector,
rather than USB ports, there by the keyboards used for these computers are usually
round pin that fits into the PS/2 keyboard jack. For this reason these keyboards are
named as PS/2 keyboards.

MINI PS/2
The MINI PS/2 keyboards are very small in size and are compatible with the PS/2
computers. This keyboard resembles the laptop keyboard and it is square in shape.
This keyboard is composed of fewer key and do not have detach numeric keypad.
MULTIMEDIA
The multimedia keyboard is specially designed for the people who are much into
multimedia designing. This keyboard is just like the standard key board, but
composed of additional keys for the multimedia purposes such as multimedia
application launch, volume control and mute button.

INTERNET
The Internet keyboards are designed for wider range of multimedia applications, these
keyboards are specially designed for the intense Internet user. The special keys
included in this keyboard are the home key, back and forward key, e-mail launch key,
and browser launch key etc. these keys carry out the same functionality as of the
buttons on the webpage. In order use these extra keys the computer must be embedded
with right operating system.
WIRELESS
A wireless keyboard, the name itself doles the meaning that this keyboard can be
operated without addressing a wired connection to the processor. The wireless
keyboards are also referred as Cordless keyboards; these keyboards require batteries
to provide the electricity which usually delivered through a PS/2 or USB cable. “AA”
or “AAA” batteries are most widely used standard batteries for wireless keyboards.
Apple Macs are known to revolutionize the wireless keyboard by making them thinner
than the wired ones. These keyboards usually work at 2.4 GHz frequency and come
with a dongle that connects and makes them communicate with the computer.

GAMING
As the name suggest, gaming keyboards are those who are into gaming and need easy
access to the keys that are usually utilized in gaming. These keyboards are composed
of particular gaming-oriented features such as key lighting, programmable keys,
and/or extra controls of volume and brightness. These keyboards are available in
wired and wireless, in case if wired, it usually supports the USB port.
MEMBRANE
Membrane keyboards are one of the keyboard types, which are used very rarely. The
keys integrated in this keyboard are non-moving pressure-sensitive keys. The keys in
this keyboard are so close, so that there is no scope for spilling liquids into the
keyboard. Such keyboard types are also used in mobile phones and old landline
phones.

Keyboards are slowly being incorporated into touch screens that are being widely
incorporated in various phones and tablet computers. Named as touch screen
keyboards, these are virtual keyboard units have a QWERTY and numeric appearance
so that message typing and number calling are quite easy. Also, gaming consoles that
provide social networking such as the PlayStation 3 have an on-screen keyboard
which can be accessed by user joystick.

Basic parts and functionality of the computer

 Whether it is a telephone with a touch screen, a laptop, a tablet or a desktop, all computers consist of
certain basic elements. This basic assembly is formed usually of a motherboard, a processor, central
memory, hard disc drive, connections, the monitor as well as the keyboard, mouse or some kind of a
touch pad.. The majority of the listed parts are inside the cabinet, but knowing them is important in
order to manage different problem situations.

Remember what the reading instructions for this material told you: you don’t have to read everything from start to
finish! If you are familiar with a particular subject, just skim through it and skip any content which you already
know thoroughly.
The computer case
The computer case contains the most important components of the computer: the motherboard, the
processor, random access memory modules, the hard drive etc. It may not be possible to exchange
the components in a laptop computer, but in a desktop computer you have much more influence on
the parts inside the case.

The motherboard

The motherboard is the part of the computer where such things as the processor, memory modules,
expansion cards and external devices are attached. This means that the motherboard controls the
functions of different components. The number of connection slots for peripheral devices and the
number and type of memory slots are important properties of the motherboard.

In addition to the various connections, the motherboard also has a small battery ensuring that settings
made on the board are retained even when the computer is switched off.
 The processor

The processor can be considered to be the ‘engine’ of the computer because it executes the lion’s
share of the information processing; the processor fetches commands and necessary information from
the RAM, carries out the tasks specified by the commands, and returns the processed information to
the RAM.

The speed of a computer depends largely on the speed of the processor. The processor’s speed, in
turn, is affected by various factors, such as the so-called clock frequency (usually expressed as
gigahertz, GHz), the amount of cores and of the so-called cache memory inside the processor.

