ecdl manual module 1

7/29/2019 Ecdl Manual Module 1

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Mastering the ECDL / ICDL

ECDL / ICDL Training ManualModule OneBasic Concepts of Information Technology

Courseware fromCheltenham Computer Training


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Contact Information

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Please Note:

Informationdisplayed likethis: -

Is core ECDL version 3 material

Informationdisplayed likethis: -

Is not core ECDL version 3 material, but has been included as additionalmaterial by Cheltenham Computer Training

PLEASE READThis courseware should be used by candidates holding an official ICDL/ECDL Skills Card or LogBook, and should lead to the taking of official ICDL/ECDL tests. These are available from yournational ICDL/ECDL office. See www.ecdl.com for details.


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ECDL Approved Courseware

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READAs a condition of providing official approval for this courseware, the ECDL

Foundation demand that the following statement appear within all approvedECDL courseware, produced by third party courseware providers: -

""European Computer Driving Licence" and ECDL and Stars device are registered trade marks ofthe European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Limited in Ireland and other countries.Cheltenham Computer Training is an independent entity from the European Computer DrivingLicence Foundation Limited, and not affiliated with the European Computer Driving LicenceFoundation Limited in any manner. This product may be used in assisting students to prepare forthe European Computer Driving Licence Examination. Neither the European Computer DrivingLicence Foundation Limited nor Cheltenham Computer Training warrants that the use of thisproduct will ensure passing the relevant Examination. Use of the ECDL-F approved CoursewareLogo on this product signifies that it has been independently reviewed and approved in complyingwith the following standards:

Acceptable coverage of all courseware content related to ECDL Syllabus Version 3.0. Thiscourseware material has not been reviewed for technical accuracy and does not guarantee thatthe end user will pass the associated ECDL Examinations. Any and all assessment tests and/orperformance based exercises contained in this product relate solely to this product and do notconstitute, or imply, certification by the European Driving Licence Foundation in respect of anyECDL Examinations. For details on sitting ECDL Examinations in your country please contact thelocal ECDL Licensee or visit the European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Limited website at http://www.ecdl.com.

References to the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) include the InternationalComputer Driving Licence (ICDL). ECDL Foundation Syllabus Version 3.0 is published as theofficial syllabus for use within the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) and International

Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) certification programme"

IMPORTANT: - Regarding ECDL courseware purchased from Cheltenham ComputerTraining.

Before making ANY changes to this product you must first contact the ECDL Foundation forapproval of the changes that you wish to make. Please contact Aisling Mulqueen, at the ECDLFoundation using this email address [email protected]. In the event of this email notworking, please contact the ECDL via their web site. Or write to Aisling Mulqueen, ECDLFoundation. Block B #6 Leopardstown Office Park, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18.

Cheltenham Computer Training accept no liability whatsoever arising from any changesthat you make to this courseware, with, or without, ECDL Foundation approval.
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CONTENTS

GETTING STARTED ............. .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. ............ ..... ...1

1.1.1 HARDWARE/SOFTWARE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY .....................................................................................21.1.1.1 Understand the basic concepts of hardware, software and Information Technology (IT)..........2

Hardware ...............................................................................................................................................2

Software ...............................................................................................................................................2

Information Technology (IT) ................................................................................................................21.1.2 TYPESOF COMPUTER................................................................................................................................ 2

1.1.2.1 Understand and distinguish between main-frame computer, minicomputer, network computer,

personal computer, and laptop computer in terms of capacity, speed, cost, and typical users.

Understand the terms intelligent and dumb terminal............................................................................... 2

What is a mainframe computer? .................................................................................................... .......2

What is a mini-computer? .....................................................................................................................2

What is a super-computer? ...................................................................................................................3

What is the difference between a PC and a Mac? .................................................................................3What is a networked computer? ............................................................................................................4

What are laptop & palmtops computers? ..............................................................................................4

What is the difference between intelligent and dumb terminals? .................................................. .......4

Computer speed and capacity issues .....................................................................................................5

1.1.3 MAIN PARTSOFA PERSONAL COMPUTER....................................................................................................6

1.1.3.1 Know the main parts of a personal computer: the central processing unit (CPU), the hard disk,

common input/output devices, types of memory, removable storage devices such as diskette, zip disc,

CD-ROM etc. Understand the term peripheral device............................................................................. 6The System Unit ................................................................................................................ ...... ...... .......6

The System (Mother) Board .................................................................................................................6The CPU ...............................................................................................................................................6

Memory (RAM) ....................................................................................................................................7

ROM-BIOS ...........................................................................................................................................7

Serial Port .............................................................................................................................................7

Parallel Port ...........................................................................................................................................7Universal Serial Bus (USB) ..................................................................................................................7

The Monitor ..........................................................................................................................................7

The Keyboard ................................................................................................................................ .......7The Mouse ..................................................................................................................................... .......7

CD-ROM ..............................................................................................................................................8

DVD Drives ..........................................................................................................................................8

Floppy disk ..........................................................................................................................................8

Zip Disc .................................................................................................................................................8

Hard (Fixed) Disk .................................................................................................................................8

What is a peripheral device? .................................................................................................................8

Additional items or cards ......................................................................................................................9Sound cards and speakers ...................................................................................................................10

Modems .......................................................................................................................... ...... ...... ........10Printers ................................................................................................................................................10

Scanners ...................................................................................................................................... ........10

Recordable CDs ..................................................................................................................................10

Tape backup ........................................................................................................................................11

What are input devices? .............................................................................................................. ........11

What are output devices? ....................................................................................................................11

What is PCMCIA? ..............................................................................................................................11

HARDWARE .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. ............. ..... ..... ...... ..12


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1.2.1 CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT....................................................................................................................13

1.2.1.1 Understand the term central processing unit (CPU) and know what the CPU does -

calculations, logic control, immediate access memory etc. Know that the speed of the CPU is

measured in megahertz (MHz)...............................................................................................................13

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) ................................................................................................... .131.2.2 INPUT DEVICES......................................................................................................................................14

1.2.2.1 Know some of the main devices for inputting data into a computer such as mice, keyboards,trackballs, scanners, touch pads, light pens, joysticks etc. ...................................................................14

