COMPUTER

FUNDAMENTALS
DaVid Kawlni, Department of Computer Science
GOVT. SERCHHIP COLLEGE COACHING CENTRE
2022
 INDEX
 Generations of Computer
 Components of Computer System
 Hardware vs Software
 Operating System
 Classification of Computers
 Basic Terminologies
GENERATIONS OF COMPUTER
 COMPONENTS OF
COMPUTER

1. INPUT UNIT
2. OUTPUT UNIT
3. STORAGE UNIT
4. CONTROL UNIT
5. ARITHMETIC LOGIC UNIT
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT
INPUT DEVICES
KEYBOARD
MOUSE
REPRESENTATION OF DATA
NUMBER CONVERSION
NUMBER CONVERSION
 BITS/BYTES

Bits − A bit is a smallest possible unit of

data that a computer can recognize or use.
Computer usually uses bits in groups.
Bytes − group of eight bits is called a byte.
Half a byte is called a nibble.
DATA STORAGE UNITS
SECONDARY STORAGE
DEVICES
DATA STORAGE CAPACITY
DATA STORAGE CAPACITY
Solid State Drive
VS
Hard Disk Drive
PRIMARY STORAGE
OUTPUT DEVICES
 TYPES OF MONITOR

Liquid Emitting
Cathode Ray Tube Liquid Crystal Display Diode (LED)
(CRT) (LCD)

Organic LED
(OLED) Touch Panel
 SCREEN
RESOLUTION
TYPES

SD
HD
FHD
4K
8K
COMMON TYPES OF CONNECTORS
High Definition Multimedia Video Graphics Array or Video Graphics
Interface Adapter
HARDWARE VS SOFTWARE
TYPES OF SOFTWARE
 OPERATING SYSTEM

 An operating system is a software

programme required to manage and
operate a computing device like
smartphones, tablets, computers,
supercomputers, web servers, cars,
network towers, smartwatches, etc.
 It is the operating system that
eliminates the need to know coding
language to interact with computing
devices.
POPULAR OPERATING
SYSTEM
WINDOWS OS HISTORY
WINDOWS 7
GUI
WINDOWS 11
GUI
 ALL
ANDROID
VERSIONS

