COMPUTER

                   

COMPUTER

1.1 What is Computer?

= The Word Computer has been derived from Latin word ‘computare’ which

mean to calculate.

1.2 Based on work

= Analog computer = These computer carry out arithmetic and logical operation

by manipulating and processing of data. Analog computer can perform several

mathematical operation and utilize mechanical and electrical energy. Eg:

Speedometer, seismograph.

Digital Computer = These computer work on binary digits. A digital computer

not only perform mathematical calculation but also combines the byte to produce

desire graphics, sound eg; desktop.

Hybrid Computer = These computers are the combination of analog and digital

computers. Machine are used in hospitals like ECG and Dialysis are the

commonly used of Hybrid Computer.

1.3 Characteristics of Computer

1. Speed (Million Instruction Per Second) 2. Accuracy 3.Storage 4. Diligence

5.Versatility 6.Secrecy 7. Reliability 8. Plug and play.

1.5 Storage Unit

This unit is responsible to store program or data on a temporary or permanent

basis. It has primary memory (main) and secondary memory (auxiliary).

The input data which is to be processed id brought into main memory before

processing.

Another kind of memory is referred to as secondary memory of computer this

unit is used to store permanent data.

1.6 Arithmetic Logic Unit

ALU contain electronics circuitry that executes all arithmetic and logical

operation on the available data. ALU uses registers to hold the data that is being

processed.

Most ALU can perform.

1. Logical operation (AND, NOT,OR,XOR)

2. Arithmetic operation (add, subtract, divide, multiply)

3. Bit-shifting operation

4. Comparison operation (=,<=>,)

1.7 Control Unit

Control Unit coordinate with the input and output devices of a computer. It direct

the computers to carry out stored program instruction by communicating with the

ALU and register . It organize the processing of data and instruction.

The basic function of control is to fetch the instruction stored in the main memory

, identify the operation and the devices involved in it and accordingly generate

control signals.

1.8 Central Processing Unit

CPU is also known as Brain of computer. The CPU fabricated as a single

integrated circuit and also known as microprocessor.

Primary function of the CPU are as follows;

1. The CPU transfer instruction and input data from main memory to register.

2. The CPU execute the instruction in the stored sequence.

Primary Memory; The memory unit that communicates directly with the CPU

is called main memory or internal memory or primary memory.

The primary memory allows the computer to store data for immediate

manipulation and to keep track of what is currently being processed. It has limited

storage capacity.

Main memory is volatile in nature, it mean that when power is turned off, the

content of this memory are lost forever.

Primary memory classified into two categories;

1. Random Access Memory (RAM)= It is also known as read/write

memory, that allows CPU to read as well as write data and instruction into

it.

RAM is used for temporary storage of input data, output data and

intermediate results.

Two types of RAM- Dynamic RAM and Static RAM

2. Read Only Memory (ROM)- It is also known as non-volatile in nature. It

does not lose its content when power is turned OFF.

Three types of ROM- PROM,EPROM, Electrical Erasable Programmable

ROM.

Secondary Memory; This memory stores much larger amount of data and

information for extended period of time. Data in secondary memory cannot be

processed directly with CPU. It must first to be copied into primary memory. It

is also non-volatile in nature. That’s means it’s a permanent storage.

Types of secondary memory-

1)Magnetic storage- It is the manipulation of magnetic fields on a medium in

order to record audio,video or other data. Magnetic storage includes:

Hard Disk Drive- HDD is a non-volatile in nature, it is used for storing and

retrieving information and data.

Floopy Disk- It is used to store data but in can store small amount of data and it

i slower than Hard Disk Drive. Its thin plastic disk coated with iron oxide.

Magnetic Tape- It usually 12.5 mm to 25mm wide and 500m to 1200m long.

Magnetic tape shold the maximum data generally used to store backup data.

2) Optical Storage – It is any storage type in which data is written and read with

a laser. Three type of Optical storage;

Compact Disk

Digital Video Disk,

Blue Ray Disk

3) Solid State Storage- It is type of storage technique that employs storage

devices built using silicon microchip based storage it includes;

Pen/Thumb Drive

Memory Card.

