Category Computer

Who invented the cut-copy-paste command in computer?

Today, if you find doing assignments on the computer easy, you have to thank Larry Tesler. Wondering why? For it was he who invented the cut-copy-paste command. Does it ring a bell? Be it students, teachers or working professionals, you could probably count the number of people in the world who wouldn’t have used the cut-copy-paste command. Actually, you might not find anyone at all because that’s how essential this command has become in today’s computing.

Who was Larry Tesler?

Born in Bronx, New York, in 1945, Larry Tesler was a computer scientist. Having graduated from the Stanford University, California, Tesler started working for the Silicon Valley in the early 1960s – a time when the computer was still inaccessible to a majority of people. He specialized in user interface design and worked for a number of firms during his lifetime, such as Xerox Palo Alto Research Centre (Parc), where he started his career, and Apple. Post Apple, he set up an education start-up and worked with Amazon and Yahoo for brief periods.

Tesler believed in making the computer accessible to people. He wanted to simplify its use to make it easier for people to operate it.

During his time at Parc, Tesler, along with his colleague Tim Mott, devised the cut-copy-paste command. The idea for the same was inspired by the old method of editing, where people would physically cut portions of printed text and glue them elsewhere. Tesler also came up with the find & replace command during his time at Parc.

The cut-copy-paste command was first incorporated into Apple’s software on the Lisa computer in 1983. After this, computers have only become more and more user friendly.

Tesler passed away on February 20, 2020. He was 74.

What do we thank him for?

Cut, copy and paste. These commands are an indispensable part of our lives today. Instead of typing out chunks of text, one could use these commands to complete the process in a fraction of time.

In Windows computers, to cut text, you can highlight the text using mouse and right click and select Cut. Alternatively, you could use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+X.

For copying text, you would follow the same process and choose Copy instead from the list or use the shortcut Ctrl+C.

For pasting text, select Paste from the menu, or use the shortcut Ctrl+V to paste the text in the place you want.

Remember, when you Cut and Paste text, the text will no longer remain in its original place. Whereas, if you Copy and Paste text, you are creating a copy of the text, meaning the original remains intact.

 

Picture Credit : Google

What is a chatbot?

A chatbot, or chatterbot, is a computer program designed to stimulate conversation with humans. A chatbot usually has textual conversations with users, guiding them through simple processes. Sometimes, it is hard to identify who you are chatting with – a human or a robot. Many websites today use chatbots.

The term chatterbot was originally coined by computer scientist Michael Mauldin in 1994. Mauldin is the creator of Verbot, a popular chatterbot program.

The first conversational bot, however, was written in the U.S. in 1966. Implemented by Joseph Weizenbaum, a computer scientist of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the chatbot was called Eliza. The chatbot was so authentic that it misled many people it was human.

Advantages of a chatbot

Chatbots are a great help for businesses, helping improve customer service and personalizing communication. However, for a user, a chatbot can be a boon when it comes to getting immediate responses for queries. Most chatbots are operational 24×7, meaning you can ask it a question even at two in the morning and you will be served a response. A chatbot also comes in handy when you don’t have the patience to read through the Frequently Asked Questions. Most chatbots are equipped with answering the FAQs.

Chatbots are also linked to human customer service professionals. If it cannot answer your query any further, it will put you through to a professional, thereby ensuring seamless customer service.

How do chatbots work?

Depending on the purpose they are designed for, chatbots can be divided into two groups – simple, and trained/smart.

Simple chatbots work according to pre-programmed commands.

Usually, a developer writes a list of keywords and command for the computer program to look for and execute. When a user chats with such a bot, if the keyword is present, the bot will execute the command. If not, it might say something like “Sorry, I do not understand”.

A smart chatbot, on the other hand, relies on artificial intelligence to communicate with users. Instead of pre-programmed answers, this bot will offer you a list of suggestions based on what you key in. The smart bot also stores all the words and sentences you use for later processing to improve on its responses.

