Computer overview

INTRODUCTION
These days you see computer everywhere around.
They are put to use for all sorts of application ranging
from complex calculation in the field of frontline
research, entertainment simulations down to teaching,
printing books, process data, store and retrieve it
painlessly, have made them inevitable in office and
business environment, the area of application of
computer are confined only be limitation. In fact, any
task can be carried out systematically can be performed
by a computer. Therefore it is essential for every
educated person today to know about a computer, its
strengths, its weakness and its internal structure.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTER
A computer is a very useful machine. It has many
characteristics. Some of its characteristics are superior even to
the human beings.
 Let us learn about some of the characteristics of the
computer,
1. Speed: a computer is a very fast machine. It can
perform in a few seconds the number of calculation
that a human being will do in a many year. It can
solve a sum in less than fraction of a second. It can
process millions of instruction per second.
2. Accuracy: a computer is a very accurate Machine. It
never commits a mistake while doing calculation. If
the input data and the set of instruction are correct,
the result produced is accurate.
3. High memory: a computer is a large memory. It can
store a large amount of data in its memory and
can retrieve them whenever required.
4. Diligence: a computer can work tirelessly for a
long time. Unlike human beings, it never feels
bored or gets tried. If ten billion calculations are
to be performed, ac computer are forms the ten
millionth calculations exactly with the same
accuracy and speed as it performed the first
one.
5. Versatility: a computer can do a number of
different works. One movement, it is preparing
the result of particular examination. The next
 movement it is busy in solving sums, and in
between it may be used for listening to the
latest songs. Briefly, a computer is capable of
performing almost any task; provided the task of
instruction.
6. No intelligence: a computer is a machine. It
process no intelligence of its own like human
beings. It is fully dependent on the user for
doing a task. It cannot take its own decision in
this regard. Everything must be instructed to it.
It does only what is told to do.
7. No feelings: a computer does not have feelings
or emotion. It is a machine. Based on our
feelings, taste, knowledge and experience, we
often make certain decision in our day to day
life. But a computer cannot make such
judgments by itself.
Types of computer
There are different types of commuters, according to the
speed, size and memory, computers of following types,
 Personal computer
 Minicomputer
 Mainframes
  Super computer

Personal computers (pc): personal computer are

also called as microcomputer. They are one of
the greatest human invention. They are powerful
machines. They are widely used in schools,
homes, offices, shop, hotels, hospitals etc.
Mini computers: they are bigger in size than
microcomputer. Several hundreds of users can it
at the same time. Examples of minicomputer are
VAX computer and PDP 8.
Mainframe computers: Mainframe computers
are large computer with a large memory and high
speed. They are very powerful computer.
Super computers: they are the most powerful
computers in the world. They are used in
weather forecasting, defense, space research etc.
some examples of supercomputers are CARAY
series and PARAM series computers.

PARTS OF PERSONAL COMPUTER

A computer is really a system of many parts working
together. Physical parts, which you can see and touch, are
collectively called hardware. Instructions, or programs, that
tell the hardware what to do, are called software.

Hardware: computer hardware refers to the parts of a

computer system such as monitor, CPU, keyboarded,
mouse, printer, speakers etc.
In other words, computer hardware refers to all the
electronic and mechanical parts of ac computer system.
Let as look some of hardwares:

Monitor Modem System unit

Printer Mouse
Speaker
1)Monitor: visual display unit is commonly referred as
visual display unit. Monitor looks like a television
screen. Whatever you type from the keyboard is
shown on the monitor. You can see what you have
drawn on the monitor too. It shows the games you
play on the computer.
2) Modem: