CFO - Computer Fundamental Handouts

AGA KHAN EDUCATION SERVICE, AFGHANISTAN
INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATION COMPUTER FUNDAMENTALS
TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
Computer Fundamentals
Day - 1
What is Computer?
Computer is an advanced electronic device that takes raw data as input
from the user and processes it under the control of set of instructions
(called program), gives the result (output), and saves it for the future
use.
What is data?
In general, data are raw information that have been gathered and
translated for some purpose, usually analysis. It can be any character,
including text and numbers, pictures, sound, or video. If data are not
put into context, they don't mean anything to a human or computer.
Examples of computer data
o Joe, Smith, 1234 Circle,SLC,UT,8404,8015553211
o 0143 0157 0155 0160 0165 0164 0145 0162 0040 0150 0157 0160 0145
o 0110001101101111011011010111000001110101011101000110010101110010001000000110
1000000101
What is Information?
Information is organized or classified data which has some meaningful values for the receiver.
Information is the processed data on which decisions and actions are based. For the decision to be
meaningful, the processed data must qualify for the following characteristics:
Examples of Information
o LOL is an abbreviation of Laughing out Loud.
o Joe Smith
1234 Circle
Salt Lake City, UT 84084
(801)555-3211
Types of computers:
Computers can be broadly classified by their speed and computing power as below table details:
S. No Type Specifications
Microcomputer PC It is a single user computer system having moderately powerful
1
(Personal Computer) microprocessor
It is also a single user computer system which is similar to personal
2 WorkStation
computer but have more powerful microprocessor.
It is a multi-user computer system which is capable of supporting hundreds
3 Mini Computer
of users simultaneously.
It is a multi-user computer system which is capable of supporting hundreds
4 Main Frame of users simultaneously. Software technology is different from
minicomputer.
It is an extremely fast computer which can execute hundreds of millions of
5 Supercomputer
instructions per second.
Prepared By: ICT Team of AKES, A Page 1

1. Microcomputers PC (Personal Computer)

Microcomputers are the most common kind of computers in use as of 2016. The term “microcomputer”
was introduced with the advent of systems based on single chip microprocessors.
IBM invented the PC (Personal Computer) in 1981. The PCs manufactured by companies other than
IBM which are compatible with the traditional PC specification. PCs are based on the microprocessor
technology that enables manufacturers to put an entire CPU on one chip. Businesses use personal
computers for word processing, accounting, desktop publishing, and for running spreadsheet and
database management applications. At home, the most popular use for personal computers is playing
games and surfing Internet.
Although personal computers are designed as single-user systems, these systems are normally linked
together to form a network. In terms of power, now-a-days High-end models of the Macintosh and PC
offer the same computing power and graphics capability as low-end workstations by Sun Microsystems,
Hewlett-Packard, and Dell.
The Microcomputer/Personal Computer include of the following;
1.1. Apple Computer:
The Apple Mac is a computer, but NOT a PC. It uses a different operating system, and may require
special versions of application programs (such as word-processors or spreadsheets). Even the
hardware add-ons have to be customized to some extent to be able to be connected to a Mac.
1.2. Laptop & Palmtop computers

Laptop computers, as the name implies, are small portable computers which can run on batteries as
well as mains power. Palmtops are even smaller computers which can literally fit into the palm of your
hand.
“Notebooks”, simply indicates a VERY small laptop. These are especially popular with salespersons on
the move or people giving presentations. Laptops and notebook computers – Portable and all in one
case.
1.3. Tablet Computer
A tablet computer, commonly shortened to tablet, is a mobile computer with a touchscreen display,
circuitry, and battery in a single device. Tablets come equipped with sensors, including cameras, a
microphone, and an accelerometer, and the touchscreen display uses the recognition of finger or stylus
gestures replacing the usage of the mouse and keyboard.
Tablet computer – Like laptops, but with a touch-screen, entirely replacing the physical keyboard.
1.4. Features of handheld portable digital devices
A range of small portable digital devices are now available including:
 Personal digital assistants (PDAs)

 Mobile (Cell) phones
 Smartphones
 Multimedia players

1.4.1. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

Personal Digital Assistant uses a special pen, rather than a keyboard and can be used for storing and
retrieving information. Like most computer devices, many can connect to the Internet. They are
extremely compact.
 PDAs have many built-in features such as a calculator, a clock and a calendar.
 PDAs can also be used for accessing the Internet, sending and receiving e-mails, video
recording, typewriting and word processing, use as an address book, making and writing on
spreadsheets, scanning bar codes, playing computer games, recording survey responses, and
Global Positioning System (GPS).
1.4.2. Mobile Phones (Cell Phones)
A mobile phone or cell phone is used for mobile communication. As well a speech they may be used for
text messaging, emailing accessing the Web. Most mobile phones use a signal from a local transmission
tower and will not work when you are out of range or if the signal is blocked by mountains, or even
buildings.
1.4.3. Smartphones
A smartphone is a mobile phone (cell phone) offering advanced computer like features. Capabilities and
standards vary from one manufacturer to another. Most smartphones have some sort of operating
system allowing you to connect to other devices and also to install applications. Most smartphones
allow you to send and receive emails and may even allow you to browse the Web.
Some smartphones allow you to read documents in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Other
features can include a built-in camera, the ability to play music, display photos and video clips, media
software for playing music, browsing photos and viewing video clips.
1.4.4. Multimedia players
Media players allow you to store digital music and video. A famous example is the ipod from Apple,
which lets you store your digital music which you can then listen to at your leisure. Thousands of songs
can be stored on these devices.
You can also get devices with a built-in screen which will allow you to watch films and video clips that
you download to these devices.
2. WorkStation
Workstation is a computer used for engineering applications (CAD/CAM),
desktop publishing, software development, and other such types of
applications which require a moderate amount of computing power and
relatively high quality graphics capabilities.
Workstations generally come with a large, high-resolution graphics screen, large amount of RAM,
inbuilt network support, and a graphical user interface. Most workstations also have a mass storage
device such as a disk drive, but a special type of workstation, called a diskless workstation, comes
without a disk drive.
Common operating systems for workstations are UNIX and Windows NT. Like PC, Workstations are
also single-user computers like PC but are typically linked together to form a local-area network,
although they can also be used as stand-alone systems.

3. Minicomputer
It is a midsize multi-processing system capable of supporting up to
250 users simultaneously.
A minicomputer, a term no longer much used, is a computer of a

size intermediate between a microcomputer and a mainframe.
In recent years, the minicomputer has changed into the "mid-
range server" and is part of a network.
For example, a user may setup a server to control access to a
network, send/receive e-mail, manage print jobs, or host a website
and provide certain services to other computers or a whole
network of computers.
4. Mainframe
Mainframe is very large in size and is an expensive computer
capable of supporting hundreds or even thousands of users
simultaneously.
They are typically utilized by governmental and corporate
organizations for added security as well as processing large
sums of data; such as consumer statistics, census data or
electronic transactions.
5. Supercomputer
Supercomputers are one of the fastest computers currently available.
Supercomputers are very expensive and are employed for specialized
applications that require immense amount of mathematical calculations
(number crunching). For example, weather forecasting, scientific
simulations, (animated) graphics, fluid dynamic calculations, nuclear
energy research, electronic design, and analysis of geological data (e.g. in
petrochemical prospecting).
Part of Computers
You should understand some of the basic elements that make up a computer including:
 Central processing unit (CPU)
 Types of memory
 The hard disk
Central processing unit (CPU)
CPU is considered as the brain of the computer and it performs all
types of data processing operations. It stores data, intermediate results
and instructions(program) as well controls the operation of all parts of
computer.

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is normally an Intel (or equivalent) and it is one of the most
important components within your computer. It determines how fast your computer will run and the
CPU speed is measured by its MHz or GHz speed.
It is the CPU which performs all the calculations within the computer, when running programs such as
word-processors, spreadsheets and databases. The CPU contains following elements:
 Control Unit: The control unit is responsible for controlling the sequencing and timing of the other
elements making up the CPU, but does not carry out any actual data processing operations. Functions
of this unit are as following;
 It is responsible for controlling the transfer of data and instructions among other units of a
computer.
 It manages and coordinates all the units of the computer.
 It obtains the instructions from the memory, interprets them, and directs the operation of the
computer.
 It communicates with Input & Output devices for transfer of data or results from storage.
 It does not process or store data.
 Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU): The ALU performs the mathematical calculations using data stored
within the CPU registers which consists of two subsections as below details;
 Arithmetic Section: - Function of arithmetic section is to perform arithmetic operations like
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. All complex operations are done by making
repetitive use of above operations.
 Logic Section: - Function of logic section is to perform logic operations such as comparing,
selecting, matching and merging of data.
 Registers: The registers are memory storage areas within the CPU that hold the data that is worked
on by the ALU.
 BUS: The computer bus transports data between the memory and registers.
Primary Memory (Main Memory)
Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on
which computer is currently working. It has limited capacity
and data is lost when power is switched off. It is generally made
up of semiconductor device. These memories are not as fast as
registers. The data and instruction required to be processed
reside in main memory. It is divided into two subcategories
RAM and ROM.
Characteristics of Main Memory

 These are semiconductor memories
 It is known as main memory.
 Usually volatile memory.
 Data is lost in case power is switched off.
 It is working memory of the computer.
 Faster than secondary memories.
 A computer cannot run without primary memory.

