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Lesson 2

Learning Objectives:

Lesson 2 - Input and Output devices – Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor,

Printers, Hard Disks, Tape Drives etc

2.1 Different Kinds of Storage Media

Storage Devices

Hard disk
Floppy disk
Tape drive
CD-ROM

Computers use Random Access Memory for the information

they currently need to do a task. Parts of the program you are
currently using and the data you are manipulating are held in
RAM while you are working with them. But what about the rest
of the programs and information on your computer? They are
stored in a variety of other media. You are probably familiar
with many of the ones shown on this page. What you might not
know is the amazing amount of information some of these can
hold.

Memory

A personal computer must have a means of storing information

(data) and instructions so that it can perform processing tasks
on the data. Personal computers have two types of memory.
These are discussed below.

Read Only Memory (ROM)

ROM is a small area of permanent memory that provides
startup instructions when the computer is turned on. You
can not store any data in ROM. The instructions in ROM are
set by the manufacturer and cannot be changed by the user.
The last instruction in ROM directs the computer to load the
operating system.
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Every computer needs an operating system. This is a special

computer program that must be loaded into memory as soon
as the computer is turned on. Its purpose is to translate your
instructions in English into Binary so that the computer can
understand your instructions. The operating system also
translates the results generated by your computer into
English when it is finished so that we can understand and
use the results. The operating system comes with a
computer.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

This is the area of memory where data and program
instructions are stored while the computer is in operation.
This is temporary memory. NOTE: The data stored in RAM
is lost forever when the power is turned off. For this
reason it is very important that you save your work before
turning off your computer. This is why we have peripheral
storage devices like your computer’s hard disk and floppy
diskettes.

Permanent Memory (Auxiliary Storage)

Your files are stored in permanent memory only
when saved to your disk in a: drive or saved to your
computer's hard disk,
Drive c: In the Floyd College labs, you can also
save your work to a network drive. We will discuss
this in class.

To better understand how a computer handles information and

to also understand why information is lost if the power goes off,
let’s take a closer look at how a computer handles information.
Your computer is made of millions of tiny electric circuits. For
every circuit in a computer chip, there are two possibilities:

1. an electric circuit flows through the circuit or

2. An electric circuit does not flow through the circuit.

When an electric current flows through a circuit, the circuit is

on. When no electricity flows, the circuit is off. An “on” circuit
is represented by the number one (1) and an off circuit is
represented by the number zero (0). The two numbers 1 and 0
are called bits. The word bit comes from “binary digit”. Each
time a computer reads an instruction, it translates that
instruction into a series of bits, 1’s and 0’s. On most
computers every character from the keyboard is translated into
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eight bits, a combination of eight 1’s and 0’s. Each group of

eight bits is called a byte.

Byte – The amount of space in memory or on a disk needed to

store one character. 8 bits = 1 Byte

Since computers can handle such large numbers of characters

at one time, metric prefixes are combined with the word byte to
give some common multiples you will encounter in computer
literature.

Kilo means 1000 Kilobyte (KB) = 1000 Bytes

Mega means 1,000,000 Megabyte (MB) = 1,000,000 Bytes

Giga Means 1,000,000,000 Gigabyte (GB)= 1,000,000,000 Bytes

At this point it would be good to point out why information

stored in RAM is lost if the power goes off. Consider the way
the following characters are translated into binary code for use
by the computer.

A 01000001
B 01000010
C 01000011
X 01011000
Z 01011010
1 00110001
2 00110010

Consider the column at the right, which represents how the

computer stores information. Each of the 1’s in the second
column represents a circuit that is “on”. If the power goes off,
these circuits can NOT be “on” any more because the electricity
has been turned off and any data represented by these circuits
is lost. This is why we can not overemphasize the importance
of saving your work often.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The central processing unit is one of the two most important
components of your microcomputer. It is the electronic brain of
your computer. In addition to processing data, it controls the
function of all the other components. The most popular
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microprocessors in IBM compatible computers are made by

Intel. The generations of microprocessors are listed below.
1981 8088
1984 80286
1987 80386
1990 80486
1993 Pentium
1996 P-6
1998 Pentium III
2000 Pentium IV
Your computer has a Pentium IV processor.

INPUT, OUTPUT DEVICES

2.2 OVERVIEW OF INPUT, OUTPUT DEVICES

After reading this you will understand the following

Output devices and their working

Input devices and their working

2.2.1 OUTPUT DEVICES

A range of devices can be connected to the output ports. Some
are shown below. They are usually connected to one of the
serial or USB ports although the printer and keyboard have
separate ports. Can you think of any other devices that can be
connected to a computer unit?

Output ports, are found at the back of the computer.

A good example is a parallel port which is where the printer is
connected to the computer. It is known as an output port
because data from the computer travels down the ribbon cable
between the computer and the printer and is printed on paper.
A printout is also known as a hard copy.
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1. List the devices shown on this page and say clearly what
they are and how they are used.
2. Describe any other output devices.

Output Devices
In order to communicate with the computer and get the results
of the information you have put into the computer, output
devices are needed. Outputed information can be displayed as
screen information, printed on paper, or outputed as sound.

