COMPUTER BASICS

Introduction to Information Technology

What is IT?

Information Technology is the use of

technologies from computing, electronics, and

telecommunications to process and distribute

information in digital and other forms.

it includes not only the use of computers but

also communication networks and computer

literacy.

Computer Literacy

Involves knowledge of the Internet and the

World Wide Web and the ability to take

advantage of their resources and to critically

judge the information.

What is a computer?

A programmable machine

In basic term, a computer is an electronic

device that:

accepts input (raw data)

processes that input

stores data

produces output (information)

What is a program?

A step-by-step instructions that tells the

computer what to do.

Then along came…

Being “online” – using a computer to access information from another computer through the use of a network.

The Internet

World Wide Web

E-mail – a computer to computer communication

Information technology (“infotech”):

IT - Technology that helps in the production, processing, storing, communication and dissemination of information.

The E-World (E-business, E-commerce, E-government, E-learning, E-pinions, E-tailing, E-waste)

The Internet, the World Wide Web,

& the “Plumbing of Cyberspace”

Cyberspace

encompasses the whole wired and wireless world of communications.

Term created by William Gibson – author

Not a commonly used term in the field of Computer Science.

Internet

A global network of networks (tangible)

Do not confuse with WWW.

World Wide Web

Most common use of the Internet

Encompasses information that can be viewed through a web browser (web pages).

Do not confuse with the Internet.

Types of computer

1. Microcomputers

1. Desktop

2. Notebook (Laptop)

3. Tablet PC

(Hand-helds)

1. PDAs

2. MP3 players

3. Cellphones

2. MAINFRAME COMPUTER

3. SUPERCOMPUTER

Microcomputers

are used for general computing tasks. The

most common types of computer that is

designed to sit on a desk or table. These are the

systems you see all around you, in school,

homes, and office.

Hand-held Computers

literally fit in the palm of your hand and run

on batteries.

Mainframe Computers

Small mainframes (mid-size computers or minicomputers).

5,000 to 5 million dollars

Used in large organizations – banks, airlines, insurance companies, colleges.

Processes billions of instructions per second.

Often used with a terminal.

Supercomputer

are the most powerful computers made,

and physically they are some of the largest, and

can process an enormous volume of data. These

systems can process huge amounts of data, and

the fastest supercomputers can perform more

than one trillion calculations per second.

INFORMATION

PROCESSING SYSTEM

Introduction to Information Technology

DATA is a collection of independent and unorganized facts.

INFORMATION is the processed and organized data presented in a meaningful form.

DATA PROCESSING is the course of doing things in a sequence of steps.

COMPUTER is an electronic machine that follows a set of instructions in order that it may be able to accept and gather data and transform these into information.

Information Processing System

PROCESSING

SYSTEM

DATAINFORMATION

1010100110

1010101110

1110101011

0111010101

0101100100

0101101010

Binary

digits

Digitize

Functions of an Information Processing

System

1. It accepts and gather data. (INPUT)

2. It processes data to become information.

(PROCESSING)

3. It stores data and information. (STORE)

4. It presents information. (OUTPUT)

Three Major Components of an

Information Processing System

HARDWARE is the physical components

of a computer.

SOFTWARE is the non-tangible part that

tells the computer how to do its job.

PEOPLEWARE refer to people who use

and operate the computer system, write

computer programs, and analyze and

design the information system.

HARDWARE

Introduction to Information Technology

Basic hardware of a PC system

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Memory Unit

Input Devices

Output Devices

Secondary Storage Devices

Central Processing Unit

Brain of the computer.

It directs and controls the entire computer

system and performs all arithmetic and

logical operations.

Memory Unit

Where the programs and data are stored . READ ONLY MEMORY (ROM)

contains the pre-programmed computer instructions such as the Basic Input Output System (BIOS).

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM) is used to store the programs and data that you will run. Exists only when there is power.

Input Devices

Allows data and programs to be sent to the

CPU.

