COMPUTER APPRECIATION CLASS PART IV: HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR COMPUTER

WE WELCOME YOU TO THE COMPUTER APPRECIATION CLASS PART 4

We will like to appreciate our online instructors Alex Duin  a freelance writer, specialising in technology  and Chinonso Nwakaeme an IT expect for making this class possible.

We shall focus on "HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR COMPUTER"

You can find several styles of computers in the market, and you may be wondering how you’ll ever choose which one to buy. Some computers, such as laptops, are small and portable. Other computers use different operating systems, such as Windows and Macintosh, to make everything run.

Consider the following features when choosing the type of computer you should buy:

Follow these step-by-step instructions on how to choose a computer

 

Step 1: Work out whether you want a desktop computer or a laptop. If you’ll be using it in one place, a desktop will be cheaper and easier to modify, but laptops have the obvious benefits of mobility and smaller size. 

 

Step 2: Decide whether you want a PC or a Mac. There are some obvious and some subtle differences between them But in general, PCs are harder to use but are cheaper and have more software, and Macs are easier to operate but are more expensive and less software has been created for them.

 

Step 3: Probably the most important step of all: figure out how much money you’re willing to spend. Computers vary hugely in price and it’s easy to spend far more than you intend. You want to get as powerful a computer as possible for your cash, but you probably don’t want to go overboard.

 

An Apple iMac (left) ranges in price from £899 to £1,999, depending on how powerful you want it to be and how big a screen you prefer. But an iMac is an ‘all in one’ – that is, it’s a computer and screen combined, so you don’t have to pay separately for the latter. 

 

Step 4: Do you need to buy a screen? Also known as ‘monitors’, these can cost almost as much as a PC itself, so if you’ve already got a reasonable one, you might want to save money by sticking with it. Watch out, though – older monitors may not have the modern connectors that newer computers use.

 

If you do decide to get a screen, buy as big a one as you can afford – the difference in your productivity and the sheer enjoyment you’ll get just using your computer will make it worth your while.

 

Step 5: Decide how powerful a computer you need. If you’re planning on using it only for word processing and browsing the web, you can probably get by with a relatively less powerful machine. But if you’re doing some fancy image or video manipulation or want to play the latest games at their best, you’ll need a computer with a lot more heft. More power costs more money, but remember: the more powerful a computer is, the longer it will last before it needs to be replaced.

 

Step 6: You’ll have to settle on how big a hard drive you need. Hard drives are where the information on your computer is stored, and the more information you have, the bigger you’ll want to your hard drive to be. 

 

Step 7: Choose operating system you want:

Windows is probably the most common computer operating system. However, Macintosh computers from Apple are also popular. Macintosh computers use Apple-specific software. However, many software applications written for Windows are also available for the Macintosh, and you can also set up your Mac to run the Windows operating system, which gives you the best of both worlds.
Some computers run on a freely available operating system called Linux, which has similar functionality to Windows.\

You will also know more about this when you get our book on "KNOW YOUR COMPUTER" written by Chinonso Nwakaeme

I hope you have learnt alot in this tutorial. For more details and free consultancy contact the INFO LINKS COMPUTER INSTITUTE on 07033539930.

THANKS FOR READING

COMPUTER APPRECIATION PART III: PARTS OF THE COMPUTER AND FUNCTIONS

INFO LINKS COMPUTER ACADEMY

 PART OF THE COMPUTER AND THEIR USES

Welcome to the part 3 of Computer appreciation class. We shall be focusing on the various parts of the computer. before we begin, i will like to remind you that  study and read hard to prepare you for the general assessment coming up after the computer appreciation class.

Now, what are the part of computer.

1. The CPU

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the part of computer which handles most of the computer's calculations, Generally speaking, a faster CPU means more calculations in a shorter period of time, and therefore a faster machine.I CONSIDER THE CPU to be the BRAIN of the computer

2. Motherboard and Ports

i consider the motherboard to be the heart of the computer. The motherboard acts as the backbone to the system, connecting components such as the CPU and RAM modules together and managing communications between them. The type of motherboard also determines the number and type of available ports, such as a HDMI output or a USB input. The motherboard is responsible for handling input and output signals, as well as transferring data to and from the installed disk drives. The motherboard and the system itself are powered by a Power Supply Unit (PSU) that draws power from the mains or (in the case of a laptop) the installed battery.

3. Hard Disks and Optical Drives

Hard disk drives store all of a computer's data, including personal files, applications and the operating system. Hard disks are sometimes used as overflow for temporary data when the RAM modules are full, but they operate much more slowly. Many systems now make use of the faster Solid State Drives (SSDs) rather than traditional hard disks, but the principles are the same — the drive is used to store all of the data held by the computer. Optical disc drives are also installed on some systems to read and write CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

4. Memory

The computer uses random access memory, or RAM, as a high-speed working storage space for programs, documents and the intermediate results of calculations. More RAM means more files and programs can be open and running at the same time without the machine grinding to a halt.

5. Monitor

A desktop computer isn't useful unless it gives you results; a monitor displays the results of the work done by the microprocessor and other parts. The display screen consists of thousands of small dots, called pixels, arranged in a rectangular grid. 

6. Keyboard and Mouse

The keyboard and mouse are the two most common input devices.  The keyboard is the finger of the computer while the mouse is the hands of the computer. The computer performs different actions depending on the icons you click and commands you type. The computer gives you nearly instant feedback, moving a pointer on the screen as you move the mouse and displaying characters as you type. 