Random access memory

The RAM (Random Access Memory) is a memory storage that functions during computer use and is
especially utilised by the processor. In modern computers, the amount of RAM is around 4 – 16 GB
depending on the type and purpose of the computer (please seedata entry units for more information).
The RAM consists of one or more memory modules (see image above).
When the computer is started, the operating system is loaded into the RAM (an operating system is a
program that controls the devices and programs in a computer – please seeoperating systems for
more information). The computer also loads the files being processed – music, assignments, videos
etc – to the RAM.
If there is enough RAM, the computer executes requested tasks quickly. This is why it is a good idea
to add to the memory by buying more memory modules as the need arises.

How do I find out the amount of RAM on my computer?You can check the amount of memory on your computer
in the following manner in Windows: Open the Control Panel from the Start menu, and click System and
Security and thenSystem. You will see the amount of memory on your computer on the screen.If you are using a
Mac computer, you can see its memory by clicking the Mac button in the top left corner of the screen, and
clicking About this Mac in the opening menu.
Hard drive

The hard drive is the permanent memory of the computer where saved files remain even when the
computer is turned off. This is why the hard drive is used for saving files.

The capacity of hard drives varies; currently the typical capacity is 500-1000 GB, but hard drives of
over 1500 GB, i.e. 1,5 terabit, are also available. However, the capacity of the internal hard drives in
laptop computers is often less than that.You can add to the capacity of your computer by attaching an
additional hard drive, either internally or externally. More information about storage sizes can be
found here.
The hard disk is used for the storage of the computer’s operating system and all important files. It is
therefore packed in a fixed protective housing. The disks may become damaged in spite of this
protection, so you should absolutely make backup copies of files on the hard drive from time to time
(please see backup copies for more information)!
DVD and Blu-ray drives with writing capabilities

Most computers these days come with a Blu-raydrive or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) drive with
writing capabilities, with which you can burn such things as backup copies of important files to
DVDs. CD drives are older and have mostly been replaced with DVD drives. CD drives can only
burn data on CDs, which have a substantially smaller storage capacity, while DVD drives can burn
data to both CDs and DVDs with more capacity (please see recording media for more information).
The display and display adapter
Most computer displays are so-called LCD displays (Liquid Crystal Display), where the image
display is produced by liquid crystals between two transparent sheets. Display sizes range between
only a few inches in handheld apparatuses to large 24 inch desktop displays.

One of the most important features of the display is itsresolution, i.e. how many pixels (picture
elements) the image consists of. A normal 22 to 24-inch widescreen display usually has 1920 pixels
horizontally and 1200 pixels vertically (1920×1200). These displays can reproduce FullHD (full
high definition) image.
No matter what the type of display is, the computer must contain a so-called display adapter that
allows you to attach the display to the computer and controls the display image. Practically all
motherboards come equipped with a display adapter, so you do not need to buy one separately,
unless you want to enhance the capabilities of your desktop computer e.g. for gaming, video editing,
or 3D imaging purporses.
Keyboard

A standard keyboard has 102 keys. The keys are divided into alphabetical (a-z), numerical (1-0) and
special (Function, Ctrl, Alt etc keys).

In addition to the usual alphabetical and numerical keys, you should know at least the following
special keys that are located among the alphabetical ones.

Below are shown some typical keys on a PC keyboard. The keyboard mapping on Mac computers is
almost identical to PC keyboards, but the special keys Ctrl and Alt work slightly differently. In
addition, the Mac keyboard has Fn and Cmd keys instead of the Windows key.
Ctrl: (Control) is used in combination with other keys for different actions. The
combination Ctrl+C, for example, copies the chosen data to the memory.
Alt: (Alternative) is used like the Ctrl key. Sometimes both these keys are used in
combination: Ctrl+Alt+Del, for example, brings up the task manager(in Windows
XP).
 Alt Gr: (Alternative Graphics) produces the ‘third character’ of the keys, e.g. @, $, £
and }. With this key, you can also create the ~ character (important for the internet).
Create the ~ character as follows: press ALT-GR and the ~ key at the same time,
and finish with the space bar.
You can make so-called ascii characters with combinations of the Alt key and
numerals, e.g. Alt+0176 makes the character for temperature °. You can choose to
either add special characters in this way or through an application. Most text
processing programs have their own menu for special characters.

Shift: capitalizes letters and the special characters on the numerical keys, among
others.

