What is a Computer?A computer is an

electronic device that manipulates information or "data."

It has the ability to:

You can use a a computer to:• type documents,

• send email,

• and surf the Internet.

You can also use it to handle

spreadsheets, accounting, database management,presentation, games, and more.

• withdraw cash from an ATM, • you scan groceries at the store,

• use a calculator

1. The Mainframe Computer – These are computers used by large organizations like meteorological surveys and statistical institutes for performing bulk mathematical computations.

What are the Different Types of Computers?

Main Frame

2. The Microcomputer

These are the most frequently used computers better known by the name of “Personal computers”. This is the type of computer meant for public use.

Desktop Computers

Laptop

Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

Tablet PC

Handheld Computers

3. The Mini computer

Mini computers like the mainframe computers are used by business organization. The difference being that it can support the simultaneous working of up to 100 users.

It is usually maintained in business organizations for the maintenance of accounts and finances.

Mini Computer

Other Types of Computers

Workstations are similar to desktop computers, but are more powerful and are usually connected to a network.

Servers are specialized computers that store and deliver, or “serve up,” information to other computers on a network.

There are many different types of servers such as file servers, database servers, and web servers

All types of computers consist of two basic parts –

Hardware

Software.

HardwareThe term hardware describes the physical parts of your computer which you can physically touch or see.

What are the Basic Parts of a

Desktop Computer?

The System Unit - The case or box that contains the computer's power supply, storage devices, and the main circuit board with the computer's main processor and memory.

Front Panel Back Panel

Monitor- The monitor displays the video and graphics information generated by the computer through the video card. Monitors are very similar to televisions

Keyboard- A piece of hardware that resembles a typewriter keyboard. It is an input device It is one of the primary ways we communicate with the computer and enter data.

Mouse-is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface

Computer Peripherals

Printer-is a peripheral which produces a hard copy (permanent Readable text and/or graphics) of documents stored in electronic Form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies.

Head phone and microphone

Web Camera

MP3 Players

It describes the programs that run on your system. This includes your computer operating system and other computer programs which run

Software

Operating System (OS) It is the most important software

that runs on a computer.

It is any set of instructions that performs some task on a computer.

It performs many essential tasks for your computer.

It controls the memory needed for computer processes,

manages disk space, controls peripheral devices, and allows you to communicate

with the computer without knowing exactly how a computer works.

Without an operating system, a computer is useless.

Types of Operating Systems 

Operating System Types Windows XP Professional Edition

Windows XP Home Edition Windows 2000 Windows ME Windows 98 Windows NT Windows 95

UnixLinuxApple MacIntosh

Software Applications

Applications are programs that are installed. on computers to give users the ability to do specific tasks.

Word Processing Spreadsheet Database Presentation Graphics Music/media players Games Web Browsers Graphic Art software Desktop Publishing software Multimedia Development software HTML editors, Digital Animation editors Digital Audio and Video composition

The Standard Keyboard Layout

Some Rules for Making a Presentation

Word Processing A word processor (more

formally known as document preparation system) is a computer application used for the production (including composition, editing, formatting, and possibly printing) of any sort of printable material.

Word processors are descended from early text formatting tools (sometimes called text justification tools, from their only real capability). Word processing was one of the earliest applications for the personal computer in office productivity.

Microsoft Word is the most widely used computer word processing system; Microsoft estimates over five hundred million people use the Office suite, which includes Word. There are also many other commercial word processing applications, such as WordPerfect, which dominated the market from the mid-1980s to early-1990s, particularly for machines running Microsoft's MS-DOS operating system. Open-source applications such as Abiword, KWord, LyX and OpenOffice.org Writer are rapidly gaining in popularity.

Presentation A presentation software is a

computer software package used to display information, normally in the form of a slide show. It typically includes three major functions: an editor that allows text to be inserted and formatted, a method for inserting and manipulating graphic images and a slide-show system to display the content.

How to Create a Presentation? Start with a template (background) on

which your text, pictures, graphs or videos will be shown. (FILE » NEW » FROM TEMPLATE)

Choose the format of your slide, for instance, If you want to have a single slide with text on the right and a picture on the left. Choose the text or content layout. (INSERT » NEW SLIDE)

If you want to type text, choose a "slide layout" with a text box as shown in the sample template picture. Same process for a picture, movie or sound file.

To insert anything (text, charts, whatever), simply click on the designated box to activate it and start inserting away.

To play the presentation go to: VIEW » SLIDE SHOW or press "F5".

Amelyn P. Abella, MAT H.E.

ICT CoordinatorIlocos Sur National High

SchoolVigan City (Ilocos Sur)