1Section 1

1
Section 1
System Technologies and
Implications
Modules
1.1 Introduction to computers
1.2 Software
1.3 Hardware
1.4 File management
1.5 ICTs in perspective
1.6 Extended software concepts
1.7 Extended hardware concepts
1.8 The impact of ICT
Module 1.1: Introduction to computers
1
Module
Introduction to
computers
1.1
Introduction
In this module we give a quick ‘starter pack’ to teach you the basics you need to get
going. After all, you are itching to switch that computer on! We will return to many of
these concepts because many of them only really make sense once we have worked
(well, played) a bit.
Hardware versus software
Let’s sort out the difference between two critical components of a computer system,
namely hardware and software:
• We refer to the physical parts of a computer that we can touch and see as
hardware. Examples include the mouse, the screen, the keyboard, a printer and
the different components inside the computer.
• To actually get the computer to do something, we need to give it very specific
instructions. These instructions are what we know as programs or software.
The system unit containing various
components such as a hard drive,
memory (RAM), central processing unit
and CD drive.
Monitor
A computer needs instructions
(software) to be able to work.
Special cables
connecting the
components.
Keyboard
Mouse
The CD is not
the software; the
programs stored
on the CD are the
software.
The motherboard is the large circuit board that all the other parts of the computer connect
to. It is found inside the computer case and allows all of the parts of the computer to
communicate with each other.
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Section 1
We’ll be working with all of these components in this module – some of them we will
work with directly, and some of them we’ll use without even realising it.
How a computer works
Computers take input (usually from the keyboard or the mouse),
do something to it (process it) and then
produce some form of output (usually on the screen or on a printer).
Often the input or output needs to be stored for use at a later stage.
Output
Input
Processing of
data
Storage
(permanent)
Computers process data into information.
• Data is unprocessed items. This can include text,
numbers, images, audio and video.
• Information is the result of the processing of data and
should be useful and meaningful.
A learner’s learner number and their various test and exam marks is the data being
input. The computer processes the data and the result or output is a printed report
(information).
71
4 60 90 55 75 60 7
0 76
80 8
80 1102
50
54
67
Module 1.1: Introduction to computers
3
The process of input, processing, output and storage is called the information processing cycle. These days most computers are linked to other computers in some way so
that they can communicate with one another. Communication has therefore become a
very important element in this cycle.
Activity
1
The process of input, processing, output and storage also occurs in other electronic
devices. Indicate in each of the following cases whether the phrase or definition
refers to input, processing, output or storage.
1. Typing an SMS message into your cellphone.
2. The letters that appear on the screen of your cellphone while you are typing a SMS
message.
3. Your contacts (names and phone numbers) on your cellphone.
4. Pressing the change channel button on the television control.
5. The songs on your MP3 player.
6. The sound of your house alarm going off.
7. The movie that plays on the screen from your DVD player.
8. The ‘Error’ or ‘Beep’ sound that your computer makes when you make a mistake.
9. Moving the computer’s joystick when playing a computer game.
10.The movie on a DVD.
The ‘mighty mouse’
The mouse is used a lot to interact with programs on your
computer. We move the mouse cursor on the screen by
moving the mouse around.
The following table shows the basic mouse actions:
Mouse action
Description
Clicking
Resting the cursor on an object and then selecting the object by
clicking the left button once.
Double-clicking
Quickly clicking the left button twice.
Right-clicking
Pressing the right mouse button instead of the left mouse button.
Dragging
Holding down a mouse button and moving the mouse.
Scrolling
Most mice have a wheel between the two buttons that is used to scroll
up and down in a document on the screen.
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Section 1
Introduction to Windows
The most important program on a computer is the program that controls all the
activities in the computer. This is known as the operating system and Windows is
probably the most well-known operating system. In this section, we are going to
explore the ‘Windows environment’ a bit.
Start up time!
The operating system automatically loads when the computer is switched on. We
call this process the booting up process. Depending on how your computer is set up
(configured), you may have to press <Ctrl><Alt><Delete> to allow you to ‘log on’. In
addition, you may be asked to enter a username and password.
