Computer Fundamentals & Office Tools
Computer Fundamentals & Office Tools
Computer: It is an electronic device, which takes input from the user in the form of
data and instructions. Then it processes the input as per the users instructions and
generates some output that is displayed before the user and also we can take the
printout with the help of printer.
Characteristics of Computers:
The human race developed computers so that it could perform intricate operations,
such as calculation and data processing, or simply for entertainment. Today, much of
the worlds Infrastructure runs on computers and it has profoundly changed our lives,
mostly for the better.
Accuracy: Besides the efficiency, the computers are also very accurate. The level of
accuracy depends on the instructions and the type of machines being used. Since the
computer is capable of doing only what it is instructed to do, faulty instructions for
data processing may lead to faulty results. This is known as GIGO (Garbage In
Garbage Out).
Diligence: Computer, being a machine, does not suffer from the human traits of
tiredness and lack of concentration. If four million of calculations have to be
performed, then the computer will perform the last four-millionth calculation with the
same accuracy and speed as the first calculation.
Storage Capability: Computers can store large amounts of data and can recall the
required information almost instantaneously. The main memory of the computer is
relatively small it can hold only a certain amount of information, therefore, the data is
stored on secondary storage device such as magnetic tapes or disks.
Versatility: Computers are quite versatile in nature. It can perform multiple tasks
simultaneously with equal ease. For Example, at one moment it can be used to draft a
letter, another moment it can be used to draft a letter, another moment it can be used
to play music and in between, one can print a document as well.
Resource Sharing: Computers today have the capability to connect with each other.
This has made the costly resources like capability to connect with each other. This has
made the sharing of costly resources like printers possible. Apart from device sharing,
data and information can also be shared among group of computers.
Limitations of Computers:
Generation of Computers:
Fifth generation computers will use Super Large Scale Integrated (SLSI) chips,
which will result in the production of microprocessor having millions of electronic
components on a single chip.
To store instructions and information require a great amount of storage capacity.
Mega chips may enable the computer to approximate the memory capacity of
the human mind.
A computer using parallel processing accesses several instructions at once and
works on them at the same time through use of multiple central processing
units.
Artificial Intelligence a series of related technologies the tries to simulate and
reproduce human behaviour, including thinking, speaking and reasoning.
Artificial Intelligence comprises a group of related technologies of Expert
Systems (ES), natural language processing (NLP), Speech recognition, Vision
recognition and robotics.
1. Desktop Computers
The most common type of computer.
Sits on the desk or floor.
Performs a variety of tasks.
A small, single-user computer based on a
microprocessor.
It is also known as Personal Computer (PC).
2. Workstations
Specialized computer
A Workstation is a high-end microcomputer
designed for technical or scientific applications.
Intended primarily to be used by one person at a
time.
They are commonly connected to a Local area
network and run multi-user operating systems.
The term workstation has also been used to refer to a mainframe
computer or a PC connected to a network.
Popular among scientists, engineers, and animators.
3. Notebook computers
Small portable computers
They are also called laptop computers
Typically as powerful as a desktop
You can carry in your hand as you move from one
place to another.
These computers do not need any external power supply, as a
rechargeable battery is completely self-contained in them.
These computers are expensive as compared to desktop computers.
Modern laptops weigh 3 to 12 pounds (1.4 to 5.4 kg); older laptops were
usually heavier.
4. Tablet computers
Newest development in portable computers.
Input is through a pen.
Offer all the functionality of a notebook PCs.
Run specialized versions of standard programs.
The ability to use in environments not conducive to a
keyboard and mouse such as lying in bed, low lighting
when a lighted screen is the input source, standing or with one hand.
Higher cost convertible tablet PCs can cost significantly more than their
non-tablet counterparts although this premium has been predicted to fall
Input speed handwriting can be significantly slower than peak typing
speeds which can be as high as 50-150 WPM.
5. Handheld computers
Very small computers
Popular type is : Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)
Taking note or contact management.
Connects with a computer to exchange data.
Input is through a pen.
PDAs and handheld devices are commonly allowed in the classroom for
digital note taking. Students can spell-check, modify, and amend their
class notes or e-notes. Some educators distribute course material through
the use of the internet connectivity or infrared file sharing functions of the
PDA.
6. Smart phones
A Smartphone is a mobile phone offering advanced
capabilities, often with PC-like functionality (PC-
mobile handset convergence)
Include many features: Web, e-mail access or special
hardware (digital camera, music players, )
Hybrid of cell phone and PDA
Examples: Apple iphone, Nokia N95, Nokia N97, Nokia
E72, BlackBerry etc.,
1. Network servers
Centralized computer
Usually a powerful PC with special software and
equipment.
All other computers connect
Provides access to network resources
2. Mainframes
Used in large organizations
Handle thousands of users
Users access through a terminal : dump and
intelligent
Insurance companies, bank, and airlines Web site.
3. Minicomputers
4. Supercomputers
The most powerful computers
made
Handle large and complex calculations
Process trillions of operations per second
Can house thousands of processors.
Found in university, research organizations, forecasting weather...
The latest machine in the series is the PARAM Padma. Others include PARAM
10000 and PARAM 9000/SS. The PARAM 10000 was India's first TFLOPS computer.
The major applications of PARAM 10000 are in long-range weather forecasting, remote
sensing, drug design and molecular modelling. PARAMs in the future may well be used
for India's space programme. Plans to use it for oil and gas exploration are also on the
line. The PARAM is used in almost all major scientific research institutes in India. It has
also been exported to countries like Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and South Korea.
Applications of Computers:
Science: Scientists have been using computer to develop theories, to analyse, ad test
the data. They can be used to generate detailed studies of how earthquakes affect
buildings or pollution affects weather pattern. Satellite-based applications have not
been possible without the use of computers. It would also not be possible to get the
information of our solar system and the cosmos without computers.
Education: Computers have also revolutionised the whole process of education.
