Fundamentals of Computer

A computer is an electronic machine or device that accepts and processes data to produce information which
can be stored for later use

Types of computers
These include: Mainframe, Minicomputer, Microcomputers including laptop, desktop, tablet palmtop and other
current devices.

Advantages and disadvantages of computer usage

Advantages
High Speed In Work
A computer is a high speed working electronic machine. Computers work with an incredible speed much than
humans. It has the ability to process a lot of complex calculations and commands in microseconds or even
in nanoseconds simultaneously.
Accuracy
One of the root advantage of computer is that can perform not only calculations but also with accuracy.
Storage Capability
Computer memory has much more storage capacity than humans which can be reduced or increase as per our
need at any time. We are not able to store audio, video, image, text, etc. in our memory unlimited but this can be
stored inside the computer.
Reliability
Computers can perform same sort of work repeatedly without throwing up errors or tiredness or boredom,
which are quite common among humans.

Disadvantages
Time Consuming
A lot of time is wasted in front of the computer by watching videos and playing games if a person starts using it
without stopping.
Lack of Intelligence
The Computer does not have intelligence that much. Yes, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is developing well. But
still, they follow the instructions and take the decisions given by us.
Health risks
Research has shown that excessive computer use can result in several medical problems, including back pain,
eyestrain, obesity, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and repetitive strain injury (RSI). However, with
good ergonomic practices, many of these health risks could be reduced or removed.
Components of a Computer

Input Devices;
An input device is any hardware component that allows the user to enter data, programs, commands
and user responses into a computer.

Keyboard
This is the most commonly used input device, it has keys that are pressed to type text and other characters
into the computer.

Mouse
The mouse is a pointing device. You use it to move a graphical pointer on the screen. The mouse can be used
to issue commands, draw, and perform other types of input tasks. It controls the position of a pointer on the
screen and is used for making selections

Touch Screen
Touch-screen systems accept input directly through the monitor. Touch screens use sensors to detect the
touch of a finger.

Barcode Reader
Bar code readers can read bar codes—patterns of printed bars to identify the product.

Optical Character Reader

The primary purpose of OCR is to eliminate the need to re-encode a document that has already been printed.
OCR takes an image of a printed document, attempts to recognize all the characters on a page, then string the
characters together into an editable document that can then be edited in a word processor and mostly
resembles the original document.
Optical Mark Reader
Optical mark recognition (also called optical mark reader and OMR) is used for capturing human-marked data
from document forms such as surveys and tests. They are used to read questionnaires, multiple choice
examination papers in the form of lines or shaded areas.

Microphone
Microphones can accept auditory input.

Document Scanner
A document scanner is a device, which converts a document or text from its paper form into digital data.

Digital Camera
Digital camera allows you to take pictures and store the photograph image digitally, instead of on traditional
film; these photos can then be transferred to the computer system.

Web cam And Graphics Tablet

Output devices;
Output device is any hardware component that can convey information to a user from the computer.

Printer
A printer is an output device that generates text and graphics on a physical medium like paper. Prints are also
referred to as hard copies as the data are physically accessible and are a more permanent output type than the
one displayed in the VDU (Visual Display Unit).

Printers may be divided into impact printers and non-impact printers.

An impact printer forms characters and images on a piece of paper by hitting an ink ribbon mechanism that
contacts the paper physically.
A non-impact printer forms characters and graphics on a piece of paper without hitting the paper.

Types of Printers
 Line – prints one line at a time.
 Page - prints one page at a time.
 Laser, inkjet, dot matrix

Monitors
The computer monitor (also know as a VDU or Visual Display Unit) is the most common computer output
device. A monitor has a screen on which words, numbers, and graphics can be seen.

Speakers
A speaker gives you sound output from your computer to an audience. Some speakers are built into the
computer and some are separate.

Multimedia Projector
Multimedia projector is a device that takes the image from a computer and projects it onto a large screen so an
audience of people can see the image clearly.
Storage media
CD-ROM
CD-ROM stands for Compact Disk - Read Only Memory. They are optical disks that use the same technology
as musical compact disks. They store up to 700 Mb of data and a laser beam is used to read the data off the
disk.
Data is written onto the CD-ROM disk before it is sold and cannot be changed by the user. As CD-ROMs can
store large amounts of data, they can be used for multimedia applications such as encyclopaedias, and can store
pictures, sounds and video clips.

DVD
DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disk. There are several formats on the market, the more expensive ones being
recordable like CDs. They are the same size as CDs, but hold much more data - a single sided, single layer disc
can hold up to 4.7 gigabytes with a dual layer disc holding 8.4 gigabytes. Now DVDs are commonly used for
video recordings, so you will often see them measured in minutes e.g. 4.7Gb = 120 minutes.

Flashdrive/Memory sticks
A memory stick is a small 'pen top' sized device that holds a large amount of memory - from 512Mb to 1Gb
upwards depending on the price paid. This is inserted into the USB port - it is then seen by the computer as a
removable disk.

Memory card
A memory card is a type of storage device that is used for storing media and data files. It provides a permanent
and non-volatile medium to store data and files from the attached device. Memory cards are commonly used in
small, portable devices, such as cameras and phones.
A memory card is also known as a flash card.

Floppy Disk, Hard Disk