Logging on refers to the process of gaining access to the programs and data on a
computer, often with the use of a username and password.
This is very often the case when you are linked to several other computers in a network
(like you most likely have at school).
The unique username and password is used for security purposes so that only you can
access your files. This is done to ensure that other users do not tamper with or delete your
files. It is also done to maintain privacy as one does not want everyone to have access to
everyone else’s files.
The desktop
When you switch on your computer, you will eventually see the desktop. This is the
first basic ‘screen’ of the operating system. This will vary in appearance as each
operating system has a different appearance and the desktop can also be customised
or changed by the user.
The small pictures or icons on the desktop represent programs or ‘places’ on the
computer. The user can select or choose objects by clicking on an icon – we will learn
more about this later.
Imagine the desktop as an actual desk where you stack your work,
move items around and add and remove items as needed.
Sidebar and Gadgets
Start button and Start
Menu
Quick Launch toolbar
Taskbar
Notification area
Module 1.1: Introduction to computers
5
Activity
2
Explore the desktop
• Switch on your computer and log on. If you need to, add a
username and password and wait until the desktop appears.
• You will see small pictures or icons that represent objects.
• Move your cursor and let it ‘rest’ on some of the icons. Find
out what descriptions appear on each of the icons such as the
Recycle Bin. We call these descriptions that appear when you
rest or ‘hover’ your cursor on an object, a tooltip.
Recycle
Bin
• Rearrange some of the desktop icons by dragging them.
• Right-click on the Recycle Bin. A series of options will pop up.
This is known as a pop-up menu. To get rid of the pop-up menu,
click on a ‘blank’ part on the desktop.
• Some pictures or icons have a small curved arrow in the bottom
left corner. These are known as shortcuts. See if you can
identify a shortcut on your desktop. Shortcuts provide fast
access to things like programs and printers.
• Click on the Start button. Notice how some of the options (such
as All Programs) have a small triangle next to them. This simply
means that there are more options to be found on another
menu, which you can branch to by moving the cursor over the
option.
Shortcut
Start
button
• An important option located at the bottom right on the Start menu is the
option to Shut down the computer. (Do not select anything yet!)
• It is important to use this option to switch off the computer. If you use
the power button to shut the computer down, it could damage files that
are still open and the computer might not save
changes to documents and settings in the programs
You can sometimes
that are running.
cancel an option or
get back to where you
were by pressing the
Escape key (<Esc>).
Common features of programs
Programs written to run on a computer that has a Windows operating system are
called Windows programs (duh!). When a new program is started, an area on the
screen is used to display the contents or feedback from the program. This area is
known as a window.
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Section 1
A window will usually
cover the desktop but
it is possible to have
multiple windows
running.
Two documents can be
open simultaneously
Tasks are links to the programs currently in
use. Whenever a program is running it usually
creates a task button on the taskbar at the
bottom of the screen.
Module 1.1: Introduction to computers
7
Activity
3
Exploring windows
• Open the Microsoft Word program on your computer (It may be shown as an icon
on your desktop or you may need to find it by going to your programs via the Start
button).
Every window will have a set of buttons located in the top-right corner. These are
the buttons that allow us to perform the most common functions with windows,
namely closing, restoring, minimising and maximising.
The Close button closes the window, ending the program. You
may be asked whether you want to save your work if you have
not done so.
The Maximise button enlarges a window so that it can run at the
biggest size possible which is usually the size of the screen itself.
The Restore button restores a window to its previous position and size.
The Minimise button will reduce the window to an icon and it will appear on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
• Click on the Minimise button of the Word window.
• You will see that the desktop is visible again. However, on the taskbar, you will see
a task button for Word, which indicates that it is still running.
• Click on this task button and you will see how it opens up again.
• Close the program (window) and open Word again.
• Also open the Paint program. (It is usually found under Start, All Programs,
Accessories, Paint.)
Each program that is loaded will appear as a
task (usually at the bottom of the screen). We
say that the one that we are currently working
with is in the foreground and the others are
in the background. In other words we can
have many tasks running, but we only directly
interact with one at a time.
