Computing Fundamentals:

An Introductory Course for Computer

Enthusiast
LESSON 1 - Introduction to Computers
Being a modern-day kid you must have used, seen, or read about computers.
This is because they are an integral part of our everyday existence. Be it school,
banks, shops, railway stations, hospital or your own home, computers are present
everywhere, making our work easier and faster for us. As they are such integral
parts of our lives, we must know what they are and how they function. Let us start
with defining the term computer formally.
The literal meaning of computer is a device that can calculate. However, modern
computers can do a lot more than calculate. Computer is an electronic device is an
electronic device which consist of several components that together provide the
capability of executing a stored program

Evolution of Computer
Year Development
- Computations are done by sliding
 2000 B.C beads on a wire arranged on a
ABACUS tray. The term abacus came from
the Greek word abax, meaning flat
surface.

- John Napier, a Scottish

mathematician, became famous
for his invention of logarithms.
The use of “logs” reduced a
1617 problem of subtraction.
 Logs and Bones - He invented a computing device
using a set of sticks called bones
which can perform both
multiplication and division.

- Blaise Pascal, a French

mathematician, invented the
arithmetic engine the first
 1642- ARITHMETIC ENGINE successful mechanical calculator,
which can subtract numbers up to
eight digits.

 1670 - STEPPED RECKONER - Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz

 invented a calculator which can
multiply and divide ‘directly, as
well as extract square roots.

- Joseph Marie Jacquard was the

first to successfully use punch
cards both for storing information
and for controlling the machine.
- The Jacquard Loom utilized a
wooden card with holes punched
into it that were "read" by the
 1800- JACQUARD’S LOOM
loom and it would then weave the
pattern.
- The Jacquard Loom utilized a
wooden card with holes punched
into it that were "read" by the
loom and it would then weave the
pattern.

- It is a calculator which can

compile accurate navigational and
 1822- DIFFERENCE ENGINE
artillery tables. Invented by
Charles Babbage.

- The machine that has two basic

 1835- ANALYTCAL ENGINE
components: memory and mill.

- First female computer

 Lady Augusta Ada King
programmer.

- Became the perfect tool for

designing the logic circuits of
 1827- BOOLEAN ALGEBRA
computers developed by George
Boole.

 1884- Punched card - Automatic punched card

tabulating machine tabulating machine and invented
by Dr. Herman Hollerith.
- Constructed an electromechanical
machine using perforated cards
for use in the first computerized
U.S census in 1890.
- -was the first commercially
successful data processing
 machine.
-
- The Atlantic cable of 1858 was
established to carry instantaneous
communications across the ocean
for the first time. Here, the cable
on the left is representative of a
 1858-1866 style that remained in use for
almost 100 years. The cable on
the right, a coaxial cable, was part
of the first transatlantic telephone
cable laid in 1956. Smithsonian
Photo by Alfred Harrell.

- The invention of the modern

computer keyboard began with
the invention of the typewriter
Christopher Latham Sholes
 1868-Typewriter
patented the typewriter that we
commonly use today in 1868. The
Remington Company mass
marketed the first typewriters
starting in 1877
- Christopher Latham Sholes[was an
American inventor who invented
the first practical typewriter and
 1873- QWERTY key board
the QWERTY keyboard still in use
today He was also a newspaper
publisher and Wisconsin politician

- created a keyboard whose keys

were arranged solely with
efficiency in mind. The Dvorak
keyboard placed all the vowels of
the alphabet and the five most
common consonants on the
 1936- August Dvorak central row so they could be easily
accessed, while also evenly
dividing the work between the left
and right hands. What's more, the
most frequent letters of the
alphabet were placed at the centre
of the keyboard.
 - VLADIMIR ZWORYKIN, a Russian
 1928- CRT immigrant, invented the Cathode
Ray Tube

- The very early binary computer

invented by Konrad Zuse.
- It was a binary electrically driven
mechanical calculator with limited
programmability, reading
 1931- Z1 Computer
instructions from punched tape.
- The Z1 was the first freely
programmable computer in the
world which used Boolean logic
and binary floating point numbers.