Caps Lock: locks the capitalization of letters. This function is connected with an A
or Caps lock pilot light on the keyboard. It turns on the light when the function is in
use.

Tab: the tabulator is mainly used in word processing: each time you press the tab
button, the cursor moves to the next tab stop on the same row. The key can also be
used for alternating between window displays.

Backspace: removes the characters to the left of the cursor, i.e. what you just wrote.
This key can also be used to remove a larger portion of text.

Enter: by pressing this key you can change paragraphs or e.g. accept a function.

There are more special keys above the alphabetical keys; of these the function keys(please see next
image) are used for different functions, depending on situation and the program currently being used.
The manual for these functions is usually available in the manual for the program.

To the left and right of the function keys, you will find the following additional keys:

Esc (Escape): mostly used to cancel a function, or e.g. to close a menu

window.
 Home and End: these keys bring the cursor to the top or the bottom of the
line.
Page Up and Page Down: move the page up or down.
Insert: starts the insert function, where the text you are writing replaces the
text to the right of the cursor.
Delete: deletes the character to the right of the cursor.

Arrow keys: move the cursor in the direction shown by the arrows.

The number pad is activated with the Num Lock key: when it is
activated, the pilot light with the symbol 1 or the text Num Lock lights up.
Usually the Num Lock function has been set to be turned on when starting
up the computer. If the pilot light is not turned on, the keys function in the
way indicated by the symbols on the keys (8 up, 4 left, 6 right, 2 down).

The keyboard also has the rarely used keys Print Screen, Scroll Lock and Pause. The Print Screen
key lets you take a picture of the display (Alt+PrintScreen takes a picture of the currently activated
window) and send it to your clipboard, Scroll Lock locks the scrolling of the display and the Pause
key can be used e.g. for stopping the loading of the system during start-up.
For more information on hotkeys and key combinations, see the additional reading material.
Pointing devices
Traditionally, most programs have been designed to be used with a mouse. The mouse cursor seen on
the screen of the computer moves along with the mouse. The cursor can be used to select menu
commands and areas, as well as activating different objects by clicking the mouse keys.

Larger image: optical mouse | pointing stick and touchpad | touchscreen

 Mouse
You can attach a traditional mouse with or without a cord to any computer. Cordless mice use radio
waves to relay movement from the mouse to the computer (for this mouse, a small radio receiver is
attached to the computer).

Touchpad
Almost all laptop computers have a touchpad which is used to move the cursor. Some models also
have a so-called pointing stick. In addition, portable computers have keys with the clicking function
of mouses. The touchpad is a pad where you can control the cursor by moving your finger along the
pad. Tapping the pad serves the same function as clicking a mouse.
Pointing stick
The pointing stick is a ‘nub’ located in the middle of the keyboard, and controls the cursor. The
pointing stick can be ‘clicked’ by tapping the stick or using the separate buttons in the keyboard. In
the right-hand image above, you can see a portable computer with both a pointing stick (blue) and a
touchpad (the large, dark grey area in front of the keyboard).
Touchscreen
Devices that are smaller than a laptop, such as phones and tablets, usually do not have a separate
keyboard or pointer device. In these devices, the entire screen of the device works as an input device.
A touchscreen is used like the track pad on a laptop, and when typing is required, a keyboard
appears on the screen.

When using a mouse, keyboard and similar devices, please consider your ergonomics. Among other things, make
sure that your wrists are resting squarely on the worktop or on a separate wrist rest, and that your work position
does not strain your shoulders.

The main connection ports

Regardless of computer type, the main connection port types in modern computers are all nearly the
same. Granted, there are some differences between desktop and portable computers, but both types
generally have at least the following ports (the letters refer to the images below. The top image
shows the ports of a portable computer and the bottom image those of a desktop computer). It will be
useful for you to recognize these and other ports presented on this page, so that you can use different
devices and programs without difficulties. In addition, it is very important that you know that all the
necessary ports are available when you buy a new computer.

 power connection port (A)

 display connection port (B)
 LAN port (Local Area Network) (C)
  USB ports (Universal Serial Bus) (D)
 audio ports (E)
 WLAN port (Wireless Local Area Network) (not shown)

Larger image

Please note that the above images only show some of the most common ports; there are often more
ports in the side and front panels of the computer etc.

