Information & Communication

Technology Notes

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Syllabus
ICT: General abbreviations and terminology.
Basics of Internet, Intranet, E-mail, Audio and Video-
conferencing.
Digital initiatives in higher education.
ICT and Governance.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) includes computers,

the Internet, and electronic delivery systems such as radios, televisions,
and projectors among others, and is widely used in today’s education
field.
The objectives of ICT are to connect the gap between the parents,
educators, and students by prompting viable, cooperative and
straightforward modes of communication. It likewise gives advanced
information exchanging ways for educational institutions such as
schools, colleges, and universities to pass on or exchange information.
Thus, it plays a very crucial role in education, especially in the
administration and management of institutions.
Merits of ICT in education:
 Enhanced the modes of communication
 Cost-efficient
 Paperless: Eliminate the usage of paper. Eco-friendly
 Better teaching and learning methods
 Enhanced data and information security
 Minimize cost and save time
 Easy student management
 Automatic solutions to manual paper-based process and procedures
 Interactive and collaborative teaching and learning methods
 Direct classroom teaching
 Spread awareness of the social impact of technological change in
education
Demerits of ICT in education:
 Misleading and misguiding information
 Risk of cyber-attacks and hacks
 A risk to the traditional book and handwriting methods
 Implementing computers and the internet for ICT replace the
convention education curriculums
 Managing courses online is difficult
 Misuse of technology
 Not accessible everywhere
 Teachers require experience to handle ICT
 implementing computers and the internet is expensive
 Few believe that computers can limit imagination

What is a Computer?
A computer is a programmable electronic device that accepts raw data
as input and processes it with a set of instructions (a program) to
produce the result as output. It renders output just after performing
mathematical and logical operations and can save the output for future
use. It can process numerical as well as non-numerical calculations. The
term "computer" is derived from the Latin word "computare" which
means to calculate.
Computers can be classified on the basis of
 Size
 Technology
 Generation
Types of Computers according to size
• Supercomputers
• Mainframe Computers
• Minicomputers
• Workstations
• Microcomputers, or Personal Computers
Supercomputers
 They are the most powerful computers. They are used for problems
requiring complex calculations.
 These are the speediest computers compared with all other
computers, which have fast, amazing capacity or storage limit,
expensive and require gigantic space they are called as "Super
Computer".
 They are accommodated in a large Air-Conditioned room, some of
them can take an entire building for its installation.
 They are generally used as a part of complex Scientific application,
climate determining, Monitoring tremor or earthquakes, they are
expertized in the particular fields, for example, space investigation,
space examine, atomic weapons, and genetic engineering .
 Examples- TaihuLight, Tianhe-2, Titan, Sequoia, K Computer,
TianHe-IA, Jaguar, Roadrunner and Param Yuva 2
Mainframe Computers:
 They are planned and created to process an incredible amount of
information and data they can execute millions of guidelines or
instruction per second and can store billions of information or data.
 These are usually slower, less powerful and less expensive than
supercomputers.
 Mainframes are used by banks and many business to update
inventory etc.
 Mainframe computers can support hundreds or thousands of users,
handling massive amounts of input, output, and storage.
 Mainframe computers are used in large organizations where many
users need access to shared data and programs.
 Mainframes are also used as e-commerce servers, handling
transactions over the Internet.
 Examples : IBM Z890, Hitachi’s Z800

Minicomputers:
 They are called as "Midrange Computers" and were produced in
the 1960s using transistor, center memory technology, and innovation.
 They are quite smaller in size, less expensive and speedier yet not
as quick as a mainframe or supercomputer, they are utilized or used as
a part of private company organizations, and in the production,
department to monitor or screen the manufacturing process.
 Minicomputers may be used as network servers and Internet
servers.
 Examples : VAX, Texas Instrument TI-990

Microcomputers
 They are commonly called as “Personal Computer” [PC].They are
the smallest and the cheapest as compared with minicomputers,
mainframe, and supercomputers. Despite this they are widely used
among people or end-user clients, due to their low cost they are so
small that they can be kept on a table (PC) or even carry out in a bag
(Laptop) or even in a Palm (Mobile Devices ).
 Their users are the fastest-growing users compared to other
different types of computers. They are designed primarily for single
operation but still they can be used as a “workstation” in computer
networking.
 Microcomputers are more commonly known as personal
computers. The term “PC” is applied to IBM-PCs or compatible
computers.
 Examples of Micro-Computers ::

 Desktop Computers [PC]

 Laptop
 PDA | Palmtop
 Tablet PC

Types of Computers according to Technology

• Analog Computers
• Digital Computers
• Hydride Computers

Analog Computers
 These computers recognize data as a continuous measurement of a
physical property ( voltage, pressure, speed and temperature).

Example: Automobile speedometer

Digital Computers
 A computer that performs calculations and logical operations with
quantities represented as digits, usually in the binary number system.

Hybrid Computers
 A combination of computers those are capable of inputting and
outputting in both digital and analog signals. A hybrid computer system
setup offers a cost effective method of performing complex
simulations.
Types of Computers according to Generation
First Generation (1940-1956)
 The period of first generation was from 1940 to 1956.
 The first generation computers used vacuum tubes as the basic
components because vacuum tubes are the only electronic
components available on those days. Vacuum tubes are used for
circuitry and magnetic drums are used for memory.
 The input to the computer was given through punched cards and
paper tapes.
 The output displayed as printouts.
 No translator (translates from programming language to machine
or computer language) was used to compile the programming
language.
 The instructions to computer was given directly in machine
language, i.e 0's and 1's. The first generation computers are mainly
used for scientific research.
 Examples- ENIAC, UNIVAC

Second Generation (1956 to 1963)

 The second-generation computers used transistors as the basic
components.
 The first transistor was developed at bell laboratories on 1947 by
William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain.
 The size of transistor is small compared to the size of vacuum
tubes. Transistors are made from silicon. Transistors that are made
from silicon are less sensitive to temperature, so they cannot easily
burn up.
 Second generation computers used magnetic tapes, magnetic disks
for secondary memory and magnetic core for primary memory. The
input to second generation computers was given through punch cards
and the output displayed as printouts. The instructions for computer
were written in assembly language.
 Second generation computers generate less heat compared to the
first-generation computers.

