CONCEPTS OF COMPUTERS

CONCEPTS OF COMPUTERS

Computer is an electronic device that accepts digital information(input) and processes it in a pre-defined fashion, according to a set or sequence of instructions provided to it and produces the desired output.

Computers are capable of storing large data/information and instructions for repeated use. They carry out millions of instructions per second and perform numerical computations with remarkable speed and accuracy. However, like other machines, Computers can do, only what they are instructed to do.

From the definition of computers the following elementary principle follows.

Input-->Process-->Output

INPUT : Input is the signal that is applied to a circuit or a device. Input device is the device with which the operator enters both program and data into the computer. The input devices take the data manually by operation and have built in electronic pulses on which the computer works.

The examples of INPUT DEVICES are : Key board, Mouse, Data collection terminals, Speech Recognition units, Magnetic Card readers and Document readers.

PROCESS: Process is the systematic sequence of operations to produce the desired results. The computer's CPU (Central Processing Unit) takes care of the processing.

OUTPUT: The result obtained after processing of the input data is called as the OUTPUT. The devices used for directing the processed information for display, sensing or saving are called as 'OUTPUT DEVICES'.

The examples of OUTPUT devices are : Monitor or VDU(Visual Display Unit) and Printer.

Components of Personal Computer(PC):

The Personal Computer consists of the following major components:

1) Keyboard, Mouse, Scanner as Input devices

2) Monitor, Printer as Output Devices

3) Central Processing Unit (CPU) which is the brain of the computer system where are the operations are processed

There are other essential components like Compact Disk(CD),DVD, Pen Drive etc (Floppies have gone out of usage now a days)for taking backup of important data, Modem to connect to Network, Speakers, Mike etc for enjoying mufti media features of the computer. To ensure power supply during power outage a suitable UPS (UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY) is also required.