Basic Use of Computers

Basic Use of Computers

The potential advantages in using a computer depend

closely on the intended use. Here are some uses of
computers in today’s world.

1. Word Processing – It is used for creating documents,

editing grammatical mistakes, layouting, and printing.

2. Internet – You can browse through much more

information than you could do in a library. You can do e-
mails, chatting, and video conferencing using the
computer.
3. Digital video or audio composition – Audio or video
composition and editing have been made much easier
by computers.

4. Computers in Medicine – You can diagnose diseases.

Software is used for performing surgery. Computers are
used to store patients’ data.

5. Mathematical Calculations – Computing speeds of

over a million calculations per second can be performed
by the biggest of mathematical calculations.

6. Banks – All financial transactions are done by

computer software. They provide security, speed and
convenience.
7. Computers in Business – Shops and supermarkets
use software, which calculate the bills. Accounting done
using computers. One can do trading online.

8. News – There are many websites through which you

can read the latest or old news.

9. Travel – One can book air tickets or railway tickets

and make hotel reservations online.

10. Telecommunications – All mobile phones have

software embedded in them. It is used to communicate
and send messages worldwide.
What Computers Can Do?

Connect to the Internet

The Internet has become one of the most popular
things to do on a computer and is something every new
user should try.

Use your word processor

Many of today's computers come with their own word
processor.
A word processor is a software program capable of
creating, storing, and printing typed documents.
Use your Spreadsheet
Many of today's computers also include a spreadsheet
program.
A Spreadsheet is a file made of rows and columns that
help sort data, arrange data easily, and calculate
numerical data.

Broaden your knowledge

There are thousands of different programs that can
enable you or your children to learn more about a
particular subject.
•Dictionary, Thesaurus, Encyclopedia – enable users to
browse and learn more about everything or as a
reference to look up information.
•Geographical or Map software – enable users to learn
more about the world or a specific location, lookup
directions, find a local store, etc.
•Language software - help users learn different
languages and even translate text from one language
into another.

Play games
Games are another popular thing to do with your
computer no matter what your age is.
•Children learning games - games for young children
(12 and younger) that are not only enjoyable to play but
often also educational.
•Teenager and older games - the games that are often
played for entertainment value.
•Offline games – users who play games without the
access of internet connection.
•Online games - Users who have access to the Internet
also have access to millions of free online games.
Elements of the Computer
For the computer to work properly, three elements
must be present. These are the hardware, software and
peopleware.

PEOPLEWARE
These are the people who operate and use the
computer. Ex. Teachers and Students, Doctors and
Scientists, Cashier
HARDWARE
These are the physical parts of the computer
which you can touch and feel.
SOFTWARE
These are programs or applications that tell the
computer what to do.
 ADVANTAGES OF USING COMPUTERS
Speed
Computers have incredible speed. They can do
various operations in a millisecond (one thousandth of a
second), microsecond (one millionth of a second),
nanosecond (one billionth of a second), and picosecond
(one trillionth of a second). A typical desktop computer,
for example, can do thousands of calculations in the blink
of an eye.
Accuracy
Computers are amazingly accurate and precise.
Errors do occurs sometimes in computer-based systems,
but these are usually due to human errors. This include
program errors, procedural errors, or erroneous data.
 ADVANTAGES OF USING COMPUTERS
Reliability
Computers are reliable especially when it comes to
repetitive tasks. They do not get tired or bored, and they
do not complain.
Communication
Computers can communicate with other
computers. Using physical wireless links, they are able to
share resources such as hardware, software, and
information.
Memory Capability
Computers have total and instant recall of data.
They also have an almost unlimited capacity to store
data.
DISADVANTAGES OF USING COMPUTERS
Violation of Privacy
If not properly protected, personal and
confidential records stored on computers can be used by
unscrupulous individuals for their personal gain.

Impact on Workers
Although computers have improved productivity,
they have also caused unemployment. Millions of people
have lost their job because what they used to do for a
living are now done by computers. Even employed
workers may become unemployed if they do not update
their knowledge and skills.
DISADVANTAGES OF USING COMPUTERS
Health Risks
Prolonged or improper computer use can lead to
injuries or disorders, such as computer addiction.