 The RAM (Random Access Memory) within your computer is where the operating system is
loaded to when you switch on your computer and also where your applications are copied to when
you start an application, such as a word processor or database program. When you create data, (e.g.
letters and pictures), these are initially created and held in RAM and then copied to disk when you
save the data.
 The ROM-BIOS (Read Only Memory - Basic Input Output System) is a special chip held on your
computer's system (mother) board. It contains software which is required to make your computer
work with your operating system, for instance it is responsible for copying your operating system
into RAM when you switch on your computer.
Secondary Memory
This type of memory is also known as external memory or non-volatile. It is slower than main memory.
These are used for storing data/Information permanently. CPU directly does not access these memories
instead they are accessed via input-output routines. Contents of secondary memories are first
transferred to main memory, and then CPU can access it. For example : Disk, CD-ROM, DVD, Flash etc.
Characteristic of Secondary Memory
 These are magnetic and optical memories
 It is known as backup memory.
 It is non-volatile memory.
 Data is permanently stored even if power is switched off.
 It is used for storage of data in a computer.
 Computer may run without secondary memory.
 Slower than primary memories.
Day - 2
Characteristics of computer: - The characteristic of computer has been divided into two sections
advantages and disadvantages which are as following details;
Advantages
The following points indicate the advantages of computers in today’s use.
High Speed
 Computer is a very fast device.
 It is capable of performing calculation of very large amount of data.
 The computer has units of speed in microsecond, nanosecond, and even the picosecond.
 It can perform millions of calculations in a few seconds as compared to man who will spend
many months for doing the same task.
Accuracy
 In addition to being very fast, computers are very accurate.
 The calculations are 100% error free.
 Computers perform all jobs with 100% accuracy provided that correct input has been given.

Storage Capability
 Memory is a very important characteristic of computers.
 A computer has much more storage capacity than human beings.
 It can store large amount of data.
 It can store any type of data such as images, videos, text, audio and many others.
Diligence
 Unlike human beings, a computer is free from monotony, tiredness and lack of concentration.
 It can work continuously without any error and boredom.
 It can do repeated work with same speed and accuracy.
Versatility
 A computer is a very versatile machine.
 A computer is very flexible in performing the jobs to be done.
 This machine can be used to solve the problems related to various fields.
 At one instance, it may be solving a complex scientific problem and the very next moment it
may be playing a card game.
Reliability
 A computer is a reliable machine.
 Modern electronic components have long lives.
 Computers are designed to make maintenance easy.
Automation
 Computer is an automatic machine.
 Automation means ability to perform the given task automatically.
 Once a program is given to computer i.e., stored in computer memory, the program and
instruction can control the program execution without human interaction.
Reduction in Paper Work
 The use of computers for data processing in an organization leads to reduction in paper work
and results in speeding up a process.
 As data in electronic files can be retrieved as and when required, the problem of maintenance of
large number of paper files gets reduced.
Reduction in Cost
 Though the initial investment for installing a computer is high but it substantially reduces the
cost of each of its transaction.
Disadvantages
The following points indicate the disadvantages of computers in today’s use.

No I.Q
 A computer is a machine that has no intelligence to perform any task.
 Each instruction has to be given to computer.
 A computer cannot take any decision on its own.

Dependency
 It functions as per a user’s instruction, so it is fully dependent on human being
Environment
 The operating environment of computer should be dust free and suitable.

No Feeling
 Computers have no feelings or emotions.
 It cannot make judgement based on feeling, taste, experience, and knowledge unlike a human
being.
Role of computers
In fact, computers have changed our lives, today the majority of us cannot perform without a computer.
Because computer makes easier and more comfortable the life of people which provides opportunities
for millions of people to interact, communicate, share knowledge, skills and experiences throughout the
world. Furthermore, the role has been explained as following;
Business
Computer is used in business organizations for:

 Payroll calculations
 Budgeting
 Sales analysis
 Financial forecasting
 Managing employees database
 Maintenance of stocks etc.
Banking
Today banking is almost totally dependent on computer.
Banks provide following facilities:

 Banks provide online accounting facility, which includes current balances, deposits, overdrafts,
interest charges, shares, and trustee records.
 ATM machines are making it even easier for customers to deal with banks.
Insurance
Insurance companies are maintaining a database of all clients with information showing:
 Procedure to continue with policies

 Starting date of the policies
 Next due installment of a policy
 Maturity date
 Interests due
 Survival benefits
 Bonus

Education
The computer has provided a lot of facilities in the education system.
 The computer provides a tool in the education system known as CBE (Computer Based
Education).
 CBE involves control, delivery, and evaluation of learning.
 The computer education is rapidly increasing the graph of number of computer students.
 There are number of methods in which educational institutions can use computer to educate
the students.
 It is used to prepare a database about performance of a student and analysis is carried out on
this basis.
Marketing
In marketing, uses of computer are following:
 Advertising - With computers, advertising professionals create art and graphics, write and
revise copy, and print and disseminate ads with the goal of selling more products.
 At Home Shopping - Home shopping has been made possible through use of computerized
catalogues that provide access to product information and permit direct entry of orders to be
filled by the customers.
Health Care
Computers have become important part in hospitals, labs, and dispensaries. The computers are being
used in hospitals to keep the record of patients and medicines. It is also used in scanning and
diagnosing different diseases. Some major fields of health care in which computers are used are:
 Diagnostic System - Computers are used to collect data and identify cause of illness.
 Lab-diagnostic System - All tests can be done and reports are prepared by computer.
 Patient Monitoring System - These are used to check patient's signs for abnormality such as in
Cardiac Arrest, ECG etc.
 Pharma Information System - Computer checks Drug-Labels, Expiry dates, harmful drug’s
side effects etc.
 Surgery - Nowadays, computers are also used in performing surgery.
Engineering Design
Computers are widely used in Engineering purpose.
One of major areas is CAD (Computer aided design). That provides creation and modification of images.
Some fields are:
 Structural Engineering - Requires stress and strain analysis for design of Ships, Buildings,
Budgets, Airplanes etc.
 Industrial Engineering - Computers deal with design, implementation and improvement of
integrated systems of people, materials and equipment.
 Architectural Engineering - Computers help in planning towns, designing buildings,
determining a range of buildings on a site using both 2D and 3D drawings.

Military
Computers are largely used in defense. Modern tanks, missiles, weapons etc. Military also employs
computerized control systems. Some military areas where a computer has been used are:
 Missile Control
 Military Communication
 Military Operation and Planning
 Smart Weapons
Communication
Communication means to convey a message, an idea, a picture or speech that is received and
understood clearly and correctly by the person for whom it is meant for. Some main areas in this
category are:
 E-mail
 Chatting
 Usenet
 FTP
 Telnet
 Video-conferencing
Government
Computers play an important role in government. Some major fields in this category are:
 Budgets
 Sales tax department
 Income tax department
 Male/Female ratio
 Computerization of voters lists
 Computerization of driving licensing system
 Computerization of PAN card
 Weather forecasting
Generations of Computers
Initially, the generation term was used to distinguish between varying hardware technologies. But
nowadays, generation includes both hardware and software, which together make up an entire
computer system.
There are totally five computer generations known till date. Each generation has been discussed in
detail along with their time period and characteristics.

Following are the main five generations of computers
S.N. Generation & Description
1 First Generation
The period of first generation: 1946-1959. Vacuum tube based.
2 Second Generation
The period of second generation: 1959-1965. Transistor based.
3 Third Generation
The period of third generation: 1965-1971. Integrated Circuit based.
4 Fourth Generation
The period of fourth generation: 1971-1980. VLSI microprocessor based.
5 Fifth Generation
The period of fifth generation: 1980-onwards. ULSI microprocessor based
Day - 3
Factors affecting computer performance
There are a wide range of factors that can affect the performance of your computer. These include CPU
speed, RAM size, type of graphics card processor and memory plus the number of applications running.
It is important to realize that it is not just the speed of the CPU that affect the overall performance of
your computer. There is no point in having a very fast CPU if the other parts of a computer may slow
down the real world performance as below factors;
CPU Clock speed
The computer clock speed governs how fast the CPU will run. The higher the clock speed the faster the
computer will work for you. The clock speed is given in gigahertz (GHz). The higher the GHz speed the
faster the computer.
RAM size
As a rule the more memory you have the faster the PC will appear to operate.
Hard disk speed and storage
Hard disks are also measured by their speed, defined by the disk access time, which is measured in
milliseconds. The smaller this access time the faster the hard disk will store or retrieve data. The data
storage capacity of hard disks continues to increase as new products are released. The disk storage
capacity is measured in Gigabytes (GB). 1 GB is equivalent to 1024 MB.
Free hard disk space
To get the most out of your Windows based PC, you not only need a fast hard disk but also a large hard
disk with plenty of "spare space". This is due to the fact Windows is constantly moving data between
the hard disk and RAM (Random Access Memory). Microsoft Windows will create many “temporary
files” which it uses for managing your programs. In fact, if you have very little free hard disk space you
may find that Microsoft Windows will not be able to run your programs at all.