- The machine which was powered

by electricity and used vacuum
tubes.
- The first automatic digital
 1939-ABC Computer computer developed by JOHN
VINCENT ATANASOFF and with
the help of CLIFFORD BERRY,
JOHN MAUCHLY AND J. PRESPER
ECKERT.

- A huge version of the ABC created

by Allan Turing.
- Designed to decode German
 1943- Colossus
messages. It was also powered by
electricity and used vacuum tubes
for its computing circuitry.

 1944- Mark 1 - Automatic Sequence Controlled

Calculator constructed by Howard
Aiken in collaboration with the IBM
engineers.
- It could perform the four basic
arithmetic operations; locate
stored information and process
numbers up to 23 digits long.
- Multiply three eight digit numbers
in one second.
- The first automatic general
purpose digital computer
 - Dr. Grace Murray Hopper, a rear
admiral in the United States Navy-
known for his discovery of the first
 1945- 1st Computer Bug
computer bug. A moth on the
wires of the computer causing it to
malfunction.

- The speed of calculation is a

thousand times faster than the
best mechanical calculator. It has
 1946- Electronic Numerical 20 accumulators, one could
Integrator and Calculator perform 5,000 additions of ten-
(ENIAC) digit numbers in one second.
Limitation is it could only store 20
ten-digit numbers in memory at
any given time.

- It was designed by John von

Neumann with the help of Mauchly
and Eckert.
 1946- Electronic Discrete - Considered the first stored
Variable Automatic Computer program computer. One major
(EDVAC) points of this von Neuman
architecture was the use of a
central and coordinates all
computers function.

- The first commercial computer

designed by John Mauchly and
Presper Eckert.
 1951 (UNIVAC)- Universal
- It can store programs in a
Automatic Computer
memory device that makes it
capable of changing and
modifying the program easily.

 1954- (FORTRAN) - The first successful high-level

Formula Translator. programming language produced
by John Backus and his IBM
Team.
- Used to create scientific programs
on microcomputers and
mainframes.
- The first successful FORTRAN
 program was ran by Harlan
Herrick

- The first hard drive for mainframe

 1956- Hard drive for called RAMAC 305, has a total
mainframe computer. capacity of 5 Mb containing 50
pieces of 24-in. diameter platters.
-
- -build by Jack Kilby on a piece of
germanium half an inch long and
 1958- First ICBuilt
thinner than a toothpick
containing 5 components.

- Seymour Cray built the first fully

 1958- Cray Computer transistorized supercomputers for
Control Data Corporation
-
- The first minicomputer equipped
 PDP-1 with keyboard and monitor and
developed by Benjamin Curley.

- - Invented by Douglas Engelbart.

 1962- Mouse 1963 als demonstrated his system
keyboard, keypad.

- Beginners All Purpose Symbolic

Instruction Code programming
language was developed by John
 1964-Basic Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz of
Darthmouth
- IBM coined the term “Word
Processing”.

- American Standard Code for

 ASCII Information Interchange- standard
code for data transfer.

 CDC 6600 - Developed by Seymour Cray- the

first architecture to use functional
parallelism (using multiple
functional units overlapping CPU
and I/O operation and pipelining)
in both instruction and data
stream.
 - Gordon Moore, predicted that
transistor density on integrated
 1965- Moore’s Law
circuit would double every
eighteen months

- Richard L. Wexelbat , University of

 1st Ph.D in Computer Science
Pennyslvania.

 1967- First Floppy Disk - The first floppy disk was built by
Allan Shugart of IBM.
- Developed by Dennis Ritchie and
 1972- C Brian Kernighan a C programming
language.

- Wrote by Bill Gates and Paul Allen

from Harvard, the first
programming language for the
Altair, which was called BASIC and
 1975- BASIC
licensed it to MITS (Micro
Instrumentation Telemetry
Systems) in exchange for royalty
payment.

- Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs

finished the computer circuit
board of the Apple 1 Computer.
 1976- Apple 1 Computer
They form formed a company
called APPLE COMPUTER
COMPANY on April Fool’s Day.

