Uses of Computer

Computer Basics:

Computer is a programmable electronic device that works according to the instruction giving by user. It has the ability to accept data, process it and give useful output.

Uses of Computer:

Computers play an important role in our everyday life. Let us look at some of the areas where computers are used.

At Home:

• Typing letters
• Drawing pictures
• Booking tickets
• Paying bills
• Listening music
• Watching movies.

At schools:

• For teaching
• For showing pictures and videos
• Typing circulars and Test papers
• Preparing time tables
• Maintaining fee records of students

In Shops:

• For making bills
• For Storing information like the price and quantity of each thing the shop sells

In Offices and Banks

• For sending and receiving emails
• For writing letters, notices, etc.
• For doing calculations
• For storing information about work
• For storing information about the people who do not work

In Hospitals

• For storing information about patients, doctors, medicines, etc.
• For doing various medical tests
• For making reports and bills

At railway stations and airports:

• For booking tickets
• Keep tracks of the details when a train or an aeroplane will come and when it will leave
• Keep tracks of the details the number of seats available in a train or an aeroplane.
• For making charts that show our seat numbers

Some Others Uses of Computers:

• For designing buildings, books, clothes and machines.
• For making movies and cartoons.
• For scientific research.
• Store information about books in a library

Characteristics of a Computer:

Speed:
A computer can perform large number of calculations in a fraction of a second.

Accuracy:
A computer always gives correct results. If the data given as input to the computer is correct.

Diligence:
A computer does not get tired. It can keep working for long hours, and can do the same work again and again, with the same accuracy and speed.

High Storage:
The present-day computer is capable of storing large amounts of data and programs for future use. This data can be retrieved as and when required.

Working of a Computer:

A computer receives data or instructions through the input devices. The entered data is processed or changed into meaningful information by the CPU (Central Processing Unit). The result of processing is known as output. The output displayed through the output devices. Storage devices are used to store the results or the output that they can be used later.

The following diagram illustrates the concept of working of a computer system in relation of IPO (Input-Process-Output) cycle.

INPUT DEVICES:

An input device is a hardware or peripheral device takes data and instructions from us and converts them into binary form that the computer can understand. Some of the devices which are used to enter data into the computer are as follows:

Keyboard:

A computer keyboard is an input device that allows a person to enter letters, numbers, and other symbols. Using a keyboard to enter lots of data is called typing. A keyboard can be connected to the computer through a wire or through a wireless connection.

Mouse:

A computer mouse is a handheld hardware input device that controls a cursor in a GUI (graphical user interface) and can move and select text, icons, files, and folders on your computer. A mouse can be a ball mouse, an optical mouse or a wireless mouse.

• The ball mouse has a small metal or rubber ball under it. The movement of the mouse causes the ball to move.

• The optical mouse uses light beam or light-emitting diode (LED) to detect the motion of the mouse.

• A wireless mouse is not attached to the computer through a wire. Instead, the mouse uses some manner of wireless technology, like Bluetooth, infrared radio waves. Usually, a USB receiver is plugged into the computer and receives signals from the wireless mouse. A wireless mouse is more expensive than an optical or a ball mouse.

You can perform different actions with a computer mouse. They are discussed here-

Left-click: 

When you press and release the left mouse button, it is called left-click. Left-clicking the mouse button lets you select an item on a computer screen.

Right-click: 

When you press and release the right mouse button, it is called right-click. Right-clicking a mouse displays a list of options related to the clicked item.

Double-click: 

you quickly press and release the left mouse button twice, it is called double-click. Double-clicking opens the window or a program related to the clicked item.

Drag-and-drop: 

Drag-and-drop is used to change the position of an item.

Scanner:

A scanner is a device that is used for creating a digital copy of the printed images or documents. The digital copy can be edited, sent as attachments through emails or saved. There are various types of scanners such as flatbed scanners, sheet-fed scanners, Drum scanners and handheld scanners. The most commonly used is the flatbed scanner.

Microphone:

A microphone is used to input sound into a computer. It helps in recording your voice or other sounds.

