CAB

Practical

1. Introduction to
personal computer

2. Introduction to system
software

3. Introduction to
application software

4. Introduction to
Microsoft word

5. Introduction to
Microsoft excel

6. Introduction to
PowerPoint

7. Mail Merge

1 Aim- introduction to personal

computer

Apparatus- computer

Theory

"Personal computer." PCs are what most of us use on a

daily basis for work or personal use. A typical PC includes
a system unit, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Most PCs
today also have a network or Internet connection, as well
as ports for connecting peripheral devices, such as digital
cameras, printers, scanners, speakers, external hard
drives, and other components.
Personal computers allow us to write papers, create
spreadsheets, track our finances, play games, and do
many other things. If a PC is connected to the Internet, it
can

be

used

communicate

to
with

browse
friends

the
via

Web,

check

instant

e-mail,

messaging

programs, and download files. PCs have become such an

integral part of our lives that it can be difficult to imagine
life without them!
While PC stands for "personal computer," the term can be
a bit ambiguous. This is because Macintosh computers
are often contrasted with PCs, even though Macs are also
technically PCs. However, Apple itself has used the term
"PC" to refer to Windows-based machines, as opposed to

its own computers, which are called "Macs." While the

Mac/PC dilemma remains, PCs can always contrasted with
other

types

of

computers,

as mainframes and server computers,

such

such
as

Web

servers and network file servers. In other words, if you

use a computer at home or at work, you can safely call it
a PC.

Diagram

2 Aim-Introduction to system
software
Apparatus- computer
Theory

Systems software, is computer software designed to provide services to

other software. Examples of system software include operating
systems, computational science software, game engines, industrial
automation, and software as a service applications.
In contrast to system software, software that allows users to do things like
create text documents, play games, listen to music, or web browsers to
surf the web are called application software
The line where the distinction should be drawn is not always clear. Many
operating systems bundle application software. Such software is not
considered system software when it can be uninstalled usually without
affecting the functioning of other software. Exceptions could be e.g. web
browsers such as Internet Explorer where Microsoft argued in court that it
was system software that could not be uninstalled. Later examples
are Chrome OS and Firefox OS where the browser functions as the only
user interface and the only way to run programs (and other web browser
cannot be installed in their place), then they can well be argued to be (part
of) the operating system and then system software.
Another borderline example is cloud based software. This software
provides services to a software client (usually a web browser or a
JavaScript application running in the web browser), not to the user directly,
and is therefore systems software. It is also developed using system
programming methodologies and systems programming languages. Yet

from the perspective of functionality there is little difference between a

word processing application and word processing web application.

Operating systems or System

control programs
The operating system (prominent examples being Microsoft
Windows, Mac OS X and Linux), allows the parts of a computer to work
together by performing tasks like
transferring data between memory and disks or rendering output onto
a display device. It provides a platform (hardware abstraction layer) to run
high-level system software and application software.
A kernel is the core part of the operating system that defines an API for
applications programs (including some system software) and an interface
to device drivers.
Device drivers, including also computer BIOS and device firmware,
provide basic functionality to operate and control the hardware connected
to or built into the computer.
A user interface "allows users to interact with a computer. Either
a command-line interface (CLI) or, since the 1980s a graphical user

interface (GUI). Since this is the part of the operating system the user
directly interacts with, it may be considered an application and therefore
not a system software.

3 AIM-

Introduction to application

software
APPARATUS- computer

Theory
Computer software is the set of instructions and data that tells a computer what to do
and how to do it. Software provides instructions to your computers hardware.
Without it, your PC or Mac would be little more than a large paperweight. But
software actually comes in three main types: system software, programming
software and application software. System software includes all the stuff that make
up a computer's operating system (OS), including device drivers, configuration files
and other key system components. This is the software that tells the computers
hardware what to do and provides a foundation for the system. Programming
software, or middleware, works much like the plumbing in your home by invisibly
keeping things running behind the scenes. Application software, however, is the most
important type for computer users because it is used to achieve many of the tasks
that make us turn to our computers in the first place, such as word processing, Web
browsing and data crunching.
Application software applies the power of system software. This is why when
downloading software, you have to find a version that fits with your running operating

system (OS). In essence, that software draws on the OS to create a Word document,
spreadsheet or PowerPoint presentation.

4 Aim- Introduction to Microsoft word

Apparatus- computer
Theory
INTRODUCTION

Let us consider an office scene. Many letters are typed in the office.
The officer dictates a letter. The typist first types a draft copy of the
letter. The officer goes through it to check mistakes regarding spelling
errors, missing words, etc. and suggests corrections. The typist
changes the letter as suggested by the officer. This is a simple example
of word processing.
There are many software packages to do the job of word processing.
Some of them work in DOS environment. Example are WordStar, Word
Perfect and Professional Write. But in these days working in WINDOWS
is becoming more and more popular. So let us consider software for
word processing which works in WINDOWS. Our choice is MS-WORD
because it is the most popular software in these days.
MS-WORD is a part of the bigger package called MS OFFICE, which can
do much more than word processing. In fact when you open up MS
OFFICE you will find four main components in it. They are MS-WORD
(for word processing), MS EXCEL (for spreadsheet), MS ACCESS (for
database management) and MS POWERPOINT (for presentation

purposes). However, we will limit ourselves to MS-WORD only in this

lesson.