The Mouse ......................................................................................................................................... .14

The Keyboard .................................................................................................................................... .14

Tracker Balls .......................................................................................................................................14

Scanners ...................................................................................................................................... ........14

Touch Pads ......................................................................................................................................... .14Light Pens ...........................................................................................................................................15

Joysticks ..............................................................................................................................................15

Voice input for PCs .............................................................................................................................15

Web Cams ...........................................................................................................................................15

Digital Cameras .................................................................................................................... ...... ........15

1.2.3 OUTPUT DEVICES................................................................................................................................... 16

1.2.3.1 Know the most common output devices for displaying the results of processing carried out by a

computer, e.g. various visual display units (VDUs), screens or monitors, printers such as thosecommonly available, plotters, speakers, speech synthesizers etc. Know where and how these devices

are used..................................................................................................................................................16The VDU (computer monitor or screen) .............................................................................................16

Flat screen monitors ............................................................................................................................16

Screen size ..........................................................................................................................................16

What is VGA Super VGA and XGA? ................................................................................................16

Graphics for games ............................................................................................................... ...... ........17

Computer presentation projection devices ..........................................................................................18

Different types of printer ...................................................................................................... ...... ........18

Laser printers ......................................................................................................................................18Color laser printers ..............................................................................................................................18

Inkjet printers .............................................................................................................................. ........18

Dot Matrix printers .............................................................................................................................19Printer Memory ...................................................................................................................................19

Cost of printer peripherals .................................................................................................... ...... ........19

Plotters ................................................................................................................................................19

Speakers ...................................................................................................................................... ........19

Speech synthesizers ........................................................................................................................... .20

1.3 STORAGE .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. ......... ...... .21

1.3.1 MEMORY STORAGE DEVICES...................................................................................................................22

1.3.1.1 Compare the main types of memory storage device in terms of speed, cost and capacity e.g.

internal/external hard disk, zip disk, data cartridges, CD-ROM, diskette etc. .....................................22

Internal hard disks ...............................................................................................................................22

External hard disks ..............................................................................................................................22

Zip drives .............................................................................................................................. ...... ........22Jaz drives .............................................................................................................................................23

Diskettes (floppy disks) .............................................................................................................. ........23

CD-ROM Disks .................................................................................................................... ...... ........23

DVD Drives ................................................................................................................................ ........23

What is the difference between internal and external hard disks? ......................................................23

1.3.2 TYPESOF MEMORY................................................................................................................................24

1.3.2.1 Understand different types of computer memory: e.g. RAM (random-access memory), ROM(read-only memory). Understand when they are used...........................................................................24


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What is RAM? ............................................................................................................................ ........24

What is ROM? ............................................................................................................................ ........24

What is the ROM-BIOS? ....................................................................................................................24

What is flash BIOS? ................................................................................................................... ........24

The ROM-BIOS and the Year 2000 bug .............................................................................. ...... ........24What is Video (graphics) memory? ............................................................................................ ........24

1.3.3 MEASURING

MEMORY

............................................................................................................................251.3.3.1 Know how computer memory is measured; (bit, byte, KB, MB, GB). Relate computer memory

measurements to characters, fields, records, files and directories/folders............................................25

Basic Units of Data Storage ................................................................................................................25

Bit ........................................................................................................................................................25

Byte .....................................................................................................................................................25

Kilobyte .......................................................................................................................... ...... ...... ........25Megabyte .............................................................................................................................. ...... ........25

Gigabyte ..............................................................................................................................................25

Files .....................................................................................................................................................25

Directories (folders) ............................................................................................................................26

Records ....................................................................................................................................... ........26

1.3.4 COMPUTERPERFORMANCE....................................................................................................................... 26

1.3.4.1 Know some of the factors that impact on a computer's performance, e.g. CPU speed, RAM

size, hard disk speed and capacity.........................................................................................................26Computer speed .................................................................................................................... ...... ........26

1.4 SOFTWARE ............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. ............ .27

1.4.1 TYPESOF SOFTWARE..............................................................................................................................28

1.4.1.1 Know the meaning of the terms; operating systems software and applications software.

Understand the distinction between them............................................................................................... 28

What is an Operating System? ............................................................................................................28What is an Application Program? ............................................................................................... ........28

1.4.2 OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE...............................................................................................................29

1.4.2.1 Understand the main functions of an operating system. Understand the term Graphical User

Interface (GUI) and give examples. Be aware of the main advantages of using a GUI interface.........29

What is a Graphical User Interface? ........................................................................................... ........29

The advantages of using a GUI ...........................................................................................................291.4.3 APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE........................................................................................................................ 29

1.4.3.1 List some common software applications together with their uses, e.g. word processingapplications, spreadsheets, database, payroll, presentation tools, desktop publishing and multimedia

applications............................................................................................................................................29Examples of word-processing applications .................................................................... ...... ...... ........29

Examples of spreadsheet applications ................................................................................................29

Examples of database applications .....................................................................................................30

Examples of payroll applications ........................................................................................................30

Examples of presentation applications ................................................................................. ...... ........31

Examples of desktop publishing applications .....................................................................................31

Examples of multimedia applications .................................................................................................31

Examples of Web authoring applications ...........................................................................................31

1.4.4 SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT.........................................................................................................................321.4.4.1 Understand how computer-based systems are developed. Know about the process of research,

analysis, programming and testing often used in developing computer-based systems........................32

What is a systems development cycle? ...............................................................................................32

1.5 INFORMATION NETWORKS ............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .......... ...... ...... ..33

1.5.1 LAN AND WAN .......................................................................................................................... ........34

1.5.1.1 Know the definitions of local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN). Know

about the advantages of group working and sharing resources over a network...................................34


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What is a LAN? .................................................................................................................... ...... ........34

What is a WAN? ......................................................................................................................... ........34

What is workgroup computing? ..........................................................................................................34

1.5.2 THE TELEPHONE NETWORKIN COMPUTING................................................................................................ 35

1.5.2.1 Understand the use of the telephone network in computing. Understand the terms PublicSwitched Data Network (PSDN), Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN), satellite

communications. Understand the terms fax, telex, modem, digital, analogue, baud, (measured in bps -bits per second)......................................................................................................................................35

PSDN .......................................................................................................................................... ........35

ISDN .................................................................................................................................................. .35

Satellites .............................................................................................................................................35

Fax ......................................................................................................................................................35

Telex ...................................................................................................................................................35Modem ................................................................................................................................................35

Digital vs. analogue ............................................................................................................................35

Baud rate .............................................................................................................................................35

1.5.3 ELECTRONIC MAIL.................................................................................................................................36

1.5.3.1 Understand the term electronic mail and know the uses of e-mail. Understand what is needed

to send and receive e-mail. Detail some of the information and communications technology (ICT)

equipment needed to use e-mail.............................................................................................................36

The Benefits of E-mail ........................................................................................................................36What is required to Use E-mail? .........................................................................................................36

1.5.4 THE INTERNET.......................................................................................................................................371.5.4.1 Know what the Internet is. Understand the concept of the Internet and some of its main uses.

