Fundamentals Of Computing I

The absolute beginner's guide to learning basic computer skills Computing Fundamentals, Introduction to Computers gets you up to speed on basic computing skills, showing you everything you need to know to conquer entry-level computing courses. Written by a Microsoft Office Master Instructor, this useful guide walks you step-by-step through the most important concepts and skills you need to be proficient on the computer, using nontechnical, easy-to-understand language. You'll start at the very beginning, getting acquainted with the actual, physical machine, then progress through the most common software at your own pace. You'll learn how to navigate Windows 8.1, how to access and get around on the Internet, and how to stay connected with email. Clear instruction guides you through Microsoft Office 2013, helping you create documents in Word, spreadsheets in Excel, and presentations in PowerPoint. You'll even learn how to keep your information secure with special guidance on security and privacy. Maybe you're preparing for a compulsory computing course, brushing up for a new job, or just curious about how a computer can make your life easier. If you're an absolute beginner, this is your complete guide to learning the essential skills you need: Understand the basics of how your computer works Learn your way around Windows 8.1 Create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations Send email, surf the Web, and keep your data secure With clear explanations and step-by-step instruction, Computing Fundamentals, Introduction to Computers will have you up and running in no time.

The book introduces the reader to computer programming, i.e. algorithms and data structures. It covers many new programming concepts that have emerged in recent years including object-oriented programming and design patterns. The book emphasizes the practical aspects of software construction without neglecting their solid theoretical foundation.

The sixth edition of the highly acclaimed “Fundamentals of Computers” lucidly presents how a computer system functions. Both hardware and software aspects of computers are covered. The book begins with how numeric and character data are represented in a computer, how various input and output units function, how different types of memory units are organized, and how data is processed by the processor. The interconnection and communication between the I/O units, the memory, and the processor is explained clearly and concisely. Software concepts such as programming languages, operating systems, and communication protocols are discussed. With growing use of wireless to access computer networks, cellular wireless communication systems, WiFi (Wireless high fidelity), and WiMAX have become important. Thus it has now become part of “fundamental knowledge” of computers and has been included. Besides this, use of computers in multimedia processing has become commonplace and hence is discussed. With the increase in speed of networks and consequently the Internet, new computing environments such as peer to peer, grid, and cloud computing have emerged and will change the future of computing. Hence a new chapter on this topic has been included in this edition. This book is an ideal text for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Computer Applications (BCA and MCA), undergraduate students of engineering and computer science who study fundamentals of computers as a core course, and students of management who should all know the basics of computer hardware and software. It is ideally suited for working professionals who want to update their knowledge of fundamentals of computers. Key features • Fully updated retaining the style and all contents of the fifth edition. • In-depth discussion of both wired and wireless computer networks. • Extensive discussion of analog and digital communications. • Advanced topics such as multiprogramming, virtual memory, DMA, RISC, DSP, RFID, Smart Cards, WiGig, GSM, CDMA, novel I/O devices, and multimedia compression (MP3, MPEG) are described from first principles. • A new chapter on Emerging Computing Environments, namely, peer to peer, grid, and cloud computing, has been added for the first time in an entry level book. • Each chapter begins with learning goals and ends with a summary to aid self-study. • Includes an updated glossary of over 340 technical terms used in the book.

Computer Fundamentals is specifically designed to be used at the beginner level. It covers all the basic hardware and software concepts in computers and its peripherals in a very lucid manner.