7. Sound Card

The co mputer's sound card performs a similar function as the display, though it can input audio as well asproduce sound. The computer stores representations of sound as long strings of numbers; a graph of the numbers would resemble sound waves. 

8. Video Cards (Graphic Cards)

A Simple Graphics Card
A graphic card is the component of your computer that interprets video signal. These cards are necessary so that you can connect a monitor to your computer. There are many types of graphic cards available: anything from high-end gaming cards to TV tuner cards. Some popular graphic card manufacturers are NVIDIA, ATI, and EVGA.

9. Printers

A printer is used to print documents, photos, and anything else that appears on your screen. There are many types of printers, including inkjet, laser, and photo printers. There are even all-in-one printers, which can also scan and copy documents.

10. Speakers/headphones

Speakers and headphones are output devices, which means they send information from the computer to the user—in this case, they allow you to hear sound and music. Depending on the model, they may connect to the audio port or the USB port. Some monitors also have built-in speakers. I consider them to be the voice of the computer.

11. Network card

The network card allows your computer to communicate over a network and access the Internet. It can either connect with an Ethernet cable or through a wireless connection (often called Wi-Fi). Many motherboards have built-in network connections, and a network card can also be added to an expansion slot.

I hope you have learnt something from today's class. In a clean A4 paper write what you have learnt from today's class, you can type your questions and send it to this mail: ilciempowernment@gmail.com or chinonsonwakaeme@gmail.com

Have a nice day.

THANKS FOR READING

COMPUTER APRRECIATION PART II: ACRONMYS OF A COMPUTER

WELCOME TO THE COMPUTER APPRECIATION CLASS PART II

On this part we shall focus on the acronyms of a computer.

ACRONYMS OF A COMPUTER

C - CACULATOR

O - ORGANIZER

M - MACHINE

P - PROCESSOR

U - UNIT

T - TRASMITTER

E - ELECTRONIC DEVICE

R - RECIEVER


I hope you enjoy today's class.

THANKS FOR READING

COMPUTER APPRECIATION PART 1

WHAT ARE COMPUTERS?


Computers have been around since the Chinese Abacus. They are here to stay. There is a certain feel and flow to the logic that directs their activities.

Electronically, all computers work about the same. Computers vary widely in size and use. However all computers are similar in what the hardware does. So-called microcomputers (like your desktop Personal Computer (PC)) are designed for personal use, relatively low price, and modest data processing tasks.

Minicomputers are moderate sized (a small refrigerator size) and perform more complex tasks with larger amounts of data. Minicomputers might be used in a small engineering office or a local bank branch to send transaction data to a head office computer.

Mainframe computers are large, expensive and process billions of characters of data rapidly and fill entire rooms.

Finally, supercomputers are built to minimize distance between circuit boards and operate at very high speed for complex uses such as designing airplanes, animating complex movie sequences graphically or solving complex engineering formulas having billions of steps mathematically. Supercomputers are built for raw speed. SuperComputers are the main servers in the Internet System.

Some terms apply to all computers. INPUT is how data gets into a computer. The keyboard and mouse are familiar INPUT devices. OUTPUT references how data is provided from the computer. A Monitor or printer are good examples of OUTPUT devices.

PRIMARY STORAGE or MEMORY is the computer’s immediate data storage area - usually this is in small integrated circuit chips which hold data ONLY while power is supplied. This PRIMARY STORAGE area is thus temporary. More permanent SECONDARY STORAGE is used when computer power is off or when data overflows primary storage. This is usually floppy or hard disk drives but can include paper tapes, punch cards, or even non-volatile magnetic bubble memories.

A computer system includes computer hardware, software and people. A computer is a device capable of solving problems or manipulating data by accepting data, performing prescribed operations on the data, and displaying the results in the desired form. The computer is a useful tool for data (or Information) Input, storage, processing and output.

WHERE ARE COMPUTERS NEEDED?

Computers are needed where:

1. There is a need for a more accurate and cost effective knowledge to assist decision making. Success and progress is now being determined by your access to information and how you use that information to get results.

2. It is impossible to get results due to either time constraint or sheer magnitude of work involved.

3. It will reduce the mental and physical effort in tackling certain tasks.

4.There is intense competition and there is a need for cost efficiency through the elimination and reduction of inefficient practices.

5.There is a need to assist in enhancing Customer service.

6.There is a need for correct forecasting of market trends to ensure business survival.


EXPECT THE PART 2 SOON..

WRITTEN BY CHINONSO NWAKAEME

 THANKS FOR READING

CURBING COMPUTER AND INTERNET VIRUS

INFO LINKS COMPUTER SCHOLARS FORUM NEW BOOK

This book titled 'CURBING COMPUTER AND INTERNET VIRUS ' is written by my students who formed the Info Links Computer Forum to help people and computer student be aware of the effect of the computer virus.

WHAT IS COMPUTER VIRUS?


Computer virus is a program, script, or macro designed to cause damage, steal personal information, modify data, send e-mail, display messages, or some combination of these actions.

When the virus is executed, it spreads by copying itself into or over data files, programs, or boot sector of a computer's hard drive, or potentially anything else writable. To help spread an infection the virus writers use detailed knowledge of security vulnerabilities, zero days, or social engineering to gain access to a host's computer.

You will learn the followings in this book:
1. How to protect your computer from a virus
2. What can a virus do to a computer?
3. How do I remove a virus from my computer?
And many more.

Contact Mr Chinonso on 07033539930 for more information.