IT Textbook

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Computer Basics
Lesson 1: Computer Parts
Lesson 2: Hardware
Lesson 3: Computer System
Lesson 4: Software
Lesson 5: What is a computer?
Lesson 6: Information Technology
Lesson 7: Binary Code
Lesson 8: Converting Bits and Bytes
Lesson 9: Keyboard
Lesson 10: Types of Computers
Lesson 11: Robots and robotics
Lesson 12: Computer Programming

Chapter 2: The Internet
Chapter 3: E-mails

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Computer
Basics

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Lesson 1: Computer Parts

Computer Parts with definitions

Monitor: A monitor is an output device that displays text, object, graphics, photographs,
video and animation on a screen
Mouse: A mouse is a hand-held pointing device that controls the cursor
Keyboard: A keyboard is an input device that is used to type text and commands into a
computer.
Computer Case: A computer case holds all of the computer’s internal components. It also
has the power button.

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Lesson 1: Computer Parts

Ports
Ports
A port is a connector where you plug in an external device such as a keyboard, monitor,
printer, mouse and microphone. This allows instructions and data to flow between the
computer and the device. The back of the system unit contains many ports as shown in the
figure below.

Power Supply
The alternating current (AC) that comes from an outlet
is changed to direct current (DC) that a computer can
use by the power supply. The capacity of a power
supply is measured in watts. An average computer
uses up to 250 watts, whereas an average light bulb
uses 60 watts. To prevent the parts inside a computer
from overheating, there is a fan inside the power
supply that helps in cooling the system.

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Lesson 1: Computer Parts

Computer Terms

Desktop: The information that appears on
the computer soon after the computer is turned
on. The desktop contains a number of icons, or
images, that you can click on to start
programs.
Icon: A small picture or image representing
a command (such as print), a file, or a
program. When you click or double-click on an
icon, you start a command, open a file, or
launch a program.
Folder: Similar to storing files in a physical file cabinet, you store computer files,
such as documents or pictures, in a folder. To open a folder you DoubleClick on the folder
icon with the left mouse button. When you open a folder its contents will appear in a win-
dow

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Lesson 1: Computer Parts

Input, Output, Storage and Processing Devices
Input device: An input device is a device through which a computer takes in information
Output device: An output device is a device through which a computer takes out
Information
Storage device: A piece of computer equipment on which information can be stored.
Processing device: A processing device is any device in a computer that is responsible
for controlling the storage and retrieval data.

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Lesson 2: Hardware

Types of Hardware
What is Hardware?
Hardware is any physical parts of a computer including it’s internal components.

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Lesson 2: Hardware

Internal Hardware

Random Access Memory

 RAM is a memory that allows the PC to store data that needs to retrieve quickly away
from the hard disk.

 Easily for the information to be accessed on the RAM.

 •Lose all the data stored on the RAM when the PC is shut down.

Read Only Memory

 ROM is non-volatile memory that allows the PC to store data that needs to retrieve
quickly.

 Does not lose all the data stored on the PC is shut down.

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Lesson 2: Hardware

Internal Hardware

Difference between RAM and ROM

ROM RAM
Can not be modified Can be modified
Does not lose data when the Loses data when the computer
computer is switched off is switched off

Graphics and Sound card

Graphics Card Sound Card

 To display information in monitor.  To handle sounds that are out-
put (speaker) and input
 Graphics card with it’s own RAM (microphone) into computer.
and coprocessor will speed up the
computer.

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Lesson 2: Hardware

Internal Hardware

Modem and NIC

Modem NIC (network interface card)

 To transmit and receive data over  To connect a computer to a net-
a telephone line or cable. work

Motherboard

The main circuit board which:
1.Allows most of the computer parts to attach to it.
2.Has connectors for connecting external peripherals.

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Lesson 2: Hardware

Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
CPU is often called a processor which manages most of the computer’s operations and carries
out the basic instructions that operate a computer. CPU is also called the brain of a computer.
Most of the devices connected to the computer communicate with the CPU in order to carry out
a task.