Currently, the classrooms, libraries, and museums are utilising computers to make the
education much more interesting. Unlike recorded television shows, Computer Aided
Education (CAE) and Computer Based Training (CBT) packages are making learning
much more interactive.
Medicine and Health Care: Now, doctors are using computers right from diagnosing
the illness to monitoring a patients status during complex surgery. By using
automated imaging techniques, doctors are able to look inside a persons body and
can study each organ in detail (such as CT scans or MRI scans), which was not
possible few years ago. Cochler implant, a special kind of hearing aid that makes it
possible for deaf people to hear.
Engineering/Architecture/Manufacturing: The architects and engineers are
extensively using computers in designing and drawings. Computers can create objects
that can be viewed from all the three dimensions. By using techniques like virtual
reality, architects can explore houses that have been designed but not built. The
manufacturing factories are using computerised robotic arms in order to perform
hazardous jobs. Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) can be used in designing the
product, ordering the parts, and planning production. Thus, computers help in co-
ordinating the entire manufacturing processes.
Input Unit: Computers need to receive data and instruction in order to solve any
problem. Therefore we need to input the data and instructions into the computers.
The input unit consists of one or more input devices. Keyboard and mouse are the
most commonly used input devices. All the input devices perform the following
functions.
Accept the data and instructions from the outside world.
Convert it to a form that the computer can understand.
Supply the converted data to the computer system for further processing.
Storage Unit: The storage unit of the computer holds data and instructions that are
entered through the input unit, before they are processed. It preserves the
intermediate and final results before these are sent to the output devices. It also
saves the data for the later use. The various storage devices of a computer system
are divided into two categories.
a Primary Storage: Stores and provides very fast. This memory is generally used to
hold the program being currently executed in the computer, the data being
received from the input unit, the intermediate and final results of the program. The
primary memory is temporary in nature. The data is lost, when the computer is
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switched off. In order to store the data permanently, the data has to be transferred
to the secondary memory. Therefore most computers have limited primary storage
capacity. Ex : RAM
Control Unit: It controls all other units in the computer. The control unit instructs the
input unit, where to store the data after receiving it from the user. It controls the flow
of data and instructions from the storage unit to ALU. It also controls the flow of
results from the ALU to the storage unit. The control unit is generally referred as the
central nervous system of the computer that control and synchronizes its working.
Arithmetic Logical Unit: All calculations are performed in the Arithmetic Logic Unit
(ALU) of the computer. It also does comparison and takes decision. The ALU can
perform basic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc.,
and does logic operations viz., >, <, =, etc. Whenever calculations are required, the
control unit transfers the data from storage unit to ALU once the computations are
done, the results are transferred to the storage unit by the control unit and then it is
send to the output unit for displaying results.
Central Processing Unit: The control unit and ALU of the computer are together
known as the Central Processing Unit (CPU). The CPU is like brain performs the
following functions:
It performs all calculations.
It takes all decisions.
It controls all units of the computer.
The heart of the computer, this is the component that actually executes the
information. A central processing unit (CPU) is the electronic circuitry within a
computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the
basic arithmetic, logical, control and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the
instructions. The computer industry has used the term "central processing unit" at
least since the early 1960s. Traditionally, the term "CPU" refers to a processor, more
specifically to its processing unit and control unit (CU), distinguishing these core
Output Unit: The output unit of a computer provides the information and results of a
computation to outside world. Printers, Visual Display Unit (VDU) or Monitors are the
Primary Memory
commonly used output devices.
Secondary Memory
engraved or printed on the keys and each press of a key typically corresponds to a
single written symbol. However, to produce some symbols requires pressing and
holding several keys simultaneously or in sequence. While most keyboard keys
produce letters, numbers or signs (characters), other keys or simultaneous key
presses can produce actions or computer commands. They are different types of
keyboards i.e., Normal, Multimedia and wireless Keyboards. The keyboard consists
of the following major categories of keys:
Non printable control keys: These are used for backspacing; going to next
line, tabulation, moving cursor up or down, insert, delete characters etc. There
is also a space bar at the bottom for leaving a space.
Function keys: These are labelled Fl, F2, upto F12 and when pressed will
invoke programs stored in the computer. The functions of some of the non-
printable control keys are listed below:
Backspace key: This key backs the cursor to the previous character and
deletes the current character. If it is pressed 3 times, the 3 previous characters
are deleted.
Enter key: At the end of a line of typing, this key is pressed to go to the next
line.
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Arrow keys: Moves the cursor up, down, back or forward.
Optical mark recognition: Optical Mark Recognition (also called Optical Mark
Reading and OMR) is the process of capturing human-marked data from document
forms such as surveys and tests.
Many traditional OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) devices work with a dedicated
scanner device that shines a beam of light onto the form paper. The contrasting
reflectivity at predetermined positions on a page is then used to detect the marked
areas because they reflect less light than the blank areas of the paper.
OMR is generally distinguished from optical character recognition (OCR) by the
fact that a complicated pattern recognition engine is not required. That is, the marks
are constructed in such a way that there is little chance of not reading the marks
correctly. This does require the image to have high contrast and an easily-recognizable
or irrelevant shape.
One of the most familiar applications of optical mark recognition is the use of HB
pencil bubble optical answer sheets in multiple choice question examinations.
Students mark their answers, or other personal information, by darkening circles
marked on a pre-printed sheet. Afterwards the sheet is automatically graded by a
scanning machine.
Output Devices:
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PRINTER: A device that prints images (numbers, alphabets, graphs etc.) on paper is
called Printer. After creating a document on the computer, you can send it to the
printer for printing its hard-copy which is generally called a printout. The speed of a
printer is rated either by pages per minute (ppm) or by characters per second (cps).
You can take printout in full colours or in black colour only.