Impact on the Environment

Computer manufacturing and waste are depleting
natural resources and polluting the environment.
 Computers at Work
Through their amazing power, computers have changed
society in many ways.

Education
Today you can find computers in classrooms,
museums, and libraries. In fact, computers are rapidly
becoming important tools in teaching and learning.
In school and at home, you do your projects and
prepare your reports using computers. In the library, you
use the OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) to look for
the books you need and connect to the internet to find
web sites and articles of interest to you.
 Computers at Work
Computer-aided instruction (CAI) software is used to
enhance learning. CAI can prompt students to respond
and give feedback in appropriate ways.
Education can even extend beyond the four walls
of the classroom through distance learning. Students in
remote provinces can study their lessons using reference
materials made available through the internet.

Health and Medicine

In medicine today, computers are used from
diagnosing illnesses to monitoring patients during
surgery. One of the interesting medical applications of
computers is the pacemaker, which helps steady or set
the rhythm of a person’s heartbeat.
 Computers at Work
Computers also made automated imaging
possible. This allows doctors to look inside a person’s
body and study the different organs in detail.

Science
In all branches of science, computers are used in
collecting, analyzing, and modelling data. Scientists
around the world also use the computer and internet to
communicate with each other.
They use powerful computers to study how
earthquakes affect buildings or how pollution affects
weather patterns.
 Computers at Work
It would be impossible to explore outer space
without computers. Satellites and space probes have
beamed back to Earth a wealth of information about the
solar system.
Researchers are even scanning the heavens with
radio telescopes in an attempt to find signs of life
elsewhere in the universe.

Business
In the last few decades, computers have radically
changed business practices. Many companies are now
using point-of-sales or POS terminals to record sales and
keep track to inventories. Computers are also used to
prepare payrolls.
 Computers at Work
Many people now use computers to pay bills, shop,
and do banking. In online banking, users access account
balances and pay bills through their computers.

Government
The government, through various offices such as
the Social Security System (SSS), the Government
Service Insurance System (GSIS), and the National
Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), uses computers to
collect, process, and store vast amounts of information
about its citizens. The government uses the information
to keep track of the population, migration pattern, rise
and fall of income, and many other things.
 Computers at Work
Manufacturing
Computers are playing an ever-increasing role in
manufacturing. In some factories, computers control
virtually everything. Automobile plants, for example,
have an entire line of industrial robots that assemble cars.
Computers and robots are used to do repetitive or
hazardous tasks, including painting, welding, and cutting
and bending sheet metals.
Manufacturing with computers and robotics is
called computer-aided manufacturing (CAM). CAM is used
in a variety of industries, including oil drilling, power
generation, and food production.
 Computers at Work
Publishing
Publishing is the process of making
written works, such as books, magazines,
and newspapers, available to the public.
Special software are used by publishers to
put texts and graphics together nicely on a
page.
Different Types of Computers:

1. Personal Computer or PC – A PC is a computer that

is used by someone for his personal use. It is a
complete system in itself and its convenient size,
price and simple functions make it easy for the end-
user to work on it without any intervention from
computer operators.

2. Desktop – Any PC that is designed to be placed on a

desk and not for portability is called a desktop. Such
computers are kept in a somewhat permanent
location and can be a little bulky. They usually have
more power and storage compared to their
movable counterparts.
3. Laptop or Notebook – A PC that can be moved
around is called a laptop. It gets its name from the
fact that you can keep it on your lap and use it. It is
also called a notebook because you can carry the
battery-operated device to classes or meetings
conveniently and store any notes or information in
it. It integrates the monitor, keyboard, pointing
device, CPU, memory and hard drive in one system.

4. Netbook – This is similar to a laptop, the only

difference being that it is smaller in size, which
makes it even more portable. It is also less
expensive and performs the basic functions, but its
internal parts are not as powerful as a desktop or
laptop.
5. Workstation – This computer is a desktop which is
larger, consists of a more powerful processor,
greater memory space and extra ability to do
specific kind of work. Such a computer is used by
programmers, game developers, video or sound
editors and graphic designers.