2.2 Input and Output devices

1. INPUT- Information or data that is entered into a computer is called input.

It send data and information to the CPU.

Eg: Keyboard, mouse, trackball, Joystick, light pen, touch screen, Barcode

reader, Optical Mark Reader, Optical Character Reader, Magnetic Ink

Character Recognition, Smart card reader, Biometric Sensor, Scanner,

Microphone, Web cam.

2. OUTPUT- It make processed data available to the user. It is mainly used

to display the desired result to the user as per as input instruction.

Eg: Monitor, Printers, Speakers, Projector, Headphone.

INPUT/OUTOUT PORT

1. Parallel port

2. Serial Port

3. Universal Serial Bus

4. Firewall 

MS-word is a word processing application which is one of the most important

and widely used application found on a computer. Printer of document samller

than 45 kb.

The important components of this are:

• Menu Bar : Provides menu options like File, Edit, View, etc.

• Standard Toolbar : Contains tools for standard tasks, like saving, printing,

cutting, copying, pasting, etc.

• Formatting Toolbar : Provides tools for formatting like bold, italic,

underline, etc.

• View Buttons : Provides options to switch between Normal, Web Layout,

Print Layout, Outline and Reading views.

• Tab stop: A position we set for placing and aligning text on a page.

• Drawing ToolBar : Provides tools for drawing basic shapes, inserting

pictures, changing colors, etc.

• Status Bar : This provides information about the current document.

When we start MS-Word, a blank document opens up. Word names the

document as Document1

HOW TO SAVE A DOCUMENT?

• Click on Save button on the formatting toolbar, or

• Click on the Save option in the File menu.

HOW TO OPEN AN EXISTING DOCUMENT

• Click on Open under File menu, or click on tool on the Standard toolbar.

• The Open dialog box is seen on the screen. This is similar to the Save As

dialog box.

• Navigate to the folder where our file is located, select the filename.

• Click on Open.

FORMATTING TEXT

Formatting refers to the way our text will look like – the design of the

characters, their size, the space between paragraphs, their alignment, etc. First,

selection of text.

• By using the mouse, position the insertion point (by clicking the mouse) at

the beginning or end of the block to be selected and then click and drag to the

end or beginning of the block.

• By using the shortcuts: n Double-click on a word to select it. n Triple-click

on a paragraph to select it. n Ctrl+click on a sentence to select it. There are

basically two types of formatting:

• Character formatting, and

• Paragraph formatting

CHARACTER FORMATTING

Character formatting is the one which we can apply to any individual character

or to a group of characters. It has the following options: 

Font : This decides the appearance of our characters.

Font Style : We can make characters stand out by making them Bold, Italic

or both.

Size : This increases/decreases the size of the characters – the size measured

in points (72 points =1 inch)

Font Color : We can apply colours to the characters for printing the final

document.

Underline : We can draw attention to some particular text by underlining it.

Effects : We can also apply effects to our text. Two most common ones are

Superscript and Subscript. The 2 in 3 2 is a superscript. To make a character

into superscript, we need to select only that character, and click the box against

Superscript. Similarly, 1 in T1 is a subscript.

PARAGRAPH FORMATTING

There are some formatting features that get applied to an entire paragraph or

paragraphs, but not to any given character or a group thereof. Such formatting

features are described as Paragraph formatting

Alignment : The alignment of a paragraph may be left, center, right or justify

Indentation : Indents are the left and right boundaries of selected paragraphs

within a document. This may b e necessary when different paragraphs have

different left and right boundaries. For example, we can see the indentation in

poems. The indentation options available in most word processors are Left and

Right. Apart from these, we can have special indentation in the form of First

Line and Hanging.

Left Alignment All the lines of the paragraph will be aligned on the left.

Right Alignment All the lines of the paragraph will be aligned on the right.

Center Alignment All the lines of the paragraph will align to the center.

Justify The left as well as the right side of the paragraph will be aligned except

for the last line.

Spacing: This option allows us to have some space before and/or after a

paragraph or a group of paragraphs. We can select the paragraph(s) and select

or type in the desired value against the appropriate option – Before or After.

