Computer Basic Notes

Friday, November 18, 2011

notes



Input Devices
An input device is any hardware component that allows a user to enter data and instructions into a computer. Six commonly used input devices are the keyboard, mouse, microphone, scanner, digital camera, and PC camera.
  A computer keyboard contains keys that allow you to type letters of the alphabet, numbers, spaces, punctuation marks, and other symbols. A computer keyboard also contains other keys that allow you to enter data and instructions into the computer.
A mouse is a small handheld device that contains at least one button. The mouse controls the movement of a symbol on the screen called a pointer. For example, as you move the mouse across a flat surface, the pointer on the screen also moves. With the mouse, you can make choices, initiate a process, and select objects.





A microphone allows a user to speak to the computer to enter data and instructions into the computer. A scanner reads printed text and pictures and then translates the results into a form the computer can use. For example, you can scan a picture, and then include the picture when creating a brochure. With a digital camera, you can take pictures and transfer the photo graphed image to the computer, instead of storing the images on traditional film. A PC camera is a digital video camera attached to a computer. A PC camera allows home users to create a movie and take digital still photographs on their computer. With a PC camera, you also can have a video telephone call — where someone can see you while communicating with you.

Output Devices
An output device is any hardware component that can convey information to a user.
Three commonly used output devices are a printer, a monitor, and speakers.

A printer produces text and graphics on a physical medium such as paper or transparency film. A monitor, which looks like a television screen, displays text, graphics, and video information. Speakers allow you to hear music, voice, and other sounds generated by the computer.





System Unit
The system unit, sometimes called a chassis, is a box-like case made from metal or plastic that protects the internal electronic components of the computer from damage
The circuitry in the system unit usually is part of or is connected to a circuit board called the motherboard. Two main components on the motherboard are the central processing unit and memory. The central processing unit (CPU), also called a processor, is the electronic device that interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate the computer.
During processing, the processor places instructions to be executed and data needed by those instructions into memory. Memory is a temporary holding place for data and instructions. Both the processor and memory consist of chips. A chip is an electronic device that contains many microscopic pathways that carry electrical current. Chips, which usually are no bigger than one-half inch square, are packaged so they can be attached to a motherboard or other circuit board.
Some computer components, such as the processor, memory, and most storage devices, are internal and reside inside the system unit. Other components, such as the key board, mouse, microphone, monitor, printer, scanner, digital camera, and PC camera, usually are located outside the system unit. These devices are considered external. A peripheral is any external device that attaches to the system unit.

Storage Devices
Storage holds data, instructions, and information for future use. Storage differs from memory, in that it can hold these items permanently. Memory, by contrast, holds items only temporarily while the processor interprets and executes instructions.
A storage medium (media is the plural) is the physical material on which a computer keeps data, instructions, and information. A storage device records and retrieves items to and from a storage medium. Storage devices often function as a source of input because they transfer items from storage into memory.
Common storage devices are a floppy disk drive, a Zip® drive, a hard disk drive, a CD-ROM drive, a CD-RW drive, a DVD-ROM drive, and a DVD+RW drive. A drive is a device that reads from and may write on a storage medium. This media includes floppy disks, Zip® disks, hard disks, and compact discs. A floppy disk consists of a thin, circular, flexible disk enclosed in rigid plastic. A floppy disk stores data, instructions, and information using magnetic patterns. You insert and remove a floppy disk into and from a floppy disk drive A Zip® disk is a higher capacity disk that can store the equivalent of up to 170 standard floppy disks. A hard disk provides much greater storage capacity than a floppy disk. A hard disk usually consists of several circular platters that store items electronically. These disks are enclosed in an airtight, sealed case, which often is housed inside the system unit. Some hard disks are removable, which enables you to insert and remove the hard disk from a hard disk drive, much like a floppy disk . Removable disks are enclosed in plastic or metal cartridges so you can remove them from the drive. The advantage of removable media such as a floppy disk and removable hard disk is you can take the media out of the computer and transport or secure it.




Communications Devices
Communications devices enable computer users to communicate and to exchange items such as data, instructions, and information with another computer. A modem is a communications device that enables computers to communicate usually via telephone lines or cable. Modems are available as both external and internal devices.
Communications devices, such as modems, allow you to establish a connection between two computers and transmit items over transmission media, such as cables, telephone lines, or satellites.






Why Is A Computer So Powerful?
    A computer derives its power from its capability of performing the information processing cycle operations (input, process, output, and storage) with amazing speed, reliability, and accuracy; storing huge amounts of data and information; and communicating with other computers.

Speed
In the system unit, operations occur through electronic circuits. When data, instructions, and information flow along these circuits, they travel at close to the speed of light. This allows billions of operations to be carried out in a single second.

Reliability
The electronic components in modern computers are dependable because they have a low failure rate. The high reliability of the components enables the computer to pro duce consistent results.

Accuracy
Computers can process large amounts of data and generate error- free results, provided the data is entered correctly and the program works properly. If data is inaccurate, the resulting output will be incorrect. A computing phrase — known as garbage in, garbage out (GIGO) points out that the accuracy of a computer’s output depends on the accuracy of the input.

Storage
Many computers can store enormous amounts of data and make this data available for processing anytime it is needed. Using current storage devices, the computer can transfer data quickly from storage to memory, process it, and then store it again for future use.

Communications
Most computers today have the capability of communicating with other computers. Computers with this capability can share any of the four information processing cycle operations — input, process, output, and storage — with another computer. For example, two computers connected by a communications device such as a modem can share stored data, instructions, and information.
When two or more computers are connected together via communications media and devices, they form a network. The most widely known net work is the Internet.


New Trends in IT
Computer became the no 1 reason for the concept of Globalization. With the computer networks and the evolution of the technologies new aspects came to like Internet and Multimedia. We know because of the Internet entire world has become a Global Village. Well be discussing about the Internet and its evolution in detail during this course. Now we’ll focus a little about Multimedia.
Multimedia introduces exciting new communication possibilities to computing in general and mixed with the power of Internet provides imaginative new opportunities that were unthinkable even a few years ago. Multimedia is commonly used for information, education and entertainment. The industrial giants in Telecommunications and Entertainment industries are committing huge investments in the Multimedia Technology and its applications. ‘Multimedia’ became an over-used word in the 1990s, and has evolved into many new forms.
Several such applications will be briefed below.
Networked multimedia
Internet and Intranets
Virtual Reality


Networked Multimedia
Networked Multimedia combines both computing and telecommunications together with Multimedia features. It highlights the following elements:
Features of Networked Multimedia
Multiple users
Multiple processes
Independent control
Conversational environment
Support of all media types
Fully integrated environments
Transparent interface
Near-instantaneous response
Real time storage and retrieval

Uses of Networked Multimedia
·         Sending messages
·         e-Learning — on-line access to tutors
·         e-Business — viewing items on sale over a network and the communication of the transaction
·         Processing — manipulating information from one form e.g. moving video into another e.g. still pictures for storage and transmission
·         Meetings — enabling participants at different locations not only to see and hear each other but also view documents in test, graphics and video formats.
·         Project Management — using videoconferencing facilities it is possible for project teams to discuss issues, share information and reach decisions.
·         Consulting — in business and in medicine clients can be interviewed remotely by experts saving the cost and time and inconvenience of travel.
·         Monitoring — video images for security and other purposes can be manipulated at a Central position.
Internet and Intranets-Internet
    The principle uses of the Internet are:
·         Remote log in (through telnet)
·         File Transfer (through ftp)
·         Electronic mail (or e-mail)
·         Network news (newsgroups or Bulletin Boards — BBS)
·         Real-time communications (Internet Relay Chat)
·         Information systems (principally the World Wide Web — is a common interface for all above services)

Most modern web sites use Multimedia to enhance services related to the above Principles


Intranet
Intranet is an internal, corporate network using the same basic architecture, protocols and applications as the Internet.
As web pages are non-platform specific, corporations can use them to disseminate information throughout the world without worrying about which platform their employees will use to visit the site. Specifically, intranets use the applications that have developed around the WWW and offer seamless integration between corporate networks and the Internet itself.


Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (VR) is an extension of multimedia — it uses the basic multimedia elements of imagery, sound and animation. YR can be regarded as the ultimate form of interactive multimedia.
·         The technology of VR provides a far more dynamic interface and 3D environments which attempts to place the user ‘inside’ a life-like experience
·         VR requires considerable processing power to provide realistic images, since computer generated worlds, objects and their relationships are defined mathematically.
·         In VR, the ‘cyberspace’ is made up of many thousands of geometric objects plotted in 3Dimensional space. These objects are subject to constant recalculation and redisplay according to the changes in view brought about by the actions of the user. Thousands of computations must occur as fast as 30 times per second to provide smooth movements
·         Levels of realism can be enhanced by applying techniques of lighting, shading and texturing.
·         Using high-speed, dedicated computers, multi-million-dollar flight simulators have led the way in commercial application of YR. Pilots of F-16s, Boeing 777s, and space shuttles have made many dry runs before doing the real thing.


History of Computer Technology
Digital computer grounded in ideas from 1700’s & 1800’s
Computer technology became available in the 1940’s and 1950’s


Classification of Computers
Classification of Computers we can basically divide in to 3 sections. Based on generation, size and data representation.


Generations: 1 to 5
Generation & Time Period
First Generation 1946 — 1956
Use of vacuum tubes, large, limited memory, jobs execution coordinated manually, and speed up to 10,000

Second Generation 1957— 1963
Use of transistors, more reliable, less heat generation, less power requirement, speed 200,000 - 300,000

Third Generation 1964 — 1979
·         Use of Integrated Circuits (ICS) by printing hundreds and thousands of tiny transistors on to small silicon chips
·         Speed up to 5 Million Instructions Per Second (MIPS)
·         Use of operating systems that automated the running of programs & communications between CPU & peripheral devices.
·         Availability of hardware independent programming.

Fourth Generation 1980s
Use of LS1 & VLSI circuits, costs fallen to a very low level, large memory & storage, speed up to 200 MIPS



Fifth Generation
5 generation computers will be Artificial Intelligence Systems called Al computers, which simulate the human brain. Expert systems also fall into this category.