Examples of output devices include speakers,

monitor, printers, and I/O Architecture

Speakers:

SOU ND

Sound Card
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The sound card is a device that can be installed into a system

to give the computer the ability to play sound files through
speakers from CD-ROMS and disks, except audio input through
a microphone, and to produce sound audio output through
speakers and earphones.

Sound Card or Sound Converter

The digital to analog (D/A) conversion process is rather a

simple procedure. The voice that we use is analog and the
computer cannot read analog because it is too complex. Even in
voice recognition programs the computer only map parts and
tones of the target voices. On most multimedia computers today
there is a voice recorder on it, a sure sign that there is a D/A
on your sound card.

It works by converting the analog of your voice into electrical

impulses which is then sent to the D/A which is converted into
binary. These impulses are then interpreted by your sound
card, which is stored or played by your command. Most digital
to analog converters are found on a multimedia center and also
on sound interpreters.

Types of Sound Cards

 8 Bit: The 8 bit sound card is considered obsolete. It has

a lower quality than a 16 bit or 32 bit sound card, but
has less requirements for the system's hardware.

 16 Bit: The 16 bit sound card is of the next higher

quality because of the extended holding capacity. This
card creates a more accurate sample of the signal than
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the 8 bit card. The sample rate, or speed is also another

factor in higher resolution sampling. To create a sample
that is CD quality, your hardware needs to sample
sounds with 16 bit resolution at a sample rate of at least
44.1 kHz.

 32 Bit: The 32 bit card is of course the most recent

advancement. This card gives the highest quality but also
requires more of the system's resources and costs quite a
bit more.

Speakers

How well the sound card works depends upon the quality of the
speakers. Most multimedia computers come with very low
quality speakers. They work well, but they do not give really
high quality sound. If you would like to hear really great CDs,
then purchase quality speakers. Have you ever heard of
subwoofers? They are really great for rich quality sound and a
great bass. They can even produce surround sound. One word
of advice is to not hook up your speakers from your stereo to
your computer directly. The sound card's amplifier is what
drives the sound, and it is not powerful enough to produce good
sound. Another disadvantage to using your home stereo
speakers is that you can warp your motherboard. The home
speakers are not magnetically shielded.(There is a giant magnet
inside the middle of the speaker.) Your computer's data and
hard drive could be erased, or you could loose data.

An important feature of the sound card and speakers is the

type of interface found on the computer. One important feature
is the MIDI or the Musical Instrumental Digital Interface. MIDI
is a set of rules that allow synthesizers, musical instruments,
and computers to exchange data. This is an important feature
because if a sound cards supports MIDI, then the computer can
play the sounds found in games and CD-ROMS.

Two ways sound cards can produce MIDI sounds:

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1. wave table- It uses the actual recordings of musical

instruments. (It is really good quality sound, but costs
more.)
2. FM-It imitates the sounds of musical instruments (not as
high quality as a wave table).

What is found on the sound card?

PORTS

1. LINE IN -Allows computer to connect to the cassette or

CD player to play music.
2. MIC IN -Microphone to record voices and other sounds
3. VOLUME (min-max) volume control-adjust sound
volume.
4. SPK OUT- Connect to home stereo speakers to play
music through the sound card.(This is so you can get
good quality.)
5. JOYSTICK -connect joystick for games.

Monitor and Video Display Adapter

What is it?
The monitor is primarily an output device. It converts
electronic signals from the computer into a visual
display that is the result of processing information. It
can be thought of as a high resolution TV set. The
monitor can also determine if the display will be
color, black and white, or include graphical objects
(pictures). The monitor displays text and images
(pictures) converted to output from the video adapter.
The video adapter is an expansion card that plugs
into the motherboard. The adapter changes the
instructions from the central processing unit (CPU)
into a way that the monitor can understand it.
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Myths

You can get radiation poisoning from your computer

monitor.

Electromagnetic radiation if a by product of most home

appliances such as microwaves, TVs, radios, and computer
monitors. Today's computers are required to be MPRII
compliant. Which means within an acceptable level of EMR
(electromagnetic radiation). Be sure and look for the label MPR
II reliant on the specifications for your computer.

How Does it Produce an Image?

Within the monitor there are red, green, and blue electron
guns. Each one shoots out a stream of electrons which all come
together to form pixels on the screen. The higher the intensity
(red, blue, or green) that is beamed from each of the guns
results in the color of the pixel. The guns begins firing in the
upper-left corner of the screen and moves quickly across each
line of the screen to paint the image that you see. When the gun
reaches the bottom right hand corner of the screen, it goes back
to the top upper-left hand corner to start all over again.

Monitors have some features that are similar to a

television set. There are controls that allow for
brightness and contrast, and also the ability to turn
the monitor on and off even while the computer is
running. Other features of a good monitor would be
a non-interlaced monitor that reduces screen flicker
and is easier on your eyes. An interlaced monitor
means that the electron gun goes across on all even
numbered lines on one pass and then scans the odd
number of lines on the next pass. The interlaced
monitor creates a screen flicker at higher resolutions
which tends to be harder on your eyes. If possible
buy a non-interlaced monitor.