Defragmenting files
When you use a PC, over a period of time the files get broken up into separate pieces which are spread
all over the hard disk. De-fragmentation means taking all the broken up pieces and joining them back
together again.
Multitasking considerations
Windows is a multitasking system, which means that it can run more than one program at a time.
However the more programs which are running at the same time, the slower each one will run. To
some extent this slowing effect depends on what each program is doing. Editing a large high definition
video for instance can take up a lot of CPU time.
CPU speeds
The speed (operating frequency) of the CPU is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). The
higher the value the faster the CPU will operate. The original IBM PC released way back in 1981 ran at
4.77 MHz whereas modern PCs can run at over 4000 MHz, which gives you an idea of how far things
have progressed.
1 MHz means that the device will run at one million cycles per second. 1 GHz is a thousand times faster,
so that 1 GHz = 1000 MHz.
Day - 4
Computer Memory:
What is computer memory?
You can store data on your hard disk, while data which is being processed is stored in RAM (Random
Access Memory). Data which is stored on a hard disk can be permanent, while data in RAM is only
temporary. Normally when people talk about memory in relation to a PC, they are talking about RAM.
RAM
RAM(Random Access Memory) is the internal memory of the CPU for storing data, program and
program result. It is read/write memory which stores data until the machine is working. As soon as the
machine is switched off, data is erased. RAM is volatile, i.e. data stored in it is lost when we switch off
the computer or if there is a power failure. Hence a backup uninterruptible power system(UPS) is often
used with computers. RAM is small, both in terms of its physical size and in the amount of data it can
hold.
There are two main forms of modern RAM
1. Static RAM (SRAM)
2. Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
Static RAM (SRAM)
The word static indicates that the memory retains its contents as long as power is being supplied.
However, data is lost when the power gets down due to volatile nature. SRAM chips use a matrix of 6-
transistors and no capacitors. Transistors do not require power to prevent leakage, so SRAM need not
have to be refreshed on a regular basis.

Characteristic of the Static RAM

 It has long life  Large size
 There is no need to refresh  Expensive
 Faster  High power consumption
 Used as cache memory
Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
DRAM, unlike SRAM, must be continually refreshed in order to maintain the data. This is done by
placing the memory on a refresh circuit that rewrites the data several hundred times per second. DRAM
is used for most system memory because it is cheap and small. All DRAMs are made up of memory cells
which are composed of one capacitor and one transistor.
Characteristics of the Dynamic RAM
 It has short data lifetime  Lesser in size
 Need to be refreshed continuously  Less expensive
 Slower as compared to SRAM  Less power consumption
 Used as RAM
ROM
ROM stands for Read Only Memory. The memory from which we can only read but cannot write on it.
This type of memory is non-volatile. The information is stored permanently in such memories during
manufacture. A ROM, stores such instructions that are required to start a computer. This operation is
referred to as bootstrap. ROM chips are not only used in the computer but also in other electronic items
like washing machine and microwave oven.
Following are the various types of ROM
MROM (Masked ROM)
The very first ROMs were hard-wired devices that contained a pre-programmed set of data or
instructions. These kind of ROMs are known as masked ROMs which are inexpensive.
PROM (Programmable Read only Memory)
PROM is read-only memory that can be modified only once by a user. The user buys a blank PROM and
enters the desired contents using a PROM program. Inside the PROM chip there are small fuses which
are burnt open during programming. It can be programmed only once and is not erasable.
EPROM(Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory)

The EPROM can be erased by exposing it to ultra-violet light for a duration of up to 40 minutes. Usually,
an EPROM eraser achieves this function. During programming, an electrical charge is trapped in an
insulated gate region.
EEPROM(Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory)
The EEPROM is programmed and erased electrically. It can be erased and reprogrammed about ten
thousand times. Both erasing and programming take about 4 to 10 ms (milli second). In EEPROM, any
location can be selectively erased and programmed. EEPROMs can be erased one byte at a time, rather
than erasing the entire chip. Hence, the process of re-programming is flexible but slow.

Advantages of ROM
The advantages of ROM are as follows:
 Non-volatile in nature
 These cannot be accidentally changed
 Cheaper than RAMs
 Easy to test
 More reliable than RAMs
 These are static and do not require refreshing
 Its contents are always known and can be verified
ROM-BIOS
The 'Read Only Memory Basic Input Output System' chip is a chip located on the computer's system
(mother) board, which contains software. This software performs a variety of tasks. When you first
switch on the computer the ROM-BIOS software performs a self-diagnostic to check that the computer
is working OK. This software then loads your operating system from the disk into the RAM.
Video (graphics) memory

The picture which you see on your screen is a form of data and this data has to be stored somewhere.
The on-screen pictures are held in special memory chips called video memory chips; these chips are
usually located on the video card. A modern computer will be supplied with several Megabytes of video
memory.
Memory unit is:
 The amount of data that can be stored in the storage unit.
 That in which storage capacity is expressed in terms of Bytes.
Following are the main memory storage units:
S. No. Unit Description

A binary digit is logical 0 and 1 representing a passive or an active
1 Bit (Binary Digit)
state of a component in an electric circuit.
2 Nibble A group of 4 bits is called nibble.
A group of 8 bits is called byte. A byte is the smallest unit which
3 Byte
can represent a data item or a character.
A computer word, like a byte, is a group of fixed number of bits
processed as a unit which varies from computer to computer but is
fixed for each computer.
4 Word
The length of a computer word is called word-size or word length
and it may be as small as 8 bits or may be as long as 96 bits. A
computer stores the information in the form of computer words.

Few higher storage units are following:
S. No. Unit Description

1 Kilobyte (KB) 1 KB = 1024 Bytes
2 Megabyte (MB) 1 MB = 1024 KB
3 Gigabyte (GB) 1 GB = 1024 MB
4 Terabyte (TB 1 TB = 1024 GB
5 Petabyte (PB) 1 PB = 1024 TB
6 Exabyte (EB) 1 EB = 1024PB
7 Zettabyte (ZB) 1 ZB = 1024EB
8 Yottabyte (YB) 1 YB = 1024ZB
9 Brontobyte (BB) 1 BB = 1024YB
10 Geopbyte (Geop Byte) 1 Geop Byte = 1024Brontobyte
Types of Storage Media

These days there are a range of storage media to choose from including CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives,
memory cards, internal hard disks, external hard disks, network drives and on-line file storage. Some
are more suitable than others for a particular job, for instance a flash drive is great for quickly
transferring relative small amounts of data from one computer to another.
There are two types of storage devices used with computers as following:
 Primary Storage Devices such as RAM and ROM as explained already.
 Secondary Storage Devices such as hard drive, CDs, DVDs, flash and etc. This secondary
storage can be removable, internal and external devices.
Internal hard disks
All PCs are supplied with an internal hard disk. This is where the operating system (such as Windows)
is stored. It is also were you store your data. When you install new applications, they are copied from
CD or DVD to your internal hard disk.
External hard disks
As the name suggests these are secondary hard disks that you can plug into your computer. They are
normally connected via a USB cable. They are available in a range of speeds and storage capacities and
are an ideal way to backup your data, such as photos or movies.
Magnetic Storage Devices:

Magnetic storage is one of the most common types of storage used with computers and is the
technology that many computer hard drives use.
 A Floppy Disk Drive, also called FDD or FD for short, is a computer disk drive that enables a user
to save data to removable diskettes. They are very slow compared to hard disks or CD-ROMs, and