Size: Micro, Mini, Mainframe, Super
Micro Computers
A microcomputer is a complete computer on a smaller scale and is generally a synonym for the more common term, personal computer or PC, a computer designed for an individual. A microcomputer contains a microprocessor (a central processing unit on a microchip), memory in the form of read-only memory and random access memory, I/O ports and a bus or system of interconnecting wires, housed in a unit that is usually called a motherboard.
In an ascending hierarchy of general computer sizes, we find:

·         An embedded systems programming computer, which is embedded in something and doesn't support direct human interaction but nevertheless meets all the other criteria of a microcomputer
·         Microcomputer, workstation, as used to mean a more powerful personal computer for special applications
·         minicomputer, now restyled a "mid-range server"
·         mainframe or mainframe computer, which is now usually referred to by its manufacturers as a "large server"
·         Supercomputer, formerly almost a synonym for "Cray supercomputer" but now meaning a very large server and sometimes including a system of computers using parallel processing
·         A parallel processing system is a system of interconnected computers that work on the same application together, sharing tasks that can be performed concurrently

Mini Computers
A minicomputer, a term no longer much used, is a computer of a size intermediate between a microcomputer and a mainframe. Typically, minicomputers have been stand-alone computers (computer systems with attached terminals and other devices) sold to small and mid-size businesses for general business applications and to large enterprises for department-level operations. In recent years, the minicomputer has evolved into the "mid range server" and is part of a network. IBM's
AS/400e is a good example.

Mainframes
Mainframe is an industry term for a large computer, typically manufactured by a large company such as IBM for the commercial applications of Fortune 1000 businesses and other large-scale computing purposes. Historically, a mainframe is associated with centralized rather than distributed computing. Today, IBM refers to its larger processors as large servers and emphasizes that they can be used to serve distributed users and smaller servers in a computing network.



Super Computers
A supercomputer is a computer that performs at or near the currently highest operational rate for computers. A supercomputer is typically used for scientific and engineering applications that must handle very large databases or do a great amount of computation (or both). At any given time, there are usually a few well-publicized supercomputers that operate at the very latest and always incredible speeds. The term is also sometimes applied to far slower (but still impressively fast) computers. Most supercomputers are really multiple computers that perform parallel processing. In general, there are two parallel processing approaches: symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) and massively parallel processing (MPP).

Perhaps the best-known builder of supercomputers has been Cray Research, now a part of Silicon Graphics. Some supercomputers are at "supercomputer center," usually university research centers, some of which, in the United States, are interconnected on an Internet backbone known as vBNS or NSFNet. This network is the foundation for an evolving network infrastructure known as the National Technology Grid. Internet2 is a university-led project that is part of this initiative.

At the high end of supercomputing are computers like IBM's "Blue Pacific," announced on October 29, 1998. Built in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Blue Pacific is reported to operated at 3.9 teraflop (trillion operations per second), 15,000 times faster than the average personal computer. It consists of 5,800 processors containing a total of 2.6 trillion bytes of memory and interconnected with five miles of cable. It was built to simulate the physics of a nuclear explosion. IBM is also building an academic supercomputer for the San Diego Supercomputer Center that will operate at 1 teraflop. It's based on IBM's RISC System/6000 and the AIX operating system and will have 1,000 microprocessors with IBM's own POWER3 chip.

At the lower end of supercomputing, a new trend, called clustering, suggests more of a build-it-yourself approach to supercomputing. The Beowulf Project offers guidance on how to "strap together" a number of off-the-shelf personal computer processors, using Linux operating systems, and interconnecting the processors with Fast Ethernet. Applications must be written to manage the parallel processing.


Data Representation: Analog, Digital, Hybrid.
Analog Computer
An analog computer operates in a completely opposite way to the digital computer. For a start, all operations in an analog computer are performed in parallel. Secondly, data are represented in an analog computer as voltages, a very compact but not necessarily robust form of storage (prone to noise corruption). A single capacitor (equivalent to the Digital’s computer use of a transistor) in an analog computer can represent one continuous variable.

Educational Analog Computer, introduced in 1960 by Heathkit.

The Heath kit Educational Analog Computer is completely self-contained and contains nine DC operational amplifiers with provision for balancing without removing problem setup. It also features three initial condition power supplies, five coefficient potentiometers, four sets of relay contacts, an electronically regulated power supply and a built-in repetitive oscillator for automatic operation. The complete EC-1 kit also contains an assortment of precision resistors, capacitors, special silicon diodes and patch cords for setting up scores of complex computer problems easily and accurately.

Digital Computer
The digital computer is a sequential device, in general, operating on data one step at a time; in addition the digital computer represents data internally using a quite verbose but very robust form of representation called binary. Thus a single transistor in a digital computer can only store two states, on and off. Obviously to store a number to any sensible degree of precision, many transistors are required.

Hybrid Computer


A computer that processes both analog and digital data. A Hybrid Computer is a combination of computers that are capable of inputting and outputting in both digital and analog signals. A hybrid computer system setup offers a cost effective method of performing complex simulations.

Purpose: Special, General
Depending on the purpose we can categorize the computers mainly on to two.

Special Purpose Computers
Special Purpose Computers are used for special purposes like scientific researches, atomic weapon researches, designing sophisticated vehicles, weather forecasting etc. Normally super computers comes under special purpose computers as we discussed earlier.

General Purpose Computers
General Purpose Computers are the normal computers we are using.

Basic Functions of a Computer
A computer is collection of electronic parts (hardware) that gathers, processes and relays information. Some of the parts can be separated in to two categories: input and output devices.

Input Devices
Input Devices, such as keyboard, mouse, light pen, etc., collect information provided by the user and convert it in to electronic signals for further processing.

Output Devices
Output Devices, such as the monitor, a speaker, or a printer, convert electronic information in to some kind of format that the user understands. Outputs take the form of images on the screen or paper, or sounds. Inputs are converted in to electronic signals which are sent to the CPU or Central Processing Unit (CPU) for processing. The CPU processes all communication along the various components of the PC. Once the task is completed, them CPU relays information to the user by means of an output device and waits for more input. This cycle is repeated continuously.

Booting the Computer
The PC boot process starts when a small program within the BIOS chip looks for an active partition and loads the operating system. There are two methods for booting a computer: cold and warm booting.

Cold Boot
Cold booting occurs when the computer’s power switch is turned on. The effect of a cold boot is that it brings the system to the very beginning of the boot process, beginning with the POST. This may become necessary when the computer stops responding to any commands, including warm boots.

Warm Boot
A warm boot bypasses the first two system tests and goes directly to the bootstrap loader (the point where DOS loads). A warm boot is triggered by pressing the Ctrl, Alt, and Del keys at the same time.
CTRL + ALT + DEL

Rebooting the computer should be used only as a last resort. Any information in open application files could be lost when rebooting takes place.

Basic Concepts of Hardware, Software, and Live ware

System Software

Computer Software
Software, also called a computer program or simply a program, is a series of instructions that tells the hardware of a computer what to do. Some instructions allow you to input data from the keyboard and direct the computer to store the data in memory. Other instructions cause data in memory to be used in calculations such as adding a series of numbers to obtain a total. Some instructions compare two values in memory and direct the computer to perform alternative operations based on the results of the comparison. Other instructions direct the computer to print a report, display information on the monitor, draw a color picture on the monitor, or store information on a disk.

A computer carries out, or executes, the instructions in a pro gram by first placing, or loading, the instructions into the memory of the computer. Usually, the computer loads the instructions from storage into memory. For example, each time a program executes, it might load from the hard disk into memory.

When you purchase a program, such as one shown in Figure 1-11, you typically receive media such as a - CD-ROM(s) or a DYD-ROM that contains the software. Some programs can load into memory directly from the media. With other programs, you must install a part or all of the soft ware on the computer’s hard disk before you can use the program. Some programs also require you to insert the media, such as a CD-ROM, into the drive while you use, or run, the program. Others do not. Figure 1- 12 shows the steps a user may follow to run a computer program that allows you to create a greeting card. This program requires a CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive.

When you buy a computer, it usually has some software pre installed on its hard disk. This enables you to use the computer as soon as you set it up.

Software is the key to productive use of computers. With the proper software, a computer can become a valuable tool. The two categories of software are system Software and application software. The following pages describe these categories of software.

System Software
System software consists of the programs that control the operations of the computer and its devices. sys tem software serves as the interface between the user, the application software, and the computer’s hard ware. Two types of system software are the operating system and utility programs.

Operating System
An operating system (OS) is a set of programs containing instructions that coordinate all the activities among computer hardware devices. The operating system also contains instructions that allow you to run application software. Many of today’s computers use Microsoft’s most recent operating system, called Windows XP.

When you start a computer, the operating system loads into memory from the computer’s hard disk. It remains in memory while the computer is running and allows you to communicate with the computer and other software.

Utility Programs
A utility program is a type of system soft ware that performs a specific task, usually related to managing a computer, its devices, or its programs. An example of a utility program is an uninstaller, which removes a program that has been installed on a computer. Most operating systems include several utility programs for managing disk drives, printers, and other devices. You also can buy stand-alone utility programs, which allow you to perform additional computer management functions.


Language Translators
The programs written by using a computer programming language should be converted to the machine code in order to run the program correctly and to get the wanted output. Computer programming languages are in human understandable for mat and machine code cannot be understood by human.
    Converting Human readable format computer programs in to machine readable format is done by Language Translators.
Translators we can basically divide in to two parts called Compilers and Interpreters. The main difference between these two is the way that they convert the Computer programming language to machine language.



Compiler
A compiler is a special program that processes statements written in a particular programming language and turns them into machine language or "code" that a computer's processor uses. Typically, a programmer writes language statements in a language such as Pascal or C one line at a time using an editor. The file that is created contains what are called the source statements. The programmer then runs the appropriate language compiler, specifying the name of the file that contains the source statements.

When executing (running), the compiler first parses (or analyzes) all of the language statements syntactically one after the other and then, in one or more successive stages or "passes", builds the output code, making sure that statements that refer to other statements are referred to correctly in the final code. Traditionally, the output of the compilation has been called object code or sometimes an object module. (Note that the term "object" here is not related to object-oriented programming.) The object code is machine code that the processor can process or "execute" one instruction at a time.

More recently, the Java programming language, a language used in object-oriented programming, has introduced the possibility of compiling output (called byte code) that can run on any computer system platform for which a Java virtual machine or byte code interpreter is provided to convert the bytecode into instructions that can be executed by the actual hardware processor. Using this virtual machine, the bytecode can optionally be recompiled at the execution platform by a just-in-time compiler.