Understand the economics of Internet mail systems relative to other mail delivery methods. Know

what a search engine is. Understand the distinction between the Internet and the World Wide Web

(WWW)...................................................................................................................................................37

What is the Internet and how is it useful? ...........................................................................................37

Internet Search Engines .............................................................................................................. ........37

The cost of email vs. conventional mail .............................................................................................38

1.6 COMPUTERS IN EVERYDAY LIFE ............. ............... .............. .............. .............. ....... ...... ...... ...... ..39

1.6.1 COMPUTERSINTHE HOME.......................................................................................................................40

1.6.1.1 Know some of the uses of the PC at home e.g. hobbies, household accounts, working fromhome, projects and homework, using e-mail and the Internet...............................................................40

Computers and the opportunities offered by their use ........................................................................40Computer games .................................................................................................................................40

Home working ................................................................................................................ ...... ...... ........40Home Banking ................................................................................................................................... .41

Connecting to the Web ...................................................................................................................... .41

1.6.2 COMPUTERSAT WORKORIN EDUCATION..................................................................................................41

1.6.2.1 Know the uses of office applications; give examples of the types of computer-based systems

used in business, industry, government and education. Be aware of where a computer might be more

appropriate than a person for carrying out a task and where not.........................................................41

CBT (Computer Based Training) .......................................................................................................41

Automated production systems ...........................................................................................................41

Design Systems ...................................................................................................................................41Types of systems used in business ......................................................................................................42

Stock Control ......................................................................................................................................42

Accounts / Payroll ...............................................................................................................................43

Voice Mail / Fax .................................................................................................................................43

Email ........................................................................................................................................... ........43

Word processing .................................................................................................................................43

Spreadsheets ........................................................................................................................................43Databases ............................................................................................................................................43


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Presentation ........................................................................................................................................43

Graphics ...................................................................................................................................... ........43

Translation programs .................................................................................................................. ........43

Where computers might be more appropriate than people ................................................................ .44

Where people might be more appropriate than computers ................................................................ .441.6.3 COMPUTERSIN DAILY LIFE.....................................................................................................................45

1.6.3.1 Be aware of the uses of computers in every-day life e.g. in supermarkets or libraries, at thedoctors surgery, the use of smart cards, etc.........................................................................................45

Types of systems used in the home ................................................................................ ...... ...... ........45

Accounts .............................................................................................................................................45

Games ................................................................................................................................... ...... ........46

Educational ........................................................................................................................................ .46

Working from home (Tele-working) .................................................................................... ...... ........46Internet ................................................................................................................................................46

Bank 'hole in the wall' cash machines .................................................................................................46

On-line banking .................................................................................................................... ...... ........46

Smart ID cards ............................................................................................................................ ........47

Supermarkets ......................................................................................................................................47

On-line supermarkets ..........................................................................................................................47

Libraries ...................................................................................................................................... ........47

Doctors surgeries ........................................................................................................................ ........47

1.7 IT AND SOCIETY ............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. ....48

1.7.1 A CHANGING WORLD............................................................................................................................. 49

1.7.1.1 Understand the terms Information Society and Information Superhighway. Know some of the

implications of the Year 2000 issue (Y2K). Understand the concept of Electronic Commerce .............49

The Concept of the Information Society .........................................................................................49

Year 2000 issues .................................................................................................................................49E-commerce ........................................................................................................................................49

1.7.2 A GOOD WORKSPACE............................................................................................................................50

1.7.2.1 Understand what elements and practices can help create a good working environment e.g.

frequent breaks away from the computer, appropriate positioning of screens, chairs and keyboards,

provision of adequate lighting and ventilation....................................................................................... 50

Good working practices ......................................................................................................................501.7.3 HEALTHAND SAFETY.............................................................................................................................51

1.7.3.1 Be aware of Health and Safety precautions when using a computer like ensuring that powercables are safely secured, and that power points are not overloaded. Know about injuries common in

a bad working environment e.g. repetitive strain injury (RSI), eyestrain caused by screen glare,

problems associated with bad posture...................................................................................................51

Make sure that cables are safely secured ............................................................................................51

Make sure that power points are not overloaded ........................................................................ ........51

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) .............................................................................................................51

Glare from screens ..............................................................................................................................51

Bad posture .........................................................................................................................................51

1.8 SECURITY, COPYRIGHT AND THE LAW ............. .............. ............... .............. ......... ...... ...... ...... ..53

1.8.1 SECURITY.............................................................................................................................................. 541.8.1.1 Know about the purpose and value of backing up computer files to removable storage devices.