Chatbots and the Turing test

While chatbots are highly intelligent, they haven’t passed the Turing test as of 2019. The Turing test, developed in the 1950s by Alan Turing, is a test of a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligence equivalent to or indistinguishable from humans. Simply put, a human judge has a conversation with a human and a chatbot. If he can identify the machine, the chatbot doesn’t pass the Turing test.

 

Picture Credit : Google

How taking occasional breaks from the computer can be rejuvenating?

Ever since gadgets entered our lives, we have been addicted to them. Checking the mobile phone as soon as we wake up has become a part of our daily routine. Similarly, on returning from school, playing games on the computer has become a norm.

While the computer is highly useful for academic purposes such as project work, it is also used as a means of entertainment. However, constant use of the computer can take a toll on our health. One could instead use this time to channel one’s energy towards other interesting and beneficial things. Hence let’s see how taking occasional breaks from the computer can be rejuvenating.

The need to detox

Using the computer for long periods of time can affect the eyes as well as the body. The harsh light emitted by the monitor can tire your eyes and leave you with dark circles. The light is also said to affect sleep.

Besides, due to lack of physical activity, your body will feel much weaker than it is. You could develop poor posture that causes back and neck pain. Many people also complain of headaches and disorientation.

Another major health problem encountered by many of us today is obesity. Sitting in front of the computer for hours together can lead to weight gain. This in turn affects our heart and mind.

Ways to detox

So the best way to stay away from the computer is to to keep yourself occupied with other interesting things. Here are a few ways to detox and rejuvenate yourself.

Take regular breaks:

Don’t sit in front of the computer for too long. Have a sand clock on your computer table to remind you to get up and move around.

Take power naps

You could feel exhausted with all the things you need to do during the day. So, to relax, take power naps instead of playing games on the computer.

Read books

Books are our best friends. There’s a book for every mood. So, grab one and start reading during your free time.

Go out and play

With free spaces shrinking, make the most of the outdoors – go out and play. There’s nothing a good game with friends can’t fix. It’s one of the best stress busters.

Reward yourself

It can be difficult to detox. A reward is a good way to keep yourself motivated. Every time you do something other than using the computer, reward yourself with something useful.

 

Picture Credit : Google

What are the features of computers running on Windows 10?

A secret start menu

Over the years, many of us became accustomed to the simple textual start menu offered by the Windows OS. But with Windows 10, a new tiled interface emerged, confusing many new users. Well, you might not find the exact start menu that you did in the older versions of Windows, but right click on the Windows icon and you will find a more textual interface.

Shake off the windows

With the Windows+D keyboard shortcut you can minimise all the windows on the screen. But what if you want the window you are currently working on to be open and everything else to be minimised? Shake it!

Yes, clicking on the title bar of the window you are working on, you shake it. All the other windows will get minimised. If you want the windows to comes back, just shake the current window again.

For the lazy typists

For those of you who are lay to type your messages, Windows 10 has a special dictation mode. Press and hold the Windows+H keyboard keys and a dictation mode will open. Once you enable it in your settings, Windows will use your in-built microphone to record what you are saying. This feature can be used for typing out emails or word documents.

Organising windows

This feature was available in Windows 7 too. Especially useful when referencing something, you can keep two windows open simultaneously o the screen, next to each other. To do this, you can click on the title bar of a window and drag it to whichever side of the screen you want it to occupy. Once you do this, you will be shown a list of other running windows, one of which you can open on the other side of the screen. This feature can also be accessed by pressing Windows+ (any of the arrow keys) based on the place you want the windows to occupy.

The emoji specialist

For those who love emojis, there is a cool hidden feature. Just hit Windows+ (fullstop or period) and a set of in-built emojis will open on the right corner of your screen. You can use these emojis in any app.

 

Picture Credit : Google

WHAT IS A PIXEL?

A Pixel is a tiny dot of color, which, together with millions of other dots, makes up a picture on a computer or television screen. It is short for “picture element”. A pixel is the smallest unit of a digital image or graphic that can be displayed and represented on a digital display device.

A pixel is the basic logical unit in digital graphics. Pixels are combined to form a complete image, video, text or any visible thing on a computer display. A pixel is also known as a picture element.