Third Generation (1964-1971)

 Integrated circuits (IC's) are used in third generation computers.
The integrated circuit was invented by Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce.
The electronic circuit formed by constructing electronic components
like transistor, resistor and capacitor on a small piece of
semiconducting material is called integrated circuit. Integrated circuit is
also called as chip or microchip. Large number of transistors is placed
on a single chip.
 In third generation computers input is given through keyboard and
output is displayed on monitor.
 The keyboard and monitor were interfaced through the operating
system. Operating system allows different applications to run at the
same time.
 The instructions to the computer were written in high level
language instead of machine language and assembly language.

Fourth Generation(1971-present)
 The fourth-generation computers was developed using
microprocessor.
 Intel 4004 chip was the first microprocessor developed in 1971.
 The microprocessor is a silicon chip contains millions of transistors
that was designed using LSI and VLSI technology.
 The fourth-generation computers used LSI (Large Scale Integration)
and VLSI (Very Large-Scale Integration) technology. Using LSI and VLSI
technology thousands of transistors are integrated on a small silicon
chip. In fourth generation computers the semiconductor memory is
replaced by magnetic core memory resulting in fast random access to
memory.
 Several operating systems like MS-DOS and MS windows developed
during this time. The instructions to the computer were written in high
level language instead of machine language and assembly language.
Fifth Generation
 The fifth generation computers are still in development. Scientists
are working on fifth generation computers. The main aim of fifth
generation computing is to develop computers that are respond to
surroundings using different types of sensors and capable of learning.
 Fifth generation computers use super large scale integrated (SLSI)
chips that contains millions of components on a single chip
 These computers use parallel processing where instructions are
executed in parallel manner.
 Parallel processing is much faster than serial processing. In serial
processing each task is performed in serial manner.
 Where as in parallel processing multiple tasks are performed
simultaneously. Fifth generation computers are based on artificial
intelligence. The fifth-generation computers are also called artificial
intelligence computers.

Note:
The five generations of computers are characterized by electrical
current flowing through the processing mechanisms listed below:

 The first within vacuum tubes

 The second within transistors
 The third within integrated circuits
 The fourth within microprocessor chips
 The fifth unveiled smart devices capable of artificial intelligence.

Components of a Computer
The term ‘computer hardware‘ or ‘computer parts’ is used to describe
computer components that can be seen and touched. The major
components of general-purpose computer system are Input Unit,
main/internal Memory or Storage Unit, Output Unit, Central Processing
unit. The CPU is further includes Arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and control
unit (CU). All the units also referred to as “The functional units”.
Devices that are not integral part of CPU referred to as peripherals.

The four main components of a computer system are:

1. input devices
2. output devices
3. processing devices
4. storage devices

Input Devices
 Any peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment) used to
provide data and control signals to a computer.
 Allows the user to put data into the computer.
 Without any input devices, a computer would only be a display
device and not allow users to interact with it.
 Examples of Input Device
 Keyboard
 Mouse
 Touchscreen
 Graphic tablet
 Microphone
 Scanner
Keyboard– one of the primary input devices used to input data and
commands. It has function keys, control keys, arrow keys, keypad and
the keyboard itself with the letters, numbers and commands.
Keyboards are connected to the computer through USB or Bluetooth.
Mouse– an input device used to control the cursor and coordinates. It
can be wired or wireless.
Microphone– an input device that allows users to input audio into
their computers. Here are some uses of the microphone:
Scanner– an input device that reads an image and converts it into a
digital file. A scanner is connected to a computer through USB.
Touchscreen– is an input device that allows users to interact with a
computer using their fingers. It is used widely in laptop monitors,
smartphones, tablets, cash registers and information kiosks.
Barcode Reader– also known as barcode scanner or point of sale
(POS) scanner, is an input device capable of reading barcodes.
Webcam– is an input device connected to the computer and the
internet that captures still picture or motion video.
Biometric devices– is an input device used to input biometric data
into a computer.
OMR- Optical mark recognition (also called optical mark reading and
OMR) is that the process of capturing human-marked data from
document forms like surveys and tests. They are wont to read
questionnaires, multiple choice test paper within the sort of lines or
shaded areas.
OCR-
Optical Character Reader or optical character reader (OCR) is that the
electronic or mechanical conversion of images of typed, handwritten or
printed text into machine-encoded text
Output Devices
 Output devices relay the response from the computer in the form
of a visual response (monitor), sound (speakers) or media devices (CD
or DVD drives).
 The purpose of these devices is to translate the machine's response
to a usable form for the computer user.

Monitor (LED, LCD, CRT etc)

This is the most common computer output device. It creates a visible
display by the utilization of which users can view processed data.
Monitors come in various sizes and resolutions.

Printers (all types)

This device generates a hard copy version of processed data, like
documents and photographs. The computer transmits the image data
to the printer, which then physically recreates the image, typically on
paper.

Plotters- This generates a hard copy of a digitally depicted design.

The design is shipped to the plotter through a graphics card, and
therefore the design is made by employing a pen. It is generally used
with engineering applications, and essentially draws a given image
employing a series of straight lines.
Projector- This is a display device that projects a computer-created
image onto another surface: usually some sort of whiteboard or wall.
Speaker- The speakers are attached to computers to facilitate the
output of sound; sound cards are required in the computer for
speakers to function.

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

CPU is considered as the brain of the computer. CPU performs all types
of data processing operations. It stores data, intermediate results, and
instructions (program). It controls the operation of all parts of the
computer.
CPU itself has the following three components −

 ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)

 Memory Unit
 Control Unit

Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)

Arithmetic Logical Unit is used for processing data after inputting data
is stored into primary unit. The major operations of Arithmetic Logical
Unit are addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, logic and
comparison.

Control unit (CU)

 It is like a supervisor, that checks ordaining operations or
checksequence in which instructions are executed.
 Memory Unit
 This is the Storage unit where the data and instructions are stored.
The older CPU has only Registers as the memory but modern CPUs also
contains the Cache Memory which is very fast semiconductor memory.
 The memory size inside the CPU is very small and very fast. mainly
all the data and instructions are stored in primary (RAM, ROM) and
secondary memory(Hard Disk). CPU fetches the data from those
memories and store into its own memory(registers and cache memory)
during the operation.