Parts of the CPU
The CPU contains the following parts:
1. Control Unit (CU): This is a part of the CPU
which directs and coordinates most of the operations
and instructions in the computer
2. Arithmetic/logic unit (ALU): The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) is another part of the CPU,
which performs arithmetic, comparisons and logic operations.
Arithmetic Operations include addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
Comparison Operations involve comparing one data to another. For example: greater
than, equal to or less than.
Logical Operations use conditions along with logical operators such as AND, OR and
NOT

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Lesson 2: Hardware

Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Speed of a CPU
The speed of a CPU is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). The faster the speed
of the CPU chip, the faster the computer can operate. These speeds are increasing day by
day.

What is a core?
A core is usually the basic computation unit of the CPU - it can run a single program context (or
multiple ones if it supports hardware threads such as hyper threading on Intel CPUs),
maintaining the correct program state, registers, and correct execution order, and performing
the operations through ALUs

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Lesson 3: Computer System

Computer system

Computer System Components

 User/s
 Software
 Hardware

Computer System

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Lesson 3: Computer System

GUI
What is a GUI (graphical user interface)?
A visual way of interacting with a computer using items such as windows, icons, and men-
us, used by most modern operating systems.
Graphical User Interface:

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Lesson 4: Software

Types of software
What is software?
Software is any set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do
What is the difference between software and data?
Software: Is any program
Data: Is information produced by the program

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Lesson 4: Software

Programs and file extensions

Windows Microsoft Activinspire MS Paint

MS PowerPoint MS Word MS Excel MS OneNote

Google Snipping Tool Chrome
File Extensions

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Lesson 4: Software

Definition of each program + Shortcuts

MS PowerPoint: A presentation program that is used to make
slides of information and graphics.
MS Word: A word processing program that is used to type such
things as letters, reports and newsletters.
MS Excel: A spreadsheet program that can be used to calculate
numerical data, store data and make charts.

Shortcuts:
 Copy: Ctrl + C
 Paste: Ctrl + V
 Cut: Ctrl + X
 Save: Ctrl + S
 Print: Ctrl + P
 Select all the text: Ctrl + A

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Lesson 4: Software

Operating Systems (OS)

What is an operating system?

An operating system is the most important software that runs on a computer. It manages
the computer's memory, processes, and all of its software and hardware. It also allows you
to communicate with the computer without knowing how to speak the computer's
language. Without an operating system, a computer is useless.

The operating system’s job

Your computer's operating system (OS) manages all of the software and hardware on the
computer. Most of the time, there are many different computer programs running at the
same time, and they all need to access your computer's central processing unit
(CPU), memory, and storage. The operating system coordinates all of this to make sure
each program gets what it needs.

Types of operating systems

Operating systems usually come preloaded on any computer you buy. Most people use
the operating system that comes with their computer, but it's possible to upgrade or even
change operating systems.
The three most common operating systems for personal computers are Microsoft Win-
dows, Apple Mac OS X, and Linux.

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Lesson 5: What is a computer?

What is a computer? + Advantages and disadvantages

What is a computer?

A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information and data

Advantages of a computer:

 Ability to save data and retrieve it any time
 Ability to format text
 Programming on computer using programming language
 Speed in calculations and process data.

Disadvantages of a computer:

 Lack of physical activity
 Causes body-ache
 Strains the eyes and causes poor eye sight

Characteristics of a computer
 Speed
 Storage capability
 Increased productivity
 Accuracy
 Reduction in costs

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Lesson 6: Information Technology

Definition + advantages and disadvantages
Definition of Information Technology:
Information Technology is the use of technology tools such as computer systems and
telecommunications to input, store, process and communicate information. Information
Technology is also referred to as IT.

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Lesson 7: Binary Code

What is Binary Code?
Definition of Binary Code:
Binary code is a language a computer understands. Binary code is made up of series of
ones and zeros.

Binary Codes are Everywhere

•CD, MP3, and DVD players, digital TV, cell phones, the Internet, space probes, etc. all
represent data as strings of 0’s and 1’s rather than digits 0-9 and letters A-Z
•Whenever information needs to be digitally transmitted from one location to another, a
binary code is used

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Lesson 8: Converting Bits and Bytes

How to convert bits and bytes?