3 Laser Printer: This type of printer uses fine powder ink called
toner. Laser printers use the same technology as photocopy
machines. They produce high quality text and graphics
printouts. The laser printer also quite popular in corporate world
and printing houses. Laser printers also available in black &
white and colour.
CRT (Cathode Ray Tube): A VDU or CRT monitor is very similar to a television and
its size is measured in diagonal length of the screen. Monitors are available in 12,
14, 15, 17, 19 and even in 21 size. It shows text or picture in colour or black and
white, depending on the type. Colour monitors are more costly than black and white
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monitors. Whenever you type on the keyboard, you can see it on
the monitor.
The most common type of projector used today is called a video projector. Video
projectors are digital replacements for earlier types of projectors such as slide
projectors and overhead projectors. These earlier types of projectors were mostly
replaced with digital video projectors throughout the 1990s and early 2000s (decade),
but old analog projectors are still used at some places. The newest types of projectors
are handheld projectors that use lasers or LEDs to project images. Their projections
are hard to see if there is too much ambient light. Movie theatres used a type of
Modem: These used to access data via telephone line (dial-up connection) used to
access BBS and Internet. A modem (modulator-demodulator) is a device that
modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also
demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is
to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the
original digital data. They are different types of modems. There are explained below
1 Internal modems: Internal computer modems are used with Dial-Up Internet
connection through a couple of RJ-11 connection. Internal computer
modems are usually 56K modems which mean that the modem is
able to receive 56 Kbits/s (56 kilobits or 56000 bits per second) of data.
This kind of data transmission is called downstream transmission, came from a
provider and transmitted over telephone lines. Commonly it is the standard
bandwidth with telephones lines.
2 External modems: It is the second term we have to consider from different types
of computer modem. An External modem can be used to the same
purpose and in the same conditions as internal computer modem.
However external modem is a small box that uses other kind of
interfaces to be connected to the computer.
3 USB modem: The same small box, on the other hand, can be an
USB modem which normally uses USB port usually placed on the
back or in front of the computer. Some Internet Service Providers
supports wireless internet services. The wireless modems are used
for this service. These modems work similar to traditional wired
modems except its structure.
4 Cable modem: The cable modem uses a coaxial cable television lines to provide a
greater bandwidth than the dial-up computer modem. An extremely fast access to
the Web is providing by the cable modem with downstream transmission up to 38
Mbits/s and an upstream transmission up to 1 Mbits/s.
5 DSL modem: DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) modem is exclusively used for
connections from a telephone switching office to the user. This technology,
available and frequently usable, split up into two main categories:
Hardware: Hardware consists of interconnected devices that you can use to control
the computers operation. The hardware in a desktop computer is modular, making it
easy for someone with intermediate knowledge of a computer to modify one. Desktop
computers are more affordable than notebook computers. Main Components of a PC
are Motherboard, Processor, RAM, Hard Disk Drive, FDD, HDD, CD Drive, DVD Drive,
SMPS, Cabinet,
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Software: Set of instructions given to the computer, software tells the computer
what to do.
Firmware: Firmware is a type of software that provides control, monitoring and data
manipulation of engineered products and systems. Typical examples of devices
containing firmware are embedded systems (such as traffic lights, consumer
appliances, and digital watches), computers, computer peripherals, mobile phones,
and digital cameras. The firmware contained in these devices provides the low-level
control program for the device.
People Ware: People Ware refers to the role people play in technology and the
development of hardware or software. It can include various aspects of the process
such as human interaction, programming, productivity, teamwork, and other factors.
Memories
Primary memory: Primary memory is the memory that can be directly accessed by
the CPU which constantly interacts with it, retrieves data stored there in, goes through
instructions and execute them as per the requirement. All the information, data and
application are loaded there in uniform manner. Earlier William tubes, delay lines or
rotating magnetic drums were used as primary storage which was later replaced by
magnetic core memory. Silicon chip technology revolutionized the electronic memory
and paved the way for Random Access Memory (RAM): RAM is volatile (temporary) but
fast form of memory. Apart from the main large capacity Random, Access Memory
(RAM), there are two sub-layers of the primary memory processor registers within the
processor, which are one of the fastest forms of data storage, contain a word of data
(usually 32 or 64 bits). The CPU instructs and helps the Arithmetic and logic unit to
perform a number of calculations on this data.
Processor cache, which is meant for enhancing the performance of the computer, links
the fast registers to the slower main memory. Cache memory loads the duplicated
information that is used most actively. It is much faster than the main memory but
relatively can store limited data. It is also much slower but much larger than the
processor registers. Cache setup is further split into different levels with smallest and
fastest primary cache and relatively larger but slower secondary cache.
RAM (Random Access Memory): The most familiar form of system memory,
Random Access Memory (RAM) derives its name from the fact that any of its memory
cells can be accessed directly if you are aware of the row and column that intersect at
that cell. The columns are referred to as bit lines while the rows are referred to as
word lines. The intersection of a word line and bit line is the address of the memory
cell onto a silicon wafer. In case of Serial Access Memory (SAM), the opposite of RAM,
the data is stored as a series of memory cells and can be accessed sequentially.
SRAM: Used primarily to create CPU's speed-sensitive cache, Static Random Access
Memory (SRAM) uses multiple transistors for each memory cell. It does not have a
capacitor in each cell. Each bit of memory is held by a flip-flop memory which takes
four to six transistors besides some wiring. SRAM is not required to be refreshed which
makes it significantly fast. As compared to DRAM, SRAM has more parts and therefore
it consumes a lot more space on a chip. With less memory available per chip, the
SRAM becomes costlier.
To ensure this the memory is read and written back which if referred to as refresh
operation. DRAM is required to be refreshed dynamically all the time otherwise it will
lose the information. This refreshing operation consumes a lot of time and causes the
memory to slow down.
DDR SDRAM: Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory is
somewhat similar to SDRAM but has higher bandwidth It has a maximum transfer rate
to L2cache of about 1064 mbps.
