COMPUTER PRACTICE

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THEORY
What is a computer?
• a computer is an electronic device
• capable of processing information
• to produce a desired result
• composes of hardware (peripherals)
• and software (programs)
• it varies in size and configuration

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Operation:
• receive data in digital form from an input device (keyboard, scanner,
etc..)
• manipulates and processes data by carrying out a sequence of
instructions using a program
• calculations are normally arithmetic (addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division & logic (compare data entries in a specific
sequence)
• stores the processed data on a storage device
• sends processed data to output device (VDU, printer, through
modem to another computer)

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Broad applications of computers

• Word Processing – manipulation of text – MSWord,

WordPerfect, MultiMate
• Spreadsheets – manipulation of numbers – MS Excel, Lotus123,
Quattro
• Accounting – used for bookkeeping – Pastel, MS Money
• Database – keeps record of large amount of data like student
information – MS Access, Dbase

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Advantages
• Speed
• Accurate – GIGO (garbage in, garbage out)
• Cost effective
• Formalise procedures
• Easy to use
• Professional and appealing
• Variety of application programs
• Makes life easier
• Communication is improved 5
Disadvantages

• Unemployment
• Privacy
• Computer fraud and scams
• Impersonal working environment
• Electricity – load shedding
• Health problems
• Infected by viruses

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Classification according to purpose

• Multi-purpose computers – can perform a variety of functions

• Special purpose computers – specifically designed to perform
one function

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Classification

• Analogue computers – used in scientific or engineering

applications (SABC signal)
• Digital computers – used for mathematical calculations where
accuracy is important. Input is in numeric form. Speed is
important

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Classification according to processor speed
& other specifications 

 Mainframes
• Large commercial computers used by banks, hotels, hospitals,
etc.
• Can process large amounts of data in very short time.
• More than 100 million instructions per second
• Can save milliard of characters
• Kept in temperature-controlled room

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Supercomputers

• More powerful, faster and more expensive than mainframe

• Used in chemical aerospace, electronic and petroleum industries
• Processing speed is more than 50 trillion calculations per
second

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Minicomputers

• Smaller, slower and cheaper than mainframe

• Faster and more powerful than microcomputers.
• Used in medium-size business and education institutions

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Personal Computers
• Used in small business and for personal use
• General purpose computers
• Desktop computers, laptops, notebooks, etc..
• Speed measured in Megahertz (MHz) – million cycles per second
• Gigahertz (GHz) – a billion cycles per second
• Intel Quad Cor i7 processor – writing @1.6 GHz
• Quad Core processor with 4 internal processors – writing @ 2.8 GHz
• Quad Core faster that Dual Core

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Binary System - Units
• Bit is a binary digit – either 0 or 1
• Bit – smallest unit in binary system
• 8 bits = 1 byte = 1 character
• 1 000 bytes = 1 kilobyte (KB)
• 1 million bytes = megabyte (MB)
• 1 billion bytes = gigabyte (GB)
• 1 one trillion bytes, or 1,000 Gigabytes = 1 terabyte (TB)

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Network Computers
• 2 or more computers connected
• Computers share information, resources & devices
• Share a printer
• Connected by network cables
• Infrared & Bluetooth wireless technology – connection without
cables
• File server – main computer – data & programs are stored.
• Other computers – network computers or workstations

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Other Computers
• Laptop computers
• Notebooks
• Palmtop computers
• Personal digital assistants (PDA)
• IPod
• MP3 Shuttles
• Smartphones

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• Hardware – physical components
• Hardware Inside – motherboard, graphics card, hard drive, etc..
• Hardware Outside – connected to computer – peripherals
(keyboard, printer, mouse, etc.)

