COMPUTER SKILLS

LECTURE NO :1
 What is Computer
 Computer is a device that transforms data into ,m.//
ccmeaningful information. It is basically a
programmable machine that allows the user to store all
sorts of information and then ‘process’ that information,
or data, or carry out actions with the information, such
as calculating numbers or organizing words.
What is Computer
 Computer can also be defined in terms of functions it
can perform. A computer can
 i) accept data,
 ii) store data,
 iii) process data as desired
 iv) retrieve the stored data as and when
 required and
 v) print the result in desired format
Types of Computer
 Computers are classified in a variety of ways depending
upon the principles of working, construction, size and
applications.
 Analog Computers
 Digital Computers
Analog Computers
 The computers that process analog signals are known as
Analog Computers. The analog signal is a continuous signal.
For example, sine wave is an analog signal. The analog
Computer Application in Management quantities are based
on decimal number systems. Examples of Analog computers
are the slide rule, ABACUS.
Digital Computers
 Computers that process digital signals are known as Digital
Computers. The Digital signal is a discrete signal with two
states 0 and 1
In practice, the digital computers are used and not analog.
 Examples of digital computers are personal computers,
supercomputers, mainframe computers etc.
 Supercomputers are the most powerful computers in
terms of speed of execution and large storage capacity.
NASA uses supercomputers to track and control space
explorations.

 Mainframe Computers are next to supercomputers

in terms of capacity. The mainframe computers are multi
terminal computers, which can be shared simultaneously
by multiple users. Unlike personal computers,
mainframe computers offer time-sharing.
Mainframe Computers
 Mainframe computers are used to store large amounts of data that wouldn't fit into a

normal-sized computer system. Mainframe computers are most often used by large

corporations and government agencies that require a large amount of information to be

stored in a centralized secure location. They are named after the large cabinets that were

needed to house them when they were physically large.

 Mainframe computers are different from personal computers because they allow a large

amount of data to be stored without the need for external hardware. Personal computers

are able to store a large amount of data for personal and most business usage, but they

run out of space after they reach their data capacity. Information is often lost when there

is a lower amount of storage available. The benefits to a mainframe computer being used

with a larger corporation is that information will not be lost due to a minimal amount of

space, which is a common problem in personal computers.

Mainframe Computers
 Minicomputers are also known as midrange
computers. These are desk-sized machines and are used
in medium scale applications. For example, production
departments use mini-computers to monitor various
manufacturing processes and assembly-line operations.

Microcomputers as compared to supercomputers,

mainframes and minicomputers, microcomputers are
the least powerful, but these are very widely used and
rapidly gaining in popularity.
 Personal Computer: PC is the term referred to the
computer that is designed for use by a single person. PCs are
also called microcontrollers because these are smaller when
compared to mainframes and minicomputers. The term ‘PC’
is frequently used to refer to desktop computers. Although
PC are used by individuals, they can also be used in computer
networks.
 Laptops are also called notebook computers. These are
the portable computers. They have a size of 8.5 x 11 inch
and weigh about three-to-four kilos.
 Palmtops are also called handheld computers. These are
computing devices, which are small enough to fit in to your palm.
The size of a palmtop is like an appointment book. The palmtops
are generally kept for personal use such as taking notes,
developing a list of friends, keeping track of dates, agendas etc.
The Palmtop can also be connected to a PC for downloading data.
It also provides value-added features such as voice input, Internet,
cell phone, camera, movie player and GPS.
Basic Elements
 Basic elements of a computer system are:

 Mouse is used for operating the system. Nowadays, optical

mouse is more popular as compared to simple mouse.

 Keyboard is used to input data in to the system so that the system

gives output to the user. Therefore, the keyboard is an integral part of
the input system. A computer is essentially incomplete without a
keyboard.

 Monitor which again is a very essential part of the computer

system, displays the actions that the computer performs on our
command
 Motherboard is a necessary element of the computer
system contains different elements as memory,
processor, modem, slots for graphic card and LAN card.
 Hard Disk is used to store data permanently on
computer.
 Modem is used to connecting to the Internet. Two
types of modems are widely used. One is known as
software modems and the other is known as hardware
modems.
 Speakers are also included in basic elements of a
computer. It is not indispensible, because a computer can
perform its Computer Application in Management
function without speakers. However, we use them to for
multiple purposes.
Basic Functioning
 A computer can be defined as an electronic device that
accepts data from an input device, processes it, stores it in a
disk and finally displays it on an output device such as a
monitor.
 To understand the basic functioning of the computer refer to
the basic diagram:

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

MEMORY
Advantages of Computer
 Compared to traditional systems, computers offer many
noteworthy advantages.
The main advantages offered by computers are as follows:

 High Accuracy
 Superior Speed of Operation
 Large Storage Capacity
 User-friendly Features
 Portability
 Economical in the long term