Know how to protect a personal computer against intrusion. Know about privacy issues associated

with personal computers, e.g. protecting the computer, adopting good password policies. Know what

happens to your data and files if there is a power cut............................................................................ 54Why do you need to back up your computer? ................................................................................... .54

Organizing your computer for more efficient backups .......................................................................54

Complete vs. incremental backups ....................................................................................... ...... ........54

Why you should use 'off-site' storage? .............................................................................................. .55


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Beware of 'open files'......................................................................................................................... 55

Passwords ............................................................................................................................................55

The Importance of shutting down your computer ..............................................................................55

What is a UPS? ........................................................................................................................... ........55

Electrical surge protection ................................................................................................................. .56Things computers like .........................................................................................................................56

Things to avoid ............................................................................................................... ...... ...... ........56What to do if the computer breaks down ............................................................................................56

1.8.2 COMPUTERVIRUSES...............................................................................................................................57

1.8.2.1 Understand the term virus when used in computing. Be aware of how viruses can enter a

computer system. Understand the dangers of downloading files onto your computer. Know about some

anti-virus measures. ..............................................................................................................................57

What are computer viruses? ................................................................................................................57How do viruses infect PCs? ................................................................................................................57

How to prevent virus damage ..................................................................................................... ........57

To make a diskette read-only ..............................................................................................................58

To password protect your computer ........................................................................................... ........58

1.8.3 COPYRIGHT...........................................................................................................................................58

1.8.3.1 Understand software copyright and some of the main security and legal issues associated with

copying, sharing and lending diskettes. Understand some of the implications of transferring files

across a network. Understand the terms shareware, freeware, and user licences................................58Software Copyright Issues .......................................................................................................... ........58

What is freeware? ....................................................................................................................... ........58What is shareware? ............................................................................................................... ...... ........59

What about software that you find on the Internet .............................................................................60

What are site licenses? ........................................................................................................................60

1.8.4 DATA PROTECTION ACT.......................................................................................................................... 61

1.8.4.1 Know the Data Protection Act in your country. Understand the implications of the Data

Protection Act. Describe some of the uses of personal data..................................................................61

Data Protection and Privacy Issues .....................................................................................................61

Data Protection Legislation ............................................................................................ ...... ...... ........61


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Modu

leOne-Manual

ECDL/ICDL [Module One] 1

Basic Concepts of IT TRAINING MANUAL

Getting Started

FOR USE AT THE LICENSED SITE(S) ONLY

Cheltenham Computer Training 1995-2000 - Tel: +44 (0)1242 227200 - Fax: +44 (0)1242 253200


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2 ECDL/ICDL [Module One]

TRAINING MANUAL Basic Concepts of IT

1.1.1 Hardware/Software Information Technology

1.1.1.1 Understand the basic concepts of hardware, software and Information Technology (IT).

Hardware The term hardware refers to the physical components of your computersuch as the system unit, mouse, keyboard, monitor etc.

Software The software is the instructions that makes the computer work. Forinstance, when you type in words via the keyboard, the software isresponsible for displaying the correct letters, in the correct place on thescreen. Software is held either on your computers hard disk, CD-ROM,DVD or on a diskette (floppy disk) and is loaded (i.e. copied) from the diskinto the computers RAM (Random Access Memory), as and whenrequired.

InformationTechnology(IT)

This is a general term that relates to the use of computers as an aid tocreating and maintaining data, i.e. information. IT is related to all aspectsof managing and processing information, especially within a largeorganization. Computers are critical to managing information, andcomputer departments within large organizations are often called ITdepartments. Alternative phrases are IS departments (InformationServices) or MIS departments (Management Information Services).People working with computers within large companies will often refer totheir job, as working in IT.

1.1.2 Types of Computer

1.1.2.1 Understand and distinguish between main-frame computer, minicomputer, network computer,personal computer, and laptop computer in terms of capacity, speed, cost, and typicalusers. Understand the terms intelligent and dumb terminal.

What is amainframecomputer?

Mainframe computers are the big, powerful, expensive computers used inthe background by most large organizations. The power of the mainframecan be distributed amongst many people accessing the mainframe eithervia a PC or a so-called dumb terminal. Companies such as largeinsurance companies would use the mainframe to keep track of theirpolicyholders and send out renewal notices.

What is amini-computer?

Like mainframes, these are very powerful and also very expensive. Inmany ways, the old differences between a mainframe and a minicomputerhave blurred and in many cases, the two words are almostinterchangeable. In former days, the mainframes were the biggestcomputers that organizations would use, while mini-computers were usedby mid-sized companies.




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What is asuper-computer?

A super computer, as the nameimplies is an incredibly powerfulbeast with a phenomenal capacityfor processing data. They are usedextensively by the military. Incivilian use, they tend to be used forresearch and also in areas such asweather forecasting where atremendous amount of data has tobe processed rapidly and used tomake predictions.

More information:http://www.cray.com/

What is thedifference

betweena PCandaMac?

IBM invented the PC (Personal Computer) wayback in 1981. All PCs released since then arein many ways compatible with the originaldesign, though many extensions to the original

design have been made. The term PCcompatible relates to PCs manufactured bycompanies other than IBM that are compatiblewith the traditional PC specification.

In the early days, most PCs ran an operating system called DOS (DiskOperating System). These days most PCs will be running a version ofMicrosoft Windows (Windows 95, Windows 98, NT or Windows 2000).

The Apple Mac is a computer, but NOT a PC. It uses a different operatingsystem, and requires special versions of application programs (such as

word-processors or spreadsheets). Even the hardware add-ons have tobe customized to some extent to be able to be connected to a Mac. In theearly days the thing that really distinguished the Mac over the PC was theGUI (Graphical User Interface), or in plain English the way you could usethe mouse to drive the computer. In the early days of the PC, you reallyhad to be a bit of an expert to use and maintain your PC!

Recently the differences between the PC and the Mac have blurred, witheven Microsoft buying a stake in Apple.

More information:http://www.apple.com


http://www.cray.com/http://www.cray.com/http://www.apple.com/http://www.cray.com/http://www.apple.com/


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What is anetworkedcomputer?

A network allows you to connect two or more computers together. Thisallows data stored on one PC to be retrieved by other PCs connected to thenetwork. It also allows the sharing of resources. Thus instead of each PCrequiring its own printer to be directly connected to it, you can have a singleprinter shared amongst many, networked PCs. In the early days, tonetwork PCs together was a complicated task, only to be attempted byqualified professionals. These days most people with a good workingknowledge of Microsoft Windows can install and configure a Windowsbased network. However to get the best out of your network, in terms ofperformance and security, still requires a qualified, experienced technician.

What arelaptop &palmtopscompute

rs?