We sometimes hear the
Windows operating systems
being called a multitasking
operating system, as it can
have multiple tasks loaded and
running at the same time.
• If you click on the Word task button, Word is active and you can work in Word. When
you click on the Paint task button, Paint will be active and you can work in Paint.
• Close both the Word and the Paint programs.
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Section 1
Windows programs have
similar features. Have a
look at the example of
a window that appears
when a document is
loaded in WordPad (an
application that comes
with the Windows
operating system):
2
1
3
4
5
Typical components of a window are shown in the diagram above:
Component
Function
1
Title bar
This shows the name of the file and the program you are
working in.
2
Minimise, Maximise and
Close buttons
Buttons to minimise, maximise and close the windows.
3
Menu bar
A bar containing a set of commands presented as text.
4
Toolbar(s)
A collection of buttons and icons representing a set of
related tasks.
5
Scrollbars
These let you scroll across the window to see any
information that may not be visible due to the size of the
window.
All Windows programs contain commands which are available in groups in one or
other way. Most programs contain menus and toolbars with buttons for the different
commands.
Office 2007, Office 2010 and many
newer programs have combined
separate menus and toolbars in a
new type of component – the Ribbon.
The Ribbon has the commands
organised in logical groups on
different tabs (such as the Pages, Tables and Illustrations groups on the Insert tab
shown in the diagram). It is also called the Fluent User Interface.
Module 1.1: Introduction to computers
9
Activity
4
Match each of the terms in Column B with the description in Column A.
Column A: Description
Column B: Term
1
Mouse operation used to select an object before you can ‘do’
anything with it.
A
booting
2
A hint or information that pops up when resting the cursor
on an icon or object.
B
desktop
3
Using a mouse to move up or down through a document.
C
drag and drop
4
Mouse operation to move objects.
D
Esc
5
The most important piece of software on your computer.
E
icons
6
An example of an operating system.
F
left-click
7
The process of starting a PC and loading the operating
system.
G
maximise
8
The small pictures on the desktop which represent programs
or ‘places’ on the computer.
H
Windows 7
9
First basic screen that appears when Windows is loaded.
I
menu bar
10
Combination of a menu bar and toolbar used in Office 2007
and Office 2010.
J
minimise
11
Horizontal bar at the bottom of the desktop.
K
operating
system
12
Pictures or icons which have a small curved arrow in the
bottom left corner.
L
Ribbon
13
Key on the keyboard you can use to cancel an option or get
back to where you were.
M
scroll
14
A rectangular area on the screen used to display the
contents or feedback from a program.
N
scroll bar
15
Action which will reduce a window to a button on the
taskbar.
O
shortcuts
16
Action which makes the size of a window as big as possible.
P
task bar
17
Rectangular bar at the top of a program/window that shows
the name of file and the program you are working in.
Q
title bar
18
Bar at the top of a program that contains text items or
choices that you can select to make choices in a program.
R
toolbar
19
A bar that contains a collection of buttons or icons that
represent a set of tasks you can do in a program.
S
tooltip
20
Component that allows you to move up and down in a window
to see any information that may not be visible due to the
size of the window.
T
window
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Section 1
What happens when we save our work
We want to save our work when we use the computer to create documents, etc.
Everything is stored as files on a computer. It is normally saved on the computer’s
hard drive in a specific folder.
In the following activity you are going to create and
save a picture.
Activity
A file is a collection of data
or information that is stored
by a computer under a
single name.
5
• Open the program Paint.
• Essentially, what you have now is a ‘blank drawing’.
• Rest your cursor on each of the icons to see the tooltips which give descriptions of
what the functions of the icons are.
• Move your cursor to the bottom right corner of the diagram and you will see that
your cursor changes shape to a two-way arrow. (It is possible that your ‘blank
drawing’ is initially a very small area.)
• Drag your mouse downwards to the right
and make your drawing bigger.
• Now have some fun exploring and
drawing – you will learn some cool things
from one another!
• Okay, time to save your masterpiece!
The File option is usually at the top
left. Select it by clicking on it.
