GET START USING COMPUTER- INTRODUCTION

 

A computer is an electronic machine that can input, process, store, and output a vast amount of information at an extremely high speed. 

(a) Types Of Computer 

There are three types of computer 

1. Micro or Personal computer(PCs) 

2. Mainframe 

3. Supercomputers 

(i) Personal Computers 

The personal computer or PC, is designed to be used by one person at a time. There are different kinds of personal computers such as desktops, laptops, handheld computers, and Tablets PCs. 

(ii) Desktop Computers 

Desktop computer are designed for use at a desk or table. They are typically larger and more powerful than other types of personal computers. Desktop computers are made up of separate components. The main component, called the system unit, is usually a rectangular case that sits on or underneath a desk. Other components, such as the monitor, mouse, and keyboard, connect to the system unit.

(iii) Laptop and Netbooks

Laptops are lightweight mobile PCs with a thin screen. Laptops can operate on batteries, so you can take them anywhere. Unlike desktops, laptops combine the CPU, screen, and keyboard in a single case. The screen folds down onto the keyboard when not in use.

Netbooks (also referred to as mini notebooks), are small, affordable laptops that are designed to perform a limited number of tasks. They're usually less powerful than laptops, so they're used mainly to browse the web and check e-mail.

(iv) Smartphones

Smartphones are mobile phones that have some of the same capabilities as a computer. You can use a smartphone to make telephone calls, access the Internet, organize contact information, send e-mail and text messages, play games, and take pictures. Smartphones usually have a keyboard and a large screen.

(v) Handheld computer

Handheld computers, also called personal digital assistants (PDAs), are battery-powered computers small enough to carry almost anywhere. Although not as powerful as desktops or laptops, handheld computers are useful for scheduling appointments, storing addresses and phone numbers, and playing games. Some have more advanced capabilities, such as making telephone calls or accessing the Internet. Instead of keyboards, handheld computers have touch screens that you use with your finger or a stylus (a pen-shaped pointing tool).

(vi) Tablet PCs

Tablet PCs are mobile PCs that combine features of laptops and handheld computers. Like laptops, they're powerful and have a built-in screen. Like handheld computers, they allow you to write notes or draw pictures on the screen, usually with a tablet pen instead of a stylus. They can also convert your handwriting into typed text. Some Tablet PCs are ―convertibles‖ with a screen that swivels and unfolds to reveal a keyboard underneath.

(vii) Workstations Computer

The computers in a university computer lab or a corporate office are also considered to be PCs, but because of the way they are configured, they are also called workstations. Workstations are personal computers that are set up on a network and are generally more powerful than a typical PC. While they have their own processors, users can also access data and resources located else where on a network.

(viii) Mainframe Computers

During the 1950s and 1960s, many large companies built expensive computers that could store vast amounts of data and had powerful computational abilities. These machines were called mainframes because the computer units (process-ing unit, communication unit, etc.) were hung into a frame. Some of the earli-est mainframes were huge and cost millions of dollars. While mainframes are still important, they are no longer the sole computing resource of most organizations. Since PCs have become so inexpensive and powerful, most companies don‘t have to rely on the computational abilities of a single large computer. Today most mainframes provide data storage and allow multiple users to run programs simultaneously and are frequently referred to as servers

 (ix) Super Computers

Supercomputers are the most expensive and most powerful category of com-puters. These machines are set up to perform specialized tasks and are not used

for general computing. Government agencies like the U.S. Department of Energy, NASA, and the National Weather Service use supercomputers to solve complex problems, make predictions, and to conduct research. Super-computers are also used by the petroleum and automotive industries, the scientific community, and some large universities.

(b) What Can You Do With Computers?

In the workplace, many people use computers to keep records, analyze data, do research, and manage projects. At home, you can use computers to find information, store pictures and music, track finances, play games, and communicate with others—and those are just a few of the possibilities.

You can also use your computer to connect to the Internet, a network that links computers around the world. Internet access is available for a monthly fee in most urban areas, and increasingly, in less populated areas. With Internet access, you can communicate with people all over the world and find a vast amount of information.

Here are some of the most popular things to do with computers:

(i) The web

The World Wide Web (usually called the web, or web) is a gigantic storehouse of information. The web is the most popular part of the Internet, partly because it displays most information in a visually appealing format. Headlines, text, and pictures can be combined on a single webpage—much like a page in a magazine—along with sounds and animation. A website is a collection of interconnected webpages. The web contains millions of websites and billions of webpages.

Example of a webpage (Microsoft Game Studios)

Surfing the web means exploring it. You can find information on the web about almost any topic imaginable. For example, you can read news stories and movie reviews, check airline schedules, see street maps, get the weather forecast for your city, or research a health condition. Most companies, agencies, museums, and libraries have websites with information about their products, services, or collections. Reference sources, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias, are also widely available.

The web is also a shopper's delight. You can browse and purchase products—books, music, toys, clothing, electronics, and much more—at the websites of major retailers. You can also buy and sell used items through websites that use auction-style bidding.

(ii) E-mail

E-mail (short for electronic mail) is a convenient way to communicate with others. When you send an e-mail message, it arrives almost instantly in the recipient's e-mail inbox. You can send e-mail to many people simultaneously, and you can save, print, and forward e-mail to others. You can send almost any type of file in an e-mail message, including documents, pictures, and music files. And with e-mail, you don't need a postage stamp!

(iii) Instant messaging

Instant messaging is like having a real-time conversation with another person or a group of people. When you type and send an instant message, the message is immediately visible to all participants. Unlike e-mail, all participants have to be online (connected to the Internet) and in front of their computers at the same time. Communicating by means of instant messaging is called chatting.

(iv) Pictures, music, and movies

If you have a digital camera, you can move your pictures from the camera to your computer. Then you can print them, create slide shows, or share them with others by e-mail or by posting them on a website. You can also listen to music on your computer, either by importing music from audio CDs or by purchasing songs from a music website. Or, you can tune in to one of the thousands of radio stations that broadcast over the Internet. If your computer comes with a DVD player, you can watch movies too.

(v) Gaming

Do you like to play games? Thousands of computer games in every conceivable category are available to entertain you. Get behind the wheel of a car, battle frightening creatures in a dungeon, or control civilizations and empires! Many games allow you to compete with other players around the world through the Internet. Windows includes a variety of card games, puzzle games, and strategy games.

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