computer workshop lecture 1 by mohsin rajpoot

COMPUTER

BASICS

WHAT IS A COMPUTER???

• A computer is an electronic device that

manipulates information, or data. It has the

ability to store, retrieve, and process data.

• You may already know that you can use a

computer to type documents, send email, play

games, and browse the Web.

• You can also use it to edit create spreadsheets,

presentations, and even videos.

HARDWARE VS. SOFTWARE

Hardware is any part of your computer that has a physical

structure, such as the keyboard or mouse. It also includes all

of the computer's internal parts, which you can see in the

image below.


Software is any set of instructions that tells the hardware what

to do and how to do it.

Examples of software include web browsers,

games, and word processors.

Below, you can see an image of Microsoft PowerPoint, which is

used to create presentations.


• Everything you do on your computer will rely on

both hardware and software.

• For example, right now you may be viewing this

lesson in a Power Point(software) and using

your mouse (hardware) to click from page to page.

• Different types of computers also often use

different types of software.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT

TYPES OF COMPUTERS?

• When most people hear the word computer, they

think of a personal computer such as

a desktop or laptop. However, computers come

in many shapes and sizes, and they perform

many different functions in our daily lives.

• When you withdraw cash from an ATM, scan

groceries at the store, or use a calculator, you're

using a type of computer.

DESKTOP COMPUTERS

• Many people use desktop computers at work,

home, and school.

• Desktop computers are designed to be placed

on a desk, and they're typically made up of a

few different parts, including the computer

case, monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

LAPTOP COMPUTERS

• The second type of computer you may be

familiar with is a laptop computer, commonly

called a laptop.

• Laptops are battery-powered computers that

are more portable than desktops, allowing you to

use them almost anywhere.

TABLET COMPUTERS

• Tablet computers—or tablets—are handheld

computers that are even more portable than

laptops.

• Instead of a keyboard and mouse, tablets use

a touch-sensitive screen for typing and

navigation. The iPad is an example of a tablet.

SERVERS

• A server is a computer that serves up

information to other computers on a network.

• For example, whenever you use the Internet,

you're looking at something that's stored on a

server.

• Many businesses also use local file servers to

store and share files internally.

OTHER TYPES OF COMPUTERS

• Many of today's electronics are basically specialized computers,

though we don't always think of them that way. Here are a few

common examples.

• Smartphones: Many cell phones can do a lot of things

computers can do, including browsing the Internet and playing

games. They are often called smartphones.

• Wearables: Wearable technology is a general term for a group of

devices—including fitness trackers and smart watches—that are

designed to be worn throughout the day. These devices are often

called wearables for short.

• Game consoles: A game console is a specialized type of

computer that is used for playing video games on your TV.

• TVs: Many TVs now include applications—or apps—that let you

access various types of online content. For example, you can

stream video from the Internet directly onto your TV.

PCS AND MACS

This type of computer began with the original IBM PC that

was introduced in 1981. Other companies began creating

similar computers, which were called IBM PC

Compatible (often shortened to PC).

Today, this is the most common type of personal computer,

and it typically includes the Microsoft Windows operating

system.

MACS

The Macintosh computer was introduced in 1984, and it was

the first widely sold personal computer with a graphical user

interface, or GUI (pronounced gooey).

All Macs are made by one company (Apple), and they almost

always use the Mac OS X operating system.

BASIC PARTS OF COMPUTER

Computer case:

• Metal and plastic box that contains the

main components of the computer,

including the motherboard, central

processing unit (CPU), and power supply.

The front of the case usually has an On/Off

button and one or more optical drives.

• A desktop case lies flat on a desk, and the

monitor usually sits on top of it.

• A tower case is tall and sits next to the

monitor or on the floor.

• All-in-one computers come with the

internal components built into the monitor,

which eliminates the need for a separate

case.


Monitor:

• The monitor works with a video card,located inside the computer case, todisplay images and text on the screen.

• Most monitors have control buttons thatallow you to change your monitor'sdisplay settings, and some monitors alsohave built-in speakers.

• Newer monitors usually have LCD (liquidcrystal display) or LED (light-emittingdiode) displays.

• Older monitors use CRT (cathode raytube) displays. CRT monitors are muchlarger and heavier, and they take up moredesk space.


KEYBOARD

Keyboard:

One of the main ways to communicate with a computer. There are

many different types of keyboards, but most are very similar and

allow you to accomplish the same basic tasks.


Mouse:

• Another important tool forcommunicating with computers.Commonly known as a pointing device,it lets you point to objects on thescreen, click on them, and move them.

• Two main types:

Optical and Mechanical.

• The optical mouse uses an electronic eye to detect movement and is easier to clean.

• The mechanical mouse uses a rolling ball to detect movement and requires regular cleaning to work properly.

MOUSE ALTERNATIVES

Trackball:

A trackball has a ball that can rotate freely. Instead of moving

the device like a mouse, you can roll the ball with your thumb

to move the pointer.

MOUSE ALTERNATIVES

Touchpad:

A touchpad—also called a trackpad—is a touch-sensitive pad

that lets you control the pointer by making a drawing motion

with your finger. Touchpads are common on laptop

computers.

FRONT OF A COMPUTER CASE

BACK OF A COMPUTER CASE

INSIDE A COMPUTER

INSIDE A COMPUTER

MOTHERBOARD

The motherboard is the computer's main circuit board. It's a thin plate that holds the

• CPU

• Memory

• Connectors for the harddrive and optical drives

• Expansion cards tocontrol the video andaudio

• connections to yourcomputer's ports(such as USB ports).

CPU/PROCESSOR

• CPU, also called a processor, is located inside the computer case onthe motherboard. (Brain of a computer)

• a Two-inch ceramic square with a silicon chip located inside.

• The CPU fits into the motherboard's CPU socket, which is covered bythe heat sink, (an object that absorbs heat from the CPU).

• A processor's speed is measured in megahertz (MHz), or millions ofinstructions per second; and gigahertz (GHz), or billions of instructionsper second.

RAM (RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY)

• RAM is your system's short-term memory.

• This short-term memory disappears when the computer is

turned off.

• RAM is measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB).

• The more RAM you have, the more things your computer can

do at the same time.

HARD DRIVE

• Hard drive is where your software, documents, and other files

are stored.

• Long-term storage, which means the data is still saved even

if you turn the computer off or unplug it.

• SSD (Solid State Drive)- Microchips with no moving part

• HDD (Hard Disk Drive)- Magnetic platter with the Arm

EXPANSION CARDS

• Expansion slots allow you to add various types of expansion cards.

• Sometimes called PCI (peripheral component interconnect) cards.

• Video card

• Sound card

• Network card

• Bluetooth card

POWER SUPPLY UNIT

Converts the power from the wall outlet to the type of power

needed by the computer.

computer workshop lecture 1 by mohsin rajpoot

Education