Power connector
The power connector is generally in the back panel of the computer. The power source of a portable
computer is generally in an external AC adapter, so the power connector of a portable computer
(below left) is smaller than that of a desktop computer (below right).
Please note that the computer should be plugged into a grounded socket and that you should unplug it
from both power and network sources during a thunderstorm.

Display port
The display port is usually in the back panel of the computer. The following double image shows an
older VGA port and a newer so-called DVI port . These most computers use a DVI connector for
relaying the image to an external display (the upper connector and the white cable in the image
below).

Local area network port

In order to use various internet services, you have to connect your computer to a LAN (Local Area
Network); this is usually done through a LAN port. The LAN socket and cable are easy to recognize
due to their special appearance.

USB port
Some devices that can be connected to the USB port are mouses, keyboards, digital cameras, USB
memory sticks and scanners. The following image shows two USB ports and a USB cable.
Audio ports
Some headphones designed for computer use are connected using a USB connector (see above). You
might, however, need separate audio connectors when, for example, connecting speakers, a
microphone or regular headphones to your computer. These separate audio connectors are quite often
color coded on the computer, and marked with the symbols in the next picture.

If you want to attach e.g.headphones or loudspeakers to your computer, plug them into the green
sound-out port.

Other ports
Many new computers have an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) port (see the port to
the left on the image below) where you can connect e.g. a DVD or Blueray player, stereo speaker or
flat-screen TV. HDMI enables excellent image and sound reproduction over the connected hardware.
Some computers have a competitor to HMDI, a Displayport connection (see the middle port in the
image below), where you can also connect e.g. the computer screen or a stereo speaker.
Some newer computers also have a eSata port (see port on the right in the image above). Typically,
an external hard drive can be connected to this port, and you can store information through it much
faster than with the older FireWire connection.
Modern laptop computers have several card slots. The image below shows anExpressCard (EC) slot
where you can connect many kinds of hardware, and a Secure digital (SD) slot, where you can insert
e.g. a camera memory card for fast transferral of digital images. In addition to these very common
card slots, there are many others.

Wireless network ports

New computers often support different kinds of wireless networks. Some ways to connect a wireless
network are:

 WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network): with WLAN you can connect your computer at
home or at the university to a wireless network such as the university’s guest network
HupNET (more on the HupNET network). Please note that in order to use the WLAN you
need a wireless network adapter, and that the area that a WLAN network covers only ranges
from some tens of metres to some hundreds of metres.
 Bluetooth networks: using Bluetooth, you can create a short-range network between, e.g., a
laptop computer and a mobile phone. This way you can transfer data from the phone to the
laptop or vice versa. In order to use a Bluetooth network both the devices need to support
Bluetooth, and its range does not exceed some tens of metres.
Please note that when you are using a WLAN or Bluetooth network, small icons indicating this are
usually found in the bottom right corner of you display:
Windows 7:

Note that when you are using a WLAN or Bluetooth network, there are usually small icons indicating
this at the bottom right of you display (on the Windows Vista operating system).

If you are having trouble connecting to a LAN or WLAN on your computer, you can check their
status as follows:

 Windows 7: Click the network connections icon down to the right on the task bar (see
image). This will show you the network connections available to your computer and their
current status. If you cannot find the icon, press the triangle-shaped Show hidden icons button
in the task bar.

Storage and peripheral devices

This page discusses the following topics:

 Data storage methods and different storage media

 Other peripheral IT devices: Printers and scanners
Storage
Online storage is often the best option if you want to back up your files or access them at another
location. However, an online location is not always the best or most convenient storage place: a
network connection is not necessarily available at all times and in all places. The storage and
retrieval of large amounts of data to and from an online location may take a lot of time, whereas
storing to and downloading from a removable USB memory stick, for example, can often be done in
an instant.
 Online storage

SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE UNIVERSITY

As a student of the University of Helsinki, the UH home directory (the Z: drive on UH computers)
available to you is the most advisable online storage location as there your data is safe from
unauthorised used and is backed up automatically every night. You can access your home directory
not only at the University of Helsinki but also anywhere in the world.
Apart from the home directory, you may come across other online storage locations or group
directories used in group work at the University of Helsinki during your studies.
Smaller individual files can be transferred quickly by sending them to yourself as e-mailattachments.