Storage Unit
When the data and instructions are entered in the computer, Where
they are stored. In fact, inside the computer, there are different
storage areas where it keeps data or information permanently or
temporarily while working. This storage area is known as the Memory
of the computer.
The memory of the computer is divided into two categories:
1. Primary Memory
2. Secondary Memory

Primary Memory
This is the main memory of the computer. CPU can directly read or
write on this memory. It is fixed on the motherboard of the computer.
Primary memory is very fast, but not as fast as registers and cache
memory. It is directly addressed by the processor.

Primary memory is further divided in three types:

1. Main Memory (Random Access Memory)
2. Cache Memory
3. Register Memory

Main Memory
The size of Main memory is the largest when compared to Cache
Memory and Register memory but the cost is the lowest among them.
Main memory can be divided into two main types viz., Random Access
Memory (RAM), Read-only memory (ROM), and each of these is divided
into further sub-types

RAM
It is defined as a read-write memory of a computer where the
processor can read the data and can write the data to a computer.
RAM is used to store the data which have to processed currently by
CPU temporarily
Types of RAM
 Static RAM
 Dynamic RAM
Static Ram: Static RAM is defined as a RAM which requires the
constant flow of the power to retain the data inside it. The static RAM
is made up of transistors. This type of RAM is faster and expensive than
a Dynamic RAM. This memory is basically used as a Cache memory of a
computer which creates a cache files.

Dynamic RAM: Dynamic RAM is that type of RAM which stores the
binary information of a computer and device in the form of electric
charges which is applied for capacitors. This RAM requires to be
refreshed to retain the data it holds. This RAM requires a separate
refresh circuit. This is the cheap type of Ram than Static RAM.
ROM
ROM
It stands for Read Only Memory. This memory is not directly access by
CPU. To use ROM at first CPU transfer the data to RAM and ROM use it.
ROM is treated as a non-volatile memory. The data can still remain
after the device is power off or close it. For example, if we create some
documents in a computer and save it. Then we can again use or see
that files in our folders or a computer after a power off is done to our
device.
In comparison the capacity of ROM is less or smaller than RAM. So why
ROM is slower and cheaper than RAM. The capacity of 16 GB ROM is
equals to 1GB RAM. The data of ROM is only for read by CPU. We can
increase ROM or Memory Capacity (Internal Memory) by using external
slot.
Types of ROM
 PROM
 EPROM
 EEPROM
PROM PROM stands for Programmable Read-Only Memory, and it is
different from true ROM in that while a ROM is programmed (i.e. has
data written to it) during the manufacturing process, a PROM is
manufactured in an empty state and then programmed later using a
PROM programmer or burner.

EPROM EPROM stands for Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory,

and as the name suggests, data stored in an EPROM can be erased and
the EPROM reprogrammed. Erasing an EPROM involves removing it
from the computer and exposing it to ultraviolet light before re-burning
it.

EEPROM EEPROM stands for Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-

Only Memory, and the distinction between EPROM and EEPROM is that
the latter can be erased and written to by the computer system it is
installed in. In that sense EEPROM is not strictly read-only. However in
many cases the write process is slow, so it is normally only done to
update program code such as firmware or BIOS code on an occasional
basis
 2. Cache Memory
Frequently addressed Instructions and data are stored in an exclusive
faster memory in CPU to avoid waste effort and time to bring it from
slow main memory. Such storage is called Cache memory and its size is
in the range of 2KB to 64KB. The size of this memory is much lower
than the main memory and cost is higher than the main memory but
lesser than the Resisters.

3. Register Memory
Registers as part of CPU, are used to hold the memory addresses of the
data, next instruction, and intermediate results during the program
execution. It also acts as transit storage between the main memory and
the Processor. It is the costliest of all the memory and size-wise it is the
smallest.
Secondary Memory
You know that memory for the processor is both costly and limited, and
is also known as main memory. The quicker primary memory is volatile
as well. We need a lower cost and permanent memory if we need to
store large amounts of data or programs permanently. The secondary
memory is called this. We ‘re discussing secondary storage devices for
storing large amounts of data, audio, video, and multimedia files here.
Secondary memory also applies to various storage media on which data
and programs can be stored by a device. Specified or removable
secondary storage media. Fixed storage media is a hard disk-like
internal storage media that is attached to the computer. The portable
storage medium which can be taken outside the computer is called
removable storage media.
Types of Secondary Memory
 Solid-state Drive- Also, SSD is a non-volatile storage medium for
storing and accessing data. It offers many advantages over SSD as
opposed to a hard disk, such as faster access time, lower power
 consumption, noiseless operation, and more. With the downward cost
of SSD, it has become an excellent replacement on laptop and desktop
computers for a standard hard drive. Also suitable for tablets and
notebooks with little storage.
 Magnetic Tape- This is a magnetically coated strip made of plastic on
which data can be encoded. The storage capacity of this ranging from
kilobytes to Gigabytes. The data on tapes accessing is slower than
disks. Tapes are related to sequential access media, it means the tape
must go through all the preceding points.
 Floppy Disk- This device mainly used for recording data. It is having
the magnetic material coated plastic tape and having the shape of the
circular disk of diameter 3.5 inches. This entire device enclosed in the
plastic jacket which is in a square shape. The floppy disk drive which is
present in the computer can read the data recorded on a floppy disk.
The capacity varied depends upon the size of the drive.
 Hard Disk- This is most commonly used storage device and it is a
magnetic disk. However hard disks can hold more data and also be
having faster transfer rate when compared to floppy disk. The hard
disk having several platters and each platter need two read or write
heads on one in each side. These heads are attached to single access
arm, due to this they can’t move independently. The platters are
having tracks and location of the track which cuts across all platters is
known as a cylinder.
 Optical Disks- The data on optical disks can be read and written by
laser. This type of storage devices having a larger capacity of storage
of data. The data can be stored up to 6 gigabytes. Optical disks can be
classified into three types. They are

a) CD- ROM (Compact Disk – Read-Only – Memory)

cd or dvd rom driveThe data which is encoded on them is permanent in
nature, hence can’t be modified and can read data many times as user
 required. The data can be stored up to 1 GB, but most common size is
630 MB. The computer has CD- ROM drive players to play or read data
on CD-ROM s. CD ROM can be fitted in internal or outside of computer
within the case by connecting to the port. Magnetic Disk’s surface is
divided into a number of invisible concentric circles are known as
tracks, tracks further divided into sectors, which contains 512 bytes.