ROM (Read only Memory): Read Only Memory (ROM) is an integrated circuit
programmed with data that holds instructions for starting up the computer. Data
stored in ROM is non-volatile and data is not lost when powered off. These data cannot
be changed or a special operation is needed to be performed to change it. ROM chips
also comprise of columns and rows but it is different from RAM in terms of intersection
of these. These chips use diodes instead of transistors to connect the lines if the value
is 1 whereas if the value is 0 the lines are not connected. A ROM chip cannot be
reprogrammed or rewritten therefore when the chip is created it requires the
programming of perfect and complete information. ROM chips are cost effective and
use very little power. Some common types of ROM are as follows
PROM: Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) is a type of ROM. These chips are
non-volatile and cannot be purged to store something else once it has been used.
Blank PROM chips can be coded with the help of a tool known as a programmer.
Similar to ROM, PROM chips also have a grid of rows and columns but here fuses
connect the intersections. A charge towards the columns passes through the fuse in a
EPROM: Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory can be erased with the help of
ultraviolet light arid rewritten many times. These chips are configured by the EPROM
programmer, providing the voltage at the specified levels.
EEPROM: Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory chips are riot
required to remove, to be erased or rewritten. These chips do not require to be erased
altogether and specific portion of it can be easily altered. Additional dedicated
equipment is also not required to change the content the EEPROM chips. These chips
are erased and rewritten with the help of electric charge.
Magnetic tapes
A magnetically coated strip of plastic on which data can be encoded. Tapes for
computers are similar to tapes used to store music. Storing data on tapes is
considerably cheaper than storing data on disks, tapes also have large storage
capacities, ranging from a few hundred kilobytes to several gigabytes. Accessing data
on tapes, however, is much slower than accessing data on disks. Tapes are sequential-
access media, which means that to get to a particular point on the tape, the tape
must go through all' the preceding points. In contrast, disks are random-access media
because a disk drive can access any point at random without passing through
intervening points.
Because tapes are so slow, they are generally used only for long-term storage and
backup. Data to be used regularly is almost always kept on a disk. Tapes are also used
for transporting large amounts of data. Tapes come in a variety of sizes and formats.
Tapes are sometimes called streamers or streaming tapes.
Hard disk: A magnetic disk on which you can store computer data. The term hard is
used to distinguish it from a soft, or floppy, disk. Hard disks hold more data and are
faster than floppy disks. A hard disk, for example, can store anywhere from 10 to
more than 100 gigabytes, whereas most floppies have a maximum storage capacity of
1.4 megabytes.
A single hard disk usually consists of several platters. Each platter requires two
read/write heads, one for each side. All the read/write heads are attached to a single
access arm so that they cannot move independently. Each platter has the same
number of tracks, and a track location that cuts across all platters is called a cylinder.
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For example, a typical 84 megabyte hard disk for a PC might have two platters (four
sides) and 1,053 cylinders.
Hard disk provides convenient storage for large amounts accessible of data. Location
where all information can be stored even when power is off. There are two types of
HDDs. They are External and Internal Hard disks. Internal hard Disk Drives had two
types one is IDE and other one is SATA. External Hard drives are connected with usb
and Power cables. The max. Capacity now Available is 1 TB and 2 TB.
Floppy disks: A soft magnetic disk. It is called floppy because it flops if you wave it
(at least, the SVS-inch variety does). Unlike most hard disks, floppy disks (often called
floppies or diskettes) are portable, because you can remove them from a disk drive.
Disk drives for floppy disks are called floppy drives. Floppy disks are slower to access
than hard disks and less storage capacity, but they are much less expensive. And
most importantly, they are portable.
Optical disks: A storage medium from which data is read and to which it is written
by lasers. Optical disks can store much more dataup to 6 gigabytes (6 billion bytes)
than most portable magnetic media, such as floppies. The types of optical storage
media are Compact Disc (CD). Compact Disk is used for secondary storage. It can read
and write the data. The capacity of CD-ROM is 194 Mb 900 Mb. CD Released in 1982,
the CD (compact disc) revolutionized the music industry by offering digital sound to
home consumers in replacement of analog formats. The CD was eventually
transitioned from a music source to a form of storage for data. In 1990, the CD-R was
introduced and allowed for the creation of optical disc's at home with a personal
computer. The average CD allows for up to 700 MB of data storage. Digital bits are
stored as pits on the reflective material in the disc. A red wavelength laser detects
these pits and converts them to a digital signal.
Digital Versatile/Video Disc (DVD): DVD Released in the late 1990's, DVD's offered
a widely accepted digital movie format. Allowing 4.7 GB for a single-layer disc and up
to 8.5 GB for a dual-layer disc, DVD was an excellent choice for personal backups of
data on a DVD-R or movie media. DVD is not only used for data and video. DVD-Audio
discs are uncompressed studio master recordings that offer much higher bit-rate than
a standard CD. DVD's used a red wavelength laser, much like CD's. The capacity of
DVD-ROM is 4.7 GB 17.08 GB.
Blu-ray: Blu-ray is the newest high-definition optical format. Developed by Sony, Blu-
ray discs offer 25 GB per layer with upto two layers per disc. Blu-ray discs have a
protective coating that reduces the number of scratches and makes the disc durable.
Like HD-DVD, Blu-ray offers a full-length, high-definition movie on one disc. Blu-ray
recordable, or BD-R, drives are becoming more common in home computers. The BD-
R drives allow for up to 50 GB of storage on one disc. Blu-ray drives use the same
type of laser as HD-DVD drives to allow for greater storage on the optical disc.
Flash Memory:
A variant of EEPROM is called a flash memory. Flash memories are random access
memories. They use one transistor switch per memory cell and come in capacities
ranging from 32 KB to 1 GB. They are non-volatile, i.e., they do not require power to
preserve the data stored in them. The read time of flash memories is tens of
nanoseconds whereas the write time is several microseconds. They are compact and
come in various shapes such as pen drives, USB drives and flat disks. The major
advantages of flash memory are:
It is thus expected that they will become a popular removable, portable memory for
data.