Divided into two categories:

Keyboards

Direct-entry devices

Pointing

Scanning

Smart & optical cards

Etc.

Keyboard

Traditional keyboards

Flexible keyboards

Ergonomic keyboards

Wireless keyboards

PDA keyboards

Types of Mouse

Mechanical - a type of

computer mouse that has a

rubber or metal ball on its

underside and it can roll in

every direction.

Optical: This type uses a

laser for detecting the

mouse's movement.

Types of mouse

A mouse with many buttons: The extra buttons can be programmed to do specific things, such as navigate the Web or turn pages when you’re reading a document.

Trackball mouse: Like an upside-down mouse. Rather than roll the mouse around, you use your thumb or index finger to roll a ball on top of the mouse. The whole contraption stays stationary, so it doesn’t need a lot of room, and its cord never gets tangled.

How a Mouse Hooks Up to a PC

PS/2 Mouse

Serial Mouse

USB Mouse

Wireless mouse

Other Pointing Devices

Trackball

Track point

Touch pad

Touch Screen

Joystick – input device for

computer games

Light Pens – light-sensitive

penlike device

Stylus – penlike device

commonly used with tablet

PCs and PDAs.

Scanning Devices

Optical scanners

Card readers

Bar code readers

Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR)

Image Capturing Devices

Digital Cameras

Digital Video Cameras

Output Devices

Media used by the computer in displaying its

responses to our requests and instructions.

Types of Monitor

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

LED – Light Emitting Diode

Produces Soft

copy

Printers

IMPACT PRINTERS uses pressure by

physically striking the paper. Ex. Daisy wheel

printers, line printers, dot matrix printers &

band printers.

NON-IMPACT PRINTER does not apply

pressure on the paper but instead produces

character by using lasers, ink spray,

photography or heat.

Produces Hard

copy

Dot matrix

printer

Inkjet printerLaser

printer

Secondary Storage Devices

Attached to the computer system to allow

you to store programs and data

permanently for the purpose of retrieving

them for future use.

Floppy disk, Hard disk, CD Rom

Floppy Disk

The most common secondary storage device

3.5” disk – 1.44MB

High-Capacity Floppy Disks

Floppy disk cartridges

3 ½ inches in diameter

Stores more information

Zip disks

Hard Disk Drive or Hard Disk

Made of rigid materials unlike floppy disks

Holds a greater amount of data

10MB in 1980s

600MB in mid 1990s

4.3GB in 1999

180GB in 2001

400GB - 2004

Optical Discs

A standard part of modern desktop machines,

especially used for multimedia purposes and

preferred in loading applications.

Kinds

Blue Ray Disk – 40G

Digital Versatile Disk

DVD-R – write once, 3.95G

DVD RW – rewritable, 3G

Single Layer and Double Layer

Compact Disk

CD-R – write once, 650MB

CD-RW – rewritable, 700MB

Optical Drives

CD-ROM read CDs

CD-Writer read/write CDs

DVD-Combo read/write CDs, read DVD

DVD Writer read/write CDs

read/write DVDs

Other Secondary Storage

Solid-State Storage

No moving parts

Flash memory cards

USB flash drives

Storage devices are those part of the

computer that allows you to read and write

data to your storage media.

Storage Devices Storage Media

CD/DVD Drive CD or DVD

ZIP Drive Zip Disk

Floppy Drive Floppy Disks

SOFTWARE

Introduction to Information Technology

Software

Instructions that tell the computer

how to process data into the form you

want.

Software and programs are

interchangeable.

Two major types:

System and Applications

SYSTEM SOFTWARE

Introduction to Information Technology

System Software

System Software enables the application software to

interact with the computer hardware.

Operating Systems are programs that coordinate

computer resources, provide an interface between

users and the computer; and run applications.

Utilities perform specific tasks related to managing

computer resources.

Device drivers are specialized programs designed

to allow particular input or output devices to

communicate with the rest of the computer system.

Functions of a System Software

Managing resources (memory, processing,

storage, and devices like printer).

