PREFACE

In today's world, computers have become an integral part of our lives; they are being used in every sphere of human activity whether it is at home, at office, or at play. Fields like education, entertainment, medicine, banking, and telecommunications have been greatly influenced by the use of computers. This pervading presence of computers has made it necessary for everyone to have a fundamental knowledge of the subject. Keeping pace with this trend, most of the universities and institutes have integrated the study of computers in their curriculum. The book Fundamentals of Computers has been written to meet the requirement of the modern curricula, and it presents the fundamentals of computers in a format that is easy to understand.

This book dwells on fundamentals that one must learn to pursue any venture in the computer field. With its clear and concise treatment of concepts, the book lays a firm foundation for students who aspire to advance their study in this exciting discipline. Though the book has been designed as a textbook for students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, it would benefit anyone who wishes to be acquainted with substantive computer skills. The book may be used as a textual resource in training programmes offered by computer institutes and as a self-study guide by professionals who are not dexterous with computers.

Chapter Organisation

• Chapter 1 provides an overview of the history of computers and basic digital computer concepts. The discussion also explores various input, output, and storage devices used in the computer.
• Chapter 2 describes various number systems, conversion from one number base to another, and coding schemes.
• Chapter 3 discusses the essentials of computer software and its relationship with the hardware in building up a fully functional computer system.
• Chapter 4 deals with computer programming and various programming tools such as algorithms and flowcharts. It also sheds light on computer languages and their various generations.
• Chapter 5 spells out the theory behind operating systems, their types, and functions. It also covers MS-DOS in detail and speaks about some modern operating systems.
• Chapter 6 expounds on Microsoft's Windows XP operating system along with its in-built tools and features.
• Chapter 7 explores ways to harness the power of word processing using Microsoft Office Word 2003.
• Chapter 8 illustrates the ways of working with the spreadsheet program using Microsoft Office Excel 2003.
• Chapter 9 disseminates to the reader the art of creating presentations using Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003.
• Chapter 10 elucidates the creation of databases using Microsoft Office Access 2003.
• Chapter 11 introduces Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 using which one can send/receive mails, manage contacts, and schedule activities.
• Chapter 12 exemplifies data communication and computer networks along with important concepts like transmission modes, network topologies, and the OSI reference model.
• Chapter 13 familiarises the reader with the basic Internet structure, terminology, protocols, and applications. It also takes a close look at Web browsers and search engines.

Acknowledgements

We thank our publishers, Pearson Education, and their editorial team, and the panel of reviewers for their valuable contribution towards content enrichment.

We are obliged to our technical and editorial consultants for devoting their precious time to improve the quality of the book.

We are grateful to our research and development team who have put in their earnest efforts and relentless perseverance to bring out a high-quality book.

Feedback

For any suggestions and comments about this book, please feel free to send your feedback to [email protected].

We hope you enjoy reading this book as much as we have enjoyed writing it.

Rohit Khurana
Founder and CEO,
ITL ESL, New Delhi