Cache Memory: Pronounced as Cash (like the money). Cache is a high-speed access
area that can be either a reserved section of main memory or a storage device. The
two main cache types are memory cache and disk cache. Memory cache is a portion
on memory of high-speed static RAM (SRAM) and is effective because most programs
access the same data or instructions over-and-over. By keeping as much of this
information as possible in SRAM, the computer avoids accessing the slower DRAM.
Most computers today come with L3 cache or L2 cache, while older computers
included only L1 cache.
Types of Operating System: The operating system has evolved immensely form its
primitive days to the present digital era. From batch processing systems to the latest
embedded systems, the different types of operating system can be classified into SIX
broad categories.
1. Batch Processing Operating System: This type of operating system was one of
the first to evolve. Batch processing operating system allowed only one program to
run at a time. The operating system is responsible for scheduling the jobs
according to priority and the resources required. Batch processing operating
systems are good at churning through large numbers of repetitive jobs on large
computers. For example, this operating system would be best suited for a company
wishing to automate their payrolls. A list of employees will be entered, their
monthly salaries will be calculated, and corresponding pay slips would be printed.
Batch processing is useful for this purpose since these procedures are repeated for
every employee each month.
5. Multi-Processor Operating System: This system can incorporate more than one
processor dedicated to running processes. This technique of using more than one
processor is often called parallel processing.
7. Microsoft Windows.
User interface: Operating System organizes applications so that users can easily
access them, use them, and store application data. When an application is opened,
the operating system lets the application provide the majority of the user interface.
Common interfaces provided by different operating systems can be categorized as
Command Line user Interface (CLI) and Graphical User Interface (GUI).
2. Graphical User Interface (GUI): A program interface that takes advantage of the
computer's graphics capabilities to make the program easier to use. Well-designed
graphical user interfaces can free the user from learning complex command
languages. Graphical user interfaces, such as
Icons: Small pictures that represent commands, files, or windows. By moving
the pointer to the icon and pressing a mouse button, you can execute a
command or convert the icon into a window. You can also move the icons
around the display screen as if they were real objects on your desk.
Desktop: The area on the display screen where icons are grouped is often
referred to as the desktop because the icons are intended to represent real
objects on a real desktop.
Windows: You can divide the screen into different areas. In each window,
you can run a different program or display a different file. You can move
windows around the display screen, and change their shape and size at will.
Spell check is a basic feature provided within the program that allows users to
check proper spelling within their documents.
Grammar checking is a popular feature that allows users to check punctuation,
sentence structure and other basic grammar issues.
Microsoft Word allows users to alter the appearance of text easily by changing
its color, font style and size.
The document is easily saved as a file on a computer or other media device and
retrieved whenever needed for editing, sharing or printing.
Cut and paste features included in Microsoft Word allow users to copy text or
images from various sources and paste them directly into Word documents.
Users are able to create and format custom tables and graphs, as well.
Several templates are incorporated into the program that offer the ability to
create customized resumes, letterheads, address labels and many other useful
documents.
The program offers the ability to handle HTML coding, so it can even be used to
create or edit web pages.
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get): With WYSIWYG, a document appears
on the display screen exactly as it will look when printed.
Mail Merge is a feature supported by many word processors that enables you to
do mass mailings or mailing campaigns.
Starting MS-WORD Program or Opening MS-Word Program:
Scroll Bars Allows you to view entire workbook by moving it up, down (vertical
scroll bar), left or right (horizontal scroll bar).
Status Bar This row can be customized by right-clicking and selecting desired
options. Desired options may include page number/number of total page, word
count, insert/overtype mode, caps lock, and zoom slide.
View buttons These four buttons allow you to change the way you view your
document on the screen. From left to right they are: print layout, full screen
reading, web layout and draft. These can be added/removed by right clicking
anywhere on the status bar and checking/unchecking View buttons.
With the header or footer section active, click the Date & Time command.
Date and Time Command
Select a date format in the dialog box that appears.
Date and Time Dialog Box
Click OK. The date and time now appear in the document.
Other header and footer options
There are many other header and footer options you can use to design these
sections of your document. From the Header and Footer Tools Design tab, you
can see all of your design options.
Tables: A table is a grid of cells arranged in rows and columns. Tables can be
customized and are useful for various tasks such as presenting text information and
numerical data.
To insert a blank table:
Place your insertion point in the document where you want the table to appear.
Select the Insert tab.
Click the Table command.
Drag your mouse over the diagram squares to select the number of columns
and rows in the table.
Blank Table
Left-click your mouse, and the table appears in the document.
Enter text into the table.
or
Select the position in the document where your table will be placed by clicking
the mouse.
On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click Table, and then click Insert Table.
Under Table size, enter the number of columns and rows.
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Table will be created.
Place the insertion point in a row below the location where you want to add a row.
You can also add rows below the insertion point. Follow the same steps, but select Insert Rows Below from
the menu.
To add a column:
Place the insertion point in a column adjacent to the location where you want the new column to
appear.
Select Insert Insert Columns to the Left or Insert Columns to the Right. A new column
appears.
Select the Design tab to access all of the Table Styles and Options.
Left-click a style to select it. The table style will appear in the document.
You can modify which table styles are displayed. In the Table Styles Options, you can select and deselect
various table options. For example, you can select banded rows, and only tables with banded rows will
appear in the Tables Styles section.
Once you've selected all the border options you want to use in your document,
click the Ok button to apply the border.
Insert symbols: Sometimes you need a character thats not on your keyboard, like a
foreign currency symbol, a trademark (), or a fraction like 1/3. For a few symbols,
you can use the AutoCorrect feature to type them. For all other symbols, go to Insert
> Symbol. AutoCorrect converts a series of keystrokes to symbols. Here are a few of
the most commonly used ones.