Bits
Bytes
Kilobyte
Megabyte
Gigabyte
Terabyte

Converting Bits and Bytes

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Lesson 9: Keyboard

Parts of a keyboard
The Keyboard

Parts of a keyboard

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Lesson 10: Types of computers

Types of computers

Desktop Computers
Many people use desktop computers at work,
home, school, or the library. They can be small,
medium, or large in style, and they usually sit on a
desk. Once you add a monitor, mouse, and
keyboard, you have what is typically known as a
desktop computer.

Laptop Computers
The second type of computer you may be familiar
with is a laptop computer, or a laptop. Laptops are
battery- or AC-powered personal computers that
are more portable than desktop computers, allowing
you to use them almost anywhere.

Tablet Computers
Tablet computers—or tablets—are handheld
computers that are even more portable than
laptops. Instead of a keyboard or touchpad, tablets
use a touch-sensitive screen for typing and
navigation. The iPad is an example of a tablet.

Mainframe
A mainframe is a big, powerful, expensive computer
that can support many users at the same time.
Large businesses and organizations use
mainframes.

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Lesson 10: Types of computers

Difference between PC and Mac

PC and MAC

PC: This type of computer began with the original IBM PC that was introduced in 1981.
Other companies began creating similar computers, which were called IBM PC
Compatible (often shortened to PC). Today, this is the most common type of personal
computer, and it typically includes the Microsoft Windows operating system.
Mac: The Macintosh computer was introduced in 1984, and it was the first widely sold
personal computer with a graphical user interface, or GUI (pronounced gooey). All Macs
are made by one company, Apple Inc., and they almost always use the Mac OS
X operating system.

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Lesson 11: Robots and robotics

What is robotics and types of robots
What is Robotics?
Robotics is a science of designing or building an application of
robots.
Types of Robots

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Lesson 11: Robots and robotics

Laws of robotics
Laws of Robotics:
Law 1: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction,
allow a human being to come to harm.
Law 2: A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings,
except where such orders would conflict with the first law.
Law 3: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such
protection does not conflict with the first or second law.

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Lesson 12: Computer Programming

Introduction
Programmers are like translators that allow people to work with
computers without learning the computer’s language.

Using bits and bytes in different combinations to represent a code is
known as programming

Copying a program onto your computer’s hard drive from another
source is known as installing the program.

People who write codes to create programs are known as computer
programmers

Some programs can be downloaded from the internet directly to
your hard drive

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The Internet

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Lesson 1: The Internet

Introduction to the internet

What is the Internet?
A global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities,
consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols.
The Internet Today!
In the early days, most people just used the Internet to search for information. Today's
Internet is a constantly evolving tool that not only contains an amazing variety of information
but that also provides new ways of accessing, interacting, and connecting with people and
content. As a result, new terms are constantly appearing such as:
 Blog
 Wiki
 E-mail
 Social Networking
 Online Chat

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Lesson 1: The Internet

Network

What is a Network?

A Network is a group of two or more computer systems linked together.

There are 2 main types of computers: WAN

LAN

Local Area Network (LAN): A LAN is two or more connected computers sharing
certain resources in a relatively small geographic location, often in the same building.
Examples include home networks and office networks.

Wide Area Network (WAN): A WAN typically consists of two or more LANs. The com-
puters are farther apart and are linked by telephone lines, dedicated telephone lines, or radio
waves. The Internet is the largest Wide Area Network (WAN) in existence.

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Lesson 1: The Internet

Servers and Clients
You may have heard someone say something like "The server is down" or "We're having
problems with the e-mail server." A server is a computer that "serves" many different
computers in a network by running specialized software and storing information. For
example, webpages are stored on servers.
When you access a webpage, your computer is acting as a client. A client runs familiar
software such as web browsers or email software, and it communicates with the server
to get the information it requires.
In order for your browser to display a webpage, it requests data from the server where the
page is stored. The server processes the request, then sends the data to your browser,
where it is displayed.