Traditionally in some operating systems, an additional step was required after compilation - that of resolving the relative location of instructions and data when more than one object module was to be run at the same time and they cross-referred to each other's instruction sequences or data. This process was sometimes called linkage editing and the output known as a load module.

A compiler works with what are sometimes called 3GL and higher-level languages.
An assembler works on programs written using a processor's assembler language.





Interpreter
An interpreter is a computer program that executes other programs. This is in contrast to a compiler which does not execute its input program (the source code) but translates it into executable machine code (also called object code) which is output to a file for later execution. It may be possible to execute the same source code either directly by an interpreter or by compiling it and then executing the machine code produced.
It takes longer to run a program under an interpreter than to run the compiled code but it can take less time to interpret it than the total required to compile and run it. This is especially important when prototyping and testing code when an editinterpret- debug cycle can often be much shorter than an edit-compile-run-debug cycle.
Interpreting code is slower than running the compiled code because the interpreter must analyze each statement in the program each time it is executed and then perform the desired action whereas the compiled code just performs the action. This run-time analysis is known as "interpretive overhead". Access to variables is also slower in an interpreter because the mapping of identifiers to storage locations must be done repeatedly at run-time rather than at compile time.

DBMS Software
A database is a collection of data organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval, and use of that data. In a manual database, you might record data on paper and store it in a filing cabinet. With a computerized database, the computer stores the data in an electronic format on a storage medium such as a floppy disk or hard disk. Database software, also called a database management system (DBMS), is software that allows you to create, access, and manage a database. Using database software, you can add, change, and delete data in the database; sort and retrieve data from the database; and create forms and reports using the data in the database.

Application Software
Application software consists of programs that perform specific tasks for users. Popular application software includes word processing software, spreadsheet software, data base software, and presentation graphics software. Word processing software allows you to create documents such as letters, memorandums, and brochures. Spreadsheet software allows you to calculate numbers arranged in rows and columns. Users perform financial tasks such as budgeting and forecasting with spreadsheet software. Database soft ware allows you to store data in an organized fashion, as well as retrieve, manipulate, and display that data in a variety of formats. With presentation graphics software, you create documents called slides that add visual appeal to presentations. Software vendors often bundle and sell these four applications together as a single unit. This bundle, called a suite, costs much less than if you purchased the applications individually. Microsoft’s Office XP is a very popular suite.
Many other types of application software exist that enable users to perform a variety of tasks. Some widely used applications include the following: reference, education, and entertainment; desktop publishing; photo and video editing; multimedia authoring; network, communications, electronic mail (e-mail), and Web browsers; accounting; project management; and personal information management. Chapter 2 discusses Web browsers and e-mail, and Chapter 3 discusses the other applications.

Application software is available in a variety of forms: packaged, custom, freeware, public domain, shareware, and from application service providers.


Word Processing
Microsoft Word
Corel WordPerfect
Lotus Word Pro
Microsoft Pocket Word

Spread Sheet
Microsoft Excel
Corel Quattro Pro
Lotus 1
Microsoft Pocket Excel

Database
Microsoft Access
Corel Paradox
Lotus Approach
Microsoft Visual FoxPro
Oracle

Presentation Graphics
Microsoft PowerPoint
Corel Presentations
Lotus Freelance Graphics

Personal Information Manager
Microsoft Outlook
CorelCENTRAL
Lotus Organizer
Palm MultiMail

Software Suite
Microsoft Office
Corel WordPerfect Office
Lotus SmartSuite


Project Management
Microsoft Project
Primavera SureTrak Project Manager

Accounting
Intuit QuickBooks
Peachtree Col11plete Accounting
Application Packages
Copyrighted application or system software that meets the needs of a wide variety of users, not just a single user or company, is called packaged software. You can purchase packaged software from stores that sell computer products. You also can purchase packaged software from companies on the Internet.
Custom-Made Software
Sometimes a user or company with unique soft ware requirements cannot find packaged software that meets all its needs. In this case, the person or company can opt for custom software. Custom software, written by a programmer, is a tailor-made application or system program developed at a user’s request to perform specific functions.

Freeware in Public-Domain
Software and Shareware
Freeware is application or system software provided at no cost to a user by an individual or a company. Freeware is copyrighted. You cannot resell it as your own. Public- domain software also is free software, but it has been donated for public use and has no copyright restrictions.
Shareware is copyrighted software that is distributed free for a trial period. If you want to use a shareware program beyond that period, you send a payment to the person or company that developed the program. Companies that develop shareware rely on the honor system. The company trusts you to send payment if you continue to use the software beyond the stated trial period. Upon sending this small fee, the developer registers you to receive service assistance and updates.
Examples of shareware, freeware, and public-domain software include utility programs, graphics programs, and games. Thousands of these pro grams are available on the Internet to download, or copy to your computer. You also can obtain copies of these programs from the developer, a coworker, or a friend.

Application Service Provider
  Storing and maintaining programs can be a costly investment for individuals and businesses. Some opt to use an application service provider for their software needs. An application service provider (ASP) is a third-party company that manages and distributes software and services on the Internet. That is, instead of installing the software on your computer, you run the programs from the Internet. Some vendors pro vide access to the software at no cost. Others charge for use of the program.

Programming Languages
Hundreds of programming languages exist. Only a few, however, are used widely enough today for the industry to recognize them as standards. Most of these are high-level languages that work on a variety of computers. This section discusses these programming languages, their origins, and their primary purpose. Although the Java programming language is used in many business applications today, it originally was used primarily for Web development. Thus, Java is discussed in the Web page development section of this chapter.

To illustrate the similarities and differences among programming languages, figures on the following pages show program code in several programming languages. The code solves a simple payroll problem — computing the gross pay for an employee. The steps to compute gross pay can vary from one system to another. The examples on the following pages use a simple algorithm to help you easily compare one programming language with another.

To compute the gross pay, first multiply the regular time hours worked by the hourly rate of pay to obtain the regular time pay. If the employee has overtime hours, the employee’s overtime pay is 1.5 times the hourly rate of pay multiplied by overtime hours. Then, add the regular time pay and overtime pay together.


BASIC
John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz developed a programming language called Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, or BASIC, in the mid-1960s at Dartmouth College. Kemeny and Kurtz designed BASIC for use as a simple, interactive problem-solving language. BASIC originally was intended as the language used in a student’s first programming course because it is so easy to learn and use. Today, BASIC is used on both personal computers and mid-range servers to develop some business applications. Many versions of BASIC exist, including QBasic, QuickBASIC, and MS-BASIC.

Visual Basic
Developed by Microsoft Corporation in the early 1990s, Visual Basic is a Windows based application that assists programmers in developing other event-driven Windows-based applications. The first step in building a Visual Basic application is to design the graphical user interface using Visual Basic objects. Visual Basic objects, or controls, include items such as command buttons, text boxes, and labels. Next, you write any code needed to define program events. An event in Visual Basic might be the result of an action initiated by a user. When a user clicks an object in a Visual Basic application, the application executes the Click event. You define Visual Basic events using code statements written in Visual Basic’s built-in programming language.

COBOL
COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language) developed out of a joint effort between the United States government, businesses, and major universities in the early 1960s. Naval officer Grace Hopper, a pioneer in computer programming, was a prime developer of the COBOL language.
COBOL is a procedural programming language designed for business applications. Although COBOL pro grams often are lengthy, their English- like statements make the code easy to read, write, and maintain (Figure 15-26). COBOL is especially useful for processing transactions on main frames. COBOL programs also run on other types of computers. The most popular personal computer COBOL program is Micro Focus Net Express®, which allows you to create procedural and object-oriented COBOL programs and migrate them to the Web.

C
The C programming language, developed in the early 1970s by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Laboratories, originally was designed for writing system software. Today, a variety of software programs are written in C. This includes operating systems and application software such as word processing and spreadsheet programs.
C is a powerful language that requires professional programming skills. Many programmers use C for business and scientific problems. C runs on almost any type of computer with any operating system, but it most often is used with the UNIX operating system. In fact, most of the UNIX operating system is written in C.

C++
Developed in the 1980s by Bjame Sroustrup at Bell Laboratories, C++ (pronounced SEE-plus-plus) is an object-oriented programming language. C++ is an extension of the C programming language. It includes all the elements of the C language plus has additional features for working with objects, classes, events, and other object-oriented concepts. Programmers commonly use C++ to develop application software, such as word processing and spreadsheet programs, as well as database and Web applications. Although C++ is an outgrowth of the C programming language, you do not need C programming experience to be a successful C++ programmer. Some programmers use a newer programming language called C# (pronounced SEE-sharp). C# com bines features of C and C++ and is best suited for development of Web applications.

JAVA
Developed by Sun Microsystems, Java is a compiled object-oriented programming language used to write stand-alone applications, as well as applets and servlets. Java applet examples might include input forms, rotating images, fireworks, interactive animations, or a game. Figure 15-37 shows a sample Java program and its resulting screen.
The Java language is very similar to C++. One difference is that Java source code is compiled into bytecode, instead of object code. The operating system cannot execute bytecode. A Java interpreter executes the bytecode. Java-enabled Web browsers contain Java bytecode interpreters.
Code segments used to create a Java application are called JavaBeans, or Beans. A JavaBeans is platform independent. This enables the code to run on any computer or operating system. Many programmers believe that Java will be the programming language of the future because of its simplicity, robustness, and portability.