b) WORM – (Write Once Read Many)

The name itself indicates that data can be write only once and can read
as many times as user required.

c) Erasable-Optical disks – On these devices, the data can be erased

and rewrite with new data.
 CD – R drive
 CD – R drive
It is a recordable drive, having the feature of multisession recording
enables us to add data to CD-ROM.
flash drive and pendrive
 DVD(Digital Versatile Disk)
These can hold data up to 17GB and be having high density. It supports
both conventional images and high definition television systems.
 Pen Drives
These are static storage device and having no movable parts like hard
disk drives.
Computer Storage Units Smallest to Largest
Bit
Byte. It consists of 8 bits.
Kilobyte. It consists of 1024 Bytes.
Megabyte. It consists of 1024 Kilobyte.
Gigabyte. It consists of 1024 Megabyte.
Terabyte. It consists of 1024 Gigabyte.
Petabyte. It consists of 1024 Terabytes.

Bit
Bit is a short for Binary Digit. 0 and 1 are the only binary digits. Bit is the
smallest unit of measuring storage capacity. A bit can hold a 0 or 1.
Byte
A combination of 8 bits is called a Byte. A byte can hold one character.
1 Byte = 8 bits
Kilobyte (KB)
1024 bytes make one kilo byte. Kilo Byte is denoted by KB.
1 KB = 1024 Bytes
Megabyte (MB)
1024 Kilo bytes make one mega byte. Mega Byte is denoted by MB.
1 MB = 1024 KB
Gigabyte (GB)
1024 mega bytes make one Giga byte. Giga Byte is denoted by GB.
1 GB = 1024 MB
Terabyte (TB)
1024 Giga bytes make one Tera byte. Tera Byte is denoted by TB.
1 TB = 1024 GB
Petabyte (PB)
1024 Tera Bytes make one Peta byte. Peta Byte is denoted by PB.
1 PB = 1024 TB

Number system
A number system is a system to express or representing a number by
using a set of mathematical notation or digits or symbols in a specific
manner. Number system represents a unique notation or code for
every number and it also allows to operation of mathematical
operations like addition, subtraction, and division.
The number of systems are used to quantify the magnitude of
something. In other words, the number systems are called position
weighted system, since the weight of each digit depends on Its relative
position within the number.

Computer Software
Computer software, or only software, is a kind of program that enable
a user to perform some specific task or used to operate a computer. It
directs all the peripheral devices on the computer system – what to do
and how to perform a task. PC Software plays the role of mediator
between the user and computer hardware. Without software, a user
can’t perform any task on a digital computer.
There are two types of Software:
 System Software
 Application Software
System Software
The type of software that supports and manages the computer
resources and operations of the computer system is known as system
software. They are essential to run the computer. It creates a
communication link between the computer and user. It also provides
and maintains an environment or platform for running application
software. The main function of system software is to create a bridge
between computer system hardware and application software.
The system software can be divided into four sub-Types.
Operating System
An Operating system (OS) is a type of system software that helps to
establish communication between computer hardware and other
software. It also controls and coordinates overall operations of the
computer system. Application programs access input/output devices or
execution program instructions through Operation system. It provides
a user-friendly environment (interface) to communicate between user
and computer system. When a user wants to carry out any operation,
the command is given to the application program which is then
delivered to the operating system.
Utility Software
It is a type of software which is used for maintenance of computer
system. This software plays a vital role in making the computer
function properly. Special jobs like formatting disk, Virus cleaning,
Defragmentation etc are carried out by Utility software. Some
examples of commonly used operating software are Antivirus, Network
utilities, Screen savers, File managers, Disk defragmenters, Disk
cleaners etc.
Some of the examples of the utility programs (Utilities) include:
 Disk defragmenters
 Network Managers
 Application Launchers
 Antivirus software
 Backup software

Device driver software

The Device driver is a type of software that controls the devices
attached to the computer system. When you attach a device to a
computer, you might have seen the computer searching for suitable
device driver, you can use the device only upon the successful
installation of required driver. The device driver tells the operating
system how to interact or communicate with peripheral devices like
scanner, printers, modem etc.
Language Processor Software
A computer is a digital machine and understands only machine
language also called binary language (0, 1). But writing instructions
using binary digits is very tedious, difficult and time-consuming. So to
make programming easier people developed other artificial languages
also known as programming languages to develop computer program.
But the problem is the instruction written on such programming
languages cannot be directly understood by the machine. Those
instruction needs to be translated into machine understandable
language (0’s and 1’s) by using language processor software.
There are three types of language processor
 Assembler
 Interpreter
 Compiler

Assembler- It is a type of software that converts assembly language

codes into machine codes. After reading each assembly instructions, it
converts them into equivalent machine instructions. The code can run
only when all the conversion process is completed. In case of any bugs
or errors in assembly code, the errors need to be removed and the
assembly instruction needs to be assembled again.
Compiler- The compiler is a language processor, which translates high-
level programming codes into a machine understandable code. A
Compiler translates the whole block of high-level code at once,
converts it into equivalent executable machine code, and the code is
executed. The process of converting the high-level code into machine
code using compiler is known as compilation. If there are any errors in
high-level code, all errors are listed when the compilation process is
completed. Once compiler translates the program, there is no need of
re-translation for program’s execution.

Programming languages like Java, C, C++, Php etc uses Compiler.

The program written in a high-level language is called source code.