Laptop computers as the name implies are small,portable computers that can run on batteries as wellas mains power. They use special screens, ratherthan the traditional bulky VDUs (Visual Display Units),which allows for longer battery life as well asportability. A newer term, Notebooks, simplyindicates a VERY small laptop. These are especially

popular with salespersons on the move or peoplegiving presentations. While they tend to still be moreexpensive than an equivalent Desktop computer, theycan now match the power of a Desktop computer.Palmtops are even smaller computers!

What is thedifferencebetweenintell

igentanddumbterminals?

An intelligent terminal, for example a PC, performs a lot of the processinglocally i.e. within the PCs CPU (Central Processing Unit). Thus, you coulduse a PC, linked to a mainframe to extract the required information fromthe mainframe and then perform analysis of that data on the PC.

A dumb terminal has very limited processing capabilities itself, but allowsyou to connect to a large powerful computer such as a mainframe. When

you process your data from the dumb terminal, it is the mainframe at theother end of the network that is performing all the calculations. The dumbterminal only allows you to enter your data and displays the information onthe screen.




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Computerspeedandcapacityissues

CPU typesModern PCs use some sort of Pentium (or equivalent) Central ProcessingUnit (CPU). There is a number of different Pentium CPUs on the marketand to get information of the latest types read the computer press or visitthe Intel Web site. Your computer may have a 586 rather than an IntelPentium in it. This simply means that the CPU is not made by Intel, but bysome other manufacturer, such as Cyrix or AMD. The Pentium name iscopyrighted by Intel and only Intel CPUs can be called Pentium CPUs.

Clock speedThe computer clock speed governs how fast the CPU will run. The higherthe clock speed the faster the computer will work for you. The clock speedis given in megahertz (MHz). The originally IBM PC ran at 4.77 MHzwhereas modern PCs will often run at over 600 MHz which gives you anidea of how far things have progressed since the introduction of theoriginal PC. The higher the MHz speed the faster the computer.

RAMIf you are using a Windows based system, then you will often see greatimprovements to your computers performance by adding more RAM(Random Access Memory).

Hard disk speed and storageHard disks are also measured by their speed, defined by the disk accesstime, which is measured in milliseconds. The smaller this access time thefaster the hard disk will store or retrieve data. The data storage capacity ofhard disks continues to increase as new products are released. The diskstorage capacity is measured in Gigabytes (GBytes). 1 GByte is

equivalent to 1024 Mbytes.




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1.1.3 Main Parts of a Personal Computer

1.1.3.1 Know the main parts of a personal computer: the central processing unit (CPU), the hard disk,

common input/output devices, types of memory, removable storage devices such asdiskette, zip disc, CD-ROM etc. Understand the term peripheral device.

The SystemUnit

The "system unit" is the name given to the main PC boxthat houses the various elements that go together tomake up the PC. For instance within the system unit isthe computer system's motherboard, which contains allthe main components, such as the CPU. The systemunit also houses items such as the hard disk, the floppydisk and CD-ROM drives etc. System units come in twobasic varieties, the tower version, as illustrated, or adesktop version, which is designed to sit on your desk,and you can place your monitor on top of the systemunit.

The System(Mother)Board

The system (mother) board in containedwithin your system unit and all the vitalcomputer systems plug directly into thesystem board. The CPU is normally housedon your system board along with all the otherelectronic components. Other items such asthe hard disk are attached to the systemboard, either directly or via cables. Theseboards are getting smaller and smaller as thecomponents become more integrated. If youopen up a system unit these days, mainly it isfull of fresh air!

The CPU The CPU (Central Processing Unit) isnormally an Intel Pentium (or equivalent)and it is one of the most importantcomponents within your computer. Itdetermines how fast your computer willrun and is measured by its MHz speed.Thus, a 600 MHz Pentium is much fasterthan say a 400 MHz Pentium CPU. It isthe CPU that performs all the calculationswithin the computer.




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Memory(RAM)

The RAM (Random Access Memory) withinyour computer is where the operating system isloaded to when you switch on your computerand also where your applications are copied towhen you load an application, such as a wordprocessor or database program. When youcreate data, (e.g. letters and pictures), theseare initially created and held in RAM and thencopied to disk when you save the data.

As a rule of thumb, the more RAM you have installed in your computer thebetter. These days you will commonly find over 64 Mbytes of RAMinstalled.

ROM-BIOS The ROM-BIOS (Read Only Memory - BasicInput Output System) chip is a special chipheld on your computer's system (mother)board. It contains software that is required tomake your computer work with your operating

system, for instance it is responsible forcopying your operating system into RAMwhen you switch on your computer.

Serial Port The serial port is a socket located at the back of your computer that enablesyou to connect items to the computer, such as a modem. They arecommonly labeled as COM1 or COM2.

Parallel Port The parallel port is a socket located at the back of your computer thatenables you to connect items to the computer, such as a printer. It iscommonly labeled as LPT1 or LPT2.

Universal

SerialBus(USB)

The Universal Serial Bus is a

relatively new item within the PC.You will see one or more USBsockets at the back of the systemunit, allowing you to plug in devicesdesigned for the USB. Thesedevices include scanners and digitalcameras.

The Monitor The monitor is the TV type screen that you view your programs on. Theyare supplied in different sizes, common sizes range from 15" to 21"screens. You should be aware that poor quality or badly maintainedmonitors can harm your eyesight!

The Keyboard The keyboard allows you to type information into the computer. It hasevolved over the years and many people now use a Microsoft stylekeyboard, which has additional keys designed to make Microsoft Windowseasier to use.

The Mouse When using an operating system, such as Microsoft Windows, you use themouse to select drop down menus, to point and click on items, to selectitems and to drag and drop items from one place to another.




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CD-ROM Most computers are now supplied with a CD-ROM (Compact Disc - ReadOnly Memory) drive. CD-ROM discs look exactly like music CDs butcontain computer data instead of music. The advantage of a CD-ROM isthat it can hold a vast amount of data (equivalent to the storage capacity ofover 450 floppy disks). The other big advantage of CD-ROMs is that theyare interchangeable. This means that you can own a range of differentCD-ROMs and choose which one to insert into your CD-ROM drive.

DVD Drives Short for "Digital Versatile Disc. Similar to CD-ROM drives but allows youto use DVD disks, which contain vastly more information than a traditionalCD-ROM disk. These also transfer the data from the disk to the computerfar faster, allowing you to watch movies on your computer screen.