These values are measured in points. There is also a Line spacing option,

which decides on the spacing between the lines of the paragraph. Normally

we will type with the value Single for it. But if we want to have more space

between the lines, we can select

TO ADD BULLETS OR NUMBERING

Bullets are small dots, squares, dashes or graphics that are often seen before

the text (word, line, sentence, paragraph or any other object). To add bullets, 

 Select the object

• Click on Bullets and Numbering from Format menu to open the Bullets and

Numbering dialog box

Click on the bullet of your choice, and click OK.

Instead of a bullet, a number may also precede a group of paragaphs. To do

so, proceed as follows:

• Choose the numbered tab from Bullets and Numbering of Format menu to

view the numbering options.

• Select the numbering option of choice, and click OK. To remove bullet(s) or

number(s) applied to paragraph(s), select the paragraph(s), open the Bullets

and Numbering dialog box, and select None in Bulleted or Numbered tab.

Click on OK.

A GLANCE INTO VIEWS

Most word processors provide us multiple views: we can select the one that

suits the work at hand. We can display our document in one of the five views:

Normal layout, Web Layout, Print Layout, Reading Layout or Online Layout.

• Normal Layout -Normal layout view shows formatting such as line spacing,

font, point size and italics.

• Web Layout- Web layout view enables us to view our document as it would

appear in a web browser such as the Internet Explorer.

• Print Layout- The Print Layout view shows how the document will look

when it is printed.

• Reading Layout- Reading Layout view formats our screen to make reading

our document more comfortable.

• Outline Layout -Outline view displays the document in outline form. Only

headings can be displayed hiding the text under them. We can just move a

heading; the accompanying text will automatically move with it.

TO INSERT A GRAPHIC FROM A FILE

• On the Insert menu, select Picture, and then click from File.

• The Insert Picture dialog box opens up. Browse the graphic file.

• Click the file, and then click Insert.

• The picture gets inserted where the insertion point was located.

TO APPLY WRAPPING STYLE

We have inserted a clip art or picture, but we do not want blank space to the

right and left of the picture. No problem, we can further refine the layout of

the graphic and text. Using the five wrapping styles, we can create documents

with just the look we want.

To apply wrapping styles to a graphic, Click on the graphic to select it.

• On the Format menu, click Picture.

• In the Format Picture dialog box, click the Layout tab.

• Click the preferred wrapping style, and then click OK

CHECKING SPELLING AND GRAMMAR

Checking spelling and grammar in a document after we finish typing and

editing the text is very useful. We can check for possible mistakes and then

confirm each correction. In Microsoft Word, we can start the spell checker by

clicking on Spelling and Grammar option under Tools menu.

When the spell checker finds a spelling mistake, a dialog box or task pane is

displayed and the first misspelt word found by the spelling checker is selected.

SETTING PAGE LAYOUT

When a document is to be printed, the word processor has to be told as to how

the document should appear on the page, i.e., its paper size, margins, layout

of the paper, etc. To alter the page setup, click on Page Setup under the File

menu. In the resulting Page Setup dialog box, set the margins to the required

values. Let us set the margins as Top – 1 inch, Bottom – 1 inch, Left – 1.25

inch and Right – 1.25 inch.

Apart from the four margins, we may set the following:

• Gutter is the space left on one side for stitching and binding – give an

appropriate value, if required.

• The orientation decides whether the page will be printed lengthwise (portrait)

or across its breadth (landscape). In other words, Portrait is taller than it is

wide; Landscape is wider than it is tall. The orientation buttons themselves are

quite self explanatory. In the Paper tab, select the paper size on which we are

going to print the document. There are standard paper sizes like letter, A4,

legal etc. Either we can select one from these or we can enter the width and

height of the paper we are using. Click OK once we have typed in the values

for margins, chosen the orientation, and selected the paper size.