When the source code is compiled, A compiler produces a machine
equivalent code called object code.
Interpreter- An interpreter is a type of software that converts the
program instruction written in a high-level language into machine code
line by line. Unlike compiler Interpreter translates one line of
instruction to machine code, executes the instruction, then converts
the next line and the process continues. The translation process is
interrupted if there is any error on the middle of the program. The
program needs to run again from the beginning after removing the
errors. QBASIC, GWBASIC, BASICA etc are few examples of
programming languages that uses an interpreter.
Application Software
Application software are those that help the user perform the tasks of
his/her choice. They are non-essential software which are installed and
run depending upon the requirements, in the environment provided by
the system software.
(Application software examples – MS Office, OpenOffice, Media
Players, MS Access, educational software, media development
software, Antivirus software, etc. )
File Formats
The file format is the structure of a file that tells a program how to
display its contents. For example, a Microsoft Word document saved in
the .DOC file format is best viewed in Microsoft Word. Even if another
program can open the file, it may not have all the features needed to
display the document correctly.
File type File extension
Text .asc .doc .docx .rtf .msg, .pdf .txt .wpd .wps
Image .bmp .eps .gif .jpg .pict .png .psd .tif
Sound .aac .au .mid .mp3 .ra .snd .wma .wav
Video .avi .mp4 .mpg .mov .wmv
Program.bat .com .exe
Compressed .arc .arj .gz .hqx .rar .sit .tar .z .zip
Audio file formats by file extensions
There are several audio file formats, standards, and file extensions
used today. Below is a list of the most common audio file extensions.

.aif - AIF audio file

.cda - CD audio track file
.mid or .midi - MIDI audio file.
.mp3 - MP3 audio file
.mpa - MPEG-2 audio file
.ogg - Ogg Vorbis audio file
.wav - WAV file
.wma - WMA audio file
.wpl - Windows Media Player playlist
Compressed file extensions
Most computer users are familiar with the .zip compressed files, but
there are other types of compressed files. Below is a list of the most
common compressed file extensions.

.7z - 7-Zip compressed file

.arj - ARJ compressed file
.deb - Debian software package file
.pkg - Package file
.rar - RAR file
.rpm - Red Hat Package Manager
.tar.gz - Tarball compressed file
.z - Z compressed file
.zip - Zip compressed file
Image file formats by file extension
There are many different image types and image file extensions that
can be used when creating and saving images on the computer. Below
is a list of the most common image file extensions.
.ai - Adobe Illustrator file
.bmp - Bitmap image
.gif - GIF image
.ico - Icon file
.jpeg or .jpg - JPEG image
.png - PNG image
.ps - PostScript file
.psd - PSD image
.svg - Scalable Vector Graphics file
.tif or .tiff - TIFF image
Computer Network:
Two devices are in network if a process in one device is able to
exchange information with a process in another device. Networks are
known as a medium of connections between nodes (set of devices) or
computers. A network is consist of group of computer systems, servers,
networking devices are linked together to share resources, including a
printer or a file server. The connections is established by using either
cable media or wireless media.
Types of Network
On the basis of coverage or geographical spread, a network can be
divided into following types:
1. Local Area Network (LAN) When the network of computer is
confined to a small or localised area such as school, office or building, it
is known as Local Area Network (LAN). Computers or users in a local
area network can share data, information, software and common
hardware devices such as printer, modem, hard disk, etc.

2. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) A metropolitan area network is

the network which is spread over a city. The functions of a MAN is
similar to LAN. Like a LAN, computers in a MAN are also capable of
sharing data, information, software and hardware. The difference is
only on the basis of geographical area coverage.

3. Wide Area Network (WAN) The network of computers which is

spread across the countries probably over the entire world is known as
a Wide Area Network (WAN).

A WAN can be a group of several LANs interconnected together.

The largest WAN is the Internet.
The functions of WAN are also similar to a LAN or MAN.
5. Personal Area Network (PAN) The PAN refers to a computer
network, which is used for communication among computer devices
spread over a few meters. PAN may be wired (i.e. with the use of
computer buses such as USB) or wireless using wireless network
technologies such as bluetooth, wireless USB, Z-wave and ZigBee.
Bluetooth personal area network(PAN) is also called a piconet. It can be
composed of upto eight devices in a master slave relationship. The first
bluetooth device is master and other devices are acting as slaves.
Normally, its range is upto 10 m.
6. Internet- It is available to every person on a global scale. Anyone
can access it for uploading and downloading files. It consists of a global
interconnection of networks from different computers globally and
consists of numerous sources of information. These connections are
governed by a standard protocol such as IP (internet protocol) or TCP-
IP with each computer having a separate IP address. Aside from this,
there is the DNS (Domain Name Server) which gives a name to an IP
address.
7. Intranet- Intranet, on the other hand, consists of a smaller system
of private interconnected computers within an organization. The
intranet could be designed for use within a school, a company or some
government office. It enables sharing of information and files within a
defined area among a bunch of PCs – such as within a company’s
secured website. An intranet only offers specific web information.

Network Topologies
The network topology refers to the arrangement or pattern of
computers (i.e. nodes or workstations), which are interconnected in a
network.
Commonly used network topologies are as follows:
Bus Topology- a bus topology is a network setup where each computer
and network device is connected to a single cable or backbone.
Ring Topology- In ring or circular topology, the nodes are connected in
a circular way.
Star Topology In star topology, each individual piece of a network is
attached to a central node (often called a hub or switch).
Mesh Topology A network set-up where each computer and network
device is interconnected with one another to provide an alternative
route in case of the host is down or busy.
Tree Topology The tree topology is an extension and variation in bus
topology. Here, the shape of a network is like an inverted tree, where
the central node is at the root which is branching out as the network
extends
Network Devices
Network devices are the components used to connect computer and
other electronic devices together, so that they can share files or
resources like printers or fax machines. The most common type of
network devices used by the public to set-up a Local Area Network
(LAN) are hub, switch, repeater and if online access is desired, a high-
speed modem.
1. Modem (Modulator/Demodulator) Modem is a device that converts
digital signal to analog signal (modulator) at the sender’s site and
converts back analog signal to digital signal (demodulator) at the
receiver’s end, in order to make communication possible via telephone
lines.
Functions of Modem The essential function of a modem is to create an
easily transmitted and decode signal. Modem divides the information
into packets called frames. They minimise the error that occur while
the transmission of signals. Modems are of two types:

 Internal Modem It refers to the modem that is fixed within a

computer, e.g. dial-up and wireless.
 External Modem A modem that resides in a self-contained box
outside the computer system, e.g. USB modem, Cable modem.

2. Hub- It is a device used to connect several computers together. It

provides a centralised connection to several computers with the
central node or server.
It is multi-slot device in which multi-port cards can be inserted to
provide access to computers in the network.