OTHER SERVICES
In addition to the services provided by the University, the Internet is full of storage services available
to you. Various online storage services are usually referred to using the general term cloud services.
Different operating system manufacturers have their own services: OneDrive is available for
Windows devices, whereas Apple offers iCloud. Furthermore, there are several independent (such as
Funet Filesender) and commercial (e.g. DropBox) storage services.
Cloud services should be used with discretion as their information security may be rather weak. They are not
necessarily permanent so in the worst case, the files you have stored there may disappear without separate
notification. You should also keep in mind that you cannot access the data in the cloud services without a network
connection. The use of some services may even be expressly prohibited at the university or workplaces. For
further information on the information security of various cloud services, see the instructions provided by Aalto
University, for example.

Storage media
When using removable storage media (such as USB memory sticks, certain DVDs, external hard
drives, etc.), saving to the memory can be done the same way as saving to the computer’s own hard
drive. However, the use and application of different media vary, so it is important for you to be aware
of which media are suited for which kind of storage, e.g. backing up files and moving them from one
location to another.

USB MEMORY STICKS

USB memory sticks (USB, Universal Serial Bus) are connected to the USB port of a computer or
another device. USB memory sticks can be used to transfer data between different devices (such as
laptops, desktop computers and modern televisions) and operating systems (Windows, Mac OS,
Linux, etc.) as long as the files to be transferred are compatible.
Larger image
Because of their small size and usability, USB sticks are well suited for your file storage and transfer
needs as a student. There are USB sticks with different capacities, but once you are buying one, buy
one with a high enough capacity (e.g. 16 GB). More information on file size measurement units may
be found here.

BLU-RAY, DVD AND CD

If your computer has a DVD-RW drive (Digital Versatile Disk Re-Writeable), you can use it to write
both to DVDs and CDs. A DVD will usually take 4.7 GB of data, while a CD will only take around
700 MB (=0.7 GB) of data.

However, if you have a writing, i.e. burning, Blu-ray drive on your computer, you can use it to store
information not only on CDs and DVDs but also on Blu-ray discs, which have a capacity that is
vastly superior to the above mentioned disc types. One Blu-ray disc can hold 25–100 GB of data,
depending on its model.

In order to write or “burn” to discs, you will usually need a separate burner program. Most operating
systems come with such a program by default, but often more versatile programs are used (please see
the Helpdesk site for more information on different burner programs).

EXTERNAL HARD DRIVES

External hard drives are popular devices, especially for storing large amounts of data (such as photos
and video clips) and transferring them from one place to another. You can fit exponentially more data
on external hard drives than on e.g. a DVD or a USB memory stick.

Larger image
Even though external hard drives are packed into sturdy protective casings, they are easily damaged.
Most external hard drives are connected to the computer’s USB port, after which you can store data
on them in the same way as with a USB memory stick.

Usage of different recording media

Since the prices, quality and usability vary for different storage media, you should be able to choose
the right media for the type of recording you need to make. The following table shows examples of
the general features and application fields of different media.

Medium Price Application Usability Reliability

USB stick EUR 5- Moving and saving files Very quick, easy Not 100%
25 reliable!

DVD EUR 1- Moving, saving and back-up Fairly quick, fairly Not 100%
2 copying of files. easy reliable!

Blu-ray disc EUR 2- Moving, saving and back-up Fairly quick, fairly Not 100%
5 copying of files. easy reliable!

External hard EUR Moving, saving and back-up Used like a USB Not 100%
drive 50-100 copying large amounts of data. memory stick reliable!

Safe use of storage media

Usually removable media are automatically displayed as a disk drive when you plug the medium into
the computer’s USB or other port. The removable medium you have plugged in will usually appear
under the name Removable Disk – or if you have renamed the medium, it will appear under that
name.

USB sticks and external hard drives are used in the same way as the computer’s own hard drive,
while writing to CDs and DVDs is usually done with the help of a separate ‘burner’ program.
Whichever medium you choose, you should consider the following facts:
  Different storage media may contain ‘duds.’ You may receive the announcement “Not
formatted,” for example, which in the worst case may mean that the files in the memory have
been destroyed. In such a case, please stay calm and try reading the memory on another
computer, for example. This means that it is a good idea to make backup copies of the files
on removable media every now and then!
 Sometimes it takes a while for the removable medium to appear in the operating system. Do
not panic, but wait calmly for the medium to appear.
 When unplugging the removable medium from your computer, make sure you have
closed all files on the storage medium (removing the medium may damage the open file).
 Remember to remove storage media safely with the help of the so-called Safely Remove
Hardware function: this is done by clicking the green icon in the image (A) below with your
primary mouse button, and choosing the media you want in the menu that opens up (B).