A pixel is represented by a dot or square on a computer monitor display screen. Pixels are the basic building blocks of a digital image or display and are created using geometric coordinates. Depending on the graphics card and display monitor, the quantity, size and color combination of pixels varies and is measured in terms of the display resolution.

For example, a computer with a display resolution of 1280 x 768 will produce a maximum of 98,3040 pixels on a display screen. Each pixel has a unique logical address, a size of eight bits or more and, in most high-end display devices, the ability to project millions of different colors.

The pixel resolution spread also determines the quality of display; more pixels per inch of monitor screen yields better image results.

 

Picture Credit : Google

WHAT IS INSIDE THE PROCESSING UNIT OF A COMPUTER?

Inside the processing unit of a computer are collections of integrated circuits (microchips) and other components, usually positioned on circuit boards. There are also slots for floppy disks and CDs to be inserted, a “hard disk” on which data is stored, and perhaps devices such as fans to keep the components cool. Portable computers also have space for a battery, which can be recharged.

It is imperative to understand the name and function of each component in a computer in order to understand how it functions as a whole. Attempt to always remember that a computer is based off the human body and functions in the same way. You cannot expect to understand the human body without first understanding its organs and their functions. A computer is composed of components in the same way that the body is composed of organs that together work to make the body or computer function. A basic computer has at least 8 basic components which include a computer case or tower, motherboard, Central Processing Unit (CPU), Power Supply Unit (PSU), Random Access Memory (RAM), hard drive (HDD), Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) and some type of optical drive which would be your CD/DVD drive. These 7 components are the backbone of every healthy, functioning computer.

Motherboards

Motherboards often referred to as a logic board, main board or “mobo” for short, are the “back-bone” of the computer. Its purpose is to connect all the parts of the computer together and make everything centralized using its printed circuit board. The central processing unit, hard drives, memory, graphic processing unit, printers, and other ports all connect to the computer directly or via special cables that attach on to the motherboard. When you plug in a USB or thumb drive to a computer you are actually plugging it directly into the computer!

Power Supply

True to its name, the power supply powers all other components of the machine. It usually plugs into the motherboard to power the other parts. The power supply connects to either an internal battery (on a laptop) or a plug for an outlet (on a desktop).

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

A CPU, sometimes referred to as a computer’s brain, is the workhorse of the machine. It performs the calculations needed by a system, and can vary in speed. The work that a CPU does generates heat, which is why your computer has a fan inside. A more powerful CPU is necessary for intense computer work like editing high-definition video or programming complex software.

Random-access Memory (RAM)

RAM is temporary memory. Whenever you open up a Microsoft Word window, your computer places it in RAM, and when you close the window, that RAM is freed. Since RAM is volatile, its contents are lost if the machine loses power. This is why you lose a Word document when the power goes out if you didn’t save it.

Hard Disk Drive / Solid State Drive

Since RAM is temporary, your computer needs a place to store data permanently. That’s where the hard drive comes in. The traditional hard drive consists of several spinning platters with an arm that physically writes data to the disk. However, these drives are slow and are starting to be replaced by the faster solid-state drives.

Video Card

A video card is a dedicated unit for handling the output of images to a display. Video cards have their own dedicated RAM for performing these functions. A high-end video card is required to process extremely intense visual functions, such as computer drafting by engineers. Like many components, many types of video cards are available with varying power and prices.

Optical Drives

Though less common than they used to be, many machines still have an optical drive for reading CDs and DVDs. These can be used to listen to music or watch movies, place information onto a blank disc, or install software from a disc. Since most software nowadays is installed from the internet instead of using discs, these aren’t as important as they once were, especially on laptops.

Input and Output Devices

Depending on your particular computer, you can connect a variety of devices to send information into it or out of it. Common input devices include mice (touchpads on laptops), keyboards, and webcams, while output devices consist of monitors, printers, and speakers. Removable media such as flash drives and SD cards can also be used to transfer data between computers.

Picture Credit : Google