hold relatively small amounts of data (1.44 Mbytes). The main disadvantage of floppy disks is that
they can be damaged easily and, therefore, are not very reliable.
 A hard disk drive (sometimes abbreviated as Hard drive, HD, or HDD) is a non-volatile memory
hardware device that permanently stores and retrieves information. Internal hard disks reside in a
drive bay, connect to the motherboard using an ATA, SCSI, or SATA cable, and are powered by a
connection to the PSU (power supply unit).
 A Tape magnetically thin coated piece plastic wrapped around wheels capable of storing data.
Tape is much less expensive than other storage mediums but a much slower solution that was
typically only used for backup.
 A Zip drive and Zip disk is a hardware data storage device developed by Iomega that functions
like a standard 1.44" floppy drive and diskette. What makes the Iomega Zip drive unique is its
capability to hold up to 100 MB of data or 250 MB of data on the later models.
Optical Storage
Optical storage, Optical disc drive (ODD), and, optical disk an optical disc is any media read using a
laser assembly. The most common types of optical media are Blu-ray, CDs, and DVDs. Computers can
read and write to CDs and DVDs using a CD Writer or DVD Writer drive, and a Blu-ray is read with a
Blu-ray drive.
 The Compact Disc-Read Only Memory, a CD-ROM is an optical disc which contains audio or
software data whose memory is read only. A CD-ROM Drive or optical drive is the device used to
read them. CD-ROM drives have speeds ranging from 1x all the way up to 72x, meaning it reads the
CD roughly 72 times faster than the 1x version. The advantage of a CD-ROM is that it can hold a
vast amount of data (equivalent to the storage capacity of over 450 floppy disks).
 The Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc, a DVD or DVD-ROM is a disc capable of storing
large amounts of data on one disc the size of a standard Compact Disc. A CD-ROM can store 650 MB
of data, while a single-layer, single-sided DVD can store over 4 GB of data.
 The Blu-ray Disc, BD or BD-ROM, is an optical disc format developed by thirteen consumer
electronics and PC companies. Blu-ray was first introduced at the CES (Consumer Electronic Show)
on January 4, 2006 and can store up to 25 GB single-layer disc and 50 GB on a dual-layer disc, each
disc being the same size as a standard CD.
Flash Memory
Flash memory has started to replace magnetic media as it becomes cheaper as it is the more efficient
and reliable solution.
 A USB flash drive, thumb drive, and a jump drive is a portable storage device. It is often the size of
a human thumb and it connects to a computer via a USB port. Today, flash drives are available in
sizes such as 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 5GB, 16GB and other sizes, and are an easy way to transfer and
store information.
 A flash memory card, a Memory card is a type of storage media that is often used to store photos,
videos, or other data in electronic devices. Devices that commonly use a memory card include

digital cameras, digital camcorders, handheld computers, MP3 players, PDAs, cell phones, game
consoles, and printers.
 The Solid-State Drive or Solid-State Disk, SSD is a drive that uses non-
volatile memory as a means of storing and accessing data, much like
computer RAM. Unlike a hard drives, an SSD has no moving parts, which gives
it advantages such as accessing stored information faster, no noise, often
more reliable, and consume less power.
Online and Cloud
Storing data online and in cloud storage is becoming popular as people need to access their data from
more than one device.
 Cloud computing is a term used to describe services provided over a network by a collection of
remote servers. This abstract "cloud" of computers provides massive, distributed storage and
processing power, which can be accessed by any Internet-connected device running a web
browser. The examples are following;
 Google Calendar - A way to organize your schedule, synchronize, and share events with your
friends.
 Google Docs - A fantastic free solution from Google that allows you to open Microsoft Office
documents as well as share them with other users with Internet access.
 Network media is any audio, video, images or text, used on a computer network, like the Internet.
It almost always requires a computer to send and receive, as well as a community of people to
create and consume the content.
 Network drives Within an office it is normal that the computers are connected together via a
network. This allows you to store your data centrally, on a network server. This network server
should be backed-up by the IT support staff on a daily basis.
 on-line file storage Alternatively you may create and store your data on your own PC or laptop
and periodically copy it across the network to be stored safely on a central network server.
Paper storage
Early computers had no method of using any technologies for storing information and had to rely on
paper. Today, these forms of storage are rarely used or found.
 The Optical Mark Reading or Optical Mark Recognition, OMR is the

process of gathering information from human beings by recognizing marks
on a document. OMR is accomplished by using a hardware device (scanner)
that detects a reflection or limited light transmittance on or through piece
of paper. OMR allows for the processing of hundreds or thousands of
physical documents per hour. For example, students may recall taking tests
or surveys where they filled in bubbles on paper with pencil. Once the form
had been completed, a teacher or teacher's assistant would feed the cards
into a system that grades or gathers information from them.

Day - 5
Input Devices:
An input device is any hardware device that sends data to a computer, allowing you to interact with and
control the computer. Following are few of the important input devices which are used in a computer:
Keyboard
Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device
which helps in inputting data to the computer. The layout of
the keyboard is like that of traditional typewriter, although
there are some additional keys provided for performing
additional functions.
Keyboards are of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102 keys, but now

keyboards with 104 keys or 108 keys are also available for
Windows and Internet.
Mouse
Mouse is most popular pointing device. A mouse is a hardware input device that was
invented by Douglas Engelbart in 1963. Generally it has two buttons called left and
right button and a wheel is present between the buttons. Mouse can be used to
control the position of cursor on screen, but it cannot be used to enter text into the
computer.
Scanner
Scanner is a hardware input device, which works more like a photocopy machine.
Scanners allow a user to take a printed picture or document and convert it into a
digital file, allowing a computer to read or display the file. A scanner can be
connected to a computer using USB, Firewire, or Parallel port.
Track Ball
Track ball is an input device that is mostly used in notebook or laptop
computer, instead of a mouse. This is a ball which is half inserted and by
moving fingers on ball, pointer can be moved. Since the whole device is not moved, a
track ball requires less space than a mouse. A track ball comes in various shapes like a ball, a button and
a square.
Touch Screen
A touchscreen is a monitor or other flat surface with a sensitive panel
directly on the screen that registers the touch of a finger as an input. A
touchscreen allows the user to interact with a device without a
mouse or keyboard and is used with smartphones, tablets, and
computer screens.

Joystick
A joystick is an input device that allows the user to control a character or
machine in a computer program. The function of joystick is similar to that of a
mouse. It is mainly used in Computer for playing games.
Webcam
A webcam is a hardware camera connected to a computer that allows anyone

connected to the Internet to view either still pictures or motion video of a user or
other object. Today, most webcams are either embedded into the display with
laptop computers or connected to the USB or FireWire port on the computer.
Digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that stores the pictures and video it takes in
electronic format instead of to film.
Microphone
Microphone is an input device to input sound that is then stored in digital form. The
microphone is used for various applications like adding sound to a multimedia
presentation or for mixing music.
Video capture
Internal or external device that connects from the

computer or device to a video camera or similar
device capable of capturing a video signal. The
video capture device is then capable of taking that video signal and
converting it to a stored video format, allowing you to store,
modify, and show video on a computer.
Bar Code Readers

Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in
form of light and dark lines). Bar coded data is generally used in
labelling goods, numbering the books etc. It may be a hand held
scanner or may be embedded in a stationary scanner. Bar Code Reader
scans a bar code image, converts it into an alphanumeric value which
is then fed to the computer to which bar code reader is

connected.
Gamepad
A gamepad, game controller, joypad, or video game controller is a
peripheral device designed to be connected to a computer or
console gaming system. It has multiple buttons and may have one
or two mini joysticks. A gamepad is used for playing video games
of many types, including sports, first-person shooters, role-
playing, and others.

Light Pen
Light pen is a pointing device which is similar to a pen. It is used to select
a displayed menu item or draw pictures on the monitor screen. It consists
of a photocell and an optical system placed in a small tube. When the tip
of a light pen is moved over the monitor screen and pen button is
pressed, its photocell sensing element detects the screen location and
sends the corresponding signal to the CPU.
Graphics Tablet
Alternatively referred to as a drawing tablet and pen tablet, a
graphics tablet is a hardware input device that enables an artist to
draw or sketch digitally using a pen or stylus. They are helpful
because they provide a more natural and precise feel than a standard
computer mouse.
Magnetic Ink Card Reader(MICR)
MICR input device is generally used in banks because of a large
number of checks to be processed every day. The bank's code
number and check number are printed on the checks with a special
type of ink that contains particles of magnetic material that are
machine readable. This reading process is called Magnetic Ink
Character Recognition (MICR). The main advantages of MICR is that it is
fast and less error prone.
Optical Character Reader(OCR)
OCR is an input device used to read a printed text. OCR scans text
optically character by character, converts them into a machine
readable code and stores the text on the system memory.
Optical Mark Reader(OMR)

OMR is a special type of optical scanner used to
recognize the type of mark made by pen or pencil. It
is used where one out of a few alternatives is to be
selected and marked. It is specially used for checking
the answer sheets of examinations having multiple
choice questions.

Day - 6
Output Devices:
An output device is any peripheral that receives data from a computer, usually for display, projection,
or physical reproduction. The example of an output device is a computer monitor, which displays an
image that is received from the computer. Monitors and printers are two of the most common output
devices used with a computer.
Monitors
Monitors, commonly called as Visual Display Unit (VDU), are the main output device of a computer. It
forms images from tiny dots, called pixels that are arranged in a rectangular form. The sharpness of the
image depends upon the number of pixels.
There are two kinds of viewing screen used for monitors.

 Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) or Traditional Computer Monitor
 Flat- Panel Display
 Traditional computer monitor is an output device. The original

computer monitors were TV type screens on which you viewed your
programs. Like most early TVs, the early computer monitors were
comprised of a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and a fluorescent screen. They
were supplied in different sizes, common sizes range from 15" to 21"
screens. You should be aware that poor quality or badly maintained
monitors could harm your eyesight.
 Flat- Panel Display is abbreviated as FPD, a flat-panel display is a thin
screen display found on all portable computers and is the new standard for
desktop computers. Unlike (CRT) monitors, flat-panel displays use liquid-
crystal display (LCD) or light-emitting diode (LED) technology to make
them much lighter and thinner, takes less space and energy compared to a
traditional monitor.
Projector
a projector is an output device that can take images generated by a
computer and reproduce them on a large, flat (usually lightly colored)
surface. For example, projectors are used in meetings to help ensure
that all participants can view the information being presented.
Speakers
Most computers are sold with the capability to add a pair of speakers to your
system unit. In fact, in some cases, the computer screen may have speakers
built directly into the unit. This enhances the value of educational and
presentation products and can now be considered a standard PC component.