Operating system management

The following issues are discussed on this page:

 Powering on and shutting down the computer

 Start menu, task bar and desktop
 Icons and Buttons
 Help and support functions
Powering on and off
The operating system (OS) should be turned on and off with care, so that no important information is
lost. Turning it on is simple in itself, but if there are power-saving and other similar functions in
use, it is important that you know the basics of those functions. The following features are available
in most modern personal and laptop computers.
 Hibernation: A power saving mode developed especially for laptops. When the computer is
restarted after hibernation, all the programs will return to the state they were in when the
hibernation started. This means that the current record of the operating system is saved to the
hard drive when you set the computer to hibernate, so the computer can be restarted quickly
without reloading (rebooting) the whole operating system. Hibernation preserves as much
power as turning off the computer, so it does not drain the computer’s battery (in case you are
using a laptop computer). You can usually enter hibernation from the Start menu and restart
by pressing the power button of the computer.
 Standby, Sleep, Suspend: sets the computer in a state from which you can quickly return to
using open programs and files. Some power is expended in the standby state, but it is less than
with normal computer usage. The advantage of standby over hibernation is that it is quicker to
return to using the computer. Starting and ending the standby state is also done through
the Start menu.
For periods longer than a few hours (e.g. over night), it is recommendable to shut down the computer
entirely via the Shut down function. Accordingly, if the computer ‘freezes,’ it is always better to try
and use the Restart function (from the Start menu) (please seesolutions to problem situations for
more information).
The start menu and the program groups
With the start menu (see image below), you can manage most of the computer’s functions, including
the following (items in brackets refer specifically to Windows 7):

 Start your favourite programs from the left-hand paragraph of the menu
 Start all programs installed on your computer from the program menu (All Programs)
 Go to your home directory (Documents), your image directory (Pictures) or your music
directory (Music)
 Go to different storage media on your computer (Computer)
 Change your computer settings through the control panel (Control Panel) (more information
about the operating system)
 Find and use different devices and resources in your network (Network)
 Administer available printers and devices (Devices and Printers)
 Select the default programs for music, e-mail, video and other files (Default programs)
 Read the manual and receive support for the operating system (Help and Support)
 Find files or folders on your computer (Search programs and files)
 Shut down the computer (Shut Down)
  Restart or log off the computer (the functions are found behind the triangle-shaped icon next
to the Shut down icon.)

If you want to change which features and programs you can see in the start menu, click on Start with
your secondary mouse button, then select Properties from the menu that opens. Open the Start menu
tab and click on Customize. You can select the features you want to see in your start menu from the
window that opens. When you have finished, click on OK to continue.

The task bar

Among other things, the task bar shows which programs are currently running. You can alternate
between programs by clicking the button of the program you want. In the following image, the
programs running are the Mozilla Firefox browser and the graphics programPaint Shop Pro.
You can permanently attach programs to the task bar by right-clicking it and choosing Pin this
program to taskbar from the opening menu.
At the right of the task bar – beside the clock – you will see the Notification Area, where, in
addition to the clock, you will see icons that tell you about the current state of some programs and
services. The example above, going left from the clock, shows the icon for the loudspeakers. By
double-clicking that, you can start the Volume Control program.
Desktop
When your computer operating system has loaded, you will see the Desktop on the screen. On the
desktop, you will usually find various icons for managing and starting different programs. The
desktops of different operating systems are usually slightly different graphically; below left shows a
Windows 7 desktop, below right shows a Linux (UHL RedHat) desktop.