Input Devices
Keyboard devices
Offline Data Preparation Methods
Table 1 below illustrates the Data Preparation Devices with corresponding input devices and media. These methods need special data preparation devices. The term “Off linen is used because this activity is done outside the computer and before input.
In Sri Lanka the punch card system was popular with the computers used from 1969 to the late 1970s. Later, it was replaced by Key-to-Diskette systems, which are still in use in Sri Lanka at a few places having high volume batch processing and less time critical applications such as: Data Processing of Public Examinations, Provident Fund applications, Census applications, Archival of high volume business documents etc.
Key Board Devices - On-line Terminals
The more common types of terminals are:

Visual Display Unit (VDU) or Video Terminal
VDU has ‘a television’ type screen and a keyboard. Here, input is by a keyboard and output through display on Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). This is the most common method of input.
General Features of a Video Terminal
     I.            It is an input/output (dual purpose) device.
  II.            The keyboard generally resembles a typewriter (QWERTY) keyboard, butthere is a wide range of variations.
III.            Display clarity (Resolution) depends on the pixel density. Pixel is the smallest display element to represent single color. Each character is formed by combination of pixels.
IV.            Standard screen display includes 24 rows by 80 column character matrixtotaling 1920 characters.
  V.             Screen movement is generally; Line by line - Scrolling or page by page -Paging.
VI.            Most of Video Terminals are ‘dumb’ terminals. New models appear now in the market includes microprocessor with various levels of facilities.
                                                          
Terminals
A terminal is a form of input (and output) device that connects you to a mainframe or other type of computer called a host computer or server. There are four types of terminals:

A dumb terminal can be used to input and receive data, but it cannot process data independently. It is used only to gain access to information from a computer. Such a terminal may be used by an airline reservations clerk to access a mainframe computer for flight information

An intelligent terminal includes a processing unit, memory, and secondary storage such as a magnetic disk. Essentially, an intelligent terminal is a micro computer with communications software and a telephone hookup (modem) or other communications link. These connect the terminal to the larger computer or to the Internet. Microcomputers operating as intelligent terminals are widely used in organizations.

A network terminal is also known as a thin client or network computer, is a low-cost alternative to an intelligent terminal. Most network terminals do not have a hard-disk drive and must rely on the host computer or server for application and system software. These devices are becoming increasingly popular in many organizations. An Internet terminal, also known as a Web terminal, provides access to the Internet and displays Web pages on a standard television set, these special purpose terminals have just recently been introduced to offer Internet access to people without microcomputers. Unlike the other types of terminals, Internet terminals are used almost exclusively in the home.


A Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminal
A Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminal is a smart terminal used very much like a cash register, but it also captures sales and inventory’s data at the point of sale and sends it to the central computer for processing. Many supermarkets have POS terminals that are connected directly to a central computer so that the sales data can be immediately recorded. This type of terminal usually displays the price, the product number, and possibly the product description. In addition, this type of terminal is equipped with a cash-register-type keyboard, a cash drawer, and a printer to print the receipt. It can operate on standalone basis and data stored can be transferred to the main computer by using a computer medium such as a diskette.

Banking / Financial Transaction Terminal
The most common terminals are:
         I.            Automatic Teller Machine (ATM)
A special intelligent terminal located outside the bank for a customer to operate on his own to perform a limited number of banking transactions. e.g.: cash withdrawal, cash transfers, utility bill payment etc.
       II.             Teller Operator terminal 
This is a specialized dumb/smart terminal for the bank teller operators who work in the front office of a bank to handle customer transactions.
    III.            Normal Video Terminals


Portable Terminal
It is consists of a Key Board, flat screen monitor and built in communication software/hardware which can connect from a remote location through a communication link to a computer. The portability of the terminal is due to its light weight. There are a wide range of products available. (e.g.: Terminal for traveling salesman.)




Non Keyboard Devices
Mouse
The mouse, is one of the devices connected to the computer by a small cable. As the mouse is rolled across the desktop, the cursor moves across the screen. When the cursor reaches the desired location, the user usually pushes button on the mouse once or twice to signal a menu selection or a command to the computer. Mouse technology is often used with graphics-oriented personal computers. With special software for graphics, the mouse can be used like a pen or a Paint Brush to create figures and patterns directly on the video display screen. e.g.: use with Corel Draw or Harward Graphics, Desk Top Publishing Applications etc.


Joystick
It is a device which contains lever which can be used to move objects on the screen.
e.g.: It is normally used to play computer games.

Light Pen
The light pen is a special attachment to a graphics terminal. The pen is touched on the video display screen at the desired location and switched on, then you can draw the image on the screen. Light pens are frequently used by graphic designers, illustrators, and drafting engineers. Of course, data may also be entered using keyboard e.g. Computer Aided Design (CAD), Architectural applications etc.

Touch Screen
Limited amounts of data can be entered via a terminal or a microcomputer that has a touch screen. The user simply touches the screen at the desired locations, marked by labeled boxes, to point out” choices to the computer. e.g.: Inquiry Terminals for general public such as Terminals located in the lobby areas of a large building complex. This will enable users to operate without much technical knowledge & skill.




Scanning Devices
Scanners
A Digital Scanner translates images such as pictures or documents into digital form. This is one area where substantial research & development has been taking place in the recent past. A wide variety of products are now available in the marketplace. The most common products are:


Hand Held Scanner
Used mostly with small scale publishing (Desk Top Publishing) systems to input pictures, logos etc.

Flat Bed Scanner
Used to input text based documents with or without images. Special software packages are now available to process these text based images such as editing, merging etc.

Character Scanners
These are hand held devices which can read data printed in special type fonts (e.g.: OCR) or hand written data based on recommended guidelines. In addition, there are Optical Character Readers which operate at high speed to handle high volume batch oriented input like Electricity billing meter readings.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
       Optical character recognition is a device that is used to scan the text, which is found on a document, and then the data is converted into electrical signals for the computer. This device can be used to read a special type of font. However, the more expensive OCR devices can read a variety of fonts; some can even read hand written documents.

Optical Mark Recognition (OMR)
The input device is Optical Mark Reader. In some of the foreign examinations like SAT or TOEFL the candidate application forms as well as the answer sheets are specially designed (Mark Sense Cards) to record data by using pencil marks. Open University of Sri Lanka and University of Colombo BIT program also use a similar method. Data recorded in this form is converted into computer-usable form by an Optical Mark Reader (OMR). The OMR device has a high-intensity light inside which is directed in the form of a beam at the sheet of paper being fed through it. The beam scans the marked forms and detects the number and location of the pencil marks. The data is then converted into electrical signals for the computer. OMRs come in a variety of sizes and shapes that depend on the size of the forms to be read and the required loading and processing capacity of the reader.

Magnetic-Ink Character Recognition (MICR)
This is specially designed for the input of high volume cheques in the banking industry.

The advantages of the MICR system are that Human involvement is minimum, thus the potential for errors is small, The codes can be read by both people and machines, It is fast, automatic, and reliable (2400 checks/mm).

The cheque leaf taken into the machine, and magnetize the ferric particles present in the data printed at the bottom edge of it. At the first read station it recognizes data based on magnetic induction & converts into electrical signals. Generally at the second read station it reads again & compare with the first reading for accuracy. In addition to reading, it sort the cheque leaves in a bundle according to the bank code & output to respective pigeon holes. e.g.; Cheque Clearing House of Sri Lanka.


Bar Code Reader
Bar Code is a collection of thick and thin lines and spaces that represent data in binary.
E.g.:
Parcel tracking system in courier companies
File tracking system in an office
Issue of items in a supermarket.
Record the movement of books in a library
In courier application the parcel reference number is bar coded & recorded in all relevant documents & the parcel itself. This reference number is input to the computer system by using a portable barcode scanner or wand reader. The wand has a scanning device that analyzes light & dark bars for width & spacing. This wand reader is a special attachment to a video terminal.


Card Reading Devices
Time/Punch Card
IBM made the punch-card technology into the business standard of the 1950's and 1960's. There are manual punch card readers available. But now a days this technology is not using widely.

Voice and Image Input Devices
Microphone
A microphone wants to take varying pressure waves in the air and convert them into varying electrical signals. There are five different technologies commonly used to accomplish this conversion:

Carbon microphones - The oldest and simplest microphone uses carbon dust. This is the technology used in the first telephones and is still used in some telephones today. The carbon dust has a thin metal or plastic diaphragm on one side. As sound waves hit the diaphragm, they compress the carbon dust, which changes its resistance. By running a current through the carbon, the changing resistance changes the amount of current that flows.

Dynamic microphones - A dynamic microphone takes advantage of electromagnet effects. When a magnet moves past a wire (or coil of wire), the magnet induces current to flow in the wire. In a dynamic microphone, the diaphragm moves either a magnet or a coil when sound waves hit the diaphragm, and the movement creates a small current. Ribbon microphones - In a ribbon microphone, a thin ribbon is suspended in a magnetic field. Sound waves move the ribbon which changes the current flowing through it.

Condenser microphones - A condenser microphone is essentially a capacitor, with one plate of the capacitor moving in response to sound waves. The movement changes the capacitance of the capacitor, and these changes are amplified to create a measurable signal. Condenser microphones usually need a small battery to provide a voltage across the capacitor.

Crystal microphones - Certain crystals change their electrical properties as they change. By attaching a diaphragm to a crystal, the crystal will create a signal when sound waves hit the diaphragm.


Web Camera
A cam, homecam, or Webcam is a video camera, usually attached directly to a computer, whose current or latest image is requestable from a Web site. A live cam is one that is continually providing new images that are transmitted in rapid succession or, in some cases, in streaming video. Sites with live cams sometimes embed them as Java applets in Web pages. Cams have caught on; there are now (we estimate) several thousand sites with cams. The first cams were positioned mainly on fish tanks and coffee machines. Many of today's live cams are on sexoriented sites. For travel promotion, traffic information, and the remote visualization of any ongoing event that's interesting, webcams seem like an exciting possibility that will become more common as users get access to more bandwidth.


Video Camera
A typical analog camcorder contains two basic parts:
A camera section, consisting of a CCD, lens and motors to handle the zoom, focus and aperture
A VCR section, in which a typical TV VCR is shrunk down to fit in a much smaller space.

The camera component's function is to receive visual information and interpret it as an electronic video signal. The VCR component is exactly like the VCR connected to your television: It receives an electronic video signal and records it on video tape as magnetic patterns


Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is the simulation of a real or imagined environment that can be experienced visually in the three dimensions of width, height, and depth and that may additionally provide an interactive experience visually in full real-time motion with sound and possibly with tactile and other forms of feedback. The simplest form of virtual reality is a 3-D image that can be explored interactively at a personal computer, usually by manipulating keys or the mouse so that the content of the image moves in some direction or zooms in or out. Most of these images require installing a plug-in for your browser. As the images become larger and interactive controls more complex, the perception of "reality" increases. More sophisticated efforts involve such approaches as wrap-around display screens, actual rooms augmented with wearable computers, and joystick devices that let you feel the display images.