Providing user interface

Running applications

APPLICATION

SOFTWARE

Introduction to Information Technology

Application Software

Applications Software - provides the real

functionality of a computer. It help you use

your computer to do specific types of work.

Basic Applications, widely used in all career

areas.

Specialized Applications, more

narrowly focused on specific

disciplines and occupations.

Disk Operating System

DOS was the first widely installed

operating system for personal computers.

Command-driven

MS-DOS Commands

A COMMAND is the name of a special

program that makes your computer carry

out a task.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Thru GUI, users can interact directly with the

operating system.

Microsoft Windows

Icons, Menus, Dialog boxes

FILES

FILE is simply a collection of information

that you store on a disk or diskette.

Must have a unique name

Two parts: the filename and extension

separated by a period.

RECIPE.DOC

EXTENSIONS

Use extension to make your filenames

more descriptive.

.DOC – word documents

.XLS – excel documents

.PPT – powerpoint documents

DIRECTORIES

One way of organizing the files on your

computer Hard Disk

ROOT – one basic directory

Subdirectories

2 Major Categories of Software

System Software - is the software that

determines how your computer carries out

technology-specific and essential tasks such as

writing to a disk, starting your web browser software

so you can surf the Web, and sending a document

to your printer.

Application Software – is the software that

allows you to perform specific information-

processing tasks such as managing inventory,

paying accounts payable, handling payroll, writing a

term paper, or creating slides for a presentation.

The application software you

need

As a personal computer user ( and buyer ), you’ll

most often be interested in a subset of application

software called personal productivity software.

Personal Productivity Software - is an

application software that is designed to help you

be more productive in performing personal tasks

such as writing letters, managing your checkbook,

and creating electronic slides.

Software Version – tells you which iteration of the

software you’re using.

Example: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7,

Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft 2010

Software Suite – are “bundles” of related software

packages that are sold together.

Example: Microsoft Office, Word Perfect and Open

Office

8 categories of productivity

software

1. Word Processing or Desktop Publishing

Software

2. Web Authoring Software

3. Spreadsheet Software

4. Presentation Software

5. Personal Information Management Software or

Personal Finance Software

6. Graphics Software

7. Database Management Software

8. Web Browser Software or E-mail Software

1. Desktop Publishing – is an application software that

extends word processing software by including design and

formatting techniques to enhance the layout and appearance of a

document. Word Processing – is an application software

that helps you create papers, letters, memos, and other basic

document.

2. Web Authoring Software – is an application software

that helps you design and develop Web sites and pages that you

can publish on the Web.

3. Spreadsheet Software – is an application that helps you work with numbers, performing calculations and creating graphs.

4. Presentation Software – is an application software that helps you create and edit information that will appear in electronic slides. The information you include can be text, photos, art, tables, graphs, sound, animation, and even videos.

5. Personal Information Management – is an application software that helps you create and maintain to-do list, appointments and calendars, and points of contact. Is the primary software for personal digital assistants of

PDA’s. Personal Finance Software – is an application software that offers you capabilities for maintaining your checkbook, preparing budget, tracking investments, monitoring your credit balances and even

6. Graphics Software – is an application software that

helps you create and edit photos and images. Using graphics

software you can easily crop (adjust) photos to an

appropriate size, add captions, change and transpose colors,

combine photos to create a photo collage, work freehand to

create drawings, create and manipulate 3D images and add

animation features.

7. Database Management System Software – is an

application software that allows you to arrange, modify, and

extract information from a database.

8. E-Mail and Web Browser Software – it is an

application software that helps you communicate with other

people and surf to the web.

System software

It is simply all the instructions that your computer

processes regardless of what application

software you’re using.

System Software Task

System Software Task

Installing and Removing of Software

Allowing you to work with and across multiple pieces of application software at the same time.

Compressing files to shrink sizes and decompressing those same files.

Configuring your modem to dial up and connect to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Setting time and date

Allowing you to change your desktop configurations.