MAIL TO MANY IN SIMPLE STEPS – THE MAIL MERGE

We use mail merge when we want to create a set of documents that are

essentially the same except that each contains some unique elements. For

example, in a letter to invite friends to a birthday party, the date of invitation

and the text thereof will be same everywhere, but the address and greeting line

will be different in each letter. Using mail merge, we can create:

• A set of labels for envelopes: The return address is the same on all the labels

or envelopes, but the destination address is unique on each one. A set of form letters, e-mail message or faxes: The basic content is the same

in all the letters, messages or faxes, but each contains information that is

specific to the individual recipient, such as name, address or some other piece

of personal data. Creating each letter, message, fax, label, envelope, etc.

individually would take hours. That’s where mail merge comes in. Using mail

merge all we have to do is create one document that contains the information

that is the same in each version. Then we just add some placeholders for the

information that is unique to each version. The word processor will take care

of the rest.

Given below are a few important things that one must know about the

development and introduction of Microsoft PowerPoint:

• The program was created in a software company named Forethought, Inc.

by Robert Gaskins and Dennis Austin.

• It was released on April 20, 1987, and after 3 months of its creation, it was

acquired by Microsoft.

• The first version of this program, when introduced by Microsoft was MS

PowerPoint 2.0 (1990).

• It is a presentation-based program that uses graphics, videos, etc. to make

a presentation more interactive and interesting.

• The file extension of a saved Powerpoint presentation is “.ppt”.

• A PowerPoint presentation comprising slides and other features is also

known as PPT.

Gradually, with each version, the program was more creative and more

interactive. Various other features were added in PowerPoint which massively

increased the requirement and use of this MS Office program.

From the examination point of view, MS PowerPoint happens to be a very

important topic. Candidates who are preparing for the various Government exams

can visit the Computer Knowledge page and get a list of topics included in the

syllabus and prepare themselves accordingly.

Basics of MS PowerPoint

Discussed below are a few questions that one must be aware of while discussing

the basics of MS PowerPoint. Once this is understood, using the program and

analysing how to use it more creatively shall become easier 

Question: What is MS PowerPoint?

Answer: PowerPoint (PPT) is a powerful, easy-to-use presentation graphics

software program that allows you to create professional-looking electronic

slide shows.

The image given below shows the main page of MS PowerPoint, where a person

lands when the program is opened on a computer system

Question: How to open MS PowerPoint on a personal computer?

Answer: Follow the steps below to open MS PowerPoint on a personal computer:

1. Click on the start button

2. Then choose “All Programs”

3. Next step is to select “MS Office”

4. Under MS Office, click on the “MS PowerPoint”

A blank presentation is open on the screen. According to the requirement, a

person can modify the template for a presentation and start using the program.

Question: What is a PowerPoint presentation or PPT?

Answer: A combination of various slides depicting a graphical and visual

interpretation of data, to present information in a more creative and interactive

manner is called a PowerPoint presentation or PPT.

Question: What is a slide show in a PowerPoint presentation?

Answer: When all the slides of a PowerPoint presentation are set in series and

then presented to a group of people, where each slide appears one after the other,

is a set pattern, this is known as a PowerPoint slide show.

Question: What all elements can be added to a slide?

Answer: The following elements can be added to a Powerpoint slide:

1. Clip Art

2. Graphs

3. Tables

4. Photographs

5. Charts

6. Media Clips

7. Videos

All these elements are mainly used to enhance presentation skills and make the

slide more interactive.

To learn more about the Fundamentals of Computer, visit the linked article.

For a better understanding of the Microsoft PowerPoint and its operations,

functions and usage, refer to the video given below:

Features of MS PowerPoint

There are multiple features that are available in MS PowerPoint which can

customise and optimise a presentation. The same have been discussed below.

• Slide Layout

Multiple options and layouts are available based on which a presentation can be

created. This option is available under the “Home” section and one can select

from the multiple layout options provided.

The image below shows the different slide layout options which are available for

use:

• Insert – Clipart, Video, Audio, etc.

Under the “Insert” category, multiple options are available where one can choose

what feature they want to insert in their presentation. This may include images,

audio, video, header, footer, symbols, shapes, etc.

The image below shows the features which can be inserted:

• Slide Design

MS PowerPoint has various themes using which background colour and designs

or textures can be added to a slide. This makes the presentation more colourful

and attracts the attention of the people looking at it.