Functions of a Hub A hub is a device that interconnects a number of

computers or users. Whenever any data packet is received by any port
in a workstation which may be an e-mail, graphics or any document, is
forwarded to all remaining ports. Thus, the required data packet is
transported to desired user or device.
There are two types of hub:

 Active Hub It amplifies the signals and passes from one connected
device to another. These hubs are working as repeaters to boost up the
signals.
 Passive Hub It simply passes signals from one connected device to
another without making any changes.

3. Switch The switch is a hardware device used to divide or segment

the network into smaller subnets or LAN segments. The main purpose
of segmenting a large network into smaller segments is to prevent the
traffic overloading in a network.
A switch forwards the data packet in a specific way over the network. It
means the switch filters the data packet, when the same is passed to it
and for the packet to the desired LAN segment.

Functions of a Switch
The switch is responsible for forwarding a data packet to a specific
route or segment. For this purpose, the switch establishes a temporary
connection between the source and the destination, when the data
packet is transported the connection is terminated.

4. Repeater The repeater is a hardware device used in a network to

amplify the weak signals, when they are transported over long
distances. When the signal is transmitted over a line, then due to
resistance and other causes it accumulates noise. Due to this noise, the
quality of signal degrades.
So, to improve the quality of signals, repeaters are needed to be
installed.
Functions of a Repeater
It receives an incoming signal from one device and retransmits it,
forwarding it on to other.
There are two types of repeaters:

 Amplifier Repeaters It amplifies or boosts the incoming signals. So, it

amplifies both the signal and any concurrent noise.
 Signal Repeaters These repeaters remove or filter the noise from
incoming signals and retransmit the same, in the same way as it was
starting from the source.

5. Gateway The gateway is a network device which is used to connect

dissimilar networks. The gateway establishes an intelligent connection
between a local network and external networks, which are completely
different in structure. In fact, the gateway is a node that routes the
traffic from a workstation to outside network. The gateway also acts as
a proxy server and a firewall, which prevents the unauthorised access.

Functions of a Gateway The gateway is a node in a network which

serves as a proxy server and a firewall system. It is associated with a
router and a switch. Its main function as proxy server is to hold the
information from a website temporarily so that the repeated access to
the same website or web page could be directed to the proxy server
instead of actual web server, thus helps in reducing the traffic load. As
a firewall system, it prevents the unauthorised access to and from a
private network.

Network Protocols
Protocol refers to the set of rules and regulations applicable for a
network. The protocol defines standardised format for the data packet
to be transmitted through the network, techniques for detecting the
errors whenever they arise and methods to correct these errors and so
on.
Some of the commonly used protocols are as follows:
1. HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) HTTP is an application level
protocol and it is widely used for viewing information of a web page
over Internet. It is a generic, stateless and object oriented protocol.
HTTP consists of a set of requests from the browser of a local computer
to the web server and a set of responses going back to the other way.
Though HTTP is designed for the use in the web application but it has
scope to be used in future object oriented applications.

2. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) FTP is designed to transfer files from one
system to another. Using FTP, different people locating in different
geographical locations can cooperate and work on a common project.
FTP is designed to promote sharing of files and to encourage the
indirect use of remote computers. Using FTP, any type of file can be
transferred from one computer to another. Though for transferring
files, we have to specify whether the file is in ASCII format or in binary
format.

3. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) TCP/IP is

a set of two protocols, i.e. TCP and IP. The Internet Protocol (IP) tells
how packets of information are sent out over networks. IP has a packet
addressing method that lets any computer on the Internet forward a
packet to another computer that is a step closer to the packet’s
recipient. The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) ensures the
reliability of data transmission across Internet connected networks.
TCP checks packets for errors and submits requests for retransmission
if errors are found.

4. PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) The PPP is used with dial-up Internet

connections including ISDN. It is a layered protocol, which is used for
transmitting the data over usual telephone lines. It can provide
connection authentication, transmission, encryption and compression.

Internet
The internet is a huge network of millions of computers around the
world, all connected to each other with phone lines, satellites and
cables – and they can send and receive information across our planet.
It’s like a massive library of information that anybody anywhere can
use.
The internet can help you do many things. You can send messages and
photographs to your friends and family. You can even speak to them
using the internet. You can listen to music, watch videos, buy and sell
things, and even transfer money.
The internet can also help you to learn new skills, like starting your own
business.
How does the Internet work?
The Internet works based on protocols which handle chunks of data,
known as “packets”.
Various types of hardware, such as an ethernet network card or a
modem, convert our device's binary packet data into network signals
and then back into packet data.
Internet Protocols (IP) are used to direct packets to a specific computer
or server.
Transmission Control Protocols (TCP) are used to direct packets to
specific applications on a computer using a port number.

Application Protocols are specific to applications such as

www.gmail.com and www.myshadow.org.

In short, the Internet is an international network of networks which

operates based on protocols which handle and transmit packets of
data.
How do we access the Internet?
We access the Internet because our router connects our device to an
Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Internet Service Providers (ISPs), such as Reliance Jio, Airtel and BSNL,
give us access to the Internet through a range of technologies.

A single device is assigned an address when it connects to the Internet:

an Internet Protocol (IP) address. This address distinguishes our device
in the network from all other devices.

However, our national ISP can only connect us directly to servers

located in our country. If we want to connect to servers located in a
different country, then we need that country's ISP to connect us to
those servers.
The World Wide Web (WWW)
When most people think of the internet, the first thing they think about
is the World Wide W eb. 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 web sites connected by
hyperlinks (or "links"). Web sites are stored on servers on the internet,
so the World Wide Web is a part of the internet.