6. PDA – A Personal Digital Assistant is a small, highly

integrated computer usually using flash memory for
storage instead of a hard drive. It uses touchscreen
technology and doesn’t have a keyboard. Those
which use a digital pen for input are called handheld
computers. It is light, portable, has good battery life
and fits within your palm, because of which it is also
called a palmtop.
7. Server – The server’s main purpose is to provide
certain services to other computers or a whole
network of computers. It is much larger than any
average computer and generally a whole room is
necessary to fit the whole server. It has powerful
processors, additional amount of memory and bigger
hard drives.

8. Mainframe – Mainframe computers are used by large

companies and organizations to perform critical tasks
that involve bulk data processing like transaction
processing, census information, statistical data and
so on. They consist of extensive input and output
facilities, are very stable and dependable and handle
millions of transactions every day.
9. Supercomputer – This type of computer processes
data much faster than a regular system. It is the
leader in processing capacity and costs millions of
dollars. A supercomputer is used for sensitive and
calculation-intensive work such as scientific
research, physical simulation, climate studies, oil and
natural gas exploration, weather forecasting,
quantum physics, to name a few.

10. Wearable Computer – This device is worn on the

body like a watch or visor and is often used by
military professionals or doctors to track human
actions if their hands are engaged in other activities.
Smart watches and fabric PCs are examples of
wearable computers.
All these types of computers serve a different purpose
but there are a few things common in all of them,
that is, they help us save time and aid in achieving
accuracy in our work. From occupying a whole room
to fitting in our pocket, the computer has indeed
come a long way. And the best part is that in spite of
so many developments and differences in features,
it’s journey has just begun, as the possibilities of
what they can do are limitless.
What is Computer?

Computer – is an electronic machine that

manipulates information or “data”. It has the ability
to store, retrieve, and process data. You can use a
computer to type documents, send email, and surf
the internet.

Computer – is composed of many different

hardware devices in order to run, such as the
motherboard, processor, hard drives, power supply
and many other hardware devices.
 Major Components of Computer

1. Hardware – is any part of your computer that has a

physical structure, such as the computer monitor or
keyboard. If you can touch it, it is hardware.

2. Software – is any set of instruction that tells the

hardware what to do. It is what guides the hardware
and tells it how to accomplish each task.
A computer is made up of four essential parts:

1. System Unit – is the main body of a desktop

computer, typically consisting of a plastic
enclosure containing the motherboard, power
supply, cooling fans, internal disk drive, and the
memory module and expansion card that are
plugged into the motherboard, such as video and
network card.
2. Monitor – the monitor displays the video and
graphics information generated by the computer
through the video card.
3. Keyboard – is an input device designed to enter
text, characters and other commands into the
computer.

4. Mouse – is a peripheral that is known as a pointing

device. It let you point to objects on the screen,
click on them, and move them.

It would be very hard, if not impossible, to operate the

computer if one of these were missing.
HARDWARE COMPONENTS

•INPUT DEVICES

•OUTPUT DEVICES

•STORAGE DEVICES
INPUT DEVICE
-Simply means to put data into a computer.

-Any hardware component that allows a user to

enter data and instructions into a computer.

-A keyboard and mouse are the standard way to

interact with computer. Other devices include
joysticks and game pads used primarily for
games.
KEYBOARD
is used to enter text information into the
computer, as when you type the contents of a
report. The keyboard can also be used to type
commands directing the computer to perform
certain actions.

MOUSE
pointing device sits on your work surface
and is moved with your hand. In older mice, a ball
in the bottom of the mouse rolls on the surface as
you move the mouse, and internal rollers sense
the ball movement and transmit the information
to the computer via the cord of the mouse.
Types of Mouse
1. OPTICAL MOUSE does not use a rolling ball,
but instead uses a light and a small optical sensor
to detect the motion of the mouse by tracking a
tiny image of the desk surface.

