BASIC COMPUTER

Computer Knowledge:

What is a Computer? Computer is a General-purpose machine, commonly consisting of digital circuitry, that accepts (inputs), stores, manipulates, and generates (outputs) data as numbers, text, graphics, voice, video files, or electrical signals, in accordance with instructions called a program.

*Father of the computer – Charles Babbage.

*Father of the modern computer – Alan Turing.

*Basic Architecture of Computer: John Von Neumann (1947-49).

*First Programmer: Lady Ada Lovelace (1880).

*First Electronic Computer: ENIAC (1946) – J.P. Eckert & J.W. Mauchly.

*The first computer for the home user introduced – IBM in 1981.

Full form of Computer:

• C – Commonly
• O – Operated
• M – Machine
• P – Particularly
• U – Used for
• T – Technical
• E-Education
• R – Research

Characteristics of Computer

• Speed
• Accuracy
• Storage
• Diligence
• Versatility
• Automation

Computer – An Introduction

• A computer is a device that can receive process and store data.
• However, all computers have several parts in common:
• Input devices allow data and commands to the computer (Mouse, Keyboard etc.)
• Memory for storing commands and data.
• Central Processing Unit which controls the processing.
• Monitor Process the information in the form of output.

Computer Knowledge – Main Parts of Computer

Hardware

• Computer hardware is what you can physically touch includes the computer case, monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
• It also includes all the parts inside the computer case, such as the hard disk drive, motherboard, video card, and many others.

Input Devices

• In computing, an input device is a peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment) used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system.
• It will control devices such as a computer or information appliance.

Examples: keyboards, mice, scanners, digital cameras and joysticks.

Keyboard

• A Keyboard is the most fundamental input device for any computer system.
• It helps to enter data on the computer.

Mouse

• A mouse is used to input data by sending a signal to the computer, based on hovering the cursor and selecting with the left mouse button.
• The left mouse acts as an ‘enter’ button. The right mouse button can be selected and will often pop up a window of choices.
• The scrolling wheel is used to move the view of the screen up or down.
• By moving your mouse to a location in a document, on a digital photo or over a choice of music, you can click the left mouse button to place the cursor.

Trackballs

• A trackball is an input device used to enter motion data into computers or other electronic devices.
• It serves the same purpose as a mouse but is designed with a moveable ball on the top, which can be rolled in any direction.
• Instead of moving the whole device, you simply roll the moveable ball on top of the trackball unit with your hand to generate motion input.

Memory 

Memory is the storage space in the computer where data get the process and instructions required for processing get store. The memory is split into a large number of small parts known as cells. Each location or cell has a unique address which varies from zero to memory size minus one.

Memory is of three types

• Cache Memory
• Primary Memory
• Secondary Memory

Cache Memory

Cache memory is a very high-speed semiconductor memory which can speed up CPU. It acts as a buffer between the CPU and main memory.

Primary Memory (Main Memory)

1. Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on which computer is currently working.
2. It has limited capacity and data is lost when power is switched off.
3. It is generally made up of the semiconductor device.
4. The data and instruction require being processed reside in main memory.

There are two sub-categories ROM and RAM in Primary memory.

RAM :

The RAM (random access memory) is the place in a computer where the operating system, application programs, and data in current use are kept.

RAM is much faster to read from and write to than the other kinds of storage in a computer, the hard disk, floppy disk, and CD-ROM.

It has two parts:

A. SRAM: Static Random Access Memory

B. DRAM: Dynamic Random Access Memory.

ROM:

As the name suggests ROM, stores information that can only be read. Modifying it is impossible or very difficult.

ROM is also a type of non-volatile storage, which means that the information in it stays even if the computer loses power.

This is another type of ROM that is impossible or difficult to change.

• PROM – Programmable Read Only Memory.
• EPROM – Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory.
• EEPROM – Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
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