Computer Applications : CHAPTER 1

What is a Computer?

Computer is an electronic device for storing and processing data, typically in binary form, according to instructions given to it in a variable program. It also operates under the control of instructions stored in its own memory.

Components of Computer

A computer contains many electric, electronic, and mechanical components known as hardware

Computer hardware is the physical parts or components of a computer, such as the monitor, keyboard, computer data storage, hard disk drive (HDD), graphic cards, sound cards, memory (RAM), motherboard, and so on, all of which are tangible physical objects.

Input devices
Output devices
System unit
Storage devices
Communication devices

Advantages of using Computer

Speed
Reliability
Consistency
Storage
Communications

Disadvantages of using Computer

Health risk
Violation of Privacy
Public Safety
Impact on Labour Force
impact on Enviroment

Green Computing

Green computing is the environmentally responsible and eco-friendly use of computers and their resources. In broader terms, it is also defined as the study of designing, manufacturing/engineering, using and disposing of computing devices in a way that reduces their environmental impact.

NETWORKS & INTERNET

A computer network or data network is a telecommunications network which allows computers to exchange data. In computer networks, networked computing devices exchange data with each other using a data link. The connections between nodes are established using either cable media or wireless media.

Example of networks

The Internet is the global system of interconnected computer networks that use the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to link billions of devices worldwide.

Uses of Internet

Communication
Research and Access Infomation
Shop
Bank and Invest
Online Trading
Entertainment
Web Application

COMPUTER SOFTWARE

Software is a generic term for organized collections of computer data and instructions, often broken into two major categories: system software that provides the basic non-task-specific functions of the computer, and application software which is used by users to accomplish specific tasks.