Computer Fundamentals

By

T K Rajan
Department of Mathematics
Govt Victoria College, Palakkad
 Introducing Computer System

●Computer is an electronic
device that processes data,
converting it into useful
information
 Analog and Digital systems

● Analog system:
It represents data as variable points along an interval.
●

● Digital system:
●It represents data as having one distinct value or another with no other
possibilities
 Computers for personal use

● Desktop
● Workstation
● Notebook
● Tablet PC
● Handheld computer
● Smart phone
Desktop

●Designed to place on a
desk or a table
Workstation

●To perform more

sphisticated tasks
●Used by engineers,
animators, scientists etc
Notebook

Works on both AC and

●

DC
● Portable
Tablet PC

● Portable & full featured

●Accept input from a pen device
called stylus
Smart phone

●Used for web browsing

and other office works
 Computers for Organisations

● Network Servers
● Mainframe computers
● Mini Computers
● Super Computers
Network server

●A server is any combination of

hardware or software designed to
provide services to clients.
●Used for sharing data from
various terminals
●Web browsing purpose
Mainframe computer

●Used mainly by large

organizations for critical
applications, typically bulk data
processing such as census, industry
and consumer statistics, enterprise
resource planning, and financial
transaction processing.
Mini Computer
●A minicomputer (colloquially, mini)
is a class of multi-user computers that
lies in the middle range of the
computing spectrum, in between the
largest multi-user systems (mainframe
computers) and the smallest single-
user systems (microcomputers or
personal computers).
Super computer
●For scientific computing
●To perform complex calculations
Used by satellite launching stations,
●

weather forecasting centres etc

 Home users

● Communication
● Business work
● School work
● Entertainment
● Financial management
 Computers for industry

● Design
● Shipping
● Process control
● Service maintanance
 Computer for Government

● Population
● Taxes
● Military
● Police
 Computer for health care

● Ultra sound scanning

● Laser surgery
● Remote surgical operations
● Keep track of madicines
● Maintanance of patient records
 Interacting with Computer

●Uses input devices that enable the users to enter

information to the computer
● Input devices
–The keyboard
–The Mouse
–Trackballs

–Trackpads
TheKeyboard
●a keyboard is an input device,
partially modeled after the typewriter
keyboard, which uses an arrangement
of buttons or keys, to act as
mechanical levers or electronic
switches.
Normally 100 keys
●
 Keys in Keyboard

● Alphanumeric keys
● Modifier keys
● Numeric keypad
● Function keys
● Cursor movement keys
● Special purpose keys
The mouse

●A mouse is a pointing input

device
●Two types -Mechanical and
nonmechanical
The Trackballs
●A trackball is a pointing device
consisting of a ball held by a socket
containing sensors to detect a rotation
of the ball about two axes—
●It is like an upside-down mouse with
an exposed protruding ball. The user
rolls the ball with the thumb, fingers,
or the palm of the hand to move a
cursor.
The Touchpad
●A touchpad (also trackpad) is a
pointing device consisting of
specialized surface that can translate
the motion and position of a user's
fingers to a relative position on
screen.
●They are a common feature of laptop
computers and also used as a
substitute for a computer mouse
where desk space is scarce.
 Inputting Data in other ways

● Pens
● Touch Screens
● Game Controllers
● Barcode Readers
● Image Scanners
● Optical Mirror Readers(OMR)