- Wrote by Robert Barnaby

- One of the most popular and best
selling word processors. It is a
program that aids the user in
producing reports, letters, papers
and manuscript with ease.
 1979-WordStar
- GYPSY one of the first word
processors termed “WYSIWYG”
(what you see is what you get)
developed by XEROX PARC in
1975 which runs on the Alto
personal computer.
 - Created by MICROSOFT an
 1980-MS DOS (Microsoft Disk operating system to be used for
Operating System) its soon-to-be launched Personal
Computer.

- Created by Dr. Bjarne Stroustrup

 C++ of Bell Laboratories. It is an
object-oriented version on C.

- Became the spreadsheet software

 1983- Lotus 1-2-3
choice for microcomputers.

 1985-Windows - A n operating system introduced

by Microsoft
- Timothy Berners-Lee created the
technology underlying the World
Wide Web (www).
 WORDL WIDE WEB (WWW) - He proposed a global network of
stored documents that allow
physics researchers to access and
exchange information.

- Founded by Larry Page and

 1995- Google
Sergey Brin

- Created by Jerry Yang and David

 1997- YAHOO!
Filo

- Developed by Honda Corporation

of Japan.
 2003-ASIMO
- A robot that can walk like a
human.

- Created by Mark Zuckerberg

together with his college
roommates and fellow Harvard
University students Eduardo
 2004- FACEBOOK
Saverin, Andrew
McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz,
and Chris Hughes

LESSON 2 - Computers for Individuals Users

 Most computers are meant to be used by only one person at a time. Such
computers are often shared by several people (such as those in your school’s
computer lab), but only one user can work with the machine at any given
moment.
Types of Computers
1. Mini Computer
2. Mainframe Computer
3. Super Computers

Mini Computers
First released in the 1960s, minicomputers got their name because of their
small size compared to other computers of the day. The capabilities of a
minicomputer are somewhere between those of mainframes and personal
computers. Like mainframes, minicomputers can handle much more input and
output than personal computers can, although some minis are designed for a
single user, the most powerful minicomputers can serve the input and output
needs of hundreds of users at time. Users can access a central minicomputer
through a terminal or standard PC.

Categories of Mini Computer

 Desktop computers
 Workstation
  Notebook computers
 Tablet computers
 Handheld computers
 Smart phones
These systems are all examples of personal computers (PCs) a term that refers
to any computer system that is designed for use by a single person. Personal
computers are also called microcomputers, because they are among the
smallest computers crate for people to use.
Desktop computer is a personal computer that is designed to sit on (or under)
a desk or table. These are the systems you see all around you, in schools,
homes, and offices. Today’s desktop computers are far more powerful than those
of just a few years ago, and are used for amazing array of tasks. Not only do
these machines enable people to do their jobs with greater ease and efficiency,
but they can be used to communicate, produce music, edit photographs and
videos, play sophisticated games, and much more.
Workstation is specialized single-user computer that typically has more
power and features than a standard desktop PC. These kind of machines are
popular among scientists, engineers, and animators who need a system with
greater-than-average speed and the power to perform sophisticated tasks.
Workstation often have large high-resolution monitors and accelerated graphics
handling capabilities making them suitable for advanced architectural or
engineering design, modeling, animation, and video editing.
Notebook Computers as their name implies, approximate the shape of an
8.5x11 inch notebook and easily fit inside a briefcase. Because people frequently
set these devices on their lap, they are also called laptop computers. Notebook
computers can operate on alternating current or special batteries. Some
notebook computers are designed to be plugged into a docking station, which
may include a large monitor, a full-size keyboard and mouse, or other device.
Table PCs is the newest development in portable, full-featured computers. It
also offers functionality of a notebook PC, but they are lighter and can accept
input from a special pen- called a stylus or a digital pen- that is used to tap or
write directly on the screen.
Handheld PCs- are computing device small enough to fit in your hand. A
popular type of handheld computer is the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). A PDA
is no larger than a small appointment book and is normally appointment book
and is normally used for special applications, such as taking notes, displaying
telephone numbers and addresses, and keeping track of dates or agendas. Many
PDA let the user access the Internet through a wireless connection, and several
models offer features such as cellular telephones, cameras, music players, and
global positioning systems.
Smart Phones- offer advanced features such as accessing e-mail, taking clear
photos, searching on the web and even watching a video.