The size of the monitor is determined by measuring diagonally

across the screen. Most monitors are 14" and 15". Be sure and
look for the words" actual viewing size "on the specifications
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when buying a monitor to determine how large the viewing area

is.. Also some computers and monitors display the screen
image within a frame or border on the screen and the actual
viewing area is not what you think it is. The larger the monitor
display, the more information that can be displayed. One
drawback is the it costs more.

Video Display Adapter:

Today, most systems are sold with a display adapter that

connects to a PCI "local bus", supports some Windows
accelerator, and provides SVGA resolutions. The "local bus"
means that the CPU can send data to the card at high speed.
The video display adapter is also called the video card or
graphics card. It is an expansion card that creates a circuit
pathway so that data can travel from the main board to the
monitor.

Elements of the Video Display Adapter:

 Resolution : is determined by the number of colors and

the amount of video memory
 Color Depth :number of colors determined by the number
of bits assigned to hold color value.
 Refresh Rate : the speed that the display uses to paint
the dots on the screen.
 Accelerator : means the display adapter can draw line
and boxes and can move windows and scroll itself

Resolution

Resolution refers to the number of dots on the screen or pixels.

. It is expressed as a pair of numbers that give the number of
dots on a line (horizontal) and the number of lines (vertical).
Four resolutions commonly used today.

 640x480 PIXELS (VGA) (SVGA)(images are larger)

 800x600 PIXELS (SVGA)
 1024x768 PIXELS (SVGA)
 1280x1024 PIXELS (SVGA)(images are smaller, but more
information can be displayed)
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The smaller the pixels, the clearer and sharper the picture
appears on the monitor. Most monitors come with a .28 dot
pitch. This is the standard for monitors. Do not buy a monitor if
the dot pitch is more than .28. The smaller the dot pitch the
better the monitor.

Color Depth

Memory on the video adapter limits the number of colors that

can be display at each resolution. If you want to do really high
quality photography you need at least 1MB of memory.
Multimedia applications with high resolution graphics need at
least 2 MB of memory.

 4 bits - 16 colors (original VGA ) (256K of memory) (very

primitive color)
 8 bits - 256 colors (SVGA) (good for business and home
applications)
 16 bits - 32 thousand colors (multi-media and desktop
publishing)
 24 bits - 16 Million (Truecolor) (high-end production and
desktop publishing and virtual environments)More video
RAM required.

Refresh Rate

The Refresh Rate determines the speed that the display uses to
paint the dots on the screen. The refresh rate requirement of a
typical monitor is 70Hz. Simply speaking, refresh rate relates to
the number of times a screen is redrawn. In many of the
popular Internet browsers you will notice a refresh option or
reload. This tells the computer to redraw the screen.

Graphics Accelerator
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With the invention of the graphics accelerator chip on the video

card, the display adapter can draw lines and boxes, scroll text,
rotate graphics, make background fills, and also use and
manage a mouse pointer, and other pointing devices.
Application programs can now send requests and with the help
of a Windows Driver routine, the adapter can calculate the bits
without the help of the CPU, making the procedure faster.

Dot Matrix Printer - this printer is the cheapest

but loudest of the printers. The printer uses a fine
stripe of carbon and depending on what pin it is,
will determine the quality of the printing. The pin
sizes range from 9-24. The printhead hits the ink
ribbon with one of its many pins causing it to form
a letter number or charature. With the pins hitting
the ribbon this printer becomes quite loud. The
ppm (page per minute ranges from 1 to 3 but in
new changes in technology its is becoming more
and more used in offices today and also can print
3 - 6 ppm plus it is much more quiter. The
drawback in most dot matrix printers is the on-
roll paper which has a track which feeds it
through the printer. Also in most new dot matrix
printers there is a paper feed which allows most
forms of paper.

Ink Jet Printer - This printer

is set at the standard for home
use. The print head sprays ink
onto paper forming an image or
text. With imagery on the ink
jet it is lost by premature
smearing if tuoched
prematurally or if the wrong
paper was used. The paper best
used for imagry is a high clay
content paper and for the ink a
smudge resistince or oil based
ink. For buisnes letters a ink
jest printer is the most
common one used for its text
plus imagry to add to the
paper. The common speed on a
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ink jet printer is about 3 ppm

and 300 dpi (dots per inch).
Laser Printer - This printer is
used for high speed text
printing and rough draft image
quality, this orinter is ideal for
rough draft or proofing work.
This is the most complicated of
all printers because of its
printing ability, Thus making
this printer more exspensvie
than the others on the market.
This printer has its own
iterpritation language called
PCL (printer control language).
The laser printer works
simularly to a photocopier by
sending a beam or a laser of
positive electrons to the paper,
when passed to the ink or toner
it becomes attracted (remember
oppisites attract) causing it to
stick to the paper then passed
through to a hot presser which
causes the ink to be
permenintly enscribed on the
paper. This printer print ne
where from 4 - 12 ppm.