Virtual reality can be divided into:
The simulation of real environments such as the interior of a building or a spaceship often with the purpose of training or education
The development of an imagined environment, typically for a game or educational adventure



Gloves
Gloves designed with flexible sensors which can accurately and reliably measure the position and movement of the fingers and wrist. Additional features of the glove would include the ability to simulate resistance at object borders during grasp of a simulated object in the VR environment. The glove will also be used to determine response times, posture, and movement dynamics of the fingers and hand. Touch sensitive response boards will also be necessary so that a simple touch of a finger anywhere on the board will record the contact to enable movement or response times to be recorded complementing the basic functions of the glove in space.


Headphone
Headgear that can display high resolution static or dynamic images. This device (goggles or head-mounted) would be used to display experimental stimuli with the option of aural accompaniment. Headphone is a lightweight device which you can use to hear quality audio.

E.g.:
The HP-60 Super Bass Headphone Set is CD digital quality, 16hz - 22,000hz, 32 Ohm, light weight, easy clean vinyl padded ear pieces, and works with all portable audio devices.


Motion Capture
Motion capture is defined as "The creation of a 3D representation of a live performance." in the book Understanding Motion Capture for Computer Animation and Video Games by Alberto Menache. This is in contrast to animation that is created 'by hand' through a process known as keyframing



Monitors
Mono(Monochrome) – Display a single Color.
CGA - Color Graphic Adapter (4 Colors)
EGA – Enhance Graphic Adapter (16 Colors)
VGA – Video Gr. Ad. (16 colors & 256 shading)
SVGA – Super VGA

Printers
Impact Printers
The Print mechanism strikes against the paper.

Non Impact Printers
The Print mechanism does not strike against the ribbon or paper.

Character Printers
Speed in Characters Per Second (CPS)
Used for low to medium volume applications
E.g.: Matrix, Ink Jet.

Line Printers
Speed in Lines Per Minute (LPM)
Used for high volume medium quality applications.
E.g.: printing of public examination results.

Page Printers
Speed in Pages per Minute (PPM)
Used for medium to high volume, high quality applications.
E.g.: Print a master copy of a magazine by using a Laser Printer.
Color Printers
Color printers use a Color Cartridge. Time to time you have to place the cartridge when the cartridge is over.

Black and White Printers
Black and White Printers use a Black and White Cartridge. Time to time you have to place the cartridge when the cartridge is over. There are printers which supports both Color and Black and White cartridges.

Text Printers
To print text there are specially text printers. The quality is very low in these printers.

Graphic Printers
These are very high quality printers. These printers are expensive than normal printers. You can get very high quality Images printouts by using a graphic printer. Graphic designers and the people in studios use Graphic printers.

Dot Matrix Printers
The most widely used printer which prints one character at a time. The technology has improved during the recent past to include very high quality & reasonably fast printers.

Daisy Wheel Printers
A kind of impact printer where the characters are arranged on the ends of the spokes of a wheel (resembling the petals on a daisy).
The wheel (usually made of plastic) is rotated to select the character to print and then an electrically operated hammer mechanism bends the selected spoke forward slightly, sandwiching an ink ribbon between the character and the paper, as in a typewriter.
One advantage of this arrangement over that of a typewriter is that different wheels may be inserted to produce different typefaces.

InkJet Printers
Ink printers work in much the same fashion as dot-matrix printers in that they form images or characters with little dots. However, the dots are formed, not by hammer like pins, but by tiny droplets of ink, and the text these printers produce is of letter quality. These printers can almost match the speed of dot- matrix printers - up to about 270 eps-and they produce less noise.

Thermal Printers
Thermal printers use heat to produce an image on special paper. The print mechanism - rather like a dot - matrix print head - is designed to heat the surface of chemically treated paper so that a dot is produced based on the reaction of the chemical to the heat. No ribbon or ink is involved. It can print multiple colors.

Laser Printers
Laser printer technology is much less mechanical than impact printers resulting in much higher speeds and quieter operation. The process resembles the operation of a photocopy machine. A laser beam is directed across the surface of a light-sensitive drum and fixed as needed to record an image in the form of a pattern of tiny dots. The image is then transferred to the paper. This printer prints a page at a time - in the same fashion as a copying machine, using a special toner. When high-speed laser printers (also called page printers) were introduced, they were very expensive. However, recent laser printer technology has made desktop versions available at very reasonable prices.



Plotters
A plotter is a specialized output device designed to produce high-quality graphics in a variety of colors. Drum plotters and flat bed plotters both use pens and electrostatic plotters do not.

Drum Plotter
The paper is mounted on the surface of a drum. The drum revolves and the plotter pens (which are similar to felt-tip pens) are horizontally positioned over the target area. When the paper has rotated to the correct point, the pens are dropped to the surface moved left and right under program control across the paper as the drum revolves. When the image is complete, the pens are raised from the surface.

Flat Bed Plotter
These are designed so that the paper is placed flat and one or more pens move horizontally and vertically across the paper.

Electrostatic Plotters
Use electrostatic charges to create images out of very small dots on specially treated paper. Electrostatic plotters are faster than pen plotters and can produce images of very high resolution, e.g.: Used by Architects, Surveyors, and Engineers.


Voice Output Devices
Voice output should be a more useful medium. This technology has had to overcome many hurdles. The most difficult has been that every individual perceives speech differently; that is, the voice patterns, pitches, and reflections we can hear and understand are different for all of us. It is not always easy to understand an unfamiliar voice pattern. At this point, two different approaches to voice output have evolved:

Speech coding
This relies on human speech as a reservoir of sounds to draw from in building the words and phrases to be output. Sounds are codified and stored on disk to be retrieved and translated back as sounds. Speech coding has been used in applications such as automobiles, toys, and games.

Speech synthesis
In this method voice is produced electronically without the use of a human voice. The largest application to date for the speech synthesis approach to voice output converting text into “spoken” words has many potential uses, including providing reading machines for the blind. And, of course, sound output does not have to be in voice form, it can be music or special-effects sounds, such as the sound accompaniment for computer animation, in cartoons etc.
COM Devices
Serial port or "com port". A connector on a computer to which you can attach a serial line connected to peripherals which communicate using a serial (bit-stream) protocol. The most common type of serial port is a 25-pin D-type connector carrying EIA-232 signals. Smaller connectors (e.g. 9-pin D-type) carrying a subset of EIA-232 are often used on personal computers. The serial port is usually connected to an integrated circuit called a UART which handles the conversion between serial and parallel data. In the days before bit-mapped displays, and today on multi-user systems, the serial port was used to connect one or more terminals (teletypewriters or VDUs), printers, modems and other serial peripherals. Two computers connected together via their serial ports, possibly via modems, can communicate using a protocol such as UUCP or CU or SLIP


Processor
A processor is the logic circuitry that responds to and processes the basic instructions that drive a computer. The term processor has generally replaced the term central processing unit (CPU). The processor in a personal computer or embedded in small devices is often called a microprocessor.

Arithmetic and Logic Unit
An arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) is the part of a computer processor (CPU) that carries out arithmetic and logic operations on the operands in computer instruction words. In some processors, the ALU is divided into two units, an arithmetic unit (AU) and a logic unit (LU). Some processors contain more than one AU - for example, one for fixed-point operations and another for floating-point operations. (In personal computers floating point operations are sometimes done by a floating point unit on a separate chip called a numeric coprocessor.)
           Typically, the ALU has direct input and output access to the processor controller, main memory (random access memory or RAM in a personal computer), and input/output devices. Inputs and outputs flow along an electronic path that is called a bus. The input consists of an instruction word (sometimes called a machine instruction word) that contains an operation code (sometimes called an "op code"), one or more operands, and sometimes a format code. The operation code tells the ALU what operation to perform and the operands are used in the operation. (For example, two operands might be added together or compared logically.) The format may be combined with the op code and tells, for example, whether this is a fixedpoint or a floating-point instruction. The output consists of a result that is placed in a storage register and settings that indicate whether the operation was performed successfully. (If it isn't, some sort of status will be stored in a permanent place that is sometimes called the machine status word.)
         In general, the ALU includes storage places for input operands, operands that are being added, the accumulated result (stored in an accumulator), and shifted results. The flow of bits and the operations performed on them in the subunits of the ALU is controlled by gated circuits. The gates in these circuits are controlled by a sequence logic unit that uses a particular algorithm or sequence for each operation code. In the arithmetic unit, multiplication and division are done by a series of adding or subtracting and shifting operations. There are several ways to represent negative numbers. In the logic unit, one of 16 possible logic operations can be performed - such as comparing two operands and identifying where bits don't match. The design of the ALU is obviously a critical part of the processor and new approaches to speeding up instruction handling are continually being developed.

Control Unit
Control Unit controls every single hardware part attached to the computer. Its main task is controlling the hardware devices which are attached to the machine according to the signals of CPU.

Memory Organization
Memory is the electronic holding place for instructions and data that your computer's microprocessor can reach quickly. When your computer is in normal operation, its memory usually contains the main parts of the operating system and some or all of the application programs and related data that are being used. Memory is often used as a shorter synonym for random access memory (RAM). This kind of memory is located on one or more microchips that are physically close to the microprocessor in your computer. Most desktop and notebook computers sold today include at least 16 megabytes of RAM, and are upgradeable to include more. The more RAM you have, the less frequently the computer has to access instructions and data from the more slowly accessed hard disk form of storage.
Memory is sometimes distinguished from storage, or the physical medium that holds the much larger amounts of data that won't fit into RAM and may not be immediately needed there. Storage devices include hard disks, floppy disks, CD-ROM, and tape backup systems. The terms auxiliary storage, auxiliary memory, and secondary memory have also been used for this kind of data repository.

Additional kinds of integrated and quickly accessible memory are read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), and erasable programmable ROM (EPROM). These are used to keep special programs and data, such as the basic input/output system, that need to be in your computer all the time.



Primary Storage
RAM
RAM (random access memory) is the place in a computer where the operating system, application programs, and data in current use are kept so that they can be quickly reached by the computer's processor. RAM is much faster to read from and write to than the other kinds of storage in a computer, the hard disk, floppy disk, and CD-ROM. However, the data in RAM stays there only as long as your computer is running. When you turn the computer off, RAM loses its data. When you turn your computer on again, your operating system and other files are once again loaded into RAM, usually from your hard disk.
        RAM can be compared to a person's short-term memory and the hard disk to the long-term memory. The short-term memory focuses on work at hand, but can only keep so many facts in view at one time. If short-term memory fills up, your brain sometimes is able to refresh it from facts stored in long-term memory. A computer also works this way. If RAM fills up, the processor needs to continually go to the hard disk to overlay old data in RAM with new, slowing down the computer's operation. Unlike the hard disk which can become completely full of data so that it won't accept any more, RAM never runs out of memory. It keeps operating, but much more slowly than you may want it to.