Headphones
Sometimes referred to as earphones, headphones are a hardware device that either
plugs into your computer (line out) or your speakers to privately listen to audio
without disturbing anyone else.
Speech Generating Device
peech-generating device, an SGD, is an electronic output device that is
used to help individuals with severe speech impairments or other issues
that result in difficulty in communicating. For example, SGDs can be
utilized by those who have Lou Gehrig's disease to supplement or replace
speech or writing for them. Speech-generating devices also find use with
children who are suspected of having speech deficiencies.
Printer
A printer is an external hardware output device responsible for taking

electronic data stored on a computer or computing device and generating a
hard copy of that data. Printers are one of the most commonly used
peripherals on computers and are commonly used to print text and photos.
Types of printers
Below is a list of all the different types of computer printers. Today, the most common printers used
with a computer are Inkjet and Laser printers.
 3D Printer is created by Charles Hull in 1984, the
3D printer is a printing device that creates a
physical object from a digital model using materials
such as metal alloys, polymers, or plastics. 3D
printers are used in many disciplines--aerospace
engineering, dentistry, archaeology, biotechnology,
and information systems are a few examples of
industries that utilize them.
 All-in-one (AIO) printer is a Multifunction printer (MFP), AIO is short for
All-In-One. It is used to describe a hardware device such as an all-in-one
printer that is a printer, fax, and scanner all in one device. all-in-one printer
that is a fax, laser printer, sheeted scanner, and flatbed scanner.
 Dot matrix is a pin printer, Dot matrix printers were first introduced
by Centronics in 1970. Dot matrix printers work by firing a row of
pins through an ink ribbon onto the paper. The more pins the print
head has the higher the quality of the print, most modern dot matrix
printers have 24 pins. Unfortunately, dot matrix printers can generate
a lot of noise and do not produce a very high quality of print,
especially when printing graphics.

 Inkjet printers are non-impact character printers based on a

relatively new technology. They print characters by spraying small
drops of ink onto paper. Inkjet printers produce high quality output
with presentable features. They make less noise because no
hammering is done and these have many styles of printing modes
available.
 Laser Printers are non-impact page printers. They use laser lights to
produce the dots needed to form the characters to be printed on a
page. Laser printers are often used in corporate, school, and other
environments that require print jobs to be completed quickly and in
large quantities.
 LED printers is similar to a laser printer, LED printers are non-

impact but use a light-emitting diode instead of a laser in the print
head. LED printers were originally developed by Casio and
function by focusing light across the entire length of the drum,
thus creating areas that are less charged, which attracts toner. The
printer then transfers the toner from the drum to the paper and
applies intense heat to fuse the toner to the paper.
 A Plotter is a computer hardware device much like a printer that is
used for printing vector graphics. Instead of toner, plotters use a
pen, pencil, marker, or another writing tool to draw multiple,
continuous lines onto paper rather than a series of dots like a
traditional printer. Plotters are used to produce a hard copy of
schematics and other similar applications. Plotters can work on
very large sheets of paper while maintaining high resolution. They
can print on a wide variety of flat materials including plywood,
aluminum, sheet steel, cardboard, and plastic.
Some devices are both input and output devices.
as an IO device, an input/output device is any hardware used by a human operator or other systems to
communicate with a computer. As the name suggests, input/output devices are capable of sending data
to a computer and receiving data from a computer.
Examples of input/output devices
 CD-R/RW, DVD, Blu-ray drive, FDD, HDD

 Modem
 Network Card (NIC)
 Sound Card/Audio Card
 Facsimile (FAX)
 Headsets
 A Modem is a hardware device that allows a computer to send and receive information over
telephone lines by converting digital data into an analog signal used on phone lines.

 A Touchscreen is a monitor or other flat surface with a sensitive panel directly on the screen that
registers the touch of a finger as an input. A touchscreen allows the user to interact with a device
without a mouse or keyboard and is used with smartphones, tablets, computer screens, and
information kiosks.
 Network Interface Card, the NIC is also referred to as an Ethernet card and network adapter. It is
an expansion card that enables a computer to connect to a network; such as a home network, or
the Internet using an Ethernet cable with an RJ-45 connector.
 A sound card (also known as an audio card) is an internal computer
expansion card that facilitates economical input and output of audio signals
to and from a computer under control of computer programs.
 Facsimile (FAX) (It has scanner to scan the document and also have
printer to Print the document). Fax machine are used to scan and copy
an image or document to a person in different area where they are
printed onto a piece of paper. The input part is where the image is
scanned as the data from the document is being inserted into the fax
machine and the output is where the document is printed onto a piece
of paper.
 Headsets are the combination of headphones and a microphone, these can be
used for variety of thinks but are often used in call centers or for use in consoles
such as x-box, play station or some online games.
Day - 7
What is Software?
The software is the collection of instructions which makes the computer work. For instance, when you
type in words via the keyboard, the software is responsible for displaying the correct letters, in the
correct place on the screen.
Software is a set of programs, which is designed to perform a well-defined function. A program is a
sequence of instructions written to solve a particular problem.
There are three types of software
 Operating/ System Software
 Application Software
 Programming language Software
 The system software is collection of programs designed to operate, control, and extend
the processing capabilities of the computer itself. System software are generally prepared
by computer manufactures. These software products comprise of programs written in
low-level languages which interact with the hardware at a very basic level. System
software serves as the interface between hardware and the end users. Some examples of
system software are Operating System (DOS, Windows XP, Windows 10, Unix/Linux, MAC/OS
X etc.), and Utilities Software (Windows Explorer (File/Folder Management), Windows
Media Player, Anti-Virus Utilities, Disk Defragmentation, Disk Clean, Backup, WinZip,
WinRAR etc.)

 Application software products are designed to satisfy a particular need of a particular

environment. All software applications prepared in the computer lab can come under the
category of Application software. Application software may consist of a single program,
such as a Microsoft's notepad for writing and editing simple text. It may also consist of a
collection of programs, often called a software package, which work together to
accomplish a task, such as a spreadsheet package. Examples of Application software are
such as Payroll Software, Student Record Software, Inventory Management Software, Income
Tax Software, Railways Reservation Software, Microsoft Office Suite Software, Microsoft
Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint etc.
 Programming languages: Now this is a kind of computer software

which is used exclusively by computer programmers. A simple way to
understand programming languages is to think of them as bricks
which can be used to create applications and operating system. C++,
Java and Simlab are some popular programming languages. Example
of programming language are Java, PHP, JavaScript, Python, C++/C#,
SQL, Swift and etc.
Difference between the operating system and application programs

The operating system works closely with the hardware that you have installed within your computer. If
interprets the input via the mouse or keyboard and outputs data to the screen.
The application programs sit above the operating system, and make use of the functionally built into
the operating system. They are specific to a particular task. For instance Microsoft Word is designed as
a word processing program, while Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program.
Day - 8
What is Hardware?
Abbreviated as HW, Hardware is best described as any physical component of a computer system that
contains a circuit board, ICs, or other electronics. Hardware represents the physical and tangible
components of a computer i.e. the components that can be seen and touched.
Examples of Hardware are following:
 Input devices -- keyboard, mouse etc.
 Output devices -- printer, monitor etc.
 Secondary storage devices -- Hard disk, CD, DVD etc.
 Internal components -- CPU, motherboard, RAM etc.
What is a Port?
A port is a physical docking point using which an external device can be connected to the computer. can
also be programmatic docking point through which information flows from a program to computer or
over the internet.