• Input Devices – keyboard, mouse

• Central Processing Unit – built into the case
• Storage Devices – Hard drive (internal/external), flash drives,
CD/DVD Rom
• Output Devices – screen, printer, speakers

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How does the computer operate?
• Switch on computer
• Software is loaded into the Internal Memory – basic instructions loaded
into ROM (Read Only memory), application program (MSWord,
MSExcel, etc..) loaded into RAM (Random Access Memory)
• Input: data entered into computer via input device
• Processing: takes place in Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) of CPU data
is kept in the internal memory (RAM) during processing the
Control Unit controls the flow of data between CPU & RAM
• Storage: processed data saved on storage device
• Output: processed data is sent to output device

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Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• Microchip on motherboard
• Considered the brain (heart) of computer
• Where data is kept & processed
• Two parts: Control Unit & Arithmetic & Logical Unit
• Control Unit: determines the order of execution of program
instructions; controls flow of data between RAM & ALU
• ALU: performs arithmetic functions (+, -, x, ÷, ≤, ≥)

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Memory
ROM
• Permanent memory
• Retrains data even when power is off
• It is microchip with data burned on during manufacturing

RAM
• Temporary memory
• All data will disappear when power is switched off
• Data must be saved to storage device
• When program loads, it stays in the RAM until program is closed.

Data is stored in binary format in memory

ASCII (American Standard Codes for Information Interchange) – codes that
represent each number & character in binary format.

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Peripherals
• Includes all devices attached to CPU or motherboard
• Keyboard, screen (monitor, visual display unit, VDU)
• Mouse, Hard disk, CD-ROM

• Input devices
• Output devices
• Input/Output devices
• Storage devices

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Input Devices:
Keyboard
Used as input device
Gaming keyboards have dedicated buttons to gaming actions
Wireless keyboard and mouse set works with batteries
• Sends signal to PC through USB (Universal Serial Bus) port

Buttons
• Typewriter keys (alphabetical, numerical & punctuation)
• Function keys (F1 – F12)
• Numeric Keypad & movement keys
• Control keys ( Ctrl, Alt, Caps Lock & Shift)

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Mouse
Pointing device to click at specific option or position on screen
Used to move cursor instead of directional keys
Types
• Ball underneath
• Optical mouse – infrared technology
• Wireless mice

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Disk drives
• Retrieve saved data from it

Modem
• Modulator/Demodulator

• Used to connect computer to telephone line – electronic

communication

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Other Input Devices
• Digitiser
• Light Pen
• Joystick
• Scanner
• Digital Camera
• Web Cam
• Microphone
• Memory Card Reader
• Finger Print Reader
• LAN port
• Wireless Lan (Wi-F)
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Output devices
Visual Display Unit (VDU)
• Images are formed by tiny lights or dots – pixels
• Size of VDU measured in inches diagonally across screen (17”, 15”, etc..)

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Printers
Impact
• Dot matrix or Daisy wheel
• Used in small business or home
• Daisy wheel cannot print graphics
• Dot matrix form graphics by a matrix of dots
• Noisy, makes impact on paper

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Non-impact printer
Laser printer
• Laser printer projects laser beam to burn toner powder on paper
• Forms characters or pictures
• Fast, operate silently
• Versatile and produce high quality printing
• More expensive than inkjet printers, but laser cartridges last longer
• Some models can also print in colour

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Inkjet printers
• sprays drops of ink on paper to form characters
• Slower than laser printers – prints in colour
• Versatile, operate silently
• High quality printing
• Cartridges does not last long – expensive to replace
• Refilling cartridges less expensive

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Other output devices
• Plotters – drawing large plans of buildings, landscapes
• Speakers – hear multimedia sounds or listen to music
• Speech synthesizers – convert text into spoken word – blind
people
• Microfiche/Microfilm – store large amount of data – newspapers,
libraries, banks, hospitals, etc..

