Computer Guidance

Introduction

Basic Computer Tutorial

This basic computer tutorial is written for those who do not know very much about computers. The purpose of this basic computer tutorial is to help the reader better understand how to use their computer more effectively and safely. It will help the reader understand:

What files and file types are.
How to copy files.
Where your files are stored.
What the parts of your computer are.
What an operating system is.
What a computer program is.

Security and Performance

With the above basic information, this tutorial will explain methods that you can do to make your system more secure, keep your data safe by backing it up, and avoid most performance degredation caused to bad applications and SPAM.

How some file types can be used by third parties to gain control of your computer.
How to modify your file view settings so you are not as easily fooled by e-mails containing viruses.
How to prevent viruses and worms.
How to reduce SPAM.
How to back up your files.
How to reduce or eliminate unwanted programs that could reduce your system performance.
What to do if you receive a virus or worm.
What to do if you receive an e-mail telling you that an e-mail you sent contained a virus.

This basic computer tutorial gives some basic information about hardware, operating systems, and programs in the first half to help the reader understand later information about files, e-mail and computer security practices. Depending on the reader's level of knowledge, some of the basic information may be skipped and the reader may refer to the terms page if they do not understand some of the terms.

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Computer Data

To help understand computers it is best to first learn about computer data. Computer data is information required by the computer to be able to operate. It is used to:

Run programs - This is the actual executable program data that the computer will execute to run the program such as Microsoft Word.
Store program or system configuration information.
Store information that the computer user needs such as text files or other files that are associated with the program the computer user is running. A common example of a program the computer user is running is the Microsoft Office suite of products which include Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and others. These programs are also known as applications.

Data Structure

Computer data is in what is called binary format. This means that it is always a 0 or a 1. It only has these two states and must be in one of them.

There are several fundamental data units which include:

Bit - A data unit which must be in one of the two binary states described above. It is the smallest data unit that exists.
Byte - 8 bits of data which has a possible value from 0 to 255.
Word - Two bytes or 16 bits of data with a possible unsigned value from 0 to 16535.

Data transmission

Data transmission is the act of sending data from one place to another. Data is transmitted both inside and outside your computer. There are two fundamental methods of data transmission.

Serial - Data is sent on a single line and one bit is sent at at a time. This is similar to a line which one item must come one after another.
Parallel - Data is sent on more than one line at a time. This may be any number of bits at a time, but is usually one word at a time (two bytes) or possibly three bytes at a time.

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Computer Hardware

The term computer hardware refers to the various electronic components

that are required for you to use a computer along with the hardware components

inside the computer case. As you know your computer equipment is made of

several common components. These include:

The main computer box.
A monitor - Looks like a television screen.
A keyboard.
A mouse.
Speakers.
An optional printer

The main computer box is the main component of the computer. It has computer hardware parts inside that perform the following functions:

Temporary storage of information (known as data in more technical terms) - This function is done by memory.
Permanent storage of information - This function is done by a hard disk, floppy disk, or CD ROM.
Manipulation or processing of data - Used to determine where data is stored and perform calculations which support operations that the user is doing.
Interfacing to the outside components or to the outside world - This supports the ability for the user to communicate with the computer and know how the computer is responding to commands which are done primarily through the monitor, keyboard, and mouse along with their interface components in the main computer box.
A power supply which provides the electrical power to the components in the computer box.

The Main Computer Box

The main computer box is made of several computer hardware components and subcomponents which include:

The case - The outside component which provides protection for the parts inside and provides a fan and power supply which are used to both cool the working parts inside and provide power to them.
The motherboard - Hold the following computer hardware subcomponents:
- Memory - Used to provide temporary storage of information as discussed earlier.
- Microprocessor - Used to provide the processing of data function as discussed earlier.
- Video interface card which is also called the video card - This card is an interface between the computer monitor and the motherboard and its subcomponents such as the microprocessor and memory. This card may be included as part of the motherboard or it may plug into a card slot on the motherboard.
- Sound card is an interface between the computer speakers and the motherboard and its subcomponents such as the microprocessor and memory. This card may be included as part of the motherboard or it may plug into a card slot on the motherboard.
One or more permanent storage devices some of which may be optional:
- Hard disk - Most computers today have a hard disk (sometimes called hard drives) which is the component most commonly used to provide permanent storage of data. Hard disks are usually permanantly installed in a computer.
- CD ROM drive or DVD drive - Used to provide permanant storage of data but this type of drive is used to bring information into the computer more commonly than it is used to store information from the computer. Sometimes this type of drive is used to back up data from the hard drive so data is not lost if a hard drive breaks. A DVD drive holds more data than a CD ROM drive and DVDs have enough storage capacity that they may be used to play or store movies. The storage media, the CD ROM or DVD may be removed from the computer.
- Floppy Drive - A low capacity storage device which can be written to as easily as it is read. The floppy disk may be easily removed from the computer. It is called a floppy because the part of the media that holds the data is on a material that is not rigid but it is enclosed in a more rigit case to give it durability.

There are also other minor computer hardware components inside the case which include cables which may be used to hook other internal parts together along with connecting an interface to the case for printers and other devices such as a high speed serial bus called USB. (A serial bus simply refers to the fact that data is sent in a stream which is like sending one bit at a time.

The Case

The drawing below shows a typical case. It may help you understand where your connections for your monitor, keyboard, mouse, and other devices are if you should need to hook them up. For more specific information you should refer to your computer owner's manual.