A CD-ROM can store 650 MB of data, while a single-layer, single-sidedDVD can store 4.7GB of data.

The two-layer DVD standard allows a capacity of 8.5GB, and if doublesided ups the storage capacity to 17GB. (or over 25 times the data storage

capacity of a CD-ROM!)

Floppy disk Floppy disks are also known as diskettes. They arevery slow compared to hard disks or CD-ROMs, andhold relatively small amounts of data (1.44 Mbytes).Sometimes people will backup (i.e. copy) importantdata from their hard disk to floppy disks. However, asdiskettes are notoriously unreliable this is not the bestway of backing up valuable data (but is better thannothing!)

Zip Disc A Zip disc is like a more recent version of thefloppy disk, the main difference being that a single

Zip disc can hold up to 250 Mbytes of data. Theyalso offer increased speed compared to the oldfloppy disk.

Hard (Fixed)Disk

Hard disks are the main, large data storage area withinyour computer. Hard disks are used to store youroperating system, your application programs (i.e. yourword processor, games etc) and your data. They aremuch faster than CD-ROMs and floppy disks and can alsohold much more data.

What is aperipheraldevice?

A peripheral device is any device that you can attach to your computer.Thus, you could attach a scanner or modem to the back of your systemunit.




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Additionalitems orcards

Many 'extra' components can easily be fitted to your computer, which hasthe advantage of making the computer 'upgradeable' as newer and betterhardware comes along.




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Sound cardsandspeakers

Many computers are now supplied withsound cards and speakers that mean thatwhen you run 'multi-media' programs, youcan listen to sounds that are played backvia your computer. If you have amicrophone and suitable software, you canalso record sounds. You can evenpurchase special software that will allowyou to talk to your computer and get thecomputer to type the words you havespoken on your screen. In time, this type ofsoftware may replace the keyboard.

Modems A modem is a device that is used toattach your computer to the telephonesystem. The modem converts datainto sound that is sent over thetelephone line, the receiving modem

turns the sounds back into data. Ifyou wish to connect to the Internet,you will need a modem.

Printers Most data is printed once you have created it and there are a vast numberof different printers available to accomplish this. Most common are ink jetand laser printers both of which can now produce colored output (at acost!)

Scanners Scanners allow you to scan printed materialsinto your computer, which can then be storedwithin the computer. These pictures can thenbe altered, resized and printed as required.

RecordableCDs

CD-ROMs are read-only devices, but increasingly people are purchasing aspecial type of CD drive unit that allows you to record data (and music!) toyour own CDs. These devices require that you purchase special CDs thatyou can write to, called CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable).




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Tape backup A tape backup unit allows for regularbacking up of your data. These tapes canstore a vast amount of data at a low cost.

DAT (Digital Audio Tape) devices arecommonly used for backups. The DATtapes that they use can backup enormousamounts of data (i.e. over 4 GBytes pertape). The devices are also fast andreliable.

What areinputdevices?

Input devices allow you to input information to the computer and includethings such as the keyboard and mouse.

What are

outputdevices?

Output devices allow you to output information from the computer and

include the printer and the monitor.

What isPCMCIA?

Portables by their very nature arevery compact and require smallerthan standard parts such as harddisks and CD-ROM drives. Manypotables are supplied with specialadaptor sockets at the rear thatenable what are called PCMCIAcompatible hardware to be

connected to them.

PCMCIA components tend to be more expensive than standard computerparts that are designed for more bulky desktop computers.

More information:http://www.pcmcia.org


http://www.pcmcia.org/http://www.pcmcia.org/


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Hardware




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1.2.1 Central Processing Unit

1.2.1.1 Understand the term central processing unit (CPU) and know what the CPU does -

calculations, logic control, immediate access memory etc. Know that the speed of the CPUis measured in megahertz (MHz).

The CPU(CentralProcessingUnit)

The CPU is the brains within yourcomputer. It performs most of thecalculations within the computer and isresponsible for the smooth running of youroperating system (Microsoft Windows) aswell as your application programs, such asword-processors, spreadsheets anddatabases. There is a small amount ofmemory associated with the CPU, which ituses to perform these operations. It alsoaccesses and uses the main memory

(RAM - Random Access Memory) withinyour computer.

In many ways, the CPU is the single mostimportant item within your computer thatgoverns the overall speed of yourcomputer. The CPU's speed is measuredin MHz. This relates to the frequency thatthe CPU runs at and the higher the MHzrating of your CPU the faster yourcomputer will run. To give you someindication of how PCs have advanced overthe years, the original IBM PC released in

1981 ran at 4.77 MHz while modern PCsrun at speeds in excess of 800 MHz!

More information:Intel:http://www.intel.com

AMDhttp://www.amd.comCyrixhttp://www.viatech.com


http://www.intel.com/http://www.intel.com/http://www.amd.com/http://www.amd.com/http://www.viatech.com/http://www.viatech.com/http://www.intel.com/http://www.amd.com/http://www.viatech.com/


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1.2.2 Input Devices

1.2.2.1 Know some of the main devices for inputting data into a computer such as mice, keyboards,

trackballs, scanners, touch pads, light pens, joysticks etc.

The Mouse The mouse came into common use on a PC withthe introduction of the Microsoft Windows operatingsystem. Before this, the operating system (DOS)would normally be controlled via the keyboard.These days it is vital to be a competent mouseuser. There are many different types of mice, acommonly used model now has a small wheel on itwhich when combined with the correct softwareallows additional functionally and fine control overthe use of your applications.

The Keyboard The keyboard is still the commonest way of enteringinformation into a computer. There are a number ofdifferent types, including those specially designedfor use with Microsoft Windows.

The quality of the keyboard is often overlookedwhen buying a PC; it should be robust and easy touse.

Tracker Balls A tracker ball is an alternative to the traditional mouseand favored by graphic designers. Tracker balls oftengive much finer control over the movement of theitems on the screen. They may take a while to get

used to if you are used to the traditional mouse, butoffer a lot in terms of added flexibility.