Common Internet Terms

Web Browser- A web browser is a software program that allows a
user to locate, access, and display web pages. In common usage, a web
browser is usually shortened to "browser."
Web browsers are used primarily for displaying and accessing websites
on the internet, as well as other content created using languages such
as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Extensible Markup
Language (XML).
Web Page- A web page is what you see in a web browser when you
are on the internet. Think of the web page as a page in a magazine. You
may see text, photos, images, diagrams, links, advertisements, and
more on any page you view.
Uniform Resource Locators—URLs—are the web browser
addresses of internet pages and files. With a URL, you can locate and
bookmark specific pages and files in a web browser. URLs may be listed
at the bottom of business cards, on TV screens during commercial
breaks, linked in documents you read on the internet, or delivered by
one of the internet search engines.
HTTP and HTTPS
HTTP is the acronym for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, the data
communication standard of web pages. When a web page has this
prefix, the links, text, and pictures should work correctly in a web
browser.
IP Address
Your computer and every device that connects to the internet uses an
Internet Protocol address for identification. In most cases, IP addresses
are assigned automatically.
Email Spam and Filters
Spam is the jargon name of unwanted and unsolicited email. Spam
email comes in two main categories: high-volume advertising, which is
annoying, and hackers attempting to lure you into divulging your
passwords, which is dangerous.
Social Media
Social media is the broad term for any online tool that enables users to
interact with thousands of other users. Facebook and Twitter are
among the largest social networking sites. LinkedIn is a combination of
a social and professional site. Other popular sites include YouTube,
Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, Tumblr, and Reddit.
E-Commerce
E-commerce is electronic commerce—the transactions of selling and
buying online. Every day, billions of dollars exchange hands through the
internet and the World Wide Web.
Internet shopping has exploded in popularity with internet users, to the
detriment of traditional brick-and-mortar stores and malls. Every well-
known retailer has a website that showcases and sells its products.
Joining them are dozens of small sites that sell products and enormous
sites that sell just about everything.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing began as a term to describe software that was online
and borrowed, instead of purchased and installed on a computer. Web-
based email is one example of cloud computing. The user's email is
stored and accessed in the cloud of the internet.
Firewall
Firewall is a generic term to describe a barrier against destruction. In
the case of computing, a firewall consists of software or hardware that
protects a computer from hackers and viruses.
Malware
Malware is a broad term that describes any malicious software
designed by hackers. Malware includes viruses, Trojans, keyloggers,
zombie programs, and other software that seeks to do one of four
things:
 Vandalize your computer in some way.
 Steal your private information.
 Take remote control of your computer (zombie your computer) for
other ends.
 Manipulate you into purchasing something.
Virus
A virus is a type of malicious software (malware) comprised of small
pieces of code attached to legitimate programs. When that program
runs, the virus runs.
Worms
A computer worm is an insidious type of malware designed to spread
across multiple devices while remaining active on each. Learn where
worms come from, how to recognize them, and how to defend against
and remove them with our leading anti-malware solution.
Trojan
A Trojan is a special kind of hacker program that relies on the user to
welcome it and activate it. Named after the famous Trojan horse tale,
Trojan programs masquerade as legitimate files or software programs.
Phishing
Phishing is the use of convincing-looking emails and web pages to lure
you into typing your account numbers and passwords or PINs. Often in
the form of fake PayPal warning messages or phony bank login screens,
phishing attacks can be convincing to anyone who is not trained to
watch for the subtle clues.
Blogs
A blog is a modern online writer's column. Amateur and professional
writers publish blogs on all kinds of topics: their hobby interests in
paintball and tennis, their opinions on health care, their commentaries
on celebrity gossip, photoblogs of favorite pictures, or tech tips on
using Microsoft Office. Absolutely anyone can start a blog.
What does Electronic Mail (Email) mean?
Electronic mail (email) is a digital mechanism for exchanging messages
through Internet or intranet communication platforms.
Email messages are relayed through email servers, which are provided
by all Internet service providers (ISP).
Emails are transmitted between two dedicated server folders: sender
and recipient. A sender saves, sends or forwards email messages,
whereas a recipient reads or downloads emails by accessing an email
server.
A basic email message is made up of seven parts.
Recipient's Address
The first thing you need to enter when composing an email is the
recipient's address. This is entered before you compose the body of the
email. This field is usually found in one of the spaces above the
message. An example of an email address is: [email protected].
When sending a message to multiple recipients be sure to separate all
addresses with a comma.
Cc and Bcc
Another option when sending a message to multiple recipients is to use
the Cc, or carbon copy, and Bcc, blind carbon copy fields. When using
the Cc feature, all recipients can see the email addresses of everyone
the message was sent to. If you want your communication to be more
private, choose the Bcc and the identities of the other recipients will
not be shown.

Date and Time Stamp

The date and time an email was sent is usually included automatically
somewhere in the message.

Subject Line
The subject line is the first part of your email that the recipient will see.
When entering the subject line be sure to include important
information such as what the email is about. If you are too vague or
don't include any subject line at all, your message could be mistaken
for spam and deleted without ever being read.

Body
The body is where you actually write the message that you want sent.
Your message can be anything from a professional memo to a note to
friend or family member. Try to avoid writing too much in an email and
keep it limited to one screen's length. If you have a lot of information
that needs to be sent include it as an attached file.

Attachments
Attachments are similar to enclosures in traditional mail. If you have
files that you want to share with your recipient's you can include them
as attachments to the email. Use caution when opening attachments
sent to you as they can contain viruses, and never open an attachment
from somebody you don't know.

Signature
Some email systems allow you to enter a signature that will appear
automatically at the bottom of every message you send. This feature is
optional and can be turned off and on as needed.
Advantages of emails
 Emails are easy to use. You can organize your daily
correspondence, send and receive electronic messages and save them
on computers.
 Emails are fast. They are delivered at once around the world.
Noother form of written communication is as fast as an email.
 The language used in emails is simple and informal.
 When you reply to an email you can attach the original message so
that when you answer the recipient knows what you are talking about.
This is important if you get hundreds of emails a day.
 It is possible to send automated emails with a certain text. In such a
way it is possible to tell the sender that you are on vacation. These
emails are called auto responders.
 Emails do not use paper. They are environment friendly and save a
lot of trees from being cut down.
 Emails can also have pictures in them. You can send birthday cards
or newsletters as emails.
 Products can be advertised with emails. Companies can reach a lot
of people and inform them in a short time.