This feature can be added using the “Design” category mentioned on the

homepage of MS PowerPoint. Although there are existing design templates

available, in case someone wants to add some new texture or colour, the option

to customise the design is also available. Apart from this, slide designs can also

be downloaded online.Refer to the below for slide design:

Animations

During the slide show, the slides appear on the screen one after the other. In case,

one wants to add some animations to the way in which a slide presents itself, they

can refer to the “Animations” category.

The different animation styles available on PowerPoint are:

Apart from all these options; font size, font style, font colour, word art, date and

time, etc. can also be added to a PPT.

Uses of PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint presentations are useful for both personal and professional usage.

Given below are a few of the major fields where PPT is extremely useful:

• Education – With e-learning and smart classes being chosen as a common

mode of education today, PowerPoint presentations can help in making

education more interactive and attract students towards the modified

version of studying

• Marketing – In the field of marketing, PowerPoint presentations can be

extremely important. Using graphs and charts, numbers can be shown more

evidently and clearly which may be ignored by the viewer if being read

• Business – To invite investors or to show the increase or decrease in

profits, MS PowerPoint can be used

• Creating Resumes – Digital resumes can be formed using MS

PowerPoint. Different patterns, photograph, etc. can be added to the

resume

• Depicting Growth – Since both graphics and text can be added in a

presentation, depicting the growth of a company, business, student’s

marks, etc. is easier using PPT Sample MS PowerPoint Questions and Answers

As discussed earlier in this article, Computer Awareness is included in the

syllabus for many competitive exams. Thus, to understand the program from the

examination point of view is also a must.

MS Excel is a commonly used Microsoft Office application. It is a spreadsheet

program which is used to save and analyse numerical data.

In this article, we bring to you the important features of MS Excel, along with an

overview of how to use the program, its benefits and other important elements. A

few sample MS Excel question and answers are also given further below in this

article for the reference of Government exam aspirants.

Basics of MS Excel

What is MS Excel?

MS Excel is a spreadsheet program where one can record data in the form of

tables. It is easy to analyse data in an Excel spreadsheet. The image given below

represents how an Excel spreadsheet

How to open MS Excel?To open MS Excel on your computer, follow the steps given below:

• Click on Start

• Then All Programs

• Next step is to click on MS Office

• Then finally, choose the MS-Excel option

Alternatively, you can also click on the Start button and type MS Excel in the

search option available.

What is a cell?

A spreadsheet is in the form of a table comprising rows and columns. The

rectangular box at the intersection point between rows and columns forms a cell.

Given below is an image of a cell.

What is Cell Address?

The cell address is the name by which is cell can be addressed. For example, if

row 7 is interested in column G, then the cell address is G7.

Features of MS Excel

Various editing and formatting can be done on an Excel spreadsheet. Discussed

below are the various features of MS Excel.

The image below shows the composition of features in MS Excel:

• Home

• Comprises options like font size, font styles, font colour,

background colour, alignment, formatting options and styles,

insertion and deletion of cells and editing options

•

• Insert

• Comprises options like table format and style, inserting images and

figures, adding graphs, charts and sparklines, header and footer

option, equation and symbols

•

• Page Layout

• Themes, orientation and page setup options are available under the

page layout option

Formulas

• Since tables with a large amount of data can be created in MS excel,

under this feature, you can add formulas to your table and get

quicker solutions

•

• Data

• Adding external data (from the web), filtering options and data tools

are available under this category

•

• Review

• Proofreading can be done for an excel sheet (like spell check) in the

review category and a reader can add comments in this part

•

• View

• Different views in which we want the spreadsheet to be displayed

can be edited here. Options to zoom in and out and pane arrangement

are available under this category

Benefits of Using MS Excel

MS Excel is widely used for various purposes because the data is easy to save,

and information can be added and removed without any discomfort and less hard

work.

Given below are a few important benefits of using MS Excel:

• Easy To Store Data: Since there is no limit to the amount of information

that can be saved in a spreadsheet, MS Excel is widely used to save data or

to analyse data. Filtering information in Excel is easy and convenient.