Post Script Laser Printer - This printer has more option than
a PCL printer when you are using different color because of its
professional quality. This printer is espeacially used in graphic
arts studios.

Color Laser Printer - Is more expensive than a color ink jet

printer because it produces a great quality picture.

Thermal-Wax Printer - A thermal wax printe pruduces

sharp,rich colors non-smearing colors. This printer uses 3-4
full page color ribons of wax. A heated print head melts the wax
and places it on speacilly coated hat sensitive paper. The dpi on
this monitor is 300 to 600. This printer is used in high quality
imagry and color overhead transparencies.
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Dye Sublimation Color Printer (or) (Thermal dye printer) - is

the highest quality graphic producing printer there is. this
printer uses heat to transfer the ink from colored ribbons into a
gas which turns into a glass like substince. This printer has
such good graphics it is said to be photographic quality.

The print buffer - can send data faster than a printer can
accept and the process the daa/ A print spooler or print buffer
axts like a dam, holding the data and then releasing it at a
speed the printer can handle.

These are most commonly used output devices used to get

prints of documents on the paper. The output printed on the
paper is called hard copy. The hard copy is also called as print
out. The print out resolution is measured in dots per inch. A
printer is connected to a parallel port or a USB port of a system
unit by a cable.

Different printers have different printing mechanisms.

Therefore printers are callisified into 2 categories depending
upon their printing mechanisms. These are:

1. Impact Printers
2. Non-Impact Printers

1. Impact Printers

An impact printer prints characters and graphics on the paper

with the strikes of hammer on a ribbon. A simple example of an
impact printer is typewriter, which uses small hammers to
strike the ribbon. Each hammer is embosed witht the shape of
alphanumeric character; that shape is printed on the paper
through inked ribbon. there are many types of impact printers
but the most popular and commonly used is the dot matrix
printer.

2. Non-Impact Printers

Thr printers that produce the output on a paper without

striking the paper are known as non-impact printers. They use
electro static, chemicals, ink jet and thermal technologies for
printing. The main features of non-impact printers are:
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 Faster than impact printers.

 Print high quality output.
 Produce no noice during printing.

The examples of non-impact printers are; Laser printer, Inkjet

printers etc.

Dot Matrix Printer

In the early years, the dot matrix were the most commonly used
printing devices. Dot matrix printer is an impact character
printer. A dot matrix printer makes a hard copy by printing one
character at a time.

A dot matrix printer prints output on a paper by using a

mechanisms called a print haead, which contains a matrix of
tiny pins arranged in rows and columns. On receiving
instructions from computer, the printer can push any of the
pins out in any combination. It prints each character or any
symbol as pattern of dots. When pins on head strikes on inked
ribbon, it creates dots that form characters and graphics.
Typically a print head contains 9 to 24 pins. The print quality
depends on the number of pins that a print head contains. The
higher number of pins means the printer prints more dots per
character so that the print out quality is higher. The low quality
dot matrix printers print head contain 9 pins while the high
quality printers print head contains 24 pins.

Dot matrix printer can use tractor feed paper also called
continuous feed paper, in which sheets of paper are joined
together end to end. The pages have holes along the sides to
help feed the paper thurough the paper.

The speed of dot matrix printer is measured by the number of

characters per second (CPS) it can print. The speed of dot
matrix printer is from 52 to 500 CPS. The printing quality is
measured in dot per inch (DPI). In dot matrix printer, it is about
100 to 300 dpi.

Inkjet Printer

The Inkjet printer is non-impact chracter printer and prints one

character at a time. The Inkjet printer has fine spray nozzles
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that create the image of character or graphics on the paper

(without striking the paper) by spraying tiny or small drops on
inks onto the paper.

The print head of Inkjet printer contains ink filled print

cartridges. Each cartridge has fifty to several hundreds small
ink nozzles. Each nozzle in the printer cartridge is similar to an
individual pin on a dot matrix printer. The combination of the
nozzles is actviated to form the shape of character or image on
the paper. Most Inkjet printers have at least 2 print cartridges:
one containing black ink and the other containg colour. A
single cartridge can print upto 300 pages. You can re-fill the
cartridge.

Colour Inkjet printer has 4 ink nozzles: Blue, Rad, Yellow and
Black. These 4 colours are used in almost all colour printing
because it is possible to combine them to create any colour.
Inkjet printers have become the most popular type of colour
printers for use in offices and busniess because of their lower
cost.

The printing quality of Inkjet printer is measured by the

number of tiny ink of drops per inch (dpi) it can spray. Most
Inkjet printers range from 300 to 2400 dpi. Printers with higher
dpi usually are more expensive but having high printing
quality.

The speed of an Inkjet printer is measured by the number of

pages per minute (ppm) it can print. Its printing speed upto 15
ppm.

In the early years, the Inkjet printers needed a special paper,

and each sheet had to dry before you could touch it. Today you
can use normal photo copy paper and the ink is dry within a
few seconds. Inkjet printers normally uses individual sheets of
paper places in a removable or stationary tray.