Important Abbreviations for UGC NTA NET paper 1

AFA - This acronym stands for All Flash Array, a grouping of flash
memory devices that helps boost performance.
BIOS - This is the Basic Input Output System, which controls the
computer, telling it what operations to perform. These instructions are
on a chip that connects to the motherboard.
BYTE - A byte is a storage unit for data. KB is a kilobyte (1024 bytes);
MB is a megabyte (1 million bytes); and GB is a gigabyte (1000
megabytes).
CPU - This stand for the Central Processing Unit of the computer. This
is like the computer's brain.
HDD - This is an acronym for Hard Disk Drive, the traditional spinning
drives that store information.
LCD - This stands for Liquid Crystal Display, a type of computer screen.
MAC - This is an abbreviation for Macintosh, which is a type of
personal computer made by the Apple Computer company.
OS - This is the Operating System of the computer. It is the main
program that runs on a computer and begins automatically when the
computer is turned on.
PC - This is the abbreviation for personal computer. It originally
referred to computers that were IBM compatible.
PDF - This represents the Portable Document Format, which displays
files in a format that is ready for the web.
RAID - A type of storage that can be configured in different ways to
provide a redundant copy of files, RAID stands for Redundant Array of
Independent Disks.
RAM - This stands for Random Access Memory, which is the space
inside the computer that can be accessed at one time. If you increase
the amount of RAM, then you will increase the computer's speed. This
is because more of a particular program is able to be loaded at one
time.
ROM - This is Read Only Memory, which is the instruction for the
computer and cannot be altered.
SSD - This acronym stands for Solid State Drive, a more modern type of
hard drive that has no moving parts.
DNS - This stands for Domain Name Server; this can help recognize an
IP address used by a domain name.
FTP - This is a service called File Transport Protocol, which moves a file
between computers using the Internet.
HTML - HyperText Markup Language formats information so it can be
transported on the Internet.
HTTP - Hypertext Transfer Protocol is a set of instructions for the
software that controls the movement of files on the Internet.
IP - This stands for Internet Protocol which is the set of rules that
govern the systems connected to the Internet. IP Address is a digital
code specific to each computer that is hooked up to the Internet.
ISP - The Internet Service Provider is the company which provides
Internet service so you can connect your computer to the Internet.
LAN - This stands for Local Area Network, which consists of the servers
that your computer connects to in your local area.
PPP - Point-to-Point Protocol is the set of rules that allow your
computer to use the Internet protocols using a phone line and modem.
SEO - This is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization.
URL - This is the Uniform Resource Locator, which is a path to a certain
file on the World Wide Web. It is what you may also call the web
address.
USB - The Universal Serial Bus is used for communications between
certain devices. It can connect keyboards, cameras, printers, mice, flash
drives, and other devices. Its use has expanded from personal
computers to smartphones and video games, and is used as a power
cord to connect devices to a wall outlet to charge them.
GUI- The GUI term stands for Graphical User Interface. It is the
interface where images are used to represent different choices. The
choices are designed as per requirement of the end user applications.
GIF- The acronym GIF stands for "Graphics Interchange Format." A GIF
is a short, animated picture, without sound.

Digital initiatives in higher education

Swayam: It an indigenously designed massive open online course
(MOOC), It will host all the courses, taught in classrooms from 9th class
till post-graduation and can be accessed by anyone, anywhere at any
time. It aims to bridge the digital divide for students in e-education.
SWAYAM PRABHA- The SWAYAM PRABHA is a group of 34 DTH
channels devoted to telecasting of high-quality educational
programmes on 24X7 basis using the GSAT-15 satellite. Every day,
there will be new content for at least (4) hours which would be
repeated 5 more times in a day, allowing the students to choose the
time of their convenience. The channels are uplinked from BISAG,
Gandhinagar. The contents are provided by NPTEL, IITs, UGC, CEC,
IGNOU, NCERT and NIOS. The INFLIBNET Centre maintains the web
portal.

National Mission in Education through ICT

The National Mission on Education through Information and
Communication Technology (NMEICT) has been envisaged as a
Centrally Sponsored Scheme to leverage the potential of ICT, in
teaching and learning process for the benefit of all the learners in
Higher Education Institutions in any time anywhere mode. This was
expected to be a major intervention in enhancing the Gross Enrolment
Ratio (GER) in Higher Education by 5 percentage points during the XI
Five Year Plan period.
National Academic Depository: It is a digital depository of
academic awards for authenticating all certificates issued by
institutions. NAD will directly integrate with Boards/Universities
which issue Certificates which will be verified, authenticated,
accessed and retrieved in a digital depository for purpose of
employment, higher education, and loans.
National Digital Library: It is a large online library containing 6.5
million books. It provides free access to many books in English and the
Indian languages.
Virtual Labs is a project initiated by the Ministry of Human Resource
Development, Government of India, under the National Mission on
Education through Information and Communication Technology.[1] The
project aims to provide remote-access to Laboratories in various
disciplines of science and engineering for students at all levels from
under-graduate to research

NPTEL- The full form of NPTEL is the National Program on Technology

Enhanced Learning which is a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course)
platform of the Government of India. At present, over 600+ video
courses in NPTEL online courses are available in various science and
technical branches. All these courses are absolutely free, which
anybody can do. But a college student can get a certificate by paying a
nominal fee and passing the exam.
e-Yantra is a project entrusted to IIT Bombay for enabling effective
education across engineering colleges in India on embedded systems
and Robotics. The training for teachers and students is imparted
through workshops where participants are taught basics of embedded
systems and programming. Engagement of teachers and students in
hands on experiments with robots by way of competition event is
another innovative method of problem solving with out of box
solutions.
FOSSEE
The FOSSEE (Free/Libre and Open Source Software in Education)
Project, promotes the use of FLOSS (Free/Libre and Open Source
Software) tools to improve the quality of education in our country. It
aims to reduce the dependency on proprietary software in educational
institutions. It is being implemented by IIT Bombay
Spoken Tutorial
This project helps everyone learn various Free/Libre and Open Source
Software all by oneself. The selfpaced, multilingual courses ensure that
anybody with a computer and a desire for learning, can learn from any
place, at any time and in a language of their choice. Internet is not
required to use Spoken Tutorials.
GIAN- Govt. of India approved a new program titled Global Initiative of
Academic Networks (GIAN) in Higher Education aimed at tapping the
talent pool of scientists and entrepreneurs, internationally to
encourage their engagement with the institutes of Higher Education in
India so as to augment the country's existing academic resources,
accelerate the pace of quality reform, and elevate India's scientific and
technological capacity to global excellence.

Summary
In this Unit we have discussed elaborately ICT with its need objectives,
advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, we have learnt about
computer with its types and its components, the various types of
hardware and software, computer networks, email. We also came to
know about the various digital initiatives by the government of India.