• Select the Save option to save your
file (everything we work on is saved in
files).
• Type in a file name for your drawing and click on the
Save button. (Your teacher may give you further
instructions as to where to specifically save your file
depending how your ‘system’ is set up).
• You can now close the window (the program in this
case) by clicking on the X in the top right corner of the
window.
• Try re-opening the file by reloading the Paint program and
selecting the Open option on the File menu.
• Make some changes to the drawing and save it as a
different file by selecting the Save As option on the File menu.
Module 1.1: Introduction to computers
11
Let’s try and put what we did in ‘computer terms’.
Computers are given long lists of instructions (programs) to follow. They are also given
large amounts of data to work with. They have to have some place to store both the
instructions and the data.
• Storage is used to keep a permanent record of programs (such as the Paint
program) and data (such as the picture you created).
• When we need to work with a program we load it (from storage) into memory. We
also load data files into memory. This memory is temporary memory, and if the
power goes off, all the contents of the memory is lost. This is why you need to save
your work.
Honing your keyboard skills
Currently the keyboard remains the most commonly used input device. It allows us
to type information into the program that we are using. It is therefore crucial that you
learn to become ‘keyboard proficient’.
The keyboard (input)
This is also known as a
‘QWERTY’ keyboard because
of the first six letters on the first
row of keys. These days the
term QWERTY is also used
to indicate a ‘full’ keyboard –
one with a separate key for
every letter – not like some
cellphones where 3 or 4 letters
might make use of the same
key.
Keyboard skills
To be skilled in using the keyboard means you should use the appropriate fingers on
specific keys. Using the correct fingers on the correct keys will eventually allow you to
type without looking at the keyboard. This is called touch typing, and you can learn it
through constant practice and the help of Typing Tutor software. It will enable you to
type quickly and accurately. A number of excellent (and free) Typing Tutor programs
are available to use.
Once you have mastered this skill, regular practise will increase your speed and
improve your accuracy.
To be skilled in using the keyboard is important. However, being a really fluent computer
user does not refer to how fast you can type on a keyboard, but rather to know how to use
the mouse and keyboard expertly in conjunction with software.
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Section 1
Together, the anchor keys of the left hand (asdf) and the anchor keys of the right hand (jkl;) form the
home row.
The keys
JKL; are the
right hand’s
anchor
keys.
The keys
ASDF are the
left hand’s
anchor keys.
The four fingers (excluding the thumb) on each hand ‘man’ these keys all the time while the two
thumbs rest on the space bar. The forefinger on the left hand sits on the F-key and the forefinger on
the right hand rests on the J-key. You will notice that these two keys are both marked with a small
protruding line, which you can feel, in other words you can find them without looking down. The
remaining keys are all within reach of the finger positions on the home row.
The following finger chart illustrates which finger is used on which keys. Q
A
Z
W
S
X
E
D
C
RT
FG
VB
YU
HJ
NM
I
K
,
O
L
.
P
;
/
Spacebar
The Home Row Keys for the left hand are:
ASDF
The Home Row Keys for the right hand are:
JKL;
Once you have mastered this skill, regular practice will increase your speed and
improve your accuracy.
Module 1.1: Introduction to computers
13
Test and improve your knowledge
Overview of module
Hardware versus software
• Hardware refer to the physical parts of a computer that we can touch and see e.g. the
mouse, the screen, the keyboard, a printer etc.
• Software refers to specific instructions or programs we need to give to the computer to
do something useful for us.
Data versus information
• Data is unprocessed items. This can include text, numbers, images, audio and video.
• Information is the result of the processing of data and should be useful and meaningful.
Information processing cycle
• Input, processing, output and storage.
• Also communication with other computers.
Windows operating system
•
•
•
•
Main program controlling all activities in the computer.
May need password/username to log onto Windows.
Desktop is the first basic ‘screen’ of the operating system.
Taskbar, Start button, shortcuts, icons, gadgets, Notification area and Quick Launch
toolbar are all located on the desktop.
