Unit 3

ICT
ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology.
ICT refers to all the methods, tools, concepts related to storing, recording and sending digital information.
ICT devices are tablets, smartphones and laptops.
A computer system consists of two main parts— the hardware and the software.
Hardware-The physical parts that we can see and touch are called hardware. These are the keyboard, monitor,
CPU, etc.
Software-The programs and instructions that tell a computer what to do. All the computer applications, such
as browsers, games, Office tools are software.
The most important software in any computer is the Operating System (OS).
This is the software that starts working as soon as we switch on a computer. It displays the desktop on the
monitor.
Some of the most commonly used operating systems for laptops and desktop are Ubuntu, Microsoft Windows
and Mac OS.
1. Starting a computer:
Press the Power button on the CPU to turn on the computer. It runs a program called BIOS, which
performs a self-test and then loads the Operating System (e.g., Ubuntu).
2. Login and Logout:
Use a login ID and password to access the computer, ensuring only authorized users can use it.
Always log out after use to protect your information.
3. Shutting Down a computer:
Click the "System" button and select "Shut Down" to turn off the computer properly. This closes all
applications and powers off the system.
Using the Keyboard -A keyboard is an input device used to type text, numbers and commands into the
computer.
F1 to F12 are function keys.
Control keys: Keys, such as Control (CTRL), SHIFT, SPACEBAR, ALT, CAPS LOCK and TAB, are special
control keys
Enter key-You use the ENTER or the RETURN key to move the cursor to the beginning of a new line.
Punctuation keys: Punctuation keys include keys for punctuation marks, such as colon (:), semicolon (;),
question mark (?), single quotation marks (‘ ’), and double quotation marks (“ ”).
Navigation keys: Keys, such as the arrow keys, HOME, END, PAGE UP, and PAGE DOWN are navigation
keys.
Command keys: Keys, such as INSERT (INS), DELETE (DEL), and BACKSPACE are command keys.
When the INSERT key is turned ON, it helps you overwrite characters to the right of the cursor. The
DELETE key and the BACKSPACE key are used to remove typed text, characters and other objects on the
right and left side of the cursor, respectively.
Windows key: Pressing this key opens the Start menu.
Using a Mouse
A mouse is a small device that you can use to move, select and open items on your computer screen.
Functions of a mouse
Roll Over or Hover
Point and Click
Drag and Drop
Double-click

Files and Folders

All information stored in a computer is kept in files.
Different types of files store different types of information. Each file is given a file name and has a file name
extension that identifies the file type. The file name and file name extension are separated by a period or a
‘dot’. For example, a document (e.g., Neha) created using Notepad (a type of computer application to create
simple text files) will have the extension .txt. There are other types like .doc, .xls, etc. An image file usually
has an extension .jpg while a sound file usually has .mp3.
A folder is a location where a group of files can be stored.
Importance of Care and Maintenance of Computers
Basic Tips for Taking Care of Devices Here are some simple ways that you can follow to take care of your
computer. Keeping a Device Clean
Keyboard: You can clean a keyboard with a soft brush to remove crumbs and dust particles.
Screen: You can wipe the screen with a soft cloth to remove any finger marks.
Handle devices carefully:
Keep the computer cool:
Do not overcharge your battery:
Always plug in devices carefully:
Do not run too many programs at a time:
Prepare a Maintenance Schedule
(a) Daily Maintenance
i. Clean up your e-mail inbox
ii. Download e-mail attachments and save in proper folders
(b) Weekly Maintenance
i. Clean your keyboard
ii. Clean your monitor
iii. Dust CPU and printer
iv. Backup your data to an external drive
(c) Monthly Maintenance
i. Transfer photographs to computer and delete from drive
ii. Organise photos into folders or albums
iii. Clean up ‘Download’ folder
iv. Uninstall unused programs and apps
v. Run disk-cleaner software
vi. Run full system virus scan
(d) Yearly/Annual Maintenance
i) Clean up contacts list on social media accounts
ii) Clean up e-mail contact list
iii) Update your operating system
iv) Check for expiry of anti-virus software and renew
Backup Your Data
Backing up data means to save the information present on your computer on another device, such as CD/DVD
drives or hard disk. Data can be recovered from here in case the computer stops working completely.
Scanning and Cleaning
Viruses Sometimes computer viruses can enter a computer from such attacks we can install anti-virus software.
This will prevent any viruses from entering and will also clean any viruses that may enter our system before
they affect the data.
Increasing Computer Performance
If we have been using a computer for a long time we have a lot of unnecessary files and data, such as temporary
files and images. When they use too much hard-disk space, the performance of the computer goes down. It is
important that we keep cleaning by removing any extra files. We can use some disk cleaner software, which
help us clean up the unnecessary files.
Removing SPAM from your Computer
Sometimes we get mails from companies who are advertising a product or trying to attract you to their
website. Such mails are called SPAM. We should never respond to SPAM and delete it on a regular basis.
Computer Security Deals with Protecting Computers
Reasons for Security Break Security break is leakage of information stored in a computer.
Personal information can be lost or leaked in two ways:
1. We are not careful in giving out personal information over the Internet. For example, we share our
account details and password on unsecure sites.
2. A person gets unauthorised access to our computer. This can happen in the office if we leave are computer
without logging out.
Threats to Computer
(a) Theft: Theft means stealing of information or hardware. These maybe of three types: • i. Physical
ii. Identity
iii. Software Piracy
(b) Virus: Viruses are computer programs that can damage the data and software programs or steal the
information stored on a computer. Major types of viruses are Worms and Trojan Horse.
(c) Online Predator: Online predators are people who trap you into inappropriate relationships. They
may be older people posing to be your age, bullying you into doing illegal activities online and
sometimes face to face.
(d) Internet Scams:
Protecting your Data
To protect our data from theft and viruses we can take the following measures:
Use passwords to login to your computer: Use passwords that are difficult to guess. Passwords are
difficult to hack if they are a mix of small (For example ‘a b c d’) and capital letters (For example, ‘H J
E R’), numbers (For example ‘8 7 6 5’) and special characters (For example, ’% ^ # $’). This would
prevent unauthorised people from using your computer.
Install Anti-virus and Firewall:
Encrypt Data:
Secure sites: Give details of your credit card or bank account only on secure sites. See in the address bar
of the browser. If the site address starts with https://and a lock symbol, then it is safe to give your credit
card and bank details.