2. CORDLESS or WIRELESS MOUSE

communicates with the computer via radio waves
(often using BlueTooth hardware and protocol) so
that a cord is not needed (but such mice need
internal batteries).
Types of Mouse
3. GSTICK MOUSE Gordon Stewart designed the
Stick to add a more authentic and natural feel to
artistic manipulations on both Macs and PCs. These
mice are Wireless and pocket-sized. It looks like a
pencil. gStick mouse is like a pencil. It can be used
for web browsing, office work or whatever you do
with your traditional mouse, with more comfort. It
also features a scroll wheel that can be manipulated
with a finger or thumb a button on either side of the
wheel. It’s claimed that a single AAA battery will
power the gStick for between three and five
months.
Types of Mouse
4. TRACKBALL MOUSE is a pointing device. It
consists of a ball held by a socket containing sensors
to detect a rotation of the ball. The user rolls the ball
with the thumb, fingers, or the palm of the hand to
move a pointer. the operator just continues rolling
with trackball but a mouse would have to be lifted
and re-positioned. Some trackballs, such as
Logitech’s optical-pickoff types, have notably low
friction, as well as being dense (glass), so they can be
spun to make them coast. Large trackballs are
common on CAD workstations.
Types of Mouse
5. MECHANICAL MOUSE OR BALL MOUSE In 1972,
Bill English (builder of Engelbart’s original mouse)
invented the ball mouse. Mechanical mouse is a
device integrated with an internal metal or rubber
ball, which can spin in all directions (left, right, up and
down). Thus, the display cursor moves as the mouse
detects the direction. The ball in the mechanical
mouse spins when it comes in contact with surface
on which it is placed.
SCANNER
is a device that captures images from
photographic prints, posters, magazine pages, and
similar sources for computer editing and display.
Scanners come in hand-held, feed-in, and flatbed
types and for scanning black-and-white only, or color.

DIGITAL CAMERA
a camera that records and stores digital images.

BARCODE READER
- is an electronic device that can read and
output printed barcodes to a computer.
JOYSTICK
a lever that can be moved in several directions
to control the movement of an image on a computer or
similar display screen.

MICROPHONE
can be attached to a computer to record sound
(usually through a sound card input or circuitry built
into the motherboard). The sound is digitized—turned
into numbers that represent the original analog sound
waves—and stored in the computer to later processing
and playback.
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.

DIGITAL PEN
is an input device which captures the
handwriting or brush strokes of a user, converts
handwritten analog information created using "pen
and paper" into digital data, enabling the data to be
utilized in various applications.
TOUCHSCREEN
is an input device and normally layered on the
top of an electronic visual display of an information
processing system. A user can give input or control the
information processing system through simple or
multi-touch gestures by touching the screen with a
special stylus or one or more fingers.
OUTPUT DEVICE
-Takes information within your computer and
present it to you in a form that you can
understand.

-Is any peripheral device that converts machine-

readable information into people-readable form
such as a monitor, printer, and speaker.
MONITOR
The monitor is the piece of computer hardware
that displays the video and graphics information
generated by the computer through the video card.
A monitor is sometimes referred to as a screen,
display, video display, video display terminal, video
display unit, or video screen.
MONITORS COME IN TWO MAJOR TYPES

Abbreviated as CRT, cathode ray tube is a large

vacuum tube used to display an image on a screen.
Generally, it refers to a type of computer monitor
utilizing a CRT.
Although CRT displays (often called "tube" monitors)
are really bulky and take up lots of desk space, they
generally have a much smaller screen size than new
display technologies.
MONITORS COME IN TWO MAJOR TYPES

Abbreviated LCD, liquid crystal display is a flat, thin

display device that has replaced the older CRT
display. LCD provides better picture quality and
support for large resolutions.
Generally, LCD refers to a type of monitor utilizing
the LCD technology, but also flat screen displays like
those in laptops, calculators, digital cameras, digital
watches, and other similar devices.
PROJECTOR
or image projector is an optical device that
projects an image (or moving images) onto a surface,
commonly a projection screen.
SPEAKERS
are popular output devices used with computer
systems. They receive audio input from the computer's
sound card and produce audio output in the form of
sound waves.
HEADPHONE
(or head-phones in the early days of telephony
and radio) are a pair of small listening devices that are
designed to be worn on or around the head over a user's
ears.
PRINTER
is a piece of hardware for a computer. It allows a
user to print items on paper, such as letters and
pictures.