Common features of windows and programs
• Maximise, Mininimise, Close and Restore buttons
• Title bar, Menu bar, Menus, Toolbars and Scroll bar
• Ribbon (combination of menus and toolbars)
The Mouse
• Left-click generally used to select something
• Right-click generally brings up a pop-up menu with options related to the current activity
• Drag: holding the mouse button down while moving the mouse to move or resize an
object
• Scrolling refers to using the mouse wheel to scroll through a document
Saving your work
• Create a file, save it and close it. Can be found and opened again if it has been saved.
• Storage: Programs and data stored permanently.
• Memory: Programs and data loaded from storage into memory when we need to work
with it.Th
The keyboard
• Qwerty refers to a standard ‘full’ keyboard
• Esc key can be used to cancel current action
• Practising with a typing tutor – important to improve keyboard skills
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Section 1
Important terms and concepts
Booting
The process where a computer starts up and loads the operating
system. This is initiated by the user.
Central
Processing Unit
(CPU)
Hardware component that performs all calculations and executes
instructions.
Data
Unprocessed items.
Desktop
First basic screen that appears when Windows is loaded.
Esc
Key on the keyboard you can use to cancel an option or get back to
where you were.
Hardware
The physical parts of a computer that we can touch and see.
Home row
The anchor keys of the left hand (ASDF) and the anchor keys of the
right hand (JKL;).
Icon on desktop
A small picture which represents a program or ‘place’ on the computer.
Information
The result of the processing of data and should be useful and
meaningful.
Input
Process of giving the computer instructions and data. Also used to
describe the actual data and instructions themselves.
Logging on
Logging on refers to the process of gaining access to the programs and
data on a computer, often with the use of a username and password.
Maximise
Action which makes the size of a window as big as possible.
Memory
Temporary storage area for programs and data being processed in the
computer.
Menu bar
A bar containing a set of commands presented as text.
Minimise
Action which will reduce a window to a button on the taskbar.
Operating
system
The most important program which controls all activities that take place
in a computer.
Output
Whatever the computer produces to provide us with results of its
processing.
Ribbon
Combination of a menu bar and toolbar used in Office 2007, Office 2010
and other new programs.
Scroll
Using a mouse to move up or down through a document.
Scroll bar
Component that allows you to move up and down in a window to see
any information that may not be visible due to the size of the window.
Shortcuts on the
desktop
Pictures or icons which have a small curved arrow in the bottom left
corner and that provide quick links to things like programs and printers.
Module 1.1: Introduction to computers
15
Software
Sequences of stored instructions to get the computer to perform specific
tasks.
Storage
Hardware used to permanently keep (store) programs and data.
Taskbar
Horizontal bar at the bottom of the desktop.
Title bar
Rectangular bar at the top of a program that shows the name of file and
the program you are working in.
Toolbar
A bar that contains a collection of buttons or icons that represent a set of
tasks.
Tooltip
A hint or information that pops up when resting the cursor on an icon or
object.
Window
A rectangular area on the screen used to display the contents or
feedback from a program.
Windows Vista,
Windows 7
Examples of operating systems.
Written module activity
1. Your father wants to buy a new computer. He does not understand why he needs
software when all he needs is the ‘computer’. Help him understand why he needs
software by describing the difference between hardware and software.
2. Explain the difference between data and information by referring to a practical
example.
3. Why does one need an operating system?
4. A device like a washing machine has many electronic components. Why can a
computer perform many tasks whereas as a washing machine can perform only the
one task it is designed for?
5. Explain the difference between input and output.
6. List the two most commonly used input devices and the two most commonly used
output devices.
7. Every time a friend tries to select something in Windows, she gets a menu popping
up. Explain to her what she is doing wrong and why she cannot select the object.
8. Some icons are easy to figure out in terms of the ‘way they look’. Give one way in
which you can try to figure what an icon does if the picture itself does not give you
a clue.
9. Where else can you look to find a program if you cannot find the program you want
on the desktop of your computer?
10.How can one find and work on a window that is currently minimised?
11. A cellphone was advertised as having a QWERTY keyboard. Explain what this
means.
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Section 1