Mainframe Computers
Mainframe computers are
used in a large
organization such as
insurance companies and
banks, where many people
frequently need to use the
same data. Mainframes
are large, powerful
systems. The larges
mainframe can handle the
processing needs of
indiatimes.com thousands of users at any
given moment. But what
these systems offer in power, they lock in flexibility. Most mainframe systems are
designed to handle only a specific set of tasks. You may have interacted with a
mainframe system without even knowing it. For example, if you have ever visited
and airlines website to reserve a flight, you probably conducted a transaction
with a mainframe computer.

Supercomputers
Supercomputers are the most
powerful computers made, and
physically they are some of the
largest. These systems can
process huge amounts of data,
and the fastest supercomputers
can perform more than one
nbcnews.com trillion calculations per second.
Some supercomputers can house thousands’ of processors. This kind of
computers is ideal for handling large and highly complex problems that require
extreme calculation power. For example, supercomputers have long been used in
mapping of the human genome, forecasting weather, and modeling complex
processes like nuclear fission.

Computers in the Home

Home computing
has increased
dramatically over
the last few years
as computers and
Internet access
have become less
expensive and an
increasing number
of computer-
related consumer
activities have
become available.
Use of the
Internet at home today.com
to look up
information, exchange e-mail, shop, download music and movies, research
products, pay bills and manage bank account, check news and weather, store
and organize digital photos, play games, plan vacations, and so forth has grown
at an astounding pace. Home computing for work purposes is also increasing
rapidly. Working entirely from home, such as telecommuting for a company or
working from home as a consultant, is more acceptable today as a result of fast
Internet access and the wide use of e-mail, telephone calls, teleconferencing,
and videoconferencing for business communications.
Wireless networking connections have added to the convenience of home
computing, allowing the use of computers in places other than traditional
locations such as a home office. Computing technologies also make it possible to
have smart appliances- traditional appliances with some type of built-in computer
or communications technology. For instance, the smart oven both refrigerates
and cooks can be controlled by the user via a telephone or the Internet. Smart
homes in which household’s tasks (such as watering the lawn, turning the air
conditioning on or off, making coffee, monitoring the security of the home and
grounds, and managing Internet access and home entertainment devices) are
controlled by a main computer in the home are also becoming closer to reality.

Computers in Education
Today’s youths could definitely
be called the computing
generation. Baby boomers
may have been introduced to
computers at college or on the
job. From video games to
computers at school and
home, and most children and
teens today have been
exposed to computers and
related technology all their
lives. Although the amount of
computer use varies from
school to school, students in
elementary and secondary
schools typically have access
to computers either in the
classroom or in a computer
lab, and virtually all colleges
have some sort of computing
facility available for student
use. Colleges and universities
computer use is typically much
more integrated into daily classroom activities. A growing number of college
campuses have wireless hotspots on campus that allow students to use their PCs
to connect wirelessly to the college network and the Internet from anywhere in
the campus. College students today are typically expected to use the Internet for
research, as well as to use computers to prepare papers and classroom
presentation and to access online course materials. In fact, some institutions
require a computer for enrollment. Most college instructors use computers to
prepare handouts and exams, to prepare and deliver classroom presentation and
lectures, and to create and maintain course Web pages, room learning that
allows students to participate their current location via Internet connection,
instead of physically going to the educational institution. Distance learning
students can do coursework and participate in class discussions from home,
work, or wherever they happen to be at the moment. Consequently, distance
learning gives students grate flexibility to schedule class time around their
personal, family, and work commitments. Distance learning also allows students,
such as individual located in very areas or stationed at military posts overseas, to
take courses when they are not able to physically attend classes.