As with all software, you need system software to run your computer efficiently and effectively. In fact, you can’t even use your computer without system software.

TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEM

SOFTWARE

There are numerous types of technology platforms

– PDA’s that you carry around; desktop computers

that provide you a wide range of capabilities;

minicomputers, mainframe computers, and

supercomputers that support the information-

processing needs of many people simultaneously.

This different platforms require different operating

system software.

1. Personal Operating System – enable a

single user to use a personal technology such as

PDA’s, Smart phone, tablet PC, notebook computer,

desktop computer. Personal OS designed for one

person at a time using one computer.

2. Multi-user Operating System – enable many

people simultaneously to use the resources of a

central computer, which is unusually a minicomputer, a

mainframe computer or a supercomputer. Multi-user

OS’s must process all those information-processing

request and determine which task will receive priority

for CPU processing, and so on.

Peripheral management (os)

Determine the software you wish to use.

Find the software on your computer’s hard disk

Tell your hard disk to transfer that software to your RAM

so you can use it.

Tell RAM and CPU to start the execution of the software.

OS coordinates and manages your computer resources so

they work together effectively to allow you to accomplish

your immediate goal and be productive.

Memory management

While using your computer, your RAM temporarily

stores your operating system, the application

software you’re using and any information you’re

working with

An important feature of effective memory

management is your ability to perform

multitasking.

Multitasking allows you to work with more than

one piece of software at a time.

Device drivers

Is a software and information that enables your operating

system to establish the communications between your

existing hardware and your new device. Typically, device

drivers come on a CD or disk that accompanies your

device.

Plug and Play you can add devices to your computer

and your operating system will find and install the

appropriate device driver without you having to go through

a manual installation.

Hot swap is an operating system feature that allows

you while your computer is running to unplug a given

device and plug in a new one without shutting down your

computer.

Utility software

Provides additional functionality to your computer’s

operating system.

Example: File security software which is a utility software

that contains security features to protect your files and

folder of information as well as to enable you to send

secure e-mail messages. (ArcticSoft’s FileAssurity

Software)

Utility Software Suite is a bundle of utility software tools

sold by the same manufacturer.

3 Popular Utility Software Suite

1. McAfee Office

2. Norton System Works

3. Ontrack System Suite

Anti-virus software

Designed intentionally to cause annoyance or

damage. Some viruses are relatively benign; they

cause your screen two go blank but do not corrupt

your information or software. Other are malignant:

damage your computer.

Anti-virus Software is a utility software that

continually scans your RAM, storage devices and

incoming files for viruses and removes the virus.

File management

Your ability to create, store, and use files makes you more productive

with your computer.

File is a collection of information you need to use your computer

effectively.

Filename is a unique name that you give to a file of information. It

is usually followed by a filename extension.

Filename extension further identifies the contents of your file

usually by specifying the file type.

Example: myfirstdocument.doc, myfirstdatabase.mdb,

myfirstpresentation.ppt and myfirstexcel.xls.

Note: use descriptive filename for your file.

Organizing your files

Operating system includes utility software called file

manager . It helps you manage, organize, find, copy,

move, rename, and delete files on your computer. To use

your file manager utility software effectively, you need to

know something about device letters, directories, folders,

pathnames, and filenames.

Device letter is a unique identifier for each different

storage device on your computer.

Floppy Disk is A:

Hard Disk is C:

CD Drive is D:

Directory is a list of the files on a particular storage

device. The main directory is called the root directory.

Folder is a special portion of your root directory into

which you can place files that have similar information.

You can create a folder inside your folder and it is called

a sub folder.

Pathname is the device letter, folder, subfolder,

filename, and extension that together describe a

particular file and its location.

Example: c:\Finance\Finance4032\Finance Final

Analysis.xls

File allocation tables (fat)

Computer allocates space on a storage device using sectors and clusters.

A sector is a single area on a storage device that can hold a

certain number of bytes of a file.

A cluster is a collection of sectors on a storage device.