TYPES OF PRINTERS

1. Ink Jet Printers

consists of a print head, ink cartridges, paper feed
assembly, belt and stabilizer bar. Inkjet printers are
capable of creating high-quality images and high-
resolution photos with vivid colors. They can work with
most types of papers, although they work best with
high-quality papers.
2. Laser Printers
a printers, linked to a computer, producing good-
quality printed material by using a laser to form a
pattern of electrostatically charged dots on a light-
sensitive drum, which attract toner (or dry ink powder).
The toner is transferred to a piece of paper and fixed by
a heating process.
3. Dot Matrix Printers
A type of printer that produces characters and
illustrations by striking pins against an ink ribbon to
print closely spaced dots in the appropriate shape. Dot-
matrix printers are relatively expensive and do not
produce high-quality output. However, they can print to
multi-page forms (that is, carbon copies), something
laser and ink-jet printers cannot do.
PLOTTER
A plotter is a computer vector graphic printer that
gives a hard copy of the output based on instructions
from the system. Plotters are widely used to print
designs of things such as cars, ships and buildings on a
piece of paper using a pen. Plotters are different than a
printer in that they are more precise and they are most
commonly used in engineering, where precision is
mandatory. They are also more expensive than ordinary
printers.
STORAGE DEVICE
-Is any computing hardware that is used for
storing, porting and extracting data files and
objects. It can hold and store information both
temporarily and permanently, and can be internal
or external to a computer.

-Is a device used for storing information so you

can recall and use that information at a later time.
MAGNETIC STORAGE
is one of the most common types of
storage used with computers and is the
technology that many computer hard drives use.

Floppy Diskette
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.
Although 8" disk drives were first made available
in 1971, the first real disk drives used were the 5
1/4" floppy disk drives, which were later replaced
with the 3 1/2" floppy disk drives.
Hard Drive
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. There are many
variations, but their sizes are generally 3.5" and
2.5" for desktop and laptop computers
respectively.

OPTICAL STORAGE
which uses lasers and lights as its method
of reading and writing data.
DVD-R Disc
Short for Digital Versatile Disc-Recordable,
DVD-R is a drive capable of recording once to a
disc and reading many times after it has been
created.

DVD-RW Disc
Short for Digital Versatile Disc-Read/Write,
it's a technology that enables a user to read and
write to a DVD-RW or DVD-R disc multiple times.
FLASH MEMORY DEVICE
has started to replace magnetic media as it
becomes cheaper as it is the more efficient and
reliable solution.

Jump Drive or Flash Drive

Alternatively referred to as a USB flash
drive, data stick, pen drive, memory unit, key
chain drive and thumb drive, a jump drive is a
portable storage device. It is often the size of a
human thumb (hence the name), and it connects
to a computer via a USB port. Flash drives are an
easy way to transfer and store information, and
they are available in sizes ranging from 16 GB to 1
TB.
Memory Card
Alternatively referred to as 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.
What to know
When a user/s saves information or data to a storage
medium, he or she is storing a file, this process is called
WRITING.

When the file is opened, the process is called READING.

Downloading refers to retrieving a file from another

computer over the Internet.

Tim Berners-Lee is credited for developing the World

Wide Web.

Douglas Engelbart invented the mouse in 1963.

Ray Tomlinson who sent the first e-mail in 1971.

Ada Lovelace is considered to be the world’s first

programmer.

Charles Babbage is considered to be the father of

computer after his invention and concept of the
analytical engine 1837.

Binary is a base 2 8-bit number system represented by

the numeric values of 0 or 1, also known as ON or OFF,
and is the primary language that computers use to
communicate.