How Big is RAM?
RAM is small, both in physical size (it's stored in microchips) and in the amount of data it can hold. It's much smaller than your hard disk. A typical computer may come with 256 million bytes of RAM and a hard disk that can hold 40 billion bytes. RAM comes in the form of "discrete" (meaning separate) microchips and also in the form of modules that plug into holes in the computer's motherboard. These holes connect through a bus or set of electrical paths to the processor. The hard drive, on the other hand, stores data on a magnetized surface that looks like a phonograph record. Most personal computers are designed to allow you to add additional RAM modules up to a certain limit. Having more RAM in your computer reduces the number of times that the computer processor has to read data in from your hard disk, an operation that takes much longer than reading data from RAM. (RAM access time is in nanoseconds; hard disk access time is in milliseconds.)


Why Random Access?
RAM is called "random access" because any storage location can be accessed directly. Originally, the term distinguished regular core memory from offline memory, usually on magnetic tape in which an item of data could only be accessed by starting from the beginning of the tape and finding an address sequentially. Perhaps it should have been called "nonsequential memory" because RAM access is hardly random.
       RAM is organized and controlled in a way that enables data to be stored and retrieved directly to specific locations. A term IBM has preferred is direct access storage or memory. Note that other forms of storage such as the hard disk and CDROM are also accessed directly (or "randomly") but the term random access is not applied to these forms of storage.
In addition to disk, floppy disk, and CD-ROM storage, another important form of storage is read-only memory (ROM), a more expensive kind of memory that retains data even when the computer is turned off. Every computer comes with a small amount of ROM that holds just enough programming so that the operating system can be loaded into RAM each time the computer is turned on.

ROM
ROM is "built-in" computer memory containing data that normally can only be read, not written to. ROM contains the programming that allows your computer to be "booted up" or regenerated each time you turn it on. Unlike a computer's random access memory (RAM), the data in ROM is not lost when the computer power is turned off. The ROM is sustained by a small long-life battery in your computer. If you ever do the hardware setup procedure with your computer, you effectively will be writing to ROM.
PROM
Programmable read-only memory (PROM) is read-only memory (ROM) that can be modified once by a user. PROM is a way of allowing a user to tailor a microcode program using a special machine called a PROM programmer. This machine supplies an electrical current to specific cells in the ROM that effectively blows a fuse in them. The process is known as burning the PROM. Since this process leaves no margin for error, most ROM chips designed to be modified by users use erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

EPROM
EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory) is programmable read-only memory (programmable ROM) that can be erased and re-used. Erasure is caused by shining an intense ultraviolet light through a window that is designed into the memory chip. (Although ordinary room lighting does not contain enough ultraviolet light to cause erasure, bright sunlight can cause erasure. For this reason, the window is usually covered with a label when not installed in the computer.)
A different approach to a modifiable ROM is electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).



EEPROM
EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) is user-modifiable read-only memory (ROM) that can be erased and reprogrammed (written to) repeatedly through the application of higher than normal electrical voltage. Unlike EPROM chips, EEPROMs do not need to be removed from the computer to be modified. However, an EEPROM chip has to be erased and reprogrammed in its entirety, not selectively. It also has a limited life - that is, the number of times it can be reprogrammed is limited to tens or hundreds of thousands of times. In an EEPROM that is frequently reprogrammed while the computer is in use, the life of the EEPROM can be an important design consideration. A special form of EEPROM is flash memory, which uses normal PC voltages for erasure and reprogramming.

Cache
A cache (pronounced CASH) is a place to store something temporarily. The files you automatically request by looking at a Web page are stored on your hard disk in a cache subdirectory under the directory for your browser (for example, Internet Explorer). When you return to a page you've recently looked at, the browser can get it from the cache rather than the original server, saving you time and the network the burden of some additional traffic. You can usually vary the size of your cache, depending on your particular browser.
Computers include caches at several levels of operation, including cache memory and a disk cache. Caching can also be implemented for Internet content by distributing it to multiple servers that are periodically refreshed. (The use of the term in this context is closely related to the general concept of a distributed information base.)

Altogether, we are aware of these types of caches:
  • International, national, regional, organizational and other "macro" caches to which highly popular information can be distributed and periodically updated and from which most users would obtain information.
  • Local server caches (for example, corporate LAN servers or access provider servers that cache frequently accessed files). This is similar to the previous idea, except that the decision of what data to cache may be entirely local.
  • Your Web browser's cache, which contains the most recent Web files that you have downloaded and which is physically located on your hard disk (and possibly some of the following caches at any moment in time)
  • A disk cache (either a reserved area of RAM or a special hard disk cache) where a copy of the most recently accessed data and adjacent (most likely to be accessed) data is stored for fast access.
  • RAM itself, which can be viewed as a cache for data that is initially loaded in from the hard disk (or other I/O storage systems).
  • L2 cache memory, which is on a separate chip from the microprocessor but faster to access than regular RAM.
  • L1 cache memory on the same chip as the microprocessor.



Secondary Storage
Secondary storage is all addressable data storage that is not currently in the computer's main storage or memory. Synonyms are external storage and auxiliary storage.

Floppy Disks
A diskette is a random access, removable data storage medium that can be used with personal computers. The term usually refers to the magnetic medium housed in a rigid plastic cartridge measuring 3.5 inches square and about 2 millimeters thick. Also called a "3.5-inch diskette," it can store up to 1.44 megabytes (MB) of data. Although many personal computers today come with a 3.5-inch diskette drive preinstalled, some notebook computers and centrally-administered desktop computers omit them.
         Some older computers provide drives for magnetic diskettes that are 5.25 inches square, about 1 millimeter thick, and capable of holding 1.2 megabytes of data. These were sometimes called "floppy disks" or "floppies" because their housings are flexible. In recent years, 5.25-inch diskettes have been largely replaced by 3.5-inch diskettes, which are physically more rugged. Many people also call the newer hardcased diskette a "floppy."
           Magnetic diskettes are convenient for storing individual files and small programs. However, the magneto-optical (MO) disk is more popular for mass storage, backup, and archiving. An MO diskette is only a little larger, physically, than a conventional 3.5-inch magnetic diskette. But because of the sophisticated read/write technology, the MO diskette can store many times more data.

Disk Drives
Hard Disks
      A hard disk is part of a unit, often called a "disk drive," "hard drive," or "hard disk drive," that store and provides relatively quick access to large amounts of data on an electromagnetically charged surface or set of surfaces. Today's computers typically come with a hard disk that contains several billion bytes (gigabytes) of storage.
           A hard disk is really a set of stacked "disks," each of which, like phonograph records, has data recorded electromagnetically in concentric circles or "tracks" on the disk. A "head" (something like a phonograph arm but in a relatively fixed position) records (writes) or reads the information on the tracks. Two heads, one on each side of a disk, read or write the data as the disk spins. Each read or write operation requires that data be located, which is an operation called a "seek." (Data already in a disk cache, however, will be located more quickly.)



A hard disk/drive unit comes with a set rotation speed varying from 4500 to 7200 rpm. Disk access time is measured in milliseconds. Although the physical location can be identified with cylinder, track, and sector locations, these are actually mapped to a logical block address (LBA) that works with the larger address range on today's hard disks.
Optical Disks
An optical disc is an electronic data storage medium that can be written to and read using a low-powered laser beam. Originally developed in the late 1960s, the first optical disc, created by James T. Russell, stored data as micron-wide dots of light and dark. A laser read the dots, and the data was converted to an electrical signal, and finally to audio or visual output. However, the technology didn't appear in the marketplace until Philips and Sony came out with the compact disc (CD) in 1982.
Since then, there has been a constant succession of optical disc formats, first in CD formats, followed by a number of DVD formats. Optical disc offers a number of advantages over magnetic storage media. An optical disc holds much more data. The greater control and focus possible with laser beams (in comparison to tiny magnetic heads) means that more data can be written into a smaller space. Storage capacity increases with each new generation of optical media. Emerging standards, such as Blu-ray, offer up to 27 gigabytes (GB) on a single-sided 12-centimeter disc. In comparison, a diskette, for example, can hold 1.44 megabytes (MB). Optical discs are inexpensive to manufacture and data stored on them is relatively impervious to most environmental threats, such as power surges, or magnetic disturbances.

CD-ROM
CD-ROM (Compact Disc, read-only-memory) is an adaptation of the CD that is designed to store computer data in the form of text and graphics, as well as hi-fi stereo sound. The original data format standard was defined by Philips and Sony in the 1983 Yellow Book. Other standards are used in conjunction with it to define directory and file structures, including ISO 9660, HFS (Hierarchal File System, for Macintosh computers), and Hybrid HFS-ISO. Format of the CD-ROM is the same as for audio CDs: a standard CD is 120 mm (4.75 inches) in diameter and 1.2 mm (0.05 inches) thick and is composed of a polycarbonate plastic substrate (underlayer – this is the main body of the disc), one or more thin reflective metal (usually aluminum) layers, and a lacquer coating. The Yellow Book specifications were so general that there was some fear in the industry that multiple incompatible and proprietary formats would be created. In order to prevent such an occurrence, representatives from industry leaders met at the High Sierra Hotel in Lake Tahoe to collaborate on a common standard. Nicknamed the High Sierra Format, this version was later modified to become ISO 9660. Today, CDROMs are standardized and will work in any standard CD-ROM drive. CD-ROM drives can also read audio compact discs for music, although CD players cannot read CD-ROM discs.