Type To insert
(c)
(r)
(tm)
(e)
The Symbol gallery opens, which contains among other symbols, additional
foreign currency symbols.
2 Select a symbol to insert it.
3 To see additional symbols, click More Symbols at the bottom of the gallery. The
Symbol dialog box opens.
4 Scroll through the list of characters to see all the symbols available in your
current font (normal text) in the Font box. Notice as you scroll that the label in
the Subset drop-down list changes. If you want to skip directly to the not-equal-
to sign, for example, select Mathematical Operators in the Subset list.
Notes If you do not see the Subset drop-down list, look in the lower right
corner of the dialog box, and, in the from list, select Unicode (hex).
5 If you dont see what you want, select a different font in the Font box.
6 When you see a symbol you want, click Insert > Close. If you dont want to
insert a symbol, click Cancel.
Tip For text that looks like pictures, switch to one of the Wingding fonts in the
Font box.
You can add a variety of shapes to your document, including arrows, callouts,
squares, stars, and flow chart symbols. Want to offset your name and address from
Using shapes
To insert a shape:
Left-click a shape from the menu. Your cursor is now a cross shape.
Left-click your mouse and while holding it down, drag your mouse until the
shape is the desired size.
Select the shape. A new Format tab appears with Drawing Tools.
Click the More drop-down arrow in the Shapes Style group to display more
style options.
Select the shape. A new Format tab appears with Drawing Tools.
Select a color from the list, choose No Fill, or choose one of the other options.
Insert WordArt
In the WordArt gallery, the letter A represents the different designs that are
applied to all text you type.
Note The WordArt icon is located in the Text group, and it may appear
different depending on the program you're using and the size of your screen.
Look for one of these icons:
2. The placeholder text "Your text here" appears, with the text highlighted. Enter
your own text to replace the placeholder text.
Microsoft Word makes it easy to check that your document is spelt correctly and uses
good grammar. You can either correct the spelling as you type, or run the Spelling and
Grammar check at any time while producing your document.
If Word discovers an error, the Spelling and Grammar dialogue box appears. The
error appears in the text box at the top with suggestions below it.
Take the required action
by using the buttons on
the right of the dialogue
box as explained in the
table below.
Accepts the spelling or grammar used and moves onto the next
Ignore Once
error
Ignore All/Ignore Accepts the spelling or grammar used and ignores all future
Rule occurrences of it in the document
Next Sentence Skips the grammar error and moves onto the next one
2. When the Spelling and Grammar check is complete, a dialogue box appears
3. Click Ok
C h e c k S p e l l i n g a n d G r a m m a r a s y o u Ty p e
Word 2007 checks for spelling and grammar errors whilst you type. Spelling errors are
underlined in red and grammar errors are underlined in green.
This feature makes it easy to recognise errors and correct them on the move.
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1. Right click on the error
2. A shortcut menu appears offering suggestions to the error
3. Select the required change. Word corrects the text and removes the red or
green underline
Thesaurus in Word Document
A thesaurus is a dictionary of synonyms, words and phrases that mean the same thing
as a particular word or phrase. Microsoft Word, and in more recent versions of
Microsoft Office, other programs in the Office suite, come equipped with a thesaurus
feature that enables you to look up both synonyms and antonyms (words and phrases
that mean the opposite of a particular word or phrase). Using Word's thesaurus
feature can help you add more variety to your writing and suggest words and phrases
that your readers can better understand than the words you're uncertain of. Here's
how to use Word's thesaurus feature.
Access the Thesaurus In Word 2007 and 2010, select "Thesaurus" from the
"Proofing" group on the "Review" menu ribbon.
Select the word you want to find a synonym for. Press the "ALT" key and click on
the word. A list of synonyms will appear in the "Research" task pane.
Replace the selected word with the synonym or antonym of your choice. Point to
the replacement word or phrase, click the down arrow to its right, and click
"Insert" or "Copy" from the popup menu that appears.
Mail Merge: Mail Merge is a feature supported by many word processors that
enables you to do mass mailings or mailing campaigns. Mail Merge is a useful tool
that will allow you to easily produce multiple letters, labels, envelopes, and more
using information stored in a list, database, or spread sheet. Mail Merge Wizard to
create a data source and a form letter, and explore other wizard features. Additionally,
you will learn how to use the Ribbon commands to access Mail Merge tools outside of
the wizard.
1. Select a document type: Click the Mailings tab on the Ribbon, click the Start Mail
Merge button in the Start Mail Merge group, and select the type of document you
want to create.
2. Connect the document to a data source: In the Start Mail Merge group on the
Mailings tab, click the Select Recipients button.
3. Refine recipients: In the Start Mail Merge group on the Mailings tab, click the Edit
Recipient List button.
4. Insert merge fields: Position the insertion point where you want to insert the
merge field(s) and use the commands found in the Write & Insert Fields group on
the Mailings tab.
5. Preview your letters: In the Preview Results group on the Mailings tab, click the
Preview Results button.
6. Complete the merge: In the Finish group on the Mailings tab, click the Finish &
Merge button and select an option from the list.
Mail Merge is a useful tool that will allow you to easily produce multiple letters, labels, envelopes, and more
using information stored in a list, database, or spreadsheet.
The Mail Merge task pane appears and will guide you through the six main steps to complete a merge. You
will have several decisions to make during the process. The following is an example of how to create a form
letter and merge the letter with a data list.
Steps 1-3
Choose the type of document you want to create. In this example, select Letters.
Click Next: Starting document to move to Step 2.
Select Use the current document.
Click Next: Select recipients to move to Step
3.
Select the Type a new list button.
Click Create to create a data source. The New
Address List dialog box appears.
Enter the necessary data in the New Address List dialog box.
Click Close when you have entered all of your data records.
Enter the file name you want to save the data list as.
Click Save. The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box appears and displays all of the data
records in the list.