OBJECTIVES
After going through this lesson you should be in a position to

start the MS-WORD package

be familiar with the MS-WORD screen

Advantages and Features of Word Processing

Some common Word Processing Packages

How to invoke Ms-Word

learn the capabilities of Ms-Word

WHAT IS WORD-PROCESSING?
Word Processor is a Software package that enables you to create, edit,
print and save documents for future retrieval and reference. Creating
a document involves typing by using a keyboard and saving it. Editing a
document involves correcting the spelling mistakes, if any, deleting or
moving words sentences or paragraphs.
(a)
Advantages of Word Processing
One of the main advantages of a word processor over a conventional
typewriter is that a word processor enables you to make changes to a
document without retyping the entire document.
(b)
Features of Word Processing
Most Word Processor available today allows more than just creating
and editing documents. They have wide range of other tools and
functions, which are used in formatting the documents. The following
are the main features of a Word Processor

i)
Text is typing into the computer, which allows alterations
to be made easily.
ii)
Words and sentences can be inserted, amended or
deleted.
iii)
Paragraphs or text can be copied /moved throughout the
document.
iv)
Margins and page length can be adjusted as desired.
v)
Spelling can be checked and modified through the spell
check facility.
vi)
Multiple document/files can be merged.
vii)
Multiple copies of letters can be generated with different
addresses through
The mail-merge facility.
(c)
Some Common Word Processing Packages
The followings are examples of some popular word processor
available

Soft word

WordStar

Word perfect

Microsoft word

5 Aim-

Introduction to Microsoft excel

Apparatus- computer

Theory
Microsoft Excel has the basic features of all spreadsheets, using a grid
of cells arranged in numbered rows and letter-named columns to organize data
manipulations like arithmetic operations. It has a battery of supplied functions to
answer statistical, engineering and financial needs. In addition, it can display data as
line graphs, histograms and charts, and with a very limited three-dimensional
graphical display. It allows sectioning of data to view its dependencies on various
factors for different perspectives (using pivot tables and the scenario manager).[5] It
has a programming aspect, Visual Basic for Applications, allowing the user to employ
a wide variety of numerical methods, for example, for solving differential equations of
mathematical physics, and then reporting the results back to the spreadsheet. It also
has a variety of interactive features allowing user interfaces that can completely hide
the spreadsheet from the user, so the spreadsheet presents itself as a socalled application, or decision support system (DSS), via a custom-designed user
interface, for example, a stock analyzer or in general, as a design tool that asks the
user questions and provides answers and reports. In a more elaborate realization, an
Excel application can automatically poll external databases and measuring
instruments using an update schedule, analyze the results, make a Word report
or PowerPoint slide show, and e-mail these presentations on a regular basis to a list
of participants. Excel was not designed to be used as a database.

Microsoft allows for a number of optional command-line

switches to control the manner in which Excel starts

Use of a user-defined function sq(x) in Microsoft Excel. The named

variables x & y are identified in the Name Manager. The function sq is
introduced using the Visual Basic editor supplied with Excel.

Subroutine in Excel calculates the square of named column

variable x read from the spreadsheet, and writes it into the named

column variable y.

6 Aim- Introduction to PowerPoint

Apparatus- computer
Theory
Microsoft PowerPoint is a slide show presentation program currently developed

by Microsoft, for use on both Microsoft and Apple Macintosh operating systems.
PowerPoint, initially named "Presenter", was created by Forethought Inc.
Microsoft's version of PowerPoint was officially launched on May 22, 1990, as a
part of the Microsoft Office suite. PowerPoint is useful for helping develop the
slide-based presentation format and is currently one of the most commonly used

slide-based presentation programs available. Microsoft has also released the

PowerPoint mobile application for use on Apple and Android mobile operating
systems.

Operation
PowerPoint presentations consist of a number of individual pages or
"slides". The "slide" analogy is a reference to the slide projector. Slides
may contain text, graphics, sound, movies, and other objects, which may
be arranged freely. The presentation can be printed, displayed live on a
computer, or navigated through at the command of the presenter. For
larger audiences the computer display is often a video projector. Slides
can also form the basis of webcasts.

PowerPoint provides three types of movements:

1. Entrance, emphasis, and exit of elements on a slide itself are
controlled by what PowerPoint calls Custom Animations.
2. Transitions, on the other hand, are movements between slides.
These can be animated in a variety of ways.
3. Custom animation can be used to create small story boards by
animating pictures to enter, exit or move.

PowerPoint provides numerous features that offer flexibility and the ability
to create a professional presentation. One of the features provides the
ability to create a presentation that includes music which plays throughout
the entire presentation or sound effects for particular slides. In addition to
the ability to add sound files, the presentation can be designed to run, like
a movie, on its own. PowerPoint allows the user to record the slide show
with narration and a pointer. The user may customize slide shows to show
the slides in a different order than originally designed and to have slides
appear multiple times. Microsoft also offers the ability to broadcast the
presentation to specific users via a link and Windows Live

7 Aim- mail merge

Apparatus computer
Theory
Mail merge is a process to create
personalized letters and pre-addressed envelopes or
mailing labels for mass mailings from a form letter.
[1]
The feature is usually employed on a word
processing document which contains fixed text (which
is the same in each output document) and variables
(which act as placeholders that are replaced by text
from the data source). The feature dates back to early
word processors on personal computers, circa
1980. WordStar was perhaps the earliest to provide
this, originally via an ancillary program called Mail
Merge. WordPerfect also offered this capacity for CP/M
and MS-DOS systems, and Microsoft Word added it
later on.[2]

The data source is typically a spreadsheet or

a database which has a field or column for each
variable in the template. When the mail merge process
is run, the word processing system creates an output
document for each row in the database, using the fixed
text exactly as it appears in the template,
But substituting the data variables in the template with
the values from the matching columns.