A port has the following characteristics:

o External devices are connected to a computer using cables and ports.
o Ports are slots on the motherboard into which a cable of external device is plugged in.
o Examples of external devices attached via ports are mouse, keyboard, monitor, microphone,
speakers etc.
Following are few important types of ports:
Serial Port
o Used for external modems and older computer mouse
o Two versions : 9 pin, 25 pin model
o Data travels at 115 kilobits per second
Parallel Port
o Used for scanners and printers
o Also called printer port
o 25 pin model
o Also known as IEEE 1284-compliant Centronics port
PS/2 Port
o Used for old computer keyboard and mouse
o Also called mouse port
o Most of the old computers provide two PS/2 port, each for mouse and
keyboard
o Also known as IEEE 1284-compliant Centronics port
Universal Serial Bus (or USB) Port
o It can connect all kinds of external USB devices such as external hard
disk, printer, scanner, mouse, keyboard etc.
o It was introduced in 1997.
o Most of the computers provide two USB ports as minimum.
o Data travels at 12 megabits per seconds
o USB compliant devices can get power from a USB port
o Standard versions- USB 1.1 (obsolete), 2.0, and 3.0.
VGA Port
o Connects monitor to a computer's video card.
o Has 15 holes.
o Similar to serial port connector but serial port connector has pins, it has
holes.
o

Power Connector
o Three-pronged plug
o Connects to the computer's power cable that plugs into a power bar or wall
socket
Firewire Port
o Transfers large amount of data at very fast speed.
o Connects camcorders and video equipment to the computer
o Data travels at 400 to 800 megabits per seconds
o Invented by Apple
o Three variants : 4-Pin FireWire 400 connector, 6-Pin FireWire 400
connector and 9-Pin FireWire 800 connector
Modem Port
o Connects a PC's modem to the telephone network
Ethernet Port
o Connects to a network and high speed Internet.
o Connect network cable to a computer.
o This port resides on an Ethernet Card.
o Data travels at 10 megabits to 1000 megabits per seconds
depending upon the network bandwidth.
Game Port
o Connect a joystick to a PC
o Now replaced by USB.
Digital Video Interface, DVI port
o Connects Flat panel LCD monitor to the computer's high end video
graphic cards.
o Very popular among video card manufacturers.
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)

o Connects Flat panel LCD monitor, LCD-TV, Video Projector, Digital Audio
o Very popular among video card manufacturers.

Day - 9
What is a Computer Network?
A network is a collection of computers, servers, mainframes, network devices, peripherals, or other
devices connected to one another allowing for data to be shared and used. A great example of a
network is the Internet, connecting millions of people all over the world together.
Characteristics of a computer network
 Share Resources from one computer to another
 Create files and store them in one computer, access those files from the other computer(s)
connected over the network
 Connect a printer, scanner, or a fax machine to one computer within the network and let other
computers of the network use the machines available over network.
Network Cables:- Network cables are used to connect computers. The most
commonly used cable is Category 5 cable RJ-45.
Router:- A router is a type of device which acts as the central point among
computers and other devices that are part of a network. A router is equipped
with holes called ports and computers and other devices are connected to a
router using network cables. Now-a-days router comes in wireless modes
using which computers can be connected without any physical cable.
External Network Cards:- come in two flavors: Wireless and USB based.
Wireless network card need to be inserted into the motherboard but no
network cable is required to connect to network
LAN (Local Area Network)

A LAN (Local Area Network) is a system whereby individual PCs are
connected together within a company or organization. For instance if
ten people are working together within an office it makes sense for
them all to be connected. In this way, the office can have a single
printer and all ten people can print to it. In a similar way, other
devices such as modems or scanners can be shared. Even more useful
is the ability to share information when connected to a network.
WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)

A WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) allows you to connect to other
computers within your LAN using wireless technology.

WAN (Wide Area Network)

A WAN (Wide Area Network) as the name implies allows you to connect
to other computers over a wider area (i.e. the whole world).
Internet
It is a worldwide system which has the following characteristics:
 Internet is a world-wide / global system of interconnected computer
networks.
 Internet uses the standard Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
 Every computer in internet is identified by a unique IP address.
 IP Address is a unique set of numbers (such as 110.22.33.114) which identifies a computer’s

location.
 A special computer DNS (Domain Name Server) is used to give name to the IP Address so that
user can locate a computer by a name.
 For example, a DNS server will resolve a name http://www.akdn.org to a particular IP address
to uniquely identify the computer on which this website is hosted.
 Internet is accessible to every user all over the world.

Intranets
An Intranet is a smaller, closed version of the Internet,
which can only be accessed by authorized members of
an organization. Intranets are becoming an
increasingly popular way to share information within a
company or other organization. An Intranet uses
Internet technologies to allow users to access company
documents, search databases, schedule meetings and of
course send emails. Once a company has installed a
comprehensive Intranet many users need only one piece of software on their PC, a web browser.
Extranets
An Extranet is an Intranet which is partially accessible to

authorized outsiders. An Intranet is normally only accessible by
members of the same company or organization; an extranet also
allows outsiders who have been issued with a password to gain
limited access to information held on a company network.
Extranets are being used as a way for business partners to share
information.

Day - 10
What does ‘Information and Communication Technology’ (ICT) mean?
ICT stands for Information and Communications Technology. These terms cover are wide range of
computer related fields including:
 Installing and maintaining computer systems and applications

 Designing, installing and maintaining computer networks
 Data management
 Computer hardware maintenance

 Database and software design
and many other areas!
Internet services for consumers

The Internet offers a vast range of services for consumers including e-commerce, e-banking and e-
government.
E-commerce
There are numerous web sites from where you can purchase online, a famous example being
amazon.com. Most Internet based shopping sites use a virtual “shopping cart” system. As you browse
the site you can add any products you want to purchase to your cart. Once you have placed items in the
cart you can then move to the checkout stage. At the checkout you enter your name & address, select
the type of delivery you want and enter your payment details.
Advantages of e-commerce
There are many advantages using e-commerce:
 Services available 24 / 7: Unlike a normal shop which closes in the evening, you can shop via
the Internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.
 Large stock range: A larger range of stock can be carried than a conventional store. The stock
does not have to be distributed and duplicated over many physical stores, but rather it can be
held in one central distribution warehouse.
 Detailed product information: A detailed product description for each product, along with a
picture can be given. There can even be links to the product manufactures own web site.
 Ability to compare prices: Many sites claim to offer you the very best prices. You can use the
information on these sites to compare prices.
 Equal delivery to town and country: The fact that you may live in the countryside, far from
the nearest town makes no difference at all when shopping via the Net.
 Right to return defective goods: Most e-commerce web sites will have a 'Returns Policy' and it
is advisable to read this prior to purchase. In many cases you will find that the law gives you a
right to return defective goods or even goods which are not quite as you expected.

Disadvantages of e-commerce
Includes the following:
 Possible credit card fraud: Some web sites have been set up solely to trick you into providing
your credit card details, which can later be sold to criminals so that they can make purchases
with your money. When it comes to credit card fraud there is basically one rule 'wherever
humanly possible the bank never pays: - someone else does', make sure that someone is not
you. Check the small print on your credit card agreement.
 Is the web site genuine?: When you purchase from a company such as amazon.com, you know
that the company is well respected, is unlikely to go bust tomorrow, and above all will not
attempt to 'run off with your money'. But what about when you purchase online from a
company you have never heard of? Look for clues. Is there a client list on the site? How long has
the company been trading. Are full contact details provided? If in doubt ring the phone numbers
provided on the site and try to decide whether the company sounds genuine. Ask for references
from other customers. Just because you see trade association logos on a site, do not assume that
the use of these logos is genuine. There are organizations now whose sole purpose is to verify
that other web sites belong to honest companies.
 What about returning faulty goods?: If the goods arrive and are substandard, who pays to
return them. Where do you return them to? Be sure you know about a company’s returns
policy, BEFORE you make an online purchase.
 How are you covered when you purchase goods from another country? This is a minefield.
Each country may have its own laws relating to consumer protection. Be warned!
 Can you talk to a real person? I recently heard a radio presenter who purchased a computer
online, through a very well-known PC manufacturer. He purchased the computer for his
daughter, in good time for Christmas. As Christmas due near he tried to find out what was
happening, but was unable to talk to a real person and was forced to rely solely on email contact
with the company. The computer eventually turned up in February. Never buy from a company
which does not provide you with full contact details including a telephone number
E-banking
Online banking also known as internet banking, e-banking, or virtual banking, is an electronic payment
system that enables customers of a bank or other financial institution to conduct a range of financial
transactions through the financial institution's website.
The phrase e-banking relates to managing your money online. Instead of having to go to the local
branch, or telephoning them, you can pay your bills online and move money from one place to another.
Some online banks have no physical branches at all, making it a very profitable operation for the bank.
There are security considerations relating to online banking, with numerous examples of poor security
coupled with sloppy operations.