Magnetic Tape
The use of magnetic media to record and store numeric and textual information, sound, motion, and still images has presented librarians and archivists with opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, magnetic media increase the kinds of artifacts and events we can capture and store. On the other hand, their special long-term storage needs are different from traditional library materials, confusing to those in charge of their care, and demanding of resources not always available to libraries and archives. Audio and video collections require specific care and handling to ensure that the recorded information will be preserved. Special storage environments may be required if the recorded information is to be preserved for longer than ten years. For information that must be preserved indefinitely, periodic transcription from old media to new media will be necessary, not only because the media are unstable, but because the recording technology will become obsolete. As an information storage medium, magnetic tape is not as stable as film or paper. Properly cared for, film and nonacidic paper can last for centuries, whereas magnetic tape will only last a few decades. Use of magnetic media for storage is further confounded by the prevalence of several formats (e.g., U-matic, VHS, S-VHS, 8mm, and BetaCam for video), media types (iron oxide, chromium dioxide, barium ferrite, metal particulate, and metal evaporated), and by rapid advances in media technology. On the other hand, books have virtually maintained the same format for centuries, have almost exclusively used ink on paper as the information storage medium, and require no special technology to access the recorded information.
Likewise, newer microfilm, microfiche, and movie film are known for their stability when kept in proper environments, and viewing formats have not changed significantly over the years. (The breakdown of acetate backing that plagues older film materials is discussed in Section 2.3: Substrate Deformation.) This report will compare care and handling procedures for tapes with procedures for paper and film whenever possible.

Zip Drives
A Zip drive is a small, portable disk drive used primarily for backing up and archiving personal computer files. The trademarked Zip drive was developed and is sold by Iomega Corporation. Zip drives and disks come in two sizes. The 100 megabyte size actually holds 100,431,872 bytes of data or the equivalent of 70 floppy diskettes. There is also a 250 megabyte drive and disk. The Iomega Zip drive comes with a software utility that lets you copy the entire contents of your hard drive to one or more Zip disks.

In addition to data backup, Iomega suggests these additional uses:
·         Archiving old e-mail or other files you don't use any more but may want to access someday
·         Storing unusually large files, such as graphic images that you need infrequently
·         Exchanging large files with someone
·         Putting your system on another computer, perhaps a portable computer
·         Keeping certain files separate from files on your hard disk (for example, personal finance files)

The Zip drive can be purchased in either a parallel or a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) version. In the parallel version, a printer can be chained off the Zip drive so that both can be plugged into your computer's parallel port.

DVD
DVD (digital versatile disc) is an optical disc technology that is expected to rapidly replace the CD-ROM disc (as well as the audio compact disc) over the next few years. The digital versatile disc (DVD) holds 4.7 gigabyte of information on one of its two sides, or enough for a 133-minute movie. With two layers on each of its two sides, it will hold up to 17 gigabytes of video, audio, or other information. (Compare this to the current CD-ROM disc of the same physical size, holding 600 megabyte. The DVD can hold more than 28 times as much information!)
     DVD-Video is the usual name for the DVD format designed for full-length movies and is a box that will work with your television set. DVD-ROM is the name of the player that will (sooner or later) replace your computer's CD-ROM. It will play regular CDROM discs as well as DVD-ROM discs. DVD-RAM is the writeable version. DVDAudio is a player designed to replace your compact disc player.
    DVD uses the MPEG-2 file and compression standard. MPEG-2 images have four times the resolution of MPEG-1 images and can be delivered at 60 interlaced fields per second where two fields constitute one image frame. (MPEG-1 can deliver 30 nointerlaced frames per second.) Audio quality on DVD is comparable to that of current audio compact discs.






Main Circuit Board of a PC
A motherboard is the physical arrangement in a computer that contains the computer's basic circuitry and components. On the typical motherboard, the circuitry is imprinted or affixed to the surface of a firm planar surface and usually manufactured in a single step. The most common motherboard design in desktop computers today is the AT, based on the IBM AT motherboard. A more recent motherboard specification, ATX, improves on the AT design. In both the AT and ATX designs, the computer components included in the motherboard are:
The microprocessor
(Optionally) coprocessors
Memory
basic input/output system (BIOS)
Expansion slot
Interconnecting circuitry

Additional components can be added to a motherboard through its expansion slot. The electronic interface between the motherboard and the smaller boards or cards in the expansion slots is called the bus.
Bus
   In a computer or on a network, a bus is a transmission path on which signals are dropped off or picked up at every device attached to the line. Only devices addressed by the signals pay attention to them; the others discard the signals. According to Winn L. Rosch, the term derives from its similarity to autobuses that stop at every town or block to drop off or take on riders

In general, the term is used in two somewhat different contexts:
  1. A bus is a network topology or circuit arrangement in which all devices are attached to a line directly and all signals pass through each of the devices. Each device has a unique identity and can recognize those signals intended for it.
  2. In a computer, a bus is the data path on the computer's motherboard that interconnects the microprocessor with attachments to the motherboard in expansion slots (such as hard disk drives, CD-ROM drives, and graphics adapters).

Chips
Chip" is short for microchip, the incredibly complex yet tiny modules that store computer memory or provide logic circuitry for microprocessors. Perhaps the best known chips are the Pentium microprocessors from Intel. The PowerPC microprocessor, developed by Apple, Motorola, and IBM, is used in Macintosh personal computers and some workstations. AMD and Cyrix also make popular microprocessor chips.
There are quite a few manufacturers of memory chips. Many special-purpose chips, known as application-specific integrated circuits, are being made today for automobiles, home appliances, telephones, and other devices. A chip is manufactured from a silicon (or, in some special cases, a sapphire) wafer, which is first cut to size and then etched with circuits and electronic devices. The electronic devices use complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology. The current stage of micro-integration is known as Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI). A chip is also sometimes called an IC or integrated circuit.

Ports
On computer and telecommunication devices, a port (noun) is generally a specific place for being physically connected to some other device, usually with a socket and plug of some kind. Typically, a personal computer is provided with one or more serial ports and usually one parallel port. The serial port supports sequential, one bit-at-atime transmission to peripheral devices such as scanners and the parallel port supports multiple-bit-at-a-time transmission to devices such as printers.

Expansion Slots
In computers, a slot, or expansion slot, is an engineered technique for adding capability to a computer in the form of connection pinholes (typically, in the range of 16 to 64 closely-spaced holes) and a place to fit an expansion card containing the circuitry that provides some specialized capability, such as video acceleration, sound, or disk drive control.
Almost all desktop computers come with a set of expansion slots. These help ensure that you'll be able to add new hardware capabilities in the future.




SIMM
A SIMM (single in-line memory module) is a module containing one or several random access memory (RAM) chips on a small circuit board with PINs that connect to the computer motherboard. Since the more RAM your computer has, the less frequently it will need to access your secondary storage (for example, hard disk or CD-ROM), PC owners sometimes expand RAM by installing additional SIMMs. SIMMs typically come with a 32 data bit (36 bits counting parity bits) path to the computer that requires a 72-pin connector. SIMMs usually come in memory chip multiples of four megabytes.
The memory chips on a SIMM are typically dynamic RAM (DRAM) chips. An improved form of RAM called Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) can also be used. Since SDRAM provides a 64 data bit path, it requires at least two SIMMs or a dual in-line memory module (DIMM).

RIMM
In a computer, a RIMM is a memory module developed by Kingston Technology Corp. that takes up less space inside the computer than the older DIMM module and has different PIN characteristics. A RIMM has a 184-pin connector and an SO-RIMM module has a 160-pin connector. An SO-RIMM is smaller and is used in systems that require smaller form factors. While RIMM is commonly believed to stand for "Rambus inline memory module," Kingston Technology has trademarked "RIMM" and uses only that term.
A RIMM module consists of RDRAM chips that are attached using a thin layer of solder, a metal alloy that, when melted, fuses metals to each other. Solder balls on each chip create a metal pathway used to conduct electricity.

DIMM
A DIMM (dual in-line memory module) is a double SIMM (single in-line memory module). Like a SIMM, it's a module containing one or several random access memory (RAM) chips on a small circuit board with pins that connect it to the computer motherboard. A SIMM typically has a 32 data bit (36 bits counting parity bits) path to the computer that requires a 72-pin connector. For synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM) chips, which have a 64 data bit connection to the computer, SIMMs must be installed in in-line pairs (since each supports a 32 bit path). A single DIMM can be used instead. A DIMM has a 168-pin connector and supports 64-bit data transfer. It is considered likely that future computers will standardize on the DIMM.


VDU Interface
A device used for the real-time temporary display of computer output data. Note: Monitors usually use cathode-ray-tube or liquid-crystal technology. Synonyms video display terminal, video display unit, visual display unit.
VDU, or "video terminal", "video display terminal", VDT, "display terminal") A device incorporating a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a keyboard and a serial port. A VDU usually also includes its own display electronics which store the received data and convert it into electrical waveforms to drive the CRT.
VDUs fall into two categories: dumb terminals and intelligent terminals (sometimes called "programmable terminals"). Early VDUs could only display characters in a single preset font, and these were confined to being layed out in a rectangular grid, reproducing the functionality of the paper-based teletypes they were designed to replace.
Later models added graphics facilities but were still driven via serial communications, typically with several VDUs attached to a single multi-user computer. This contrasts with the much faster single bitmap displays integrated into most modern single-user personal computers and workstations.
The term "Display Screen Equipment" (DSE) is used almost exclusively in connection with the health and safety issues concerning VDUs.



The Number Systems
          The reason that "hex" and octal are popular in computing is that it's easy to translate to and from the binary system that computers really use. People use decimal primarily because they have ten fingers, but it's just not that convenient to switch back and forth from 10011010010 to 1234. It IS convenient to convert to 4D2 (hex) or 2322 (octal).
The numbers from decimal 0 through 15 in decimal, binary, octal, and hexadecimal form are listed below.
Binary
Binary describes a numbering scheme in which there are only two possible values for each digit: 0 and 1. The term also refers to any digital encoding/decoding system in which there are exactly two possible states. In digital data memory, storage, processing, and communications, the 0 and 1 values are sometimes called "low" and "high," respectively.

Binary numbers look strange when they are written out directly. This is because the digits' weight increases by powers of 2, rather than by powers of 10. In a digital numeral, the digit furthest to the right is the "ones" digit; the next digit to the left is the "twos" digit; next comes the "fours" digit, then the "eights" digit, then the "16s" digit, then the "32s" digit, and so on. The decimal equivalent of a binary number can be found by summing all the digits. For example, the binary 10101 is equivalent to the decimal 1 + 4 + 16 = 21:



                                                                    
Hexadecimal
Hexadecimal describes a base-16 number system. That is, it describes a numbering system containing 16 sequential numbers as base units (including 0) before adding a new position for the next number. (Note that we're using "16" here as a decimal number to explain a number that would be "10" in hexadecimal.) The hexadecimal numbers are 0-9 and then use the letters A-F. We show the equivalence of binary, decimal, and hexadecimal numbers in the table below.
         Hexadecimal is a convenient way to express binary numbers in modern computers in which a byte is almost always defined as containing eight binary digits. When showing the contents of computer storage (for example, when getting a core dump of storage in order to debug a new computer program or when expressing a string of text characters or a string of binary values in coding a program or HTML page), one hexadecimal digit can represent the arrangement of four binary digits. Two hexadecimal digits can represent eight binary digits, or a byte.

