The Computer System

The computer system consists of the computer, fitted with two disk drives, a monitor, and a printer. Switch on. The computer, disk drive and printer may all have separate switches. Find the program disk. Computers generally use 3,5 -inch disks which are protected by a square plastic pack. Make sure the disk goes in the right way. A couple of keys, or sometimes a simple typed instruction, will get the disk to load. From there on, the program takes over. In some cases, the computer may require two programs. The first of these is called the operating system. The operating systems have names like CP/M, UNIX and MS-DOS. The operating system is really just a program that tells the computer how to control the disk drive, printer, and whatever is attached. After the operating system is loaded, the main program, which may be on a separate disk, can go in.

Once the program starts up, the screen will tell you what to do. Word processing programs are generally easy to use, and the best way to get acquainted is to take an hour or two to find your way round. It is impossible to harm the computer by pressing the wrong keys. Sometimes microcomputers are linked together in what is called a network.

There are different input and output devices that can be connected to the computer. Such devices are known as computer peripherals. Disks come in a range of sizes. The disk is also called diskette, or flexible disk, or just ‘floppy’. The disk is protected by a square plastic sleeve which is not removed: there is a slot that lets the machine get at the disk’s surface. Disks of all kinds are delicate. DON’T touch the surface of the disk, bend it, or smoke while using it.

If you are using a computer with a printer in the office, or have a printer attached to the terminal you are using, then it is probably one of two types, a daisy wheel printer or a matrix printer.

The computer keyboard is similar in layout to a typewriter, but may have extra keys. Just as with typewriters, the layout differs from make to make. The most usual extra keys are functional keys. These are generally marked F1, F2, etc., and cam be used for different purposes in different programs. The keyboard is generally connected to the computer by a flexible cable.

A mouse is a small plastic box on the desk in front of you. The mouse moves the cursor which is a flashing square or arrow that is used to point to something on the screen of the monitor. To move the cursor, you just move the mouse in the appropriate direction, across the desk, and the cursor follows. The mouse has one or two ‘fire’ buttons on its back.