Laser Printer

A Laser printer is the fastest and high quality non-impact

printer. Laster printers are most expensive than Inkjet printers
and their print quality is also higher. The print quality and
printing speed of Laser printers make them ideal for offices and
business.
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Laser printers work like photo copiers. A Laser printer create

images on the paper using a laser beam and powered ink called
toner. The laser beam produces an image on a special drum
inside the printer. The laser printer uses heat and pressure to
transfer the image from drum to the paper. Laser printers for
personal computers use individual sheets of paper placed in a
removable tray.

The Laser printer can print text and graphics in very high
quality resolution. The commonly used Laser printers have
resolution of 300 or 600 dpi. The printing speed is from 5 to 30
ppm. The high quality Laser printers have resolution of 300 or
600 dpi. The printing speed is from 5 to 30 ppm. The high
quality Laser printers have resolution from 600 to 2400 dpi.
The printing speed of these printers is also more than 150 ppm.

The price of Laser printer depends on the quality and printing

speed. The colour printers are most costly than black and white
Laser printers. The higher the resolution and speed the more
expensive the printer.

2.2.3 INPUT DEVICES

Input Devices
What good is a computer, unless you have a way
to get information into it? Therefore, input devices
are necessary to provide ways to communicate
with the computer. Information and commands
are issued to the computer by way of these
devices.

Examples of input devices include the keyboard, mouse,

modem, joystick, digitizing pen and tablet, microphone, touch
screens, scanner, camera, I/O Architecture

keyboard
What is it?
The keyboard is an input device. It has
letter and number keys, and what are
called function keys, computer specific
task keys, that allow you, the user, to
 18 FUN. OF. COMP

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use an English-like language to issue instructions to an

electronic environment. It is the primary input device. It uses a
cursor to keep your place on the screen and to let you know
where to begin typing. You are able to input commands, type
data into documents, compose documents, draw pictures with
use of certain keys, pull down menus, and respond to prompts
issued by the computer. Almost all computers require you to
use a keyboard unless, of course, it is adapted for individuals
with disabilities or for a specified alternative input devices.

The keyboard contains special keys to manipulate the user

interface. When a key is touched, an electrical impulse is sent
through the device which is picked up by the operating system
software, and sent through the computer to be processed.

The keyboard operates as a typical typewriter and uses a

standard "QWERTY" keyboard. QWERTY is the way the
keyboard is set up for typing. If you look at the keyboard under
the top number row, you will see that the alphabet top row
begins with QWERTY.

Special Features

Special features of the keyboard include:

Numeric keypad: This portion of the keyboard allows you to

use the keyboard like a calculator and input numbers into
application programs. It has a Num lock key that when
depressed, will activate that portion of the keyboard so that
numbers can be entered. When the lock key is not on, there are
arrow keys on the keys which then work to move the cursor in
different directions. The "NUM LOCK" key is a toggle key which
switches back and forth between these two modes.

Caps Lock: The "CAP LOCKS" key works in this same manner
as the "NUM LOCK" key. If the Cap Lock is lit on your screen
the keyboard will type only in capitals. If the Cap Lock light is
not lit it will type only in small letters.

Function Keys: The function keys are used to initiate

commands on help menus or database programs especially
before the development and use of computer pointing devices.
 19 FUN. OF. COMP

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They are still used extensively today as options on the keyboard

to pull down menus or to be programmed to do specific
functions in application programs. Ctrl or Shift keys also work
with Function keys to add more commands to programs and
what are called shortcuts, ways to operate functions like saving
and deleting without going through elaborate features and
steps. Short cuts speed up typing and input into the computer.

Escape Key: One of the most important keys is the escape key.
It usually cancels the last command or takes you back to the
previous step in a program.

Types

Main Types of Keyboards:

Keyboards come in may shapes and sizes. They can be large

and small, almost like a custom car. They come in various
colors and can be designed specifically for the user, especially
in the case of the disabled.

QWERTY: The most popular is the standard QWERTY

keyboard. The newer keyboards can have a trackball built into
the keyboard. This allows the user the convenience of a built in
pointing device. The trackball acts as the mouse and saves time
and space in the work area.

Ergonomic: This keyboard is built so that the keyboard is

divided into two parts. One half fits the right hand and the
other half fits the left hand. This split keyboard arrangement is
built to fit the natural positioning of the hand and to help with
repetitive motion hand injury which occurs when a job is
carried out over and over again, such as in keyboarding.
 20 FUN. OF. COMP

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Mouse
How Does It Work?

Mousing Around

The computer mouse moves by way of a roller and ball system.

When you move the mouse across the desktop, the ball
underneath rolls. This ball corresponds to the position of what
is called a pointer on the screen. The pointer is usually shaped
like an arrow, though some people like to change their pointer
to look like objects. (One person in our group has changed his
pointer to an ink pen icon.) When you move the pointer around
it is called mousing. The speed of the mouse can be managed
by your computer operating system software, or a commercial
application program for your mouse. You can drag objects on
the screen by clicking on the object, holding down on the
mouse button, and rolling the mouse across the desktop until
you get the object to a new location. When you reach the spot
that you want, let go of the mouse button.