CPU (Central Processing Unit):

The Central Processing unit is also called as brain or heart of a computer. It is also called as "PROCESSOR". The process of changing the entered data into meaningful information is known as processing. The different component of CPU are-

Arithmetic Logical Unit (ALU) :

Here arithmetic logic unit performs all arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It also uses logic operation for comparison.

Control Unit (CU):

Control unit of a CPU controls the entire operation of the computer. It also controls all devices such as memory, input/output devices connected to the CPU.

Memory Unit:

CPU stores all the data and instructions that need to be processed in the memory unit. The memory unit then passes this data and instructions to the ALU or CU

OUTPUT DEVICES:

An output device takes data in the binary form from the computer and converts it into a form that we can read i.e. user-readable form. Some of the devices which are used to display the processed result or output are as follows:

Monitor:

A computer monitor is an output device that displays information in pictorial form. It is also known as VDU (Visual Display Unit). The picture on a monitor is made up of thousands of tiny colored dots called pixels or picture elements. The quality and details of a picture depend on the number of pixels that the monitor can display. The higher number of pixels, the better is the quality of the output. There can two types of monitors-

1. CRT (Cathode Ray Tube):  CRT is the old style monitors that are bulky and heavy.
2. TFT (Thin Film Transistor): TFT is a liquid crystal display (LCD) technology. All LCD color display such as televisions use TFT technology. TFT monitors are thin and lightweight.

Printer:

Printers are output devices which are used to prepare permanent output on paper.  The output of the printer taken on paper is known as hard copy. There can two types of Printers-

Impact Printers: 

An impact printer is a class of printers that functions by making physical contact with an ink ribbon before striking the page.

Examples: Daisy wheel, dot matrix and line printers

Non-impact printer: 

Non-impact printer prints without making contact with the paper. They are generally quieter and more efficient than their impact counterparts.

Examples: Laser printer and Inkjet printers

Plotter:

A plotter is a special output device used to produce hard copies of large graphs and designs on paper, such as construction maps, engineering drawings, architectural plans and business charts. 

Speaker:

A computer speaker is an output hardware device that connects to a computer to generate sound. The signal used to produce the sound that comes from a computer speaker is created by the computer's sound card.

STORAGE DEVICES:

A storage device is used to store information for future use. The devices used for storing data are known as secondary storage devices, like hard disks, CDs, DVDs and pen drives. Sometimes we need to copy files from a computer. We copy files using CDs, DVDs or pen drives. These help us carry files to other computers. Remember that these are not parts of a computer.

Hard Disk:

A hard disk is the main storage device found inside a computer. It can store large amounts of data. All the work done on a computer can be stored on the hard disk.

CD:

CD stands for Compact Disc. CDs are circular in shape and can store approximately 700 MB of data. It can easily carried from one place to another. Most of the programs and games that you used on your computer are also available on CDs. To use a CD, we put it into the CD drive of the computer.

DVD:

DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc. A DVD looks like a CD but can store more data than it. You can store many movies and games in a DVD. To use a DVD, we put it into the DVD drive of the computer.

Pen Drive:

Pen drive is a storage device which is very small in size. It can easily carried in a pocket or bag. A pen drive can be used to store and transfer data from one computer to another. Pen drives can store more information than CDs and DVDs. To use a pen drive, we plug it into the computer. 

Computer Hardware and software:

The various components that makes up a computer system can be broadly classified into hardware and software.

Hardware

Hardware refers to the physical parts of a computer that you can touch and feel. For example, the computer monitor you are using to read this text and the mouse you are using to navigate this web page are computer hardware.

Software

Hardware alone cannot perform any function. It has to be given instructions. A set of instructions given to the computer to perform a given task is called computer program or software. For Example, Paint, Tux Paint, Notepad and Microsoft Word are software.

Difference between computer hardware and software:

	Hardware		Software
1.	Physical parts of the computer are called hardware.	1.	A set of instructions given to the computer is called software.
2.	You can touch, see and feel hardware.	2.	You cannot touch and feel software.
3.	If hardware is damaged, it is replaced with new one.	3.	If software is damaged or corrupted, its backup copy can be reinstalled.
4.	Hardware is not affected by computer viruses.	4.	Software is affected by computer viruses.
5.	User cannot make new duplicate copies of the hardware.	5.	User can make many new duplicate copies of the software.

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