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Input/Output devices
• Touch screen
• Modem
• Printer/fax machine/photo copier/scanner

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Storage devices
Stiffy disk (A:)
Hard disk (C:)
• refers to rigid platters (storage area)
• Platter divided into sectors and tracks

CD-ROM (D:)
• Compact Disk Read Only Memory

DVD drive (E:)

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 USB flash drives (F:)

• Popular medium of storage

• Has large capacity
• Transfer data between different computers
• Useful t make backups
• To remove, click on  icon on taskbar, then click on
• Click on “Eject flash drive”
• Remove hardware when instructed to do so

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 External hard drives (G:)

• Connect to computer via USB or FireWire connection

• Can contain massive amounts of data separate from internal hard drive
• Used to back-up large amount of data
• Some external hard drives have separate power adaptor

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Write-protect a disk
Floppy (stiffy) disk
• To protect data from possible deletion, copying or renaming
• Slot at back of disk
• Open slot to write-protect disk
• Data can now only be viewed but not changed.

Flash drives
• Some flash drives or memory sticks can also be write protected
• Move  to 

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Software (programs)
Set of instructions, written in programming language and
interpreted by the CPU

TWO GROUPS
• System software
• Application software

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System software
• Acts as translator between the operator and computer
• E.g.. Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
• Computer cannot function without an operating system

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Function & purpose of operating system
• Activates and controls computer
• Enables computer to run application programs
• Allows communication with computer
• Acts as translator between operator and computer
• Coordinates and manipulates computer hardware
• Controls functioning of the computer linking keyboard, printer etc...
• Organises files and controls space on storage devices
• Manages hardware errors and loss of data

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Computer languages
• Language translators are also part of system software
• Language translator translate computer language
• Examples of computer language - C+, JAVA or Visual Basic

• Utility program
• Performs specific tasks relating to management of computer
• E.g.. – password protection, virus protection, file compression,
backup or burn of CD/DVDs

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Application software
Word processing
• Used to manipulate text
• MSWord, WordPerfect

Spreadsheet
• Used to manipulate numeric data
• MS Excel, Lotus, Quattro

Database
• Create, edit, sort and organise large collection of related data
• MS Access, Dbase

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Desktop Publishing
• Used by printing industry
• MS Publisher, PageMaker, Print Artist

Design and drawing

• Used by architectures and engineers
• Drawing plans of buildings, roads, bridges etc...
• ALLYCAD, AUTOCAD, CADDY

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Communication
• Computers communicate via telephone line
• Modem is needed
• E.g.. MS Outlook, Outlook Express

Bookkeeping
• Keep record of business income and expenses
• E.g.. Pastel, MS Money

Multimedia
• Programs with sound, video, graphics and text
• Need sophisticated hardware (enough RAM, colour screen etc..)
• E.g.. Encyclopaedia Britannica, various games, World Book, MS Encarta

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Presentation
• Consists of pages or slides
• Contains text, graphics, sound, movies or other multimedia objects
• Can be animated
• Saves time – no blackboards, whiteboards or overhead projectors
• E.g.. MS PowerPoint, OpenOffice Impress, Windows Movie Maker, Adobe
InDesign, SmartDraw and SlideRocket.

Internet browsing
• To access the Internet & view web pages
• E.g.. Chrome, MS Internet Explorer, Mozilla FireFox and Opera

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Electronic mail
• Used to communicate via the Internet with contacts worldwide
• Modem and internet access needed
• E.g.. MS Outlook, Outlook Express, Gmail, Mweb Mail

Web design
• Used to design and develop web sites
• E.g.. Ms FrontPage, Adobe Dreamweaver CS5
• Adobe Flash & Photoshop + Dreamweaver for slideshows & manipulate
photos on web pages

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Cold start
• Switch on computer
• Self-test program is executed to check functioning of different
components. Follow on-screen instructions
• Operating system installed on computer is loaded & desktop
displayed on screen
• Network computers – log in window (dialog box) will appear. Enter
username & password. Click on OK or press Enter

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Warm start
• Sometimes computer freezes
• Necessary to restart computer
• Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete simultaneously
• Click on Start Task Manager
• Choose from list of tasks & open programs which application to
end or select other processes and click End Task

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