Computers in the Workplace

Although computers have been used in
the workplace for years, their role is
continually evolving. Originally used as a
research too for computer experts and
scientist, and then as a productivity tool
for office workers, the computers are
used today by all types of employees in
all types of business form the CEO of
multinational corporation, to the check-
out clerk at the grocery store, to the
traveling sales professional, to the police
officer on patrol, to the insurance
adjuster in the field, to the doctors and
nurses at the local hospitals, to the auto
machine at the local garage. In essence, Cyber Defense Service which are used in military
the computer has become a universal purposes. pinterest.com
tool for on-the-job decision making,
productivity, and communications.
Once of the fastest growing new uses for workplace computing is in the
service industry, in which service professionals- such as food servers, repair
technicians, and delivery people-use portable computers to record and process
customers’ orders, as well as to capture customer signatures for purchases,
deliveries, and other provided services. Freight companies need computers to
manage the thousands of ships, planes, trains, and trucks that are moving goods
at any given moment. In addition to tracking vehicle location and tracking items.
Computers can manage maintenance, driver schedules, invoices and billing.
Computers are also used extensively by military personnel for
communications and navigational purposes, as well as to control missiles and
other weapons, identify terrorists and other potential enemies, and perform
other necessary tasks. To update their computer skills, when needed employees
in all lines of work today may take computer training classes or enroll in
computer certification programs

Computer in Government
Today, computers play a crucial part in nearly every government agency:
 Population. The U.S Census Bureau was one of the first organizations to use
computer technology, recruiting mechanical computers known as “difference
engines” to assist in tallying the American population in the early 20 th century

 Taxes: Can you imagine trying to calculate tax bill without the help of
computers? Neither could the Internal Revenue Service. In fact, IRS new
encourages taxpayers to file their tax returns online, via the Internet.
 Health Care: Pay a visit to your family doctor or the local hospitals, and you’ll
find yourself surrounded by computerized equipment of all kinds. Computers,
in facts are making health care more efficient and accurate while helping
providers bring down costs. Many different health care procedures now
involve computers, from ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, to laser
eye surgery and fetal monitoring. Surgeons now can use robotic surgical
devices to perform delicate operations and even to conduct surgeries
remotely. New virtual-reality technologies are being used to train new
surgeons in cutting-edge techniques, without cutting an actual patient.
 UNIT 2
Computer System Elements
Learning Outcomes
1. Acquaint to the components of the system unit
2. Demonstrate how memory stores data, instructions, and information; and
how the system unit executes an instruction.
3. Apply and demonstrate the roles user when working with a computer

Overview: Dissecting the Ultimate Machine

Most people believe that computers must be extremely complicated devices,
because they perform such amazing tasks. To an extent, this is true. As you will
learn later in this lesson, the closer you look at a computer’s operation, the more
complex the system becomes.
But like any machine, a computer is a collection of parts, which re categories
according to the kinds of work they do.
What does a computer do?

STORAGE

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

The information processing cycle has four phases and each part, and phase involves
one or more specific components of the computer.
1. Input- During this part of the cycle, the computer accepts data from some
source, such as the user or program, for processing
2. Processing- During this part of the cycle, the computer’s processing
components perform actions on the data, based on instructions from the user
or a program.
3. Storage- In this step, the computer permanently stores the result of its
processing on a disk, or some other kind of storage medium. As with output,
storage is optional and may not always be required by the user or program.
4. Output- Here, the computer may be required to display the results of its
processing. For example, the results may appear as text, numbers, or a
graphic on the computer’s screen or as sounds from its speaker. The
computer also can send output to a printer or transfer the output to another
computer through a network or the Internet. Output is an optional step in the
information processing cycle but may be ordered by the user or program.

ELEMENTS OF COMPUTER SYSTEM

A. Hardware
B. Software
C. Peopleware

A. THE HARDWARE
- Refers to the physical components of a computer that you can actually
touch, such as the keyboard, monitor, and central processing unit.

Categories of computer hardware

1. Input
2. Output
3. CPU
 4. Storage devices
5. Telecommunication devices
6. Connecting devices

1. INPUT DEVICES
- Captures information and translates it into a form that can be processed
and used by other parts of the computer.

Examples
Sensor, Mouse, Scanner, etc.…

2. Output devices
- Consists of devices which communicate the result of processing back to
the user into a form recognizable by a human operator

Examples
Monitor, Speaker, Printer, projector, etc.…

3. CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT(CPU)

- Its main function is to perform arithmetic and logical operations on data
taken from the primary storage

FIVE BASIC COMPONENTS OF (CPU)

1. Main Storage - Also called memory or primary storage is where

instructions and data are stored while processing is done.