E-government
 Census: Every few years census details are taken and entered into large computer databases.
This data can then be used to extract useful information and predict trends. In some cases this
data is also being made available online, so that it becomes even more accessible and useful.
 Vehicle registration: All car and lorry details are kept centrally; this makes it easy to find the
owners of cars, which can be useful for police, customs and security services.
 Revenue collection: Increasingly aspects of government revenue collection are being

computerized, which in many cases involves online systems as well.
 Electronic voting: Governments are experimenting with online voting systems, often in
response to appallingly low voter turnout. Security remains the main obstacle to the extension
of this idea.
E-learning
E-learning refers to learning via the Internet or working through a disk
based tutorial. There are many advantages, but also some disadvantages.
Uses of computer applications in education
 Student registration and timetabling: There are many specialist

programs designed to computerize these otherwise time
consuming tasks.
 Computer Based Training (CBT): Computer Based Training (CBT) offers a low cost solution to
training needs where you need to train a large amount of people on a single subject. These
programs are normally supplied on CD-ROM / DVD and combine text, graphics and sound.
Packages range from general encyclopedias right through to learning a foreign language. As an
alternative to training via CD-ROM / DVD, CBT can also be delivered via the Internet.
 Using the Internet as a homework resource: The Internet is the ultimate resource for getting
the information necessary to complete a student’s homework. The Internet can also be used to
set and collect homework (via email).
 Distance learning systems: E-learning is a term used to describe studying via the Internet. It
can take many forms ranging from a simple web version of printed books, through to advanced
use of video images with sound. In many cases there can be real-time two-way communication
between the teacher and the student. Advantages include: - One trainer can train many people
at many different locations. - If the training is solely computer based, then the students can
work at their own pace, and repeat parts of a course which they do not understand. Also the
teaching can be at any time, 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week. - Often e-learning solutions are
cheaper to provide than other more traditional teaching methods.
Disadvantages include:
 There may be no opportunity to ask a question of a real person.
 The Internet connection may temporarily fail for some reason.
 You may have to pay for the connection time, by the minute.
 The download speed may be too slow for some forms of e-learning

 Because of the increased time required to produce some types of e-learning packages, the e-
learning tutorials may not be available for some time following the release of a new version
of software, or a new certification syllabus.
Teleworking
Tele-working is a broad term which refers to people working at home connected to the rest of the
organization via a computer network. Communication is via email or the telephone. This
arrangement has advantages and disadvantages to both the employer and the employee.
Some of the advantages of tele-working
Advantages include:
 Reduced or zero commuting time. This saves time (and money) for the employee and reduces
environmental overheads, as less commuting means less car pollution. It means that the
employee does not arrive at work already stressed from car jams or late train connections.
 Greater ability to focus on one task: As there are fewer interruptions from low priority phone
calls, there is a greater ability to concentrate and focus.
 Flexible schedules: In many cases, as long as the job gets done, it does not matter when the job
gets done. This means there is time for other activities, such as picking up the kids from school.
It also means that work can be finished in the evening if required. If it is a beautiful day, why not
take advantage of the weather, and finish your work later.
 Reduced office desk space requirements: The cost of Office space can be very high and tele-
working can help to reduce these costs if a proportion of the staff works at home. "Hot Desking"
is a term used to indicate that people do not have a desk dedicated to their exclusive use. People
simply sit at any desk and log on to the networked computers using their own ID, which will
allow them to uniquely access their own work stored within the computer system. Hot Desking
is popular where staff spend a proportion of their time working at home, or at sites outside the
main office complex.
Some of the disadvantages of tele-working

As well as advantages, there are many disadvantages for tele-workers, which include:
 Lack of human contact: Many people cite this as the single biggest factor when switching from
a regular office job, to tele-working. In fact many companies now arrange company gossip
networks, just so that people can keep in touch.
 Negative impact on teamwork: If you never see the rest of the team it is hard to feel part of
the team. To some extent this is offset by video links and by occasional get-together meetings.
 Self-discipline: It can take a lot to work from home and remain focused on work. It is all very
well saying 'I will take the afternoon off and work this evening', but come the evening you may
not feel like working.
 Possible Employee Exploitation: If workers are isolated from each other there is the
possibility for companies to take advantage. Some large companies using tele-working restrict
trade union activity (or if they can, ban it altogether).

Day - 11
Electronic mail (e-mail)
Email allows you to send a message to another person almost instantly,
anywhere in the world. It requires both computers to be connected to the
Internet. As well as sending a text message, files can be sent as email
attachments.
Instant messaging (IM)
Instant messaging (IM) provides a mechanism for real-time communication

between two or more people sending text messages via their computers. This
is different from sending an email which once sent may be read sometime
later by the person you sent the email to.
Some types of instant messaging software let you speak rather than having to
type your messages. You can use your web cam so that you can see the
person you are talking to.
Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a method used to publish
information that needs to be frequently updated. Such as news
headlines, tickertapes or podcasts. A RSS document is called a "feed" or
"channel".
While browsing your browser may show an RSS feed icon ( ) or button (chiclet) in the browser
address bar that allows you to subscribe to the websites RSS feed.
You need software called an RSS reader to read and update RSS content. You can then subscribe to a
feed using the RSS reader. The RSS reader regularly checks for updated content and then displays the
new content. Most good news websites will have the option of an RSS feed. In most cases to subscribe,
you need only click on a button within the site.
Blogging (web logs)
A weblog or blog, is a listing of text, images, or other objects that are arranged in a
chronological order that first started appearing in 1998. Blogs are often maintained
and run by a single individual, updated daily, or contain personal remarks about a
topic, a personal ramble, or an update on the person's life. In many ways, many
weblogs are like a personal journal or a look into another individual's life and can be a
way to learn about people, events, places, and more from people around the world.
Some examples of software and services you can use to create and start your own weblogs include
Blogger, Manila, Movable type, LiveJournal, Radio Userland, Typepad, WordPress.
Podcasts
A podcast is a way of providing content such as radio programs in a form which can be easily
downloaded and listened to later on a PC or mobile device such as an Apple iPod.
The term "podcast" is a combination of the words "iPod" and "broadcast".

Many web sites allow you to manually download content.

The thing that makes a podcast different is that once you subscribe to a podcast it will be downloaded
automatically for you.
Virtual Communities
Online (virtual) communities
It is important to understanding the concept of online (virtual) communities. These can take many
forms including:
 Social networking websites
 Internet forums
 Chat rooms
 Online computer games
Social Networking Websites
These sites allow you to link up with other people, to share news, experience and gossip. Some, such as
‘Friends Reunited’ are specifically designed to let you find friends that you have lost contact with.
Alternatively referred to as a virtual community or profile site, a social network is a website that
brings people together to talk, share ideas and interests, or make new friends. This type of
collaboration and sharing of data is often referred to as social media. Unlike traditional media that is
often created by no more than 10 people, social media sites contain content that has been created by
hundreds or even millions of different people. Below is a small list of some of the biggest social
networks used today.
Examples of social networks
 Bebo ( http://www.bebo.com/ ) - A popular social networking site where users can share
photo's, stories, their journal, and more with friends and family privately or publicly on the
Internet.
 Classmates ( http://www.classmates.com/ ) - One of the largest and most used websites that
brings together and allows people who graduated from high school and allows you to keep in
touch with them and any future reunions.
 Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/ ) - The most popular social networking websites on the

Internet. Facebook is a popular destination for users to setup their own personal web pages,
connect with friends, share pictures, share movies, talk about what you're doing, etc.
 Friendster ( http://www.friendster.com/ ) - A popular social network that brings together

friends, family, and allows you to meet new people who share similar interests to you from all
over the world.
 Google+ (http://plus.google.com/) - The latest social networking service from Google.

 Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/ ) - A mobile photo sharing service and application
available for the iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone platforms.
 LinkedIn ( http://www.linkedin.com/ ) - One of the best if not the best locations to connect
with current and past co-workers and potentially future employers.

 MySpace ( http://www.myspace.com/ ) - One of the most popular social networks and one of
the most viewed website on the Internet. See the MySpace definition for further information
about this service.
 Orkut ( http://www.orkut.com/ ) - A popular service from Google that provides you a location
to socialize with your friends and family, and meet new acquaintances from all around the
world.
 Path ( http://path.com/ ) - A mobile only social network that allows you to keep in contact with
your closest friends and family.
 Pinterest ( http://www.pinterest.com/ ) - An upcoming and popular picture and sharing
service that allows anyone to easily share pictures, create collections, and more.
 Reddit ( http://www.reddit.com/ ) - Community of registered users (redditors) submits
content that is upvoted by the community. Reddit has a subreddit (board) for almost every
category.
 StumbleUpon ( http://www.stumbleupon.com/ ) - Another very popular community of
Internet users who vote for web pages they like and dislike and allows users to create their own
personal page of interesting sites they come across. See the StumbleUpon definition for
additional information about this service.
 Tumblr ( https://www.tumblr.com/ ) - A microblogging platform with social networking
capabilities.
 Twitter ( http://www.twitter.com/ ) - Another fantastic service that allows users to post 140
character long posts from their phones and on the Internet. A fantastic way to get the pulse of
what's going on around the world.
 Yik Yak - Smartphone social network that connects users who are in close to each other.
 YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/ ) - A great network of users posting video blogs or Vlog's
and other fun and interesting videos.
Security
Computer logon user name and password.
Passwords: If your computer has a password which prevents other users from accessing it then do
NOT give this password to anybody else. Do not write the password on a card and prop this up next to
the monitor and above all do not attempt to hide your access passwords on the underside of your desk
(this is the first place most criminals would look if trying to break into your system). Make sure you do
not forget your passwords; in many cases, data cannot be recovered once the password is lost.
Password policies
Your password is the only thing which will prevent someone else logging into a computer using your
user ID and impersonating you. It is important to choose a password which cannot be easily guessed by
other people. Ideally a password should be at least 8 characters long & contain a mixture of words and
numbers. It is also recommended that you change your password regularly; some computer systems
will require you to change your password periodically. Never share your password with others.