Most mice come with two buttons. You use the left button on
the mouse to do most selecting of objects. The right button can
be used for some menu actions. This is especially true when
using browser software to examine and manipulate pictures
and graphics on the Internet. There is a three button mouse
and the middle button can be programmed for specific
application software, but usually the two button mouse is used
the most. If you are left handed, you can change to a left-
handed mouse option in your software so that you can use your
mouse in your left hand.

Types Of Pointing Devices

Pen- The pen lets you draw on what is called a digitizing tablet
that mirrors the surface area of the computer screen. The pen
can be used as a standard mouse (without wires connected to
it) or also as a free flowing drawing device. The pen is useful for
 21 FUN. OF. COMP

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drawing since drawing graphics with a mouse tends to be

somewhat difficult.

Mouse - The mouse is a hand held device that lets you point to
and selected items on your screen. In a PC mouse there are
mostly 2-3 buttons and on a Mac there is one. A ball under the
mouse senses movement. To ensure smooth motion your
should remove the ball and clean it regularly.

Cordless Mouse - The cordless mouse is a lot better than a

normal mouse thus by reducing the clutter of the work space
needed to move the mouse around. This mouse runs on a
battery. When you move the mouse it sends an infrared beam
to a sensor which interprets it causing it to move.

Trackball - The trackball is an upside-down mouse that

remains stationary on your desk. It is the same principle as the
mouse except that the rollers are reversed and the ball is on
top. This ball does not need as much attention as the normal
mouse because the only thing that touches it is your hand as
the normal mouse touches a surface.

Touchpad - The touchpad has sensors that sense your touch.

When they sense your touch they send a signal to the computer
to move the mouse pointer to that location on the screen.

Joystick- The joystick allows the user to move quickly in

computer games.

Light pen- The light pen system allows the user to touch the
computer screen with a lighted pen to activate commands and
make selections.

Touch Screen- The touch screen lets the user touch the area to
be activated by using the finger or hand.

Head Mounted Virtual Reality Displays, Wands, Special

Trackballs, Data Gloves, and Special 3-D Flying Mice that
can go in six different directions- These devices are currently
the newest pointing devices.
 22 FUN. OF. COMP

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Modem:
What is a Modem?

The piece of equipment that allows a computer to communicate

with other computers over telephone lines is called a modem.
The modem allows the individual to access information from all
overthe world and use that information in everyday life.
Connecting with banks, Automatic Teller Machines, cash
registers to read credit cards, access travel agents, buy
products, e-mail,access databases, and teleconferencing, the
modems provides easy access to many services. Files can be
transferred easily, by uploading to another machine, or
downloading to your own machine within a matter of minutes.
The computer modem can be used as a telephone answering
system, and documents can be faxed from one computer to
another assuring fast and easy access to important documents.

Squawk or Talk?

Does a modem really talk? Some people seem to think so.

Modems really squawk at each other. A computer is a digital
device, and communicates with other computers in a language
made up of digits or numbers. That is why you hear a high
pitched squawking or squealing sound when a modem is in
use. The modem converts data into sound so that it can be sent
through the phone system. The modem sends large amounts of
data by sending combinations of tones at different frequencies.

"Didgit" Know It Worked This Way?

A modem takes computer information and changes it into a

signal that can be sent over telephone lines. The modem is a
bridge between digital and analog signals. The computer being
of the digital type, and the telephone using analog technology.
The modem converts the "0"s and "1"s ofthe computer (off-on
switches)into an analog signal by modulating the frequency of
the electronicwave or signal. The modem does just the opposite
and demodulate the signal back into digitalcode. The modem
gets its name from the MOdulate and the DEModulate.
 23 FUN. OF. COMP

NOTES

Most people believe that you need a

separate phone line for a modem, but that
is not true.Your modem and telephone can
share one line, the problem arises when
someone else needs to use the telephone
while the modem is in use. Also disable call
waiting, it could disrupt your modem
connection while the modem is in use.

In order for the modem to work you need

some kind of communications software.
This software manages the communication
with other modems. When exchanging
information, modems use the same speed. If
the modem is communicating with a slower
modem, both modems will communicate at
the slower speed.This is determined by the
"handshake" which is how modems
establish the way they will communicate
with each other.

When one modem has successfully made connection with

another modem, it is said to be "Online".The speed of the
connection is of course determined by the connection with the
other computer.The speed of the modem is measured in bits per
second (bps). Most modern modems currently run at 28,800
bps or 33,600 bps. The newest modems being developed for the
general public are 56K modemsbut have limitations, because
most of the hardware and software solutions have not upgraded
to accomodate them. Another measurement for modem speeds
 24 FUN. OF. COMP

NOTES

is in kilobits per second (Kbps). A 33,600bps modem would also

be referred to as a 33.6Kbps modem.

What Flavor Do You Favor?

There are three kinds of modems internal,external, and fax. All

modems do the same thing, they allow computers to
communicate through telephone lines. This lets computers
exchange information everywhere.