Types of memory inside the main storage

a. Random Access Memory(RAM)
- Is an electronic, or volatile state. When the computer is off,
RAM is empty; when it is on, RAM is capable of receiving
and holding a copy of the software instructions and data
necessary for processing.

The ram is used for the following purposes:

• Storage of a copy of the main systems program that

controls the general operation of the computer. This copy
is loaded into RAM when the computer is turn on; it stays
there as long as the computer is on.

• Temporary storage of a copy of application program

 instructions to be retrieved by the central processing unit
(CPU) for interpretation and execution.

• Temporary storage of data that has been input from the

keyboard or other input device until instructions call for
the data to be transferred into the CPU for processing.

• Temporary storage of data that has been produced as a

result of processing until instructions call for the data to
be used again in subsequent processing or to be

b. Read Only Memory (ROM)

- Contains stored instruction that a computer requires to be
able to do its basic routine operations. This part is non-
volatile; the instructions still hold even when there is power
interruption or shut-off.
-
2. Registers - are the part of the CPU that function as fast-accessed
temporary memory locations.

3. Buses - are bundles of tiny wires that serve as the communication

path between components of the CPU. The three most important
buses are the address, data and control buses.

4. Arithmetic Unit - Performs all the arithmetic and logical calculations

of the CPU, consist of addition, subtraction, division and
multiplication.

5. Control Unit - s responsible for directing the flow of instructions and

data within the CPU

4. Storage Devices
- Stores information so you can recall and use that information at a later
time.

Three major technology types that store information

 Magnetic
 Optical
 Flash Memory

a. Magnetic Storage Devices

- Are the most common types of personal storage technologies. Can be
Internal (built into the system unit) or external (connected from
outside the system unit.)
 Examples:
Internal and external magnetic Hard Disks, Floppy Disks and Zip
Disks

Internal Magnetic Hard Disk - is a magnetic hard disk that is contained in

your system unit and is your primary storage device for both information
and the software you use.

Hard Disk Drive - which is a magnetic storage device with one or more
thin metal platters (or disk) that store information sealed inside the disk drive

External Magnetic Hard Disk- drives are portable storage units that you
can connect to your computer as necessary.

Floppy Disks and Zip Disks - these media are useful for storing files of
information for backup or security purposes, or for transferring files from
one computer to another. A memorable magnetic storage medium that
holds about 1.44 megabytes of information. Zip disk- is a high capacity
removable magnetic storage medium.

b. Optical Storage Media

Examples

CD-ROM, CD-RW, CD-R, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, DVD-R

 CD -Is great for photos, music, graphics, and other “heavy”

types of files.
 Compact disc read-only memory(CD-ROM)- is an optical or
laser disc whose information cannot be change
 Compact disc-recordable (CD-R) – is an optical disc to which
you can write one time only.
 CD-RW (compact disc, rewriteable)- is an optical or laser
disc on which you can save, change, and delete files as
often as you like.
 Digital Video Disk(DVD) – can store between 90 minutes and
8 hours of video.
 DVD-ROM – is a high capacity optical or laser disc whose
information can’t be changed.
 DVD-R – is a high-capacity optical or laser disc to which you
can write only one time.
  DVD-RW- is a very high-capacity optical laser disc on which
you can save, change, and delete files.

FLASH MEMORY CARDS

• Have a high-capacity storage laminated inside a small piece
of plastic.
• Examples
• Compact Flash cards
• Xd-Picture cards
• Smart Media Cards
• Secure Digital& Multimedia Cards
• Memory Stick Media
5. Telecommunication Devices
- Helps you communicate information to people in other locations.
• Examples
• Modem
• Network card

6. Connecting Devices
- Connecting devices include a port (located on the back of your computer)
and a connector (located on the end of the cable or wire

B. SOFTWARE
CATEGORIES OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE

1. System software- performs tasks necessary to the efficient

management of the hardware. It includes operating system, utility
programs, compilers and interpreters.

