Southern University at New OrleansUniversities Rebuilding America PartnershipsU.S. Department of Housing &Urban DevelopmentGeorge Amedee, Ph.D., Project Director

AuthorVincent T. Johnson, Ph.D.

Computer Literacy

Computer Literacy involves having some knowledge and understanding of computers and their uses.

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“What is a computer?”

A computer is the engine that turns data into information.

“How do computers function?”Computers operate under the control of instructions stored in its own memory.

Computers accept data, process data , produce results, and store results for future use.

Ways we use computers

• Educational purposes• Entertainment purposes• Shopping• Communication with other

people

Many people think of a computer either as a “ small gray box with a monitor” which is called a personal computer or as a “big thing” standing around in some special building.

Those big computers are usually called mainframes. However, there are many types of computers.

An embedded computer “works out” information for other things.

For example, mobile phones, automatic teller machines (ATM’s) microwave ovens, CD players and automobiles all have small computers inside that help them to work.

Different Types of Computers

• Monitor• Keyboard• Central Processing Unit• Printers

The Monitor Looks like a television screen.

The Keyboard looks like a typewriter.

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is wheredata is processed into information.

The Printer places text and images onto paper.

The Motherboard is the main circuit board of a microcomputer. The motherboard contains the “connectors “ for attaching additional boards.

Typically, the motherboard contains all the “controllers” such as the CPU, BIOS, memory, mass storage interfaces, serial and parallel ports, and expansion slots required to operate standard “peripheral devices”, such as the monitor, keyboard, and disk drive.

Collectively, all these chips that reside on the motherboard are known as the motherboard's “chipset.”

Two Main Parts of the Motherboard

The Processor interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate the computer.

The Memory consists of electronic

components that share instructions waiting

to be executed .

Components of the ComputerInput Devices are

any hardware component that allows you to enter data and instructions into a computer.

Input Devices include - keyboard – mouse microphone - scanner - digital camera –video

camera

Components of the ComputerOutput Devices are

the type of devices that are designed to accept data from the computer .

Output Devices include - video monitors- printers - disk drives - floppy disks- headphones.

Output DevicesSpecial Features• The monitor is the screen on which words, numbers, and graphics can be seen. The monitor is the most common output device. •Some compact disks can be used to put information on. This is called burning information to a CD.

NOTE: A CD can also be an input device.• Printers “print” whatever is on the monitor onto paper. •The speaker gives you sound output from your computer. Some speakers are built into the computer and some are separate. •The disk drive is used to record information from the computer onto a floppy disk or CD.

The System Unit is the primary computer equipment. Housed in a desktop or floor cabinet, it contains the mother board, CPU, RAM and ROM chips, hard and floppy disks and several input/output ports called the “Brain” of the computer.

Storage DevicesA hardware device, such as a CD- ROM or a hard disk in a computer are used to record and store data.

Communication Devices

Any hardware component that enables

a computer to send (transmit) and receive data, instructions, and

information to and from one or more computers.

Communication Devices enhance communication for persons with disabilities and includes amplifiers, speech aids, and communication boards.

A modem is communication device.

Communications occur over cables, telephone lines, cellular radio networks, satellites, and other transmission media.

The internet is a worldwide collection of networks that joins millions of businesses, government

agencies, educational institutions, and individuals to information for personal, private or educational use.

A computer “Network “ is a collection of computers and devices connected together via communications

devices and transmission media.

History of the Internet

The U.S. Department of Defense Pentagon Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA)

1. Allow scientists at different physical locations to share information and work together on military and scientific projects.

2. Will function even if part of the network is disabled or destroyed.

Two Goals of ARPA

Uses of the Internet

The Web is like a huge encyclopedia of information. In some ways it's even better. The volume of information you'll find on the Web is amazing.

For every topic that you've ever wondered about, there's bound to be someone who's written a Web page about it. The Web offer many different perspectives on a single topic.

To find general information about a subject

To access information not easily available elsewhere

One of the great things about the Web is that it puts information into your hands that you might otherwise have to pay for or find out by less convenient means.

To correspond with faraway friends

Email offers a cheap and easy alternative to traditional methods of correspondence. It's faster and easier than writing mail and cheaper than using the telephone. Of course, there are disadvantages too. It's not as personal as a handwritten letter and not as reliable .

If you spell the name of the street wrong in a conventional address, it's not too difficult for the post office to work out what you mean. However, if you spell anything wrong in an email address, your mail won't be delivered. You might get it sent back to you.

The Web is generally a very friendly place. People love getting email from strangers, and friendships are quick to form from casual correspondence. The "impersonal" aspect of email tends to encourage people to reveal surprisingly personal things about themselves.

To meet people

To advertise a productMost company Websites start up as a big advertisement for their products and services. It may be hard to see why anyone would willingly visit a 10 page ad – but these advertisements are very useful to anyone genuinely interested in finding out about their products. Companies may also give away some information for free as an incentive for people to visit their pages.

To share knowledge with the world…Many individuals write Web pages to share information about their interests. They don't expect to make any money out of it. They feel that the Web has given them so much information that the least they can do is put something into it that may be useful for others. Other rewards come from the prestige of having their site recognized as something good and the contact inspired by their pages with others sharing the same interest.

To make moneyA popular way to make money on the Web is through advertising . Sites have banners at the top of the page enticing people to click them and be taken to the advertiser's Web site. These banners are generally animated and very appealing, with mysterious messages to make users wonder where they will be taken. For each person that clicks the ad, the host site gets a commission. Making money this way is only successful if the site gets lots of visitors; so the site must be very useful and offer something of real value .

What are computer viruses?

Computer viruses are small software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to

another and to interfere with computer operation.

Computer viruses might corrupt or delete

data on your computer, use your e-mail program to spread itself to

other computers, or even erase everything

on your hard disk.

Computer viruses also spread through downloads on the Internet. They can be hidden in illicit software or other files or programs you might

download.

How do you avoid a computer virus?.

It's essential that you keep your computer current with the latest update and antivirus tools & stay informed about threats.

Follow a few basic rules when you surf the Internet, download files, and open attachments

Note: Once a virus is on your computer, its type or the method it used to get there is not as important

as removing it and preventing further

infection.

Why are Computers important?

• Computers help to analyze illness• Manufacture products• Aid those who are disabled (computerized

wheelchairs)• Advance careers• Promote new products • Find missing children

THE ENDEdited ByStephanie JordanProject CoordinatorSUNO-URAPMay 2009

Nikkisha Napoleon-BreauxYumi KawashimaStudent Researchers