 Internal Modem: This device is a circuit board that plugs

into one of the expansion slotsof the computer. Internal
modems usually are cheaper than external modems, but
when problems occur, fixing and troubleshooting the
modem can sometimes prove to be quite difficult. The
telephone line plugs into the modem port in the back of
the computer.
 External Modem: This device attaches to the back of the
computer by way of a cable that plugs into the modem
port. It is usually less expensive and very portable. It can
be used with other computers very easily by unplugging it
and plugging it into another computer. (Remember that
you need the right modem software on all the computers
you wish to use the modem with.)
 Fax Modem: This device can be hooked up to your
telephone and used to send information to your
computer. Your computer can also send information to a
fax machine. Most computer modems are modems with
faxing capabilities.
 ISDN Modem: The ISDN modem requires a special phone
line called an ISDN line. This modem sends data at a very
fast rate. (56K). The advantage of this modem is that it is
very fast and is able to transfer data and graphics at an
amazing speed with very little interference. These
modems and lines tend to be quite expensive.
 25 FUN. OF. COMP

NOTES

2.3 Computer software

What most people think of as a computer can actually be
divided into two parts. The first part, computer hardware, does
all of the physical work computers are known for. The second
part, computer software, tells the hardware what to do and how
to do it. If you were to think of a computer as a living being,
then the hardware would be the body that does things like
seeing with eyes, lifting objects, and filling the lungs with air;
the software would be the intelligence, interpreting the images
that come through the eyes, telling the arms how to lift objects,
and forcing the body to fill the lungs with air.

Computer hardware, being part of a machine, can only

understand two basic concepts: on and off. The on and off
concept is called binary. Computer software was developed in
order to make binary into a useful way to tell the computer
hardware what to do. Computer software translates concepts
and directions that people can understand into something that
can actually be done on the computer hardware.

Computer software is most commonly created by computer

programmers using a programming language. The programmer
writes commands in the programming language that are similar
to what someone might use in everyday speech. These
commands are called source code. Another computer program
called a compiler is then used on the source code, transforming
the commands into a language that the computer can
understand. The result is an executable computer program,
which is another name for software.

Computer software falls into two primary categories: system

software and application software. System software represents
programs that allow the hardware to run properly. Application
software represents programs that allow users to do something
besides simply run the hardware. Some experts also include a
third category, programming software, though others put those
programs into one of the other previously mentioned categories.
 26 FUN. OF. COMP

NOTES

A few different types of computer software include:

Computer Games – a form of entertainment software that has

many genres. Some of these genres include MMOs (Massive
Multiplayer Online games), first-person shooters, action games,
roleplaying games, and adventure games.

Driver Software – programs that allow a computer to interact

with additional hardware devices such as printers, scanners,
and video cards.

Educational Software – programs and games that teach the

user or provide drills to help memorize facts. Educational
software is diverse, and can teach anything from computer-
related activities like typing to higher education subjects like
chemistry.

Media Players and Media Development Software – software

designed to play and/or edit digital media files such as music
and videos.

Productivity Software – an older term that refers to any

programs that would allow the user to be more productive in a business
sense. Word processors, database management utilities, and presentation
software all fall into this category.

A set of instructions (in machine code) given to the computer to

solve user problems and to control different operations of the
computer is know as computer software. The software is
developed in programming languages.

SOFTWARE CLASSIFICATION

The Computer software is classified into two main categories:

1. Application software.
2. System software.

Application Software

A set of programs used to solve particular problems of user

through computer is called Application software. It is also
known as application package. The ready packages are also
available in market on CDs for various purposes. These are
 27 FUN. OF. COMP

NOTES

used by user who does not know the computer programming.

The users solve their problems by using ready packages more
easily and quickly. Some of application packages are:

1. Word processing software.

2. Spreadsheet software.
3. Database Management System software.
4. Graphics software.
5. Communication software.

1. Word Processing Software

This software is used to create and to edit documents such as

letters, reports, essays etc. The word processing software
provides several features for document editing and formatting.
In. editing process, text is entered into the document, deleted,
copied or moved to another location etc. In formatting process,
different formats can be applied on the text to make the
document more attractive before to print on the printer. The
most popular word processing software programs are: Microsoft
Word, Word Perfect etc.

2. Spreadsheet Software

Spreadsheet software is used to store and process data in an

electronic sheet having columns and rows. The data is entered
into the cells of the sheet. The intersection of a row and a
column is known as cell. Each cell is a unique address. The
numbers and formulas are entered into the cells and the
computer can automatically perform the calculation on
numerical data in cells.

The spreadsheet software is commonly used for business

application such as for performing financial calculations and
recording transactions. The most popular example of
spreadsheet software is Microsoft Excel etc.

3. Database Management Software

Database management software is used to create and manage

databases. A database is a collection of related information or
records on any subject such as records of the books in a
library, information about the students of a college etc.
 28 FUN. OF. COMP

NOTES

Database Management Software stores and manages records in

databases. These records can be accessed very quickly when
required. The Microsoft Access, Oracle etc. are most popular
examples of Database Management Software.

4. Presentation Graphics Software

The presentation graphic software is used to create slides for

making presentations. The presentation graphic software also
has pre-drawn clip art images, which can be inserted into slides
and can be modified. The PowerPoint is an example of
presentation graphic software.