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Lesson 1: The Internet

The World Wide Web, HTML and URL

The World Wide Web
When most people think of the Internet, the first thing they think about is the World Wide
Web. Nowadays, the terms "Internet" and "World Wide Web" are often used
interchangeably—but they're actually not the same thing.

 The Internet is the physical network of
computers all over the world.

 The World Wide Web is a virtual
network of websites connected
by hyperlinks (or "links"). Websites are
stored on servers on the Internet, so the
World Wide Web is a part of the Internet.

HTML
The backbone of the World Wide Web is made of HTML files, which
are specially formatted documents that can contain links, as well as
images and other media. All web browsers can read HTML files. In
addition to HTML, it's common for websites to use technologies
like CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and JavaScript to do more ad-
vanced things.

URL
To get to a webpage, you can type the URL (Uniform Resource
Locator) into a browser. The URL, also known as the web address, tells the browser exactly
where to find the page. However, most of the time, people get to a webpage by following
a link from a different page or by searching for the page using a search engine.

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Lesson 1: The Internet

Using the internet
In this lesson, we’ll talk about some of the ways the Internet is used today, including blogs,
social networking, VoIP, and Media.
Finding Information Online
The most common way to find information online is with a search engine. All you have to do
is type in a few words, and the search engine will give you a list of results you can click on.
There are many different search engines you can use, but Google is the most popular one.

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Lesson 1: The Internet

Using the internet

Communicating Online

The Internet isn't just about finding information. It's also about connecting with friends, family,
and people you've never met before. Today, there are many different ways to communicate
online, including social networking, chat, VoIP, and blogging.

Social Networking: Social networking has become one of the
main ways people keep in touch. Examples: Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn

Chatting: Chat and instant messaging programs
allow you to have conversations with your friends
or just write them a quick note. Two examples are Yahoo!
Messenger and Microsoft Messenger. Some sites, such
as Gmail and Facebook, allow you to chat within your browser.

VoIP: VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), allows you to
have telephone service through your Internet connection.
Some services also let you do video conferencing, such
as Skype and Facebook Video Calling. Many of these ser-
vices are free or very inexpensive, and some people use
them as a replacement for a landline or simply to save
minutes on their mobile phones.

Blogs: Today, the average user has the ability to shape the Web by adding to it. If you
have knowledge or interests you're passionate about, you can create
your own blog and share your thoughts with the world.
There are many sites like blogger.com and wordpress.com that let you
create a blog for free.

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Lesson 11: The Internet

Search Engines
What is a search engine?
Search engines are specialized websites that help you find what you're looking for on the
Web.
Performing a search
There are numerous search engines out there, but the most popular ones
are Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. Each one has its own unique features, but the process of
performing a search is similar on each.

Advertisements
Search engines may include advertisements along with the search results. These ads are
chosen by the search engine based on your search terms, and they look a lot like the actual
search results. While they may be useful in some cases, it's usually more effective to focus
on regular search results.
Google puts its ads at the top and to the right of search results.

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E-mails

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Lesson 1: E-mails

Introduction
What is an e-mail?
E-mail is a way to send and receive digital messages and content over the internet.
E-mail addresses
To receive emails, you will need an email account and an email address. Also, if you want to
send emails to other people, you will need to obtain their email addresses. It's important to
learn how to write email addresses correctly, because if you do not enter them exactly right
your emails will not be delivered or might be delivered to the wrong person.
Email addresses are always written in a standard format that includes a username,
the @ (at) symbol, and the email provider's domain. The username is the name you choose
to identify yourself, and the email provider is the website that hosts your email account.
Review the graphic for examples of how email addresses are written.

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Lesson 1: E-mails

E-mail Providers

Today, the top three webmail providers are Yahoo!, Microsoft's Outlook.com (previously
Hotmail), and Google's Gmail. These providers are popular because they allow you to
access your email account from anywhere with an Internet connection. You can also access
webmail on your mobile device.

Gmail Yahoo Mail
Outlook
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Lesson 1: E-mails

Parts of an E-mail

Inbox

Message Pane

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Written by: Akram Tabaa

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