• Easy To Recover Data: If the information is written on a piece of paper,

finding it may take longer, however, this is not the case with excel

spreadsheets. Finding and recovering data is easy.

• Application of Mathematical Formulas: Doing calculations has become

easier and less time-taking with the formulas option in MS excel

• More Secure: These spreadsheets can be password secured in a laptop or

personal computer and the probability of losing them is way lesser in

comparison to data written in registers or piece of paper.

Data at One Place: Earlier, data was to be kept in different files and

registers when the paperwork was done. Now, this has become convenient

as more than one worksheet can be added in a single MS Excel file.

• Neater and Clearer Visibility of Information: When the data is saved in

the form of a table, analysing it becomes easier. Thus, information is a

spreadsheet that is more readable and understandable.

MS Excel – Points To Remember

There are certain things which one must know with respect to MS Excel, its

applications and usage:

• An MS Excel file is saved with an extension of .xls

• Companies with large staff and workers use MS Excel as saving employee

information becomes easier

• Excel spreadsheets are also used in hospitals where the information of

patients can be saved more easily and can be removed conveniently once

their medical history is cleared

• The sheet on which you work is called a Worksheet

• Multiple worksheets can be added in a single Excel file

• This is a data processing application

MS Excel Questions and Answers

Given below are a few sample questions based on MS Excel which will help

candidates preparing for competitive exams to score more in the Computer

Awareness section.

Q 1. The address that is obtained by the combination of the Row number and the

Column alphabet is called ________.

1. Worksheet

2. Cell

3. Workbox

4. Cell Address

5. Column Address

Answer: (4) Cell Address

Q 2. Where is the option for page border given in the MS Excel spreadsheet?

1. Home2. Insert

3. Format

4. View

5. Page Border cannot be added in excel worksheet

Answer: (5) Page Border cannot be added in excel worksheet

The Internet is the most commonly used term in today’s world and plays a very

important role in the everyday life of people. But there are many questions,

answers to which people need to know. In this article, we shall help you find

answers to these questions; discuss the evolution of the Internet, its usage,

benefits, history and how the Internet works.

In terms of Computer Awareness, the Internet is one of the most important topics

in competitive exams. Thus, candidates preparing for exams like Banking,

Insurance, SSC, etc. must read on to learn more about the Internet.

Let us first answer a few of the most important questions which arise with regard

to the Internet.

Question: What is the Internet?

Answer: A global system of interconnected computers, using a standardised

Internet Protocol suite for communication and sharing information is called the

Internet.

Question: What is ISP?

Answer: ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. This helps in providing direct

access for using the internet from your office or home, connected through

landlines. With the introduction of Wi-fi and broadband, connecting to the

Internet has become wireless.

Question: What is the World Wide Web?

Answer: World Wide Web or ‘www’ is a collection of webpages which can

easily be published on the Internet and read by millions of its users. To know

the difference between World Wide Web (www) and Internet, candidates can

visit the linked article.

Question: What is an IP address?

Answer: The Internet Protocol address is a numerical identification code

assigned for any device connected to a network. It acts as an identification

interface for Internet users.

Question: What is a Web Browser?

Answer: A web browser is a software application for accessing the information

on the World Wide Web. The commonly used web browsers include Google

Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, etc.

History and Evolution of the Internet

The Internet completely revolutionised communication and technology across the

Globe. Initially, computerised devices were only used for large industries but later

its usage increased massively.

It is also mandatory for people to know that it is not possible for a single person

to develop something as broad and wide as the Internet all by himself/herself. It

was a combined effort of multiple researchers and programmers that the Internet

was discovered.

Given below are a few important points which played an extremely important

role in the development of the Internet and making it one of the most widely used

resources across the world.

• The first development was the introduction of host-to-host network

interactions. This was first observed in ARPANET in 1969. It was

developed by Advanced Research Projects Agency (APRA) of the

Department of Defence, U.S. It was one of the first general usage of

computer networks.