Larger image: Windows desktop | Linux desktop

Depending on the settings and instalment, the desktop usually contains the following icons:

 a link to the storage folder for your own files (My Documents, Home etc): please note that the
folder itself may be located on the net rather than on the computer.
 the recycle bin: storage for discarded data.
 start icons for different programs: you can open programs from these icons. Please note that
you can add your own icons to the desktop. These icons, also known as shortcuts, can be
added in Windows 7 by “dragging” the icon you want with the mouse from the source location
(e.g. the Start menu) to the desktop.
Icons and shortcuts
In GUIs, icons are used to refer to files, folders, and other items. Icons are usually managed with the
mouse, and the appearance of the icon tells us what kind of icon it is; files and folders, for example,
have different dedicated icons (the icons presented here are from Windows 7).

Below, you will see the icons of two Folders; the left-hand one is a local folder, the right-hand one is
located on the server. By double-clicking the folder icon, the contents of the folder will open in a
new window.
Projects that you have saved (e.g. a set of slides) are saved as files on your computer. The file content
is shown by its icon and name. The following icons show some of the most common file types and
their icons. By double clicking a file icon, you will start the program that has been used to create the
contents of the file (please see file types for more information). This will open the file in the program
automatically.

Programs – or rather, program files – also have their own icons, which are usually individually
dedicated. You can start the program by double clicking the program icon. You can see some
program icons below.

Programs installed on the computer often create a shortcut icon on the desktop, making it easier to
start and find the program.

The shortcut is not the original file, nor a copy of it, but rather a link to a program file located
elsewhere. If you remove the shortcut, nothing will happen to the program it is linked to.

You will recognize a shortcut from the arrow symbol in the bottom left corner of the icon (see
above). By double-clicking the shortcut, the item linked to it will open up.
Buttons
When using different programs, you will often be required to confirm the choices you have made.
For this end, the dialog boxes of the programs contain buttons with which to confirm your choice.
The buttons OK and Cancel come up for most actions, but the dialog box also often shows an Apply
button as shown below. By clicking this button, you will see what clicking OK would result in, so
you could say Apply is a sort of preview function.

The button alternatives of different dialog boxes often vary a bit. Below is an example of a dialog
box without the Apply function mentioned above. Instead, the program offers the user a Help
function.

Help and Support in Windows

You can open the support function in Windows by clicking Help and Support in the Startmenu.
Alternatively, you can press the F1 key while you are on the desktop. A window like the one shown
in the image below will open up. If you click on the headers in the window, the program will open
more detailed headers on the subject you have chosen. Click on the subject you want to know more
about. You can also search for a topic by writing a search term into the Search Help window and
clicking on the button with a magnifying glass on the right.

Larger image
Another way to search for instructions is to use the directory feature; click on the Browse Help
Topics button (see image below). Now you can browse various instructions that are ordered
according to topic. The sub-titles of the instructions will be shown along the left-hand side of the
window, where you can select the topic you are interested in.
Larger image

Different types of computer keyboards

BY RAGHAVARAPU MOUNIKA

Keyboards are an indispensable accessory for a computer. One of the most basic input
devices, computer keyboards are used in navigation, execution of processes,
programming and several other purposes. Several software based application directly
derive their existence from a keyboard. For instance, social networking websites,
programming languages, navigation over the computer menus etc. utilize a computer
keyboard. Even this very article wouldn’t have been possible without a keyboard.
 Different Types of Computer Keyboards

A normal computer keyboard is composed of around 110 keys. Although on the basis
of key arrangements there are four major keyboard layouts being used
worldwide, QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ and HCESAR, but they can be
classified in many more different categories depending on types of computer
connector, size, number of keys etc. Among the various types listed below, keyboards
can be based on multiple types. For instance, an ergonomic keyboard can have a PS2
interface and be an internet keyboard too.

ERGONOMIC KEYBOARD
The artifact of this keyboard is slightly broader and different in shape, when compared
with the normal keyboard. In this key board certain space will be existing between the
two sets of keys and the countered shape of this key board allow the users to place
their hands in the natural position to type. These key boards are mostly used by the
people who often work with the key board as their usage is easier and is less stressful
for the wrist. The following figure: Ergonomic keyboard shows how the set of keys
are separated with gaps in between.
XT
An obsolete type, these keyboards only support the older computers such as IBM
8086/8088, XT-286. Not supported by present computers, keyboards are much larger
than the modern keyboards and the “Enter” key is backward-“L” shaped.

