INSTITUTO TECNICO JESÚS MARIA Compiled And Designed By Lic.

Alba Colque Miranda

ORURO- BOLIVIA TELECOMMUNICATION

LESSON 4 COMPUTER CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS

Computer limitations and capabilities are purely controlled by programming, user input and current advances in
computer technology that limit hardware. The main limit to computers is that user input is needed for the performance
of tasks because computers are not self-actualizing. Self-actualization is necessary in achieving artificial intelligence.

Until self-actualizing computers are perfected, there will always be limitations on a computer's capabilities. Each piece of
hardware has its own limitations that sets boundaries on what the computer can do. For example, a graphics card on a
computer is limited by its architecture, no matter how capable the central processing unit may be.

It refers to the capacity of a computer to store data and programs. Storage is done in storage media such as CDs, Flash
memories, DVDs, RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory).

Limitations of a Computer System:

Although a computer is far better in performance than a human being, it fails in certain ways as follows:

 Computers can’t Think:

Computers cannot think and they can’t do any job unless they are first programmed with specific instructions for same.
They work as per stored instructions. Algorithms are designed by humans to make a computer perform a special task.
This is also called artificial intelligence.

 Computers can’t Decide:

Computers are incapable of decision making as they do not possess the essential elements necessary to take a decision
i.e. knowledge, information, wisdom, intelligence and the ability to judge.

 Computers can’t Express their Ideas:

In any type of research ideas plays a vital role. In this context, computers can’t express their ideas.

 Computers can’t Implement:

Though computers are helpful in storage of data and can contain

the contents of encyclopedias even, but only humans can decide and implement the policies.

4.1 Computer parts

Input/Output - Write in the gaps which items are INPUT or OUTPUT devices

1.
5. Laser Printer ________
2. Monitor ________
6. Mouse _______________
3. Keyboard _____________
7. Speakers ____________________
4. Scanner _________
8. Digital camera _____________________
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 INSTITUTO TECNICO JESÚS MARIA Compiled And Designed By Lic. Alba Colque Miranda
ORURO- BOLIVIA TELECOMMUNICATION

9. Pen drive ________________________

4.2 What’s Inside a Computer?

Fill in the blanks with the correct answer from the box. Some may be used more than once or not at all.

CPU BIOS power supply hard drive network card

Motherboard RAM USB Port ROM video card

1. I connect computers and allow them to talk to each other. ______________

2. I wake up the computer and remind it what to do. ______________

3. I am the brain of the computer. CPU ________

4. Information is stored on my magnetic cylinders. ______________

5. I hold all of the other circuit boards. ______________

6. I handle the graphics that are displayed on the monitor. ______________

7. I am the type of port used by flash drives ______________

4.3 Storage - Fill in the blanks with the vocabulary words from the box. Use each word only once.

information primary flash drive CD DVD secondary

1. ______________ memory is stored on chips located on the motherboard.

2. ______________ memory is stored on the hard drive.

3. A ______________ can hold information greater than a CD or DVD.

4. A ______________ usually holds up to 650 to 700 MB.

5. A ______________ holds even more information at least 7 GB.

6. The purpose of storage in a computer is to hold ______________ or data

SINGULAR PLURAL
4. 4 Demonstrative Adjectives
This - este, esta These - estos, estas
(cerca) (cerca)
That - ese, esa Those - esos, esas
(lejos) (lejos)
That ( over there) - Those ( over there) -
aquel, aquella aquellos, aquellas
(muy lejos) (muy lejos)