Latest Version
Android 12
October 17, 2021
iOS Latest version
BOOTING
TYPES OF SHUT DOWN
• Switch user: Switch user without closing
apps
• Sign out: Close all apps and sign you out
• Sleep: The PC stays on but use low
power; apps stay open so when the PC
wakes up, you are instantly back to
where you left off
• Shut down: Close all apps and turn off
the PC
• Restart: Close all apps, turn off the PC
and then turns it on again
 IMAGES
• JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg) Joint
Photographic Experts
Groups
• PNG (.png) Portable
Network Graphics
MOST COMMON FILE FORMATS
• GIF (.gif) Graphics
Interchange Format
• Bitmap (.bmp) Bitmap
Image File
• TIFF (.tif, .tiff) Tagged
Image File Format
• RAW Image Files (.raw, .cr2,
.nef, .orf, .sr2, and more)
VIDEOS
• Moving picture experts
group layer four (MP4)
• Audio video interleave (AVI)
• QuickTime Movie file
(MOV)
• Flash video format (FLV)
• Advanced video coding, high
definition (AVCHD)
AUDIOS
• MPEG 4 audio (M4A)
• MPEG layer audio 3 (MP3)
• Waveform audio file (WAV)
DOCUMENTS
• Portable document format
(PDF)
• Word document (DOC and
DOCX)
• Hypertext markup language
(HTML and HTM)
• Microsoft excel spreadsheet
file (XLS and XLSX)
• Text file (TXT)
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTER
BASIC COMPUTER
TERMINOLOGY
• Application - A computer program that does specific tasks such as word processing or spreadsheets.
• Bit - Represents a binary digit which is the amount of information obtained by asking a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. This is also the smallest
unit of information stored on a computer as a 0 or 1.
• Blinking Cursor - This is a vertical blinking bar that locates the position on the screen where text can be inserted or deleted. This
appears most frequently in text or dialog boxes.
• Byte - Data is stored on a computer in Bytes. A byte is one character, which may be a number or letter. A byte is composed of 8
consecutive bits.
• Cache This is a type of memory and is similar to RAM. Cache is used by the computer to move data between the RAM and CPU. 
• CD-ROM - A removable disk that stores data. A CD-ROM can only be read. You cannot record (save) data onto one. You may
however record (save) onto a CD-Rewritable disk. This is most often called a CD. A CD looks like a music CD, but contains data
instead of music.
• Computer - A collection of electronic parts that allow software programs to run that perform certain tasks. A computer can accept
input, change data, store data and display data.
• CPU - The CPU (central processing unit), is the brain of the computer. New Windows-based programs use a Pentium processor
primarily.
• Cursor - A synonym for the pointer, which is controlled by the mouse. The cursor may take different shapes.
• DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) - Technology that store more information than a CD-ROM and can be written upon. The disk resembles a
CD-ROM but has approximately seven times the storage capacity.
• File - A collection of data with a name.
• Flash Drive - This is a small portable hard drive that plugs into a USB port and allows you to transport files between
different computers. Also called a thumb drive.
• Graphical User Interface (GUI) A program that helps you more easily work with you operating system and application
programs by providing pictures and visual clues to help you work. Windows is the GUI on PCs.
• Hand Pointer - The cursor changes into a pointing hand when it passes over a hypertext link. This allows connecting
directly to the link.
• Hard Drive - The place where programs and files are stored in a computer. Also called the Hard Disc.
• Hard Disc Space - The amount of permanent storage of data measured in bytes. This storage exists whether the
computer is on or off.
• Hardware - The physical components of the computer. They usually include the; monitor, printer, mouse, keyboard and
modem.
• Hypertext Link - These links are clicked on as text, images or files that open another web page. Text Hyperlinks are
often a different color than the words around them.
• I Beam - As the cursor moves over text, the pointer will change into an ‘I.’ This facilitates word processing and copying
text. See Blinking Cursor.
• Keyboard - Similar in part to a typewriter keyboard, this is used to key (type) in commands, text and data.
• Memory (RAM) - The amount of temporary storage that you can use at one time. Memory stores ends when the
computer is shut down. This is the reason that you save work before turning off the computer. Data is saved from RAM to
the computer or onto a storage unit, such as a CD.
• Modem - This is a way to transfer data through a telephone or cable line generally by the Internet. It may be internal or
external. Some modems are used to fax or act as answering machines.
• Monitor - Similar to a television screen, the monitor allows you to see the data on your computer.
• Motherboard - The circuit board that functioning parts of the computer connect to is the motherboard. The CPU, RAM
and cache all plug into the motherboard.
• Mouse - A hand-operated device to control the cursor on the screen. The mouse for PCs has two buttons. The button is
usually clicked once to select an item on the screen. Double-clicking the left button opens windows or programs.
• Multitasking - This describes the ability to do more than one thing at a time. For computer use this means that you may
have more than one program open at time in the memory, but only one program can actually be fully active. Inactive
programs can be processing data or doing other tasks in the background.
• Network - A group of two or more computers linked together.
• NIC (Network Interface Card) - A card is put in the computer allowing connection to a network.
• Operating System - Directs the computer how to operate. It acts as a mediator between the hardware and the application
programs that are used for work. This allows access to computer files, loads application programs into memory and closes
programs.
• Peripheral - This describes anything that can be attached to the computer input ports, such as; the keyboard, printer, mouse, external
modem, scanner or external hard drive.
• Pointer - The cursor is a symbol that moves across the screen to identify location. The cursor appears as a pointer when it is moving
across a page and not on text.
• Port - Connection on the computer that allows input devices like monitors, disk drives, the mouse, or keyboards. Common ports are
serial for connecting a modem or a mouse, USB for connecting a scanner, digital camera, Ethernet ports for connecting to a network,
and audio in/out ports for connecting to headphones or a microphone.
• Resolution - The degree of sharpness, or clarity or what is seen on a computer screen. The resolution is measured by the number of
dots (pixels) of color that are displayed across and down the screen. As resolution increases, the size of the characters and images gets
smaller, but sharper.
• Scanner - A peripheral device that can copy documents, pictures or photographs directly into the computer converting the images into
digital files. Images may then be stored or manipulated (changed).
• Software - These are the programs (applications) that allow the computer to operate or do certain tasks.
• Sound Card - This device allows the computer to reproduce music, sounds and voices. The computer needs a sound card to hear the
audio portion of web sites or often to play multimedia games.
• Thumb Drive - See Flash Drive
• USB Port - The Universal Serial Bus is accessed through small rectangular port on the front or back of computer that allows peripheral
devices such as digital cameras and external hard drives to connect to the computer. See Ports for other types of connections.
• Video Card - This allows images to be sent to the monitor.