 Operating system- is a set of programs which controls and coordinates

the whole operation of the computer system.

EXAMPLE
• UNIX
• LINUX
• WINDOWS 2000
• WINDOWS XP
• WINDOWS VISTA

 Utility programs - are systems software service programs that help the
operating system efficiently manage files and do housekeeping
functions.
 EXAMPLE
 ANTI VIRUS
 DRIVERS
 INSTALLERS

 Compilers and interpreters – are programs that translate high-level

language programs into object code.

EXAMPLE
• COBOL COMPILER
• FORTRAN COMPILER
• JAVA INTERPRETER

2. APPLICATION SOFTWARE - the software that allows you to perform

specific information-processing task such as managing inventory,
paying accounts payable, handling payroll, writing a term paper, or
creating slides for a presentation.

CATEGORY OF APPLICATION SOFTWARE

o Productivity Software
o Word Processing software

Example: Microsoft Word, Open Office, Polaris Office

o Spreadsheet

o Presentation Graphics
EXAMPLE: Power Point, Adobe Illustrator Free Hand, Corel Draw

o Personal Information Manager

Example: Outlook

o Graphics and Multimedia

Example: Autocad, Autovis

o Desktop Publishing Software

Example: Pagemaker, MS Builder,etc.

o Web Page Design Software

Dreamweaver, Joomla, etc.

o Video / Audio Editing Software

Example: Sony Vegas, Movie maker, etc.
 C. PEOPLEWARE

• The people who use the computer system. They are the most important
factor in a computer system because they manipulate and program the
computer system to make it useful
• The skilled workers in the Information Technology field are considered as
the peopleware.

MAJOR IT GROUP AND DESCRIPTION

• Management Group – directs and plans programming, computer operations

and data processing. He/she performs the functions of planning, organizing,
staffing and controlling the project.

• Systems and Procedures Group- with expertise in hardware or software

design, they must be able to think logically, must be able to work under
pressure and must be lifelong learners to upgrade their technical expertise.
Ex. Computer Scientist, Computer Engineer, System Analyst

• Programming Group- responsible for writing, testing and maintaining detailed

instruction or programs, often referred to by the language he/she knows or
the type of environment he/she generally works in like the Java, Visual Basic,
web-based programming.
• Ex. Computer Programmer

 Computer Operations Group

• Computer Operator- sets up the processor and related equipment,
loads and unloads programs, and ensures proper and correct
operations of the computer.
• Data Encoder
• Data Entry
• Operator- prepares and encodes documents to transform source
document into machine readable and acceptable inputs.

 Computer Operation Group

Example:
Computer Operator
- is responsible for cataloguing, storing and securing processed storage media
like disks and tapes.
Data Encoder
-Prepares and encodes documents to transform source document into
machine readable and acceptable inputs.
 Computer Librarian
- Responsible for cataloguing, storing and securing process storage media like
disks and tapes

The User’s Role

When working with a computer, the user can take on several roles, depending on
what he or she to accomplish
1. Setting up the System. Have you ever bought a new PC? When you got in
home, you probably had to unpack it, set it up, and make sure it worked as
expected (see Figure). If you want to change something about the system (a
process called a configuration) you will likely do it yourself, whether you want
to add a new hardware device, change the way programs look on your
screen, or customized the way a program functions.
2. Installing Software. This may involve loading software from a disk or
downloading it from a Website. It is usually the user’s responsibility to install
programs, unless the computer is used at a school or business. See Figure
No. Installing a software

3. Running Programs. Whenever your computer is on, there are several

programs running in the background, such as the software that runs your
 mouse and printer. If you want to use your computer to perform a task to
launch and run the software that is designed for the task see Figure No. This
means installing the program, learning its tools, and working with it to make
sure it gives you the results you want

4. Managing Files. As you have learned computers saves data. It is the user’s
job to manage files in a computer, setting up a logical system for storing,
accessing and deleting it

5. Maintaining the System. System maintenance does not necessarily mean

opening the PC and fixing broken parts. PC maintenance, generally means
running utilities that keep the disks free from clutter and ensure that the
computer is making the best use of its resources