5. What is an application or application program? Ans. Vendors sell programs to read/write/edit text, to display images, to execute manipulation of graphics and many such facilities, an user would like to have. All these programs perform fixed preconceived tasks for the user. Such a program or group of programs constitute an application and must have .exe as file extension. 6. Is computer memory different from disc space? Ans. Computer memory is an electronic device. It is placed inside the motherboard near other CPU members. Computer operations are performed by CPU and memory in a regular electronic circuit mode. Disc space is a detachable area meant for storage and retrieval of large number of bytes or files. Disc contents are exchanged with the computer memory. Each memory byte is addressed uniquely by CPU during disc memory content exchange operation. Thus disc space augments storage area for many large files without slowing down computer CPU operations. 7. What is CPU and its speed? Ans. CPU is an electronic circuits' group, wired permanently in the motherboard to perform only known operations in sequential clocktime cycles. In fact only a few operations are required to be performed repeatedly in different combinations for all computer work. Speed of CPU is the capability of the CPU clock unit to run fast, but with accurate time cycles every time the machine is put on. A single erratic timing of the CPU clock will cause complete disruption of work in the machine. As the clock ticks on, CPU addresses the next memory location for read/write operation. Content may be an instruction or data or part of another address. CPU does the instructed arithmatic or logic operation in few clock cycles period. 8. What is meant by windows? Ans. A Computer basically runs as a sequential electronic circuit which can do only one thing at a time with a definite cause effect relationship.That is, no mistakes, tiredness or change in speed is allowed. Such a system is bound to be slow, boring and unfriendly for human use.You can't hear music while doing a calculation, or a fast download from internet has to wait till a slow long job is over. DOS operating system follows such a first come first served, one thing at a time methodology. Windows came to our rescue. In spite of electronic circuit behaviour of a computer, it introduced time sharing concept. Any number(almost) of jobs can be taken up, but a job time will be broken up in time slots. Slower jobs will be allowed less frequent time slots whereas faster jobs will be allotted more frequent time slots. Each job will be given a seperate window, will run simultaneously in time slots but behave independantly. This calls for a lot of house keeping operations by the operating system or 'windows'. So windows take up a lot of space and time to load.We dont mind a house keeper as computer CPU runs very fast these days with large chunk of memory. |
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| Updated February 11, 2005 |