Data Security
Why do you need to backup your computer?
The most important thing which you store on your computer is information.
Often the contents of a hard disk can represent years of work. If the hard
disk stops working one day you could lose all those years of work. For this
reason it is VITAL that you take regular backups of the information which is
stored on the computer. In large organizations this backup procedure is normally performed
automatically by your computer support team, where the data is normally held on a centralized,
networked computer. In smaller organizations, it is often up to the individual to organize some sort of
data backup. If nothing else is available, copy your files to a USB memory stick or CD/DVD disk and
make sure that these backups are stored away from the computer, ideally off-site. If there is a fire and
your office burns down, if your backup disks are stored next to the computer they too will be
incinerated.
What is a firewall?
A firewall is a system that secures your network from access by unauthorized
users. A firewall can be implemented via software, hardware or by a
combination of the two. If you are using broadband for Internet access, it is
vital that some sort of firewall is in place to stop people trying to hack into
your computer.
Day - 12
Computer Viruses
A computer virus is a program, script, or macro designed to cause damage,

steal personal information, modify data, send e-mail, display messages, or
some combination of these actions. When the virus is executed, it spreads by
copying itself into or over data files, programs, or the boot sector of a
computer's hard drive. Virus writers use detailed knowledge of security
vulnerabilities to gain access to a host's computer.
Computer virus infection issues
Viruses hide on a disk and when you access the disk (either a diskette or another hard disk over a
network) the virus program will start and infect your computer. The worst thing about a computer
virus is that it can spread from one computer to another, either via the use of infected disks, or over a
computer network. The Internet allows you to access files from all over the world and you should never
connect to the Internet unless you have a virus-checking program installed on your computer. It is vital
to keep your virus monitoring software up to date. Many anti-virus programs, such as Norton Anti-
Virus allow you to update the program so that the program can check for recently discovered viruses.
What to do if you discover a virus on your computer
If you discover a virus on your computer don’t panic. If your virus checker alerts you to a virus, then the
chances are that it has caught the virus before the virus could infect your computer and cause damage.
For instance you may insert a disk into your computer and the virus checker should automatically scan

the disk. If the disk contains a virus, a message will be displayed telling you that the disk is infected, and
it should automatically remove the virus. The other common method of infection is via emails.
If you work within a larger company, you should have a company IT support group which will come
and rid your computer of viruses. Be sure that you are familiar with your company’s policy regarding
viruses.
The limitations of anti-virus software
Anti-virus software can only detect viruses (or types of viruses) which the software knows about. As
such it is vital that you keep your anti-virus software up to date so that it can detect new viruses which
are constantly appearing.
Copyright
What is copyright?
Most programs which you purchase are copyrighted and you must not copy them. If you do so you may
be breaking the law and if caught, you could find yourself being prosecuted. Many people will buy a
copy of a game and make a copy for their friends or other family member. This is also normally
unlawful. Even lending your program disks or CD-ROM to other people may be breaking the law in
most cases. There are numerous organizations, such as FAST (the Federation Against Software Theft),
which are dedicated to preventing the illegal copying of software. In a business situation, if your
manager tells you to copy software, ALWAYS first make sure that you have a license which entitles you
to copy the software, because in many countries, you will be personally liable for damages.
Most text which you will find on the Internet is copyrighted. Never copy text without authority to do so
and always quote your sources.
Copyright Issues when copying files
 Transferring files across a LAN: You need to be careful that you do not accidentally make copies
of software via your Local Area Network (unless of course you are authorized to make such
copies).
 Downloading files from the Internet: You need to be VERY careful when downloading files from
the Internet. Just because a site may say you are free to download materials from the site, does not
necessary mean that the owners of the Internet site have the authority to allow you to do this. It is
possible to download entire software packages from the net, even entire movie films. In many
cases however it is not legal to do so.
 Copying diskettes / CD-ROMs / DVD / ZIP disks: If you purchase software, you may, in some
cases be allowed to make a single, backup copy of disk. You are not allowed to distribute copies to
family and friends. You are certainly not allowed to copy and re-sell commercial software.
 Freeware: This is software which can be copied or downloaded free. It is often fully
functional. Examples may include software developed by organizations such as
Universities, where the aim was not to profit from the software. It is very important not to
confuse freeware and shareware.
 Shareware: This is where you can use software for a free trial period. Sometimes the shareware
versions may be fully functional, but after a time period will either start to display an annoying
message, asking you to register (i.e. pay for) your software, or in some cases it may stop working

altogether after the trial period. This 'try before you buy' method of getting software is becoming
increasing popular with the major software suppliers.
 User Licenses: If you have more than one PC, then you can either purchase a separate copy of the
software you require for each PC, or better: you can purchase a user license. This user license
allows you to make copies and install them on each computer. The more copies you make the more
the user license will cost, but the cheaper the effective cost per PC.
License
A license is an agreement that allows someone or something to use a service
or perform an action as long as they agree to the terms provided in an
agreement. For example, a software license is an agreement between a user
and a software company that allows that individual to use the program.
Typically before installing or using a software you must agree to the license
agreement.
End User License Agreement
EULA is a contract between the buyer and seller of proprietary software that describes the purchaser's
rights. For example, an EULA lets a person know whether or not they can copy and redistribute the
software after buying or, how many of their devices can share it. Though some still exist in physical
form, the vast majority of EULAs are displayed as a click-through digital contract with terms users must
agree to upon installation.
General Public License,
GPL is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change free software--to make sure the
software is free for all its users. This General Public License applies to most of the Free Software
Foundation's software and to any other program whose authors commit to using it.
What is shareware?
Shareware is software which is freely available and is designed to let you use the product free or
charge, for a limited period while you decide if you like it or not. After this period, you must legally
either remove it, or pay an amount to the producers of the product.
What is freeware?
Some software is made freely available. Demonstration disks often come under this category. In
addition, a lot of software is produced by the educational community and is made freely available.
Always read any licenses supplied with such software very carefully before use.
Open source software
This type of software license makes the programming code available to anyone who wishes to enhance
or develop the code. Over the years many companies have complained that Microsoft is reluctant to
share this level of code detail with competitors, which they claim gives Microsoft an unfair advantage
and stifles competition. It is important not to confuse open source software with free software.
Sometimes the source code is made available within the public domain for use by all, as they see fit. In
other cases the source code is made available to particular companies under tight non-disclosure
agreements, to protect commercial sensitivities.

Software license
A software license is a license agreement that gives an individual, company, or organization
permission to use a software program. For example, in most situations, it is illegal to purchase one copy
of a program and copy it onto multiple computers. Instead of requiring tens, hundreds, or thousands of
individually licensed copies of a program, companies often purchase site licenses which scale according
to the number of installed users.
 Single user - The software is licensed for a single user and often a single computer.
 Multi-user - This license allows you to install a program onto multiple computers used by
multiple users. Typically this may be a set number of users. For example, a five user multi-user
license allows up to five people to use the program.
 Site license - This license allows a program to be installed on an unlimited amount of
computers with an unlimited amount of users, as long as they are at the location of the site
license. Site licenses are typically for schools and businesses.
Volume licensing
Volume licensing is a special type of software licensing setup that uses a single license key to authorize
the software on multiple computers. For instance, a company may purchase a software license that
allows up to 50 of their employees to use the software at the same time. In this case, a single volume
license key (VLK) may be used to authenticate the software for all the installations.

Reference:
Books:
 ECDL Module 1 Concepts of IT Windows Vista / Microsoft Office 2007 Edition – Syllabus Five
Websites:
 http://www.tutorialspoint.com/computer_fundamentals/
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classes_of_computers
 http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/s/stordevi.htm
The End!

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AGA KHAN EDUCATION SERVICE, AFGHANISTAN

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1. Microcomputers PC (Personal Computer)

1.2. Laptop & Palmtop computers

 Personal digital assistants (PDAs)

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1.4.1. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

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A minicomputer, a term no longer much used, is a computer of a

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Characteristics of Main Memory

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The following points indicate the disadvantages of computers in today’s use.

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 The operating environment of computer should be dust free and suitable.

Computer is used in business organizations for:

Banks provide following facilities:

 Procedure to continue with policies

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Following are the main five generations of computers

S.N. Generation & Description

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Characteristic of the Static RAM

EPROM(Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory)

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Video (graphics) memory

S. No. Unit Description

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Few higher storage units are following:

S. No. Unit Description

Types of Storage Media

Internal hard disks

Magnetic Storage Devices:

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 The Optical Mark Reading or Optical Mark Recognition, OMR is the

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Keyboards are of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102 keys, but now

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A webcam is a hardware camera connected to a computer that allows anyone

Internal or external device that connects from the

Bar Code Readers

is then fed to the computer to which bar code reader is

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Optical Character Reader(OCR)

Optical Mark Reader(OMR)

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There are two kinds of viewing screen used for monitors.

 Traditional computer monitor is an output device. The original

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A printer is an external hardware output device responsible for taking

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 Inkjet printers are non-impact character printers based on a

 LED printers is similar to a laser printer, LED printers are non-

 CD-R/RW, DVD, Blu-ray drive, FDD, HDD

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