• Next step was commercialising the usage and making the transistors and

transmitters fit in smaller devices for convenient Internet usage for the

general public. This was introduced in the 1970s

• Moving forward, satellites and wireless communication was the main

target. Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (formerly ARPA),

supported satellite-based radio packets for mobile usage of networks

• The next was the development of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

This enabled different machines and networks across the world to assemble

data packets. It was in the 1980s that the TCP/IP approach was adapted by

researchers and technologists, following the footsteps of the U.S.

Department of Defence

• With the introduction of personal computers, the demand for commercial

Internet usage increased. This was the time when Ethernet and other Local

Area Networks cam in the foreground

• In 1993, the web browser was introduced, which followed the point-andclick approach and is now a widely used operation for Internet users

• The late 1990s was the time when thousands of Internet Service Providers

has taken up the market and most of them were from the U.S.

• And then the 21st century brought in an amalgamation of technology and

wireless Internet accessibility for its users. Wherein, wireless broadband

services came in as a boon for Internet users

Amid all these developments which were made, a lot of successes and failures

came in but today, the Internet is one such commodity which has made lives

easier and brought in a wider pace for development across the globe.

Since Computer Awareness is an important topic from the Government

examination point of view, candidates can get a more understandable explanation

of the Internet and its various aspects by reviewing the video given below:

Ways To Connect To Internet

The different ways in which one can connect to the Internet are discussed below

in brief:

• Dial-Up – In such connections, users are required to link their phone line

to a computer to access the Internet. Under this connection, the user cannot

make or receive phone calls through tier home phone service

• Broadband – Provided either through cable or phone companies,

Broadband is a high-speed internet connection which is widely used today

• Wireless Connection – Wi-fi and Mobile service providers fall under this

category. Internet connectivity is made via radio waves and the Internet

can be connected anywhere, irrespective of the location. Given below are

a few examples of wireless connection:

• Wi-fi – Wireless Fidelity or wi-fi allows high-speed internet

connectivity without the use of wires

• Mobile Phones – All smartphones are now equipped with an option

for Internet connectivity which can be availed using Internet

vouchers and packs. No external connection or wire is required for

these

• Satellite – Where broadband connections are unavailable, satellites

are used for wireless Internet connectivity

• Integrated Services Digital Network – ISDN allows users to sent

audio or video data using telephone lines

Internet Connection Protocols

Protocols are a set of rules that help in governing the way in which any particular

body or technology works.

Internet Connection Protocols can be divided into three major types:

• TCP/IP Network Model – Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and

Internet Protocol (IP) are the most widely used protocols for connecting

networks. It divides any message into a series of packets which are sent

from source to destination

• File Transfer Protocol – Program files, multimedia files, text files,

documents, etc. can be transferred from one device to another, using FTPHypertext Transfer Protocol – Used for transferring a hypertext from one

device to two or more devices. HTML tags are used for creating links and

these links may be in the form of text or images

Pros and Cons of Using the Internet

Intentionally or unintentionally, Internet usage is a part in the day to day lives of

every individual. The Internet has made lives easy and comfortable, but at the

same time made human being dependable for the smallest or biggest of

information. Discussed below are the uses of the internet, along with a few cons

that it brings along.

Pros of Internet

• Easy Access to Information – Information on anything and everything are

available online. The Internet makes it convenient to learn about new

things at any point in time and get details on various subjects, irrespective

of time and place

• Platform for Online Education – With the advanced technology, even

students and adults wish to learn new things and gaining knowledge at

various online portals has become more accessible

• Job Hunting – Employers can look for employees on the internet and the

job seekers can apply online for jobs using the Internet

• Platform to become an Entrepreneur – Today, thousands of people have

started their own websites and getting good business and users/customers

by making their own websites and selling products or services. This has

become accessible due to Internet connectivity

• Visual and Graphical Representation of Things – Various researches

have shown that a person tends to get more engaged with a graphical

representation of things. Internet has made this facility also convenient for

both user and creator

• Reduced the parameter of Distance – Social media has reduced the

distance between people as communication has become much easier

because of Internet connection

With the Internet being an extremely essential part of daily life, it is important

that a person is well aware of the disadvantages of the Internet and its excess

usage.

