Computer Concepts

COMPUTER CONCEPTS

A computer is a machine that processes data and performs tasks according to a set of instructions. To do anything, computer must be give specific directions to follow. They get these directions from software. Software, such as that used for word processing, is a set of step-by-step instruction for the computer, written by computer programmers in a programming language like BASIC, Pascal, or C.

Computers also get instructions from you, the user. When you use the mouse (more in a moment about this tool) or the keyboard, you are giving instructions, or input, to your computer. That is why the mouse and keyboard are sometimes referred to as input devices.

Hardware is computer equipment. It carries out the software instructions. Hardware includes the central processing unit (CPU) as well as the monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, and other peripherals. Peripheral is the name used for a piece of hardware that works with the CPU.

USING YOUR COMPUTER SAFELY

Follow these guidelines to use your computer safely:

1. Keep air vents unobstructed to prevent the computer from overheating. 2. Keep food and liquids away from your computer. If something does spill, unplug the computer and notify your instructor immediately. 3. Do not expose disks to excessive heat, cold, or moisture or to magnets, x-ray devices, or direct sunlight. 4. Use a felt-tip marker, not a ballpoint pen or pencil, to write on disk labels. 5. Do not remove a disk form the drive when the in-use light is on.

STARTING YOUR COMPUTER

Follow these steps to start your computer:

1. Remove any disks from the disk drives. 2. Turn on the power. You may need to flip a switch or press a button on the CPU or press a button or key on the keyboard. You may also have to turn on the monitor separately.

Your computer may take a few moments to power up. The computer will execute a series of automatic steps that will load the operating system. The operating system—Windows® XP, for example—is the program that manages other programs on the computer.1 It will prepare the computer to receive your instructions and run software.

GETTING AROUND THE DESKTOP

The screen on your monitor is your desktop. Like the desk where you are sitting, your computer desktop is your main work area. It likely contains icons (picture symbols) for programs and documents, some resembling file folders that contain programs and documents. You probably have a taskbar or menu bar at the top or bottom of the screen (more about these in a moment). From here, you can start programs, find files, get information about your computer, and shut down the computer when you are finished.

A mouse is a tool for getting around the desktop. The same mouse actions are used in any software, though the results may vary depending on the software and version. Here are the basic ways to use a mouse:

* Point. Move the mouse (roll it on the work surface) so that the pointer (the arrow that represents the mouse’s position on the screen) points to an item. * Click. Press the left mouse button one and let go. * Double-click. Press the left mouse button twice quickly and let go. * Drag. Press and hold down the left mouse button and move the pointer to another location.

WHAT IS APPLICATION SOFTWARE?

You have probably heard the term application, application software, and application program. They all mean the same thing. Application software is a computer program designed to perform a specific task directly for the user or for another application. Some common types of application software are word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, and Internet software.

1Windows® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.