PERSONAL SYSTEMS (PS/2)

In the late 1990, most of the computers are integrated with standard PS/2 connector,
rather than USB ports, there by the keyboards used for these computers are usually
round pin that fits into the PS/2 keyboard jack. For this reason these keyboards are
named as PS/2 keyboards.
MINI PS/2
The MINI PS/2 keyboards are very small in size and are compatible with the PS/2
computers. This keyboard resembles the laptop keyboard and it is square in shape.
This keyboard is composed of fewer key and do not have detach numeric keypad.

MULTIMEDIA
The multimedia keyboard is specially designed for the people who are much into
multimedia designing. This keyboard is just like the standard key board, but composed
of additional keys for the multimedia purposes such as multimedia application launch,
volume control and mute button.
INTERNET
The Internet keyboards are designed for wider range of multimedia applications, these
keyboards are specially designed for the intense Internet user. The special keys
included in this keyboard are the home key, back and forward key, e-mail launch key,
and browser launch key etc. these keys carry out the same functionality as of the
buttons on the webpage. In order use these extra keys the computer must be
embedded with right operating system.

WIRELESS
A wireless keyboard, the name itself doles the meaning that this keyboard can be
operated without addressing a wired connection to the processor. The wireless
keyboards are also referred as Cordless keyboards; these keyboards require batteries
to provide the electricity which usually delivered through a PS/2 or USB cable. “AA” or
“AAA” batteries are most widely used standard batteries for wireless keyboards. Apple
Macs are known to revolutionize the wireless keyboard by making them thinner than the
wired ones. These keyboards usually work at 2.4 GHz frequency and come with a
dongle that connects and makes them communicate with the computer.
GAMING
As the name suggest, gaming keyboards are those who are into gaming and need easy
access to the keys that are usually utilized in gaming. These keyboards are composed
of particular gaming-oriented features such as key lighting, programmable keys, and/or
extra controls of volume and brightness. These keyboards are available in wired and
wireless, in case if wired, it usually supports the USB port.

MEMBRANE
Membrane keyboards are one of the keyboard types, which are used very rarely. The
keys integrated in this keyboard are non-moving pressure-sensitive keys. The keys in
this keyboard are so close, so that there is no scope for spilling liquids into the
keyboard. Such keyboard types are also used in mobile phones and old landline
phones.
Keyboards are slowly being incorporated into touch screens that are being widely
incorporated in various phones and tablet computers. Named as touch screen
keyboards, these are virtual keyboard units have a QWERTY and numeric appearance
so that message typing and number calling are quite easy. Also, gaming consoles that
provide social networking such as the PlayStation 3 have an on-screen keyboard which
can be accessed by user joystick.
- See more at:
http://readanddigest.com/different-types-of-computer-keyboards/#sthash.beud3Gv4.dpu
f
Different Types of the Computer Mouse
eiodotcom — June 14, 2012 — Leave a comment

Different mice from 1987 to 2007

Today’s Eio post is on the computer mouse.

Different Types

Ball Mouse
The ball mouse is one of the earliest forms of mice. It contained a ball that could roll in all directions and
track movement. The main drawback of the ball mouse was that one had to constantly clean the wheel of
grime which would reduce the amount of friction. Ball mice have been made largely obsolete by newer
technology.

Optical Mouse
Optical mice use LED and photo technology to detect movement, rather than a physically moving ball. It
tracks the cursor’s movement through photo sensors which take over 1,000 pictures per second. This
instantly tells the computer the position of your mouse’s cursor.

Laser Mouse
Laser mice, as its name suggests, uses infrared laser technology to detect the mouse’s movement. The
laser mouse is very similar to optical mice, only instead of an LED to track movement, it utilizes lasers to
monitor the movements of the mouse and represent them on the screen.
Other Things to Consider

 Wired or Wireless?
 Regular or Ergonomic?
 USB connector?

Check out some of Eio‘s options for computer mice!

Optical & Wired: iMicro MO-5013U USB Optical Mouse

Wireless & Laser: Microsoft ZJA-00046 Wireless Laser Arc Mouse

Wireless & Laser: iHome IH-M171ZN Blue 2.4 GHz Wireless
Laser Mouse
 What is an FDD connector?

QUICK ANSWER

An FDD connector is a pin ribbon connector that connects a floppy disk drive with the
computer's motherboard. This connector also provides a route through which data on
the floppy disk can be read and displayed on the computer's interface