Cons of Internet

• Dependency – The dependency of people for looking things and

information online has increased massively since the introduction of

Internet and its easy access

• Cyber Crime – People do not just use internet for learning purposes,

cybercrime has also been at a distinctive high because of effortless

availability of resources

• Distraction – People can easily find online games, interesting information,

etc. online which may be a cause of distraction for may

• Bullying and Trolls – Online platforms are being used for unethical

practises like bullying people and trolling them

All the information provided in this article regarding the Internet will bring in a

broader perspective of connectivity, networks and protocols which are necessary

for Internet usage.

Analysing and studying the information given here shall prove to be highly useful

for people belonging to all age groups.

Given below are a few difference between articles which will help candidates

understand the different computer-based terms and applications even better:

• Difference Between RAM and ROM

• Difference Between MS Excel and MS Word

• Difference Between IPV4 and IPV 6

• Difference Between Firewall and Antivirus

• Difference Between Notepad and WordPad

• Difference Between Virus and Malware

Sample Questions on Internet for Competitive Exams

Given below are a few sample questions on Internet. A similar type of questions

may be asked in the Computer Knowledge section from this topic in the upcoming

competitive exams.

An Operating system forms the core of any computer device. The functioning and

processing of a computer system can come to hold without an operating system.

What is an Operating System?

An Operating System is the interface between the computer hardware and the

end-user. Processing of data, running applications, file management and handling

the memory is all managed by the computer OS. Windows, Mac, Android etc.

Are examples of Operating systems which are generally used nowadays.

All modern computing devices including Laptops, Tablet, mobile phones, etc.

comprise an Operating System which helps in the smooth working of the device.

History of the Operating System

It took years to evolve the Operating Systems and make them as modernised and

advanced as they are today. Given below are the details about the evolution and

history of Operating systems.

• Initially, the computers made did not have an Operating system and to run

each program a different code was used. This had made the processing of

data more complex and time taking

• In 1956, the first operating systems were developed by General Motors to

run a single IBM computer

• It was in the 1960s that IBM had started installing OS in the devices they

launched

• The first version of the UNIX operating system was launched in the 1960s

and was written in the programming language C

• Later on, Microsoft came up with their OS on the request of IBMToday, all major computer devices have an operating system, each

performing the same functions but with slightly different features

Types of Operating System

Given below are the different types of Operating System along with brief

information about each of them:

1. Batch Operating System

• There is no direct communication between the computer and the OS

• There is an intermediate, the Operator, which needs to distribute the work

into batches and sort similar jobs

• Multiple users can use it

• Can easily manager a large amount of work

2. Real-Time Operating System

• It has a data processing system

• The processing time is very small between the user’s command and the

output

• Used in fields where the response needs to be quick and rapid

3. Time-Sharing Operating System

• Multiple people at various terminals can use a program at the same time

• The main motive is to minimize the response time

4. Distributed Operating System

• When two or more systems are connected to each other and one can open

files which are not present in their system but in other devices connected

in the network

• Its usage has now increased over the years

• They use multiple central processors to serve real-time applications

• Failure of one system does not affect the other systems connected in the

network

5. Embedded Operating System

• These special Operating systems are built into larger systems

• They generally are limited to single specific functions like an ATM

6. Network Operating System

They have one main server which is connected to other client servers

• All the management of files, processing of data, access to sharing files, etc.

are performed over this small network

• It is also a secure operating system for working with multiple users

7. Mobile Operating System

• With the advancement in the field of technology, smartphones now are

released with an Operating system.

• They are designed in a manner that they can help a small device work

efficiently

Functions of Operating System

Given below are the various functions of an Operating System:

• It helps with memory management. It keeps a track of the files being saved

in the Main memory and the primary memory of the computer device

• Whenever a computer is turned on, the Operating system automatically

starts to work. Thus, the booting and rebooting process of a computer

device is also an important function of the OS

• It provides a user interface

• Managing of basic peripheral devices is done by the operating system

• Using the password protection option of an operating system, the data in

the device can be kept secure

• It coordinates with the software and the user

• Easy navigation and organisation of files and programs are managed by the

OS

• Any kind of program which needs to be run through the system is done by

the operating system

• If any kind of error or bug is found during the program is detected using

the operating system.