Steps 4-6
Write a letter in the current Word document, or use an open existing document.
Place the insertion point in the document where you want the
information to appear.
Select Address block, Greeting line, or Electronic postage
from the task pane. A dialog box with options will appear
based on your selection.
OR
Select More Items. The Insert Merge Field dialog box will
appear.
Select the field you want to insert in the document.
Click Insert. Notice that a placeholder appears where
information from the data record will eventually appear.
Repeat these steps each time you need to enter information
from your data record.
Click Next: Preview your letters in the task pane once you have completed your letter.
Click All.
The Mail Merge Wizard allows you to complete the merge process in a variety of ways. The best way to
learn how to use the different functions in Mail Merge is to try to develop several of the different documents
letters, labels, and envelopesusing the different types of data sources.
Ms Power Point
Features of PowerPoint:
1. Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation program currently developed by Microsoft,
for use on both Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh operating systems.
2. PowerPoint is useful for helping develop the slide-based presentation format and is
currently one of the most commonly used slide-based presentation program.
3. Design: The design features of PowerPoint allow you to customize the appearance
and format of the slides.
4. PowerPoint typically comes with a set of preloaded themes for you to choose from.
5. These can range from simple color changes to complete format layouts with
accompanying font text. Themes can be applied through the whole presentation or
a single slide.
6. Using the page setup allows you to optimize the presentation for the display size;
for instance, you should use a larger screen ratio when displaying on a projector
compared to a computer screen.
7. Animation: PowerPoint animation is divided between slide transitions and element
animation.
8. Using slide transition adds an effect when switching slides during a slide show.
To delete a slide:
Home Tab >> Slides Group >> Delete
Select the slide you want to delete.
Click the Delete command in the Slides group on the
Home tab.
or
Locate the slide you'd like to delete. And click Delete
Button on keyboard
or
Right-click directly onto the slide you'd like to delete.
Click "Delete Slide" from the drop-down that is displayed.
Note: Some built-in slide Layouts in PowerPoint already have placeholders for clip art.
To insert clip art into one of these slides, simply click the placeholder and the clip art
gallery will open
Adding Pictures:
You can add pictures to any slide by going to the Illustrations or Images Group in the
Insert tab. Then click the picture button.
Try adding any image to your slide.
1. Go to the Illustrations or Images Group in the Insert tab, Then click the Picture
button.
2. The Insert Picture dialog box window will appear on the screen.
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3. Select picture file and click Insert.
4. Image will automatically add it to your slide.
Select Sound from File from the menu. The Insert Sound dialog box will appear.
Locate the sound file on your computer.
Select the file.
Click OK. A sound icon and a dialog box will appear.
Select Automatically or When Clicked. Automatically will
start the sound automatically as soon as the
slide appears in Slide Show view, while When
Clicked will start the sound when you click.
Click, drag, and release the button to move the
sound icon to a different location on the slide.
Select Insert a Movie from File from the menu. The Insert Movie dialog box will
appear.
Locate the file you want to insert from your computer.
Click the file name.
To insert a chart:
To insert a shape:
Select the Home tab.
Click the Shapes command.
Click a shape from the menu.
Move your cursor toward the slide. It will appear as a cross shape.
Click and hold down the mouse button, and drag the cursor until the shape is
the desired size.
Release the mouse button to insert the shape.
Click the More drop-down arrow to display all available transition effects.
Note: Hover over a slide transition effect to see a live preview of the effect on the
slide.
To apply a slide transition to all slides:
Modifying transitions
Starting Spreadsheet
1. Click on the Start button
2. In the menu click All Programs Microsoft Office Microsoft Office Excel 2007.
Name Box - This shows the address of the current selection or active cell.
Active Cell In an Excel 2007 worksheet, the cell with the black outline. Data is
always entered into the active cell.
Rows In Excel 2003 each spread sheet contains 65,536 rows. In Excel 2007
each spread sheet contains 1,048,576 rows. Each row is named by a number.
Columns - In Excel 2003 each Excel spread sheet contains 256 columns. In
Excel 2007 each Excel spread sheet contains 16,384 columns. Each column is
named by a letter or combination of letters. i.e.XVD
Scroll Bars Allows you to view entire workbook by moving it up, down (vertical
scroll bar), left or right (horizontal scroll bar).
Status Bar Reports information about the worksheet and provides shortcuts for
changing the view and the zoom.
Worksheet tabs - Navigation buttons allow you to move to another worksheet in
an Excel workbook. They are used to display the first, previous, next, and last
worksheets in the workbook. Sheet tabs separate a workbook into specific
When you first open Excel, the software opens to a new blank workbook.
Opening Workbook
To work on any worksheet in a workbook, first of all you have to open a workbook.
1. Click on the MS Office button.
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2. Click on open. (or press Ctrl + O Keys together)
3. In the open dialog box, choose drive, folder name that contains the workbook.
4. Click on Open.
Saving a workbook
1. Click on MS Office button.
2. Click on Save As.
3. In Save As dialog box, specify the location where you want to save the file in the
Save in box.
4. In the File name box, give the name of the file.
5. In the save as type box, give the type of the file.
6. Click save button.
Closing a Workbook
1. Click on MS Office button.
2. Choose Close
3. You can select Exit Excel command to exit from MS Excel.
Note: If you only need to delete some characters, not the whole data of a cell Click on
the cell and goto Formula Bar delete the text or edit it.
Selecting Cells:
If you click on a cell with the mouse you will see its name appear on the left hand side
of the formula bar. As you click on different cells the name in the formula bar will
change accordingly. Alternatively, you can select different cells in the worksheet using
the arrow keys or the Enter and Backspace keys.
You can select a range of cells by clicking on a single cell at one corner of the range
then, with the mouse button held down, drag the selection so that it extends over the
other cells. To select an entire row of cells you can click on the row number, and you
can select columns by clicking on the appropriate letter. Finally, you can select the
entire worksheet by clicking on the grey box against the letter A and number 1.