A cluster can hold 512 bytes to 256 kilobytes or 256,000

bytes, depending on your hard disk and your operating

system.

Ex. If you have 5 kb (5,000 character) file and your computer

uses 4,086 bytes cluster, your computer places the first 4,086

characters of your file in the first available cluster, and then

finds another available cluster to store the remaining 914

bytes.

A file allocation table is a file that stores information about the

physical location of every file on your computer’s hard disk.

Fragmentation

Occurs when your computer places parts of files over

many disk areas or clusters. Too much fragmentation

reduces your drive’s efficiency, specially for a hard disk.

Access Speed the time between when you ask for

a file and when the computer delivers it to you-slows as

your hard disk fragments.

Defragmentation Utility – reallocates file

clusters and decreases fragmentation, reorganizes your

entire disk so that individual files are stored contiguously

within clusters that are next to each other.

File compression

Shrink a file to a smaller file. This smaller file is a compressed file. In order to use the compressed file you need to decompressed or “unshrink” it back to its original size.

File compression software – software that allows you to compress and / or decompress a file or files.

Ex. Winzip utility software.

disk compression utility automatically compresses your file of information when you save them to your hard disk and automatically decompresses your file of informations when you access and use them with your application software.

Extension file .zip

NETWORK,

CONNECTIVITY AND

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

What is a network?

A network consists of two or more computers

that are linked in order to share resources,

exchange files, or allow electronic

communications.

The computers on a network may be linked

through cables, telephone lines, radio waves,

satellites, or infrared light beams

Types of network

LAN

WAN

MAN

Local Area Network

A local area network (LAN) is a group of

computers and associated devices that share

a common communications line or wireless

link.

Typically, connected devices share the

resources of a single processor or server

within a small geographic area .

.A local area network may serve as few as two

or three users or as many as thousands of

users.

Wide Area Network

The WAN is a communications network that

makes use of existing technology to connect

local computer networks into a larger working

network that may cover both national and

international locations.

Metropolitan Area Network

A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a large local area network but smaller than the area covered by a wide area network (WAN).

It is also used to mean the interconnection of several local area networks by bridging them with backbone lines

Network Topology

Maps of how the physical or logical paths

of network devices connect. The three

major topologies are star, ring, and bus.

Switch – In star networks, a Layer 2

central controlling device. A switch looks

at each data frame as it comes through

each port.

Hub – A device used with the Universal Serial

Bus or in a star network topology that allows

multiple device connections.

Star Topology – Most common Ethernet

network topology where each device connects

to a central hub or switch.

Ring Topology – Network that is physically

wired like a star network but, logically in a ring;

passes control from one device to the next in a

continuous fashion using a special data packet

called a token. Used in Token Ring networks.

Bus Topology – Network wherein all devices

connect to a single cable. If the cable fails, the

network is down.

Mesh Topology – Network where all devices

connect to each other by cabling to provide link

redundancy for maximum fault tolerance. Most

likely in WANs.

Bluetooth

A wireless technology standard for exchanging

data over short distances from fixed and

mobile devices, and building personal area

networks (PANs).

Wi-fi

Wi-Fi is a wireless technology that allows you

to connect, for example, a PDA (and other

devices) to a network (including the Internet) if

you are close enough to a Wi-Fi access point.

Internet

Short for interconnected network is a global

network of networks, connecting innumerable

smaller networks, computers, and users.

History of Internet

It originated in 1969 as ARPAnet, a project of

Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S.

Department of Defense - they attempted to create

both a national network of scientists and a

communications system that could withstand

nuclear attack.

The protocol that eventually governed ARPAnet

and continues to govern the Internet today is

public domain software called transmission

control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP). Any

computer or network that subscribes to this

protocol can join the Internet.

Intranets/Extranets

Private networks that use the same structure

as the Internet and TCP/IP protocols are called

intranets.

Software called a firewall is used to protect

the intranet from unauthorized users.

If the intranet in one organization is linked to

other intranets in other organizations, it

becomes an extranet.