Octal
Octal (pronounced AHK-tuhl, from Latin octo or "eight") is a term that describes a base-8 number system. An octal number system consists of eight single-digit numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The number after 7 is 10. The number after 17 is 20 and so forth.
In computer programming, the octal equivalent of a binary number is sometimes used to represent it because it is shorter.

Coding Systems
ASCII
ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is the most common format for text files in computers and on the Internet. In an ASCII file, each alphabetic, numeric, or special character is represented with a 7-bit binary number (a string of seven 0s or 1s). 128 possible characters are defined.
Unix and DOS-based operating systems use ASCII for text files. Windows NT and 2000 uses a newer code, Unicode. IBM's S/390 systems use a proprietary 8-bit code called EBCDIC. Conversion programs allow different operating systems to change a file from one code to another.
ASCII was developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

EBCDIC
EBCDIC (pronounced either "ehb-suh-dik" or "ehb-kuh-dik") is a binary code for alphabetic and numeric characters that IBM developed for its larger operating systems. It is the code for text files that is used in IBM's OS/390 operating system for its S/390 servers and that thousands of corporations use for their legacy applications and databases. In an EBCDIC file, each alphabetic or numeric character is represented with an 8-bit binary number (a string of eight 0's or 1's). 256 possible characters (letters of the alphabet, numerals, and special characters) are defined. IBM's PC and workstation operating systems do not use IBM's proprietary EBCDIC. Instead, they use the industry standard code for text, ASCII. Conversion programs allow different operating systems to change a file from one code to another.



Logic Gates: AND Gate, OR Gate, NOR Gate
   A logic gate is an elementary building block of a digital circuit. Most logic gates have two inputs and one output. At any given moment, every terminal is in one of the two binary conditions low (0) or high (1), represented by different voltage levels. The logic state of a terminal can, and generally does, change often, as the circuit processes data. In most logic gates, the low state is approximately zero volts (0 V), while the high state is approximately five volts positive (+5 V).
There are seven basic logic gates: AND, OR, XOR, NOT, NAND, NOR, and XNOR.
  Using combinations of logic gates, complex operations can be performed. In theory, there is no limit to the number of gates that can be arrayed together in a single device. But in practice, there is a limit to the number of gates that can be packed into a given physical space. Arrays of logic gates are found in digital integrated circuits (ICs). As IC technology advances, the required physical volume for each individual logic gate decreases and digital devices of the same or smaller size become capable of performing ever-more-complicated operations at ever-increasing speeds.

AND Gate
The AND gate is so named because, if 0 is called "false" and 1 is called "true," the gate acts in the same way as the logical "and" operator. The following illustration and table show the circuit symbol and logic combinations for an AND gate. (In the symbol, the input terminals are at left and the output terminal is at right.) The output is "true" when both inputs are "true." Otherwise, the output is "false."

OR Gate
The OR gate gets its name from the fact that it behaves after the fashion of the logical inclusive "or." The output is "true" if either or both of the inputs are "true." If both inputs are "false," then the output is "false."



NOR Gate
The NOR gate is a combination OR gate followed by an inverter. Its output is "true" if both inputs are "false." Otherwise, the output is "false."

Introduction to Computer Viruses
A virus is a piece of programming code usually disguised as something else that causes some unexpected and usually undesirable event. A virus is often designed so that it is automatically spread to other computer users. Viruses can be transmitted as attachments to an e-mail note, as downloads, or be present on a diskette or CD. The source of the e-mail note, downloaded file, or diskette you've received is often unaware of the virus. Some viruses wreak their effect as soon as their code is executed; other viruses lie dormant until circumstances cause their code to be executed by the computer. Some viruses are playful in intent and effect ("Happy Birthday, Ludwig!") and some can be quite harmful, erasing data or causing your hard disk to require reformatting.
Generally, there are three main classes of viruses:

Boot Sector
These viruses infect executable code found in certain system areas on a disk. They attach to the DOS boot sector on diskettes or the Master Boot Record on hard disks. A typical scenario (familiar to the author) is to receive a diskette from an innocent source that contains a boot disk virus. When your operating system is running, files on the diskette can be read without triggering the boot disk virus. However, if you leave the diskette in the drive, and then turn the computer off or reload the operating system, the computer will look first in your A drive, find the diskette with its boot disk virus, load it, and make it temporarily impossible to use your hard disk. (Allow several days for recovery.) This is why you should make sure you have a bootable floppy.

File
Some file infector viruses attach themselves to program files, usually selected .COM or .EXE files. Some can infect any program for which execution is requested, including .SYS, .OVL, .PRG, and .MNU files. When the program is loaded, the virus is loaded as well. Other file infector viruses arrive as wholly-contained programs or scripts sent as an attachment to an e-mail note.

Trojan Horse
Trojan horse attacks pose one of the most serious threats to computer security. If you were referred here, you may have not only been attacked but may also be attacking others unknowingly. This page will teach you how to avoid falling prey to them, and how to repair the damage if you already did. According to legend, the Greeks won the Trojan war by hiding in a huge, hollow wooden horse to sneak into the fortified city of Troy. In today's computer world, a Trojan horse is defined as a "malicious, security-breaking program that is disguised as something benign". For example, you download what appears to be a movie or music file, but when you click on it, you unleash a dangerous program that erases your disk, sends your credit card numbers and passwords to a stranger, or lets that stranger hijack your computer to commit illegal denial of service attacks like those that have virtually crippled the DALnet IRC network for months on end.
      The following general information applies to all operating systems, but by far most of the damage is done to/with Windows users due to its vast popularity and many weaknesses.
   (Note: Many people use terms like Trojan horse, virus, worm, hacking and cracking all interchangeably, but they really don't mean the same thing. If you're curious, here's a quick primer defining and distinguishing them. Let's just say that once you are "infected", trojans are just as dangerous as viruses and can spread to hurt others just as easily!)

Methods of Activation
You can open a file by double clicking on it, but you can’t see the behind process. Most of the times these files can be .exe files which are in floppy diskettes or in Compack Disks.
You might have down load something from the internet which you don’t trust 100%.
You might open Email attachments without knowing.

Virus Effects
  • If your computer is running down slowly more than earlier.
  •  If the machine shut downs abnormally.
  • If you can see unknown files or folders have been saved in to the hard disk.
  • If anything abnormally happens in your machine than earlier it might be to a virus effect.
Preventive Steps
1.      Above all check every data medium you get. Even if it belongs to your best friend, it does not give you the guarantee of security. It concerns not only floppy disks, but also CD-ROMs, CD-RWs and ZIPs. Do not even open floppy disk if you get it from an unknown person. Every data medium obtained from an anonymous source is potentially infected.
2.      Block the possibility of system boot from a floppy disk. Most of the latest BIOSes have a function, which enables to do it. In that simple way you can avoid the risk of having your computer infected by boot-sector viruses.
3.      Do not open any letter with attached files received from an unknown sender.
4.      Do not run macros in documents of office packages if an anti-virus monitor is off.
5.      Use an anti-virus monitor working constantly at the background. For the best security the monitor should check the incoming mail and every file downloaded from the Internet.
6.      You should systematically update definitions of viruses used by anti-virus software. Updating should be done at least once a month (the best once a week).
7.      In a situation when you chat in the Internet (especially using mIRC) you have to follow the same rules as in case of received e-mails. Do not open any received files, if you do know who sent it to you and why. Some viruses are sent automatically, so same information about sender does not give you guarantee of security.
8.      NEVER download blindly from people or sites which you aren't 100% sure about. In other words, as the old saying goes, don't accept candy from strangers. If you do a lot of file downloading, it's often just a matter of time before you fall victim to a trojan.
9.      Even if the file comes from a friend, you still must be sure what the file is before opening it, because many trojans will automatically try to spread themselves to friends in an email address book or on an IRC channel. There is seldom reason for a friend to send you a file that you didn't ask for. When in doubt, ask them first, and scan the attachment with a fully updated anti-virus program.
10.  Beware of hidden file extensions! Windows by default hides the last extension of a file, so that innocuous-looking "susie.jpg" might really be "susie.jpg.exe" - an executable trojan! To reduce the chances of being tricked, unhide those pesky extensions.
11.  NEVER use features in your programs that automatically get or preview files. Those features may seem convenient, but they let anybody send you anything which is extremely reckless. For example, never turn on "auto DCC get" in mIRC, instead ALWAYS screen every single file you get manually. Likewise, disable the preview mode in Outlook and other email programs.
12.   Never blindly type commands that others tell you to type, or go to web addresses mentioned by strangers, or run pre-fabricated programs or scripts (not even popular ones). If you do so, you are potentially trusting a stranger with control over your computer, which can lead to trojan infection or other serious harm.
13.  Don't be lulled into a false sense of security just because you run anti-virus programs. Those do not protect perfectly against many viruses and trojans, even when fully up to date. Anti-virus programs should not be your front line of security, but instead they serve as a backup in case something sneaks onto your computer.
14.  Finally, don't download an executable program just to "check it out" - if it's a trojan, the first time you run it, you're already infected!




Introduction to Anti-virus Software
Antivirus (or "anti-virus") software is a class of program that searches your hard drive and floppy disks for any known or potential viruses. The market for this kind of program has expanded because of Internet growth and the increasing use of the Internet by businesses concerned about protecting their computer assets.

Following are some URLs where you can find more information about antivirus software.
International Computer Security Association:
http://www.icsa.net
Virus Bulletin
http://www.virusbtn.com
Dr Salomon's page
http://www.drsalomon.com
CERT - Computer Emergency Response Team
http://www.cert.org
McAfee anti-virus
http://vil.mcafee.com
Symantec
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/
Other pages about virus:
http://www.mks.com.pl
http://www.antywirusy.pl
http://www.wirusy.pl
http://www.wirusy.onet.pl
http://www.viruslist.com