Scanners A scanner allows you to scan printed material and convert it into a fileformat that may be used within the PC. You can scan pictures and thenmanipulate these inside the PC using a graphics application of yourchoice. In addition, you can scan printed text and convert this not just to apicture of the text but also to actual text that can be manipulated andedited as text within your word-processor. There are a number ofspecialist programs, generically called OCR (Optical CharacterRecognition) programs that are specifically designed for converting printedtext into editable text within your applications.

Touch Pads A touch pad is a device that lays on thedesktop and responds to pressure. Used inconjunction with a special pen they can beused by graphic artists wishing to createoriginal, digital artwork.




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Light Pens A light pen is used to allow users to point toareas on a screen and is often used to selectmenu choices.

Joysticks Many games require a joystick for the properplaying of the game. There are many differenttypes, the more sophisticated respond tomovement in 3 axis directions, as well as having anumber of configurable buttons. Like most thingsin life you get what you pay for with joysticks and itis worth investing in a good, strongly constructedmodel, especially bearing in mind that children willhammer these devices while playing games!

Voice inputforPCs

Early voice recognition systems offered very poor results, due to thelimitations of the software combined with hardware limitations. It takes anawful lot of CPU processing power to convert the spoken word into textthat appears on the screen! Things are changing rapidly however andrecent systems allow you to talk to a PC and see text appear on thescreen. Most of these systems require an initial training period, where youtrain the software to respond to your particular voice. While still not perfectthis is a key technology of the future!

Web Cams Ever since it was invented, the Web has becomeincreasingly interactive. A recent development is touse a small digital movie camera (a Web cam)

mounted on the PC monitor to allow two-waycommunication involving not just text communicationbut sound and video communication as well. Whilenot yet considered a standard piece of PC kit, it isonly a matter of time

DigitalCameras

A digital camera can be used in the sameway a traditional camera can, but insteadof storing images on rolls of film whichrequire developing, the images are storeddigitally in memory housed within thecamera. These pictures can easily betransferred to your computer and then

manipulated within any graphics programsthat you have installed on your computer.Currently they are limited by the quality of the image recorded and thenumber of pictures that you may store within the camera.




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1.2.3 Output Devices

1.2.3.1 Know the most common output devices for displaying the results of processing carried out

by a computer, e.g. various visual display units (VDUs), screens or monitors, printers suchas those commonly available, plotters, speakers, speech synthesizers etc. Know where andhow these devices are used.

The VDU(computermonitororscreen)

The VDU (Visual Display Unit) is the computerscreen used for outputting information in anunderstandable format for humans. Rememberthat at the end of the day the computer works inbinary code (a series of on/off impulses). It is hardto realize that the original electronic computers didnot have a screen!

Flat screenmonitors

Traditional computer monitors are based onthe same sort of technology that is used withina television screen.

More recently, flat screen computer monitorshave become available. These take up a lotless room on a desk and use less energy thanthe traditional, more bulky monitors.

Screen size You should be aware that often if you specify a screen of a certain size,say a 17-inch screen, that this is the size measured diagonally, not

horizontally across the screen. If you are upgrading you should also askfor the "visible viewing area" of the screen.

What is VGASuperVGAandXGA?

VGA (Video Graphics Array) was introduced wayback in 1987 and was a standard that allowsgraphics to be displayed on your monitor. It waslimited to only 256 colors and an on-screenresolution of 640 x 480 dots (or pixels).

Most people tend to use higher standards such as Super-VGA (whichallows you to use more colors and a higher resolution). PCs that aremore recent use even higher performance standards allowing a hugerange of colors at an even higher resolution.

Another terms you may hear is XGA (or XGA compatible). This givesyou even higher screen resolution.




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Graphics forgames

Many games require very advanced graphics cards (boards) to beinstalled within your computer to make them run. These advancedgraphics cards contain their own CPU that is dedicated purely todisplaying the graphics on your screen. You should find that a recentPC has this advanced graphics capability built-in where as PCs fromonly 2-3 years ago may not!




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Computerpresentationprojectiondevices

These are projection devices that can be attached toyour computer and are useful for displayingpresentations to a group of people. They are bestused in combination with presentation programs, suchas Microsoft PowerPoint. They are used withineducation and are also very popular for salespresentations.

The price of these devices has dropped dramatically recently. Whenpurchasing one of these devices the two things to look out for are theresolution (go for a minimum of XGA) and the brightness of the lamp(the brighter the better). Other factors to be aware of is the quietness (orotherwise of the device) and well as the cost of replacement bulbs!

Differenttypesof

printer

There are many different types of printers. In large organizations, laserprinters are most commonly used because they can print very fast andgive a very high quality output.

In most organizations, the printers are connected to the computers via anetwork. This means that each person with a computer does notrequire his or her own printer. Each computer connected to the networkcan print using a particular shared printer.

Laser printers Laser printers produce high print quality at high speed. They are called"laser printers" due to the fact that contain a small laser within them.There are a wide range of laser printer manufacturers and onebuzzword to be aware of is Postscript, a type of printer that is designedto give very high quality reproduction of pictures.

Color laser

printers

Originally, most laser printers would only print in

black and white (mono). More recently colorlaser printers have dropped in price and areentering wide spread use. While many of theseproduce excellent results, you should be awareof the fact that the "price per page", especially ifyou are using a lot of color on a page can bevery high compared to the cost of printing inblack and white.

Inkjet printers Inkjet printers work by using tiny jets to spray ink onto the paper. Inkjetprinters are very quiet in operation and produce print qualitycomparable to that of laser printers, though laser printers still have theedge in terms of speed.

Inkjet printers are ideal for low volume printing were high quality print isrequired and speed is not a high priority, e.g. printing letters in a smalloffice or in the home.




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Dot Matrixprinters

Dot matrix printers work by firing a row of pinsthrough an ink ribbon onto the paper. The morepins the print head has the higher the quality of theprint, most modern dot matrix printers have 24pins.

Unfortunately, dot matrix printers can generate a lot of noise and do notproduce a very high quality of print, especially when printing graphics.

As a result, the dot matrix printer has now largely been replaced by theinkjet printer. Dot matrix printers are used for high volume / low qualityprinting, e.g. printing company pay slips.