5. Communication Software

The Communication software is used to exchange information

electronically. It is most commonly used software to send and
receive information on the Internet. It also allows for sending
and receiving faxes directly. The computer files can also be
transferred from one PC to another through this software. The
Internet Explorer is an example of this software.

System Software

System software is a set of programs that control the operations

of a computer and devices attached with the computer. It
creates links between user and computer as well as controls the
execution of application programs. System software are
essential for a computer to do work, Without this software no
link can be created between user and computer.

The examples of system software are:

 Operating systems.
 Utility programs.
 Device Drivers.
 Language Processors.

In the past, the operating systems were computer. (or device)

dependent. An operating system running on one machine could
not be run on another different model machine. When a
manufacturer introduces a new computer or new model of
computer then an operating system has to be developed to
 29 FUN. OF. COMP

NOTES

operate that machine. The application programs often would

not work on the new computer because the applications were
designed to work with a specific operating system.

Some operating systems are still device dependent. Now-a-days,

operating systems are mostly device (or computer) independent
and can run on computers made by different companies. The
operating systems are divided into different categories. Three
basic categories are:

1. Personal computer operating system.

2. Network operating system.
3. Embedded operating system.

1- Personal Computer Operating System

The personal computer operating systems are also called the

stand-alone operating systems or single user operating systems
that are used to operate personal computers. The examples of
personal computer operating system are:

1. DOS
2. Mac OS
3. Windows

1. DOS

DOS stands for Disk Operating System. It is a single user

operating system used in microcomputers. It is a command line
interface operating system. Microsoft Corporation developed it
for IBM 8086 microprocessor computers. It was the most
popular operating system in microcomputers before the
Windows.

The DOS is updated periodically. It has different versions like

DOS 3.0, DOS 3.1, DOS 3.2 DOS 7.0 and soon. Today it is
rarely used.

2. Mac OS

Mac OS is developed by Apple Corporation in 1984 for

Macintosh It was one of first computers. This operating system
provides the GUI. It was one of first operating system that
introduced the GUI.
 30 FUN. OF. COMP

NOTES

3. Windows

Microsoft Windows introduced by Microsoft. It is most used and

powerful GUI operating system

2. Network Operating System

A network operating system is an operating system that

supports the network. A network operating system typically
resides on a server and controls the devices or computers
connected to the network. The examples of the network
operating system are:

 Windows NT Server
 Windows 2000 Server
 UNIX
 Solaris
 Novell’s Netware

1) Windows NT Server
Windows NT Server is developed by Microsoft for Client/Server
networks. The Server in the network uses this operating system
and the Client computer uses Windows NT workstation or some
other (personal computer) version of Windows operating
system.

2) Windows 2000 Server

Windows 2000 Server is an upgraded form of Windows NT

Server. It is also used in networking. It consists of three
products:

1. Windows 2000 server

2. Windows 2000 Advanced server
3. Windows 2000 data center server

3) UNIX

UNIX is a multi-user and multi-tasking operating system. It is

very popular operating system used in microcomputers to
Supercomputer. It provides the command line interface. It was
developed at AT&T Bell Laboratories of USA. It was specially
developed at AT&T for their own minicomputers. Microsoft
Company of USA also developed a version of UNIX, which is
 31 FUN. OF. COMP

NOTES

named as XENIX. It is mainly used in network environment

because it has powerful security features.

4) Solaris

Solaris is a version of UNIX. It was developed by Sun

Microsystems. It is a network operating system designed
specifically for F-commerce applications. It has very advanced
security features and is used for online transactions systems.
The client computers also use a version of Solaris called CDE
(Common Desktop Environment).

5) Novell’s Netware

Novell’s Netware is network operating system designed for

client/server networks. It has two portions.

Server portion: It resides on the network server.

Client portion: It resides on each client computer connected to
the network.

The Server portion of the network operating system controls the

devices’ such as printers, computers connected to the network
as well as manages the files and application software on the
Server. The Client portion establishes the communication
between Client computer and the Server. The Client computers
also have their own operating systems such as Windows, DOS
etc.

3. Embedded Operating System

Different special electronic devices (or handheld computers) are

also controlled by the operating systems that are stored into a
ROM chip. These operating systems are called the Embedded
Operating Systems. The examples of embecl4ed Operating
system are:

 Windows CE
 Pocket PC 2002
 Palm operating system
 32 FUN. OF. COMP

NOTES

i) Windows CE

Windows CE is designed for the use in wireless communication

devices, smaller computer such as handheld computer, in-
vehicle devices etc. Windows CE interface is similar to that of
Windows operating system. This operating system also
supports multitasking, Internet access, e-mails etc. Many
application programs such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel
etc. that are developed for this operating system can be run
with Windows CE.

ii) Pocket PC 2002

Pocket PC 2002 is, also developed by Microsoft and is used on a

specific type of handheld computer called the pocket PC. It is
similar to Windows XP operating system and is used to access
Internet, listen to music, and watch a video and to create word
processing and spreadsheet documents etc.