Formatting Text:
A worksheet containing raw data is not very clear, but you can improve its
appearance by applying different formats to some key cells. The most popular formats
are available through tools in the Font and Alignment groups on the Home tab.
Formatting Numbers
Formatting Dates
If you choose the date format for numbers, you have a great deal of control over how
your dates appear in the worksheet. If you select Date from the dialog box above you
will be offered a choice of formats, but you can create your own format by clicking the
Custom option. You can then build a date format using the letters d, m and y for date
month and year as follows
The AutoFilter feature makes filtering, or temporarily hiding, data in a spread sheet
very easy. This allows you to focus on specific spread sheet entries.
To Use AutoFilter:
Types of System Defined functions: There are different types of functions used in Ms-Excel.
Mathematical functions:
Concatenat Joins several text strings into one text =Concatenate (text1, text2) OR
e string =Concatenate (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5)
Then press enter.
Len Returns the number of characters in a
text string. Characters include spaces, =Len(text)
commas and special characters etc.
Upper Converts text to Upper case =Upper(text)
Lower Convert text to Lower case. =Lower(text)
Exact Compares two text strings and returns =EXACT (text1, text2)
True if they exactly the same, False
otherwise.
Rept Repeats text a given number of times. =Rept (text, number of times)
Left Left returns the first character or =Left (text, number of characters)
characters in a text string, based on the
number of characters.
Right Right returns the last character or =Right (text, number of characters)
characters in a text string, based on the
number of characters.
Mid Returns a specific number of characters =Mid (text, start_num, number of
from a text string, starting at the characters)
position you specify, based on the
number of characters you specify.
Trim Removes all UN used spaces from the =Trim (text)
text.
Date & Time functions:
FORMULA IN MS-EXCEL
In MS-Excel, formula option includes numbers, cell references, functions, operators
and parentheses. A formula entry always begins with an equal (=) sign.
For example, the cell D3 and D4 contain respectively 78 and 22. In D5, enter the
formula = D3-D4. After confirming the entry, the cell shows the result 56, while the
formula bar will show the entered formula. If the contents of either or both of these
cells are changed Excel automatically recalculates the result in cell D5. That is, if the
contents of cell D3 are changed to 63, D5 will automatically display 63-22 = 41.
STEPS OF ENTERING FORMULA IN MS-EXCEL: We will write a simple formula in
Excel to add the numbers 3 + 2.
STEP 1: ENTERING THE DATA
It's best if you first enter all of your data into the spread sheet before you begin
creating formulas. This way you will know if there are any layout problems, and it is
less likely that you will need to correct your formula later.
1. Type a 3 in cell Al and press the ENTER key on the keyboard.
2. Type a 2 in cell A2 and press the ENTER key on the keyboard.
STEP 2: ADD THE EQUAL (=) SIGN
When creating formulas in Microsoft Excel, you ALWAYS start by typing the equal sign.
You type it in the cell where you want the answer to appear.
1. Click on cell C1 with your mouse pointer.
2. Type the equal sign in cell C1.
STEP 3: ADD CELL REFERENCES USING POINTING
After typing the equal sign in step 2, you have two choices for adding cell references
to the spread sheet formula.
1. You can type them in or,
2. You can use an Excel feature called Pointing
Pointing allows you to click with your mouse on the cell containing your data to add its
cell reference to the formula.
AFTER TYPING AN EQUAL SIGN IN CELL E3 IN STEP 2:
1. Click on cell Al with the mouse pointer to enter the cell reference into the
formula
2. Type a plus (+) sign
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3. Click on cell A2 with the mouse pointer to enter the cell reference into the
formula
4. Press the ENTER key on the keyboard
The answer 5 should appear in cell E3.
Using operators in Formulas
Various types of operators can be included in Excel formulas. The following table
shows the n a me and description of these operators.
Operator Sign Type of operation
s
Arithmeti + Addition
c
- Subtraction
* Multiplication
/ Division
% Percentage
^ Exponentiation
Compariso < Less than
n
> Greater than
<= Less than or equal to
>= Greater than or equal to
<> Not equal to
Text & Joins text within quotation marks.
(ampersand) (concatenation)
Chart or Graph: Generally worksheet contains some data or in other words, it can be
said that worksheet can be treated as a database. Such data can be presented in
terms of pictures, which is known as Chart or Graph. Charts can be insert in
worksheet by INSERT>Chart menu.
Charts are graphic representation of numerical data. A set of numeric data
which is actually plotted, is called data series. Each value in the data series is a data
point. Data series can be in rows (row wise) or column (column wise).
Types of Charts: Chart can be an 'Embedded chart' or 'Chart sheet'. An embedded
chart is that chart which is drawn on the same worksheet where worksheet data
exists. Chart sheet is a separate sheet containing chart in one sheet and data in
another sheet. On the basis of appearance, there are many types of charts available.
Some of the common types of charts are:
1. Column Charts Excellent when you need to compare categories. Good at
showing changes over time, with time as the x-axis
Have you ever read something you didn't fully understand but when you saw a chart
or graph, the concept became clear and understandable? Charts are a visual
representation of data in a worksheet. Charts make it easy to see comparisons,
patterns, and trends in the data.
Data series: The actual charted values, which are usually rows or columns of the source data.
Value axis: The axis that represents the values or units of the source data.
Once you insert a chart, a new set of Chart Tools, arranged into three tabs, will
appear above the Ribbon. These are only visible when the chart is selected.
The chart in the example compares each salesperson's monthly sales to his or her
other months' sales; however, you can change what is being compared. Just click the
Switch Row/Column Data command, which will rotate the data displayed on the x
and y axes. To return to the original view, click the Switch Row/Column command
again.
If your new layout includes chart titles, axes, or legend labels, just insert your cursor
into the text and begin typing to add your own text.