PrinterMemory

It is important to realize that most printers have their own memorychips, in the same way that each computer has its own memory. If youare printing very large graphics (i.e. pictures), and want the best qualityoutput from your printer then you should consider adding more memoryto your printer. This must only be done by a qualified person, and hasthe benefit of really speeding up the rate at which you can print pages in

many cases.

Cost of printerperipherals

When you buy a printer, one of thethings the salesperson will notnecessarily stress is how much itwill cost to keep that printer running.Laser printers do not use ink; theyuse something called toner, which isnormally supplied, in a sealed unitcalled a toner cartridge.

Each toner cartridge will allow you to print a certain amount of pagesand when the toner is all used up it needs to be replaced. In some

cases the costs of these toner cartridges is very high!

Plotters A plotter is an output device similar to a printer, butnormally allows you to print larger images. Thereuse is common is the design and research sector.

Speakers Most computers these days are sold with thecapability to add a pair of speakers to your

system unit. In fact, in some cases, themonitor may have speakers built directly intothe unit. This enhances the value ofeducational and presentation products andcan now be considered a standard PCcomponent.




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Speechsynthesizers

A recent development is the ability not only to display text on a monitorbut also to read the text to you. Thus, you could receive a text emailfrom a colleague and the system could read that email to you. This is ofenormous benefit to the visually impaired when using a computer. Onthe flip side, it is now possible to use a microphone to talk to thecomputer and for the computer to directly convert the spoken word intotext that will be displayed within say your word-processor. While thesesystems are far from foolproof they are getting better as more advancedsoftware is being made available!




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1.3 Storage




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1.3.1 Memory Storage Devices

1.3.1.1 Compare the main types of memory storage device in terms of speed, cost and capacity e.g.

internal/external hard disk, zip disk, data cartridges, CD-ROM, diskette etc.

Internal harddisks

Speed: Very fast! The speed of a hard disk is often quoted as "averageaccess time" speed, measured in milliseconds. The smaller this numberthe faster the disk. There are different types of disk, and commonly usedtypes are known as EIDE and SCSI drives. SCSI is better for largenetwork servers while EIDE drives are often better for desktop computers.

Capacity: Enormous! Often in excess of 10 Gigabytes. A Gigabyte isequivalent to 1024 Megabytes.

Cost: Hard disks costs are falling rapidly and normally represent thecheapest way of storing data.

External harddisks

Speed: Normally slower that internal disks, but more expensive versionsoffer the same performance as internal hard disks.

Capacity: Same as internal disks.

Cost: More expensive than internal disks.

Zip drives You can install a Zip drive into your computer andthen you can insert Zip disks into that drive. Thegreat thing about these disks is that you canremove one disk and replace it with another, inexactly the same way that you can place differentdiskettes in your diskette drive. They are great

for backing up data and for exchanging databetween non-networked computers.

Speed: Slower than normal hard disks but ideal for backups.

Capacity: 100 or 250 Megabytes.

Cost: You have to consider both the cost of the drive, plus the cost ofeach disk that you wish to use in the drive. Often suppliers will sell thedrive plus a pack of 5 disks at a bundled discount price.




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Jaz drives A Jaz drive is similar in concept to a Zip drive.The main difference between them is that a Jazdrive can hold a lot more data. Alas, the disksare not the same as used in a Zip drive and asa result, you cannot use a Zip disk in a Jaz driveor a Jaz disk in a Zip drive.

Speed: Slower than normal hard disks but ideal for backups

Capacity:Around 2 Gigabytes (2048 Megabytes).

Cost: You have to consider both the cost of the drive, plus the cost ofeach disk that you wish to use in the drive. Often suppliers will sell thedrive plus a pack of 5 disks at a bundled discount price.

More information: http://www.iomega.com

Diskettes

(floppydisks)

Speed: Very slow!

Capacity: Normally 1.44 Mbytes.

Cost: Very cheap.

CD-ROMDisks

Speed: Much slower than hard disks. The original CD-ROM speciation isnow given a value of 1x speed, and later, faster CD-ROMs are quoted asa multiple of this value. Thus, a 50x CD-ROM is 50 times as fast as theoriginal 1x speed CD-ROM specification.

Capacity:Around 650 Mbytes.

Cost: Below 100 each (UK sterling).

DVD Drives Speed: Much faster than CD-ROM drives but not as fast as hard disks.

Capacity: up to 17 Gbytes.

Cost: Slightly higher than CD-ROM drives.

What is thedifferencebetweeninternalandexternalharddisks?

Internal hard disks are located insideyour main computer unit, while externalhard disks are joined to the maincomputer unit via a lead that you pluginto the back of your computer unit.Some external hard disks will plug intothe serial port (connector) located at theback of your computer. Other externalhard disks require the installation of aspecial card within your computer thatallows the connection of the externalhard disk to the computer unit.


http://www.iomega.com/http://www.iomega.com/


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1.3.2 Types of Memory

1.3.2.1 Understand different types of computer memory: e.g. RAM (random-access memory), ROM

(read-only memory). Understand when they are used.

What isRAM?

Random Access Memory (RAM) is the main 'working' memory used by thecomputer. When the operating system loads from disk when you firstswitch on the computer, it is copied into RAM. The original IBM PC couldonly use up to 640 KB of memory (just over half a megabyte), whereas amodern computer can effectively house as much RAM is you can afford tobuy! Commonly modern computers are supplied with over 64 MB of RAM.

As a rough rule, a Microsoft Windows based computer will operate faster ifyou install more RAM.

Data and programs stored in RAM are volatile (i.e. the information is lostwhen you switch off the computer).

What isROM?

Read Only Memory (ROM) as the name suggests is a special type ofmemory chip that holds software that can be read but not written to. Agood example is the ROM-BIOS chip, which contains read-only software.Often network cards and video cards also contain ROM chips.

What is theROM-BIOS?

The 'Read Only Memory Basic Input Output System' chip is a chip locatedon the computer's system (mother) board, which contains software. Thissoftware performs a variety of tasks. When you first switch on thecomputer the ROM-BIOS software performs a self-diagnostic to check thatthe computer is working OK. This software then loads your operatingsystem from the disk into the RAM.

What is flash

BIOS?

Most modern computers are actually supplied with a flash BIOS rather

than a ROM-BIOS. Thi

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