Notes
Slide Show
Outline
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Objectives
  • Defining computers
  • Investigating types of computers
  • Examining input devices
  • Examining output devices
  • Investigating data processing
  • Understanding memory


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Objectives
  • Understanding magnetic storage devices and media
  • Understanding optical and flash storage devices and media
  • Exploring data communications
  • Learning about networks
  • Understanding system software
  • Understanding application software
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Defining Computers
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Defining Computers
  • A computer system is made up of:


  • Hardware—the physical components
  • Software—the programs or lists of instructions
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Defining Computers
  • Architecture or configuration is the design of the computer.
    • As in, what does the computer consist of?

  • Specification is the technical detail about each component.
    • As in, how big is the monitor?
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How a Computer Works
  • The hardware, software, and you work together to
  • complete tasks.
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How a Computer Works
  • The data you type into the computer is called input.


  • The result of the computer processing your input is called output.
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Investigating Types of Computers
  • The categories of computers are:
  • Personal or microcomputers
    • Desktop
    • Notebook, Laptop, Table PC
  • Hand-help or PDAs
  • Mainframes
  • Supercomputers
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Types of Computers
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Types of Computers
  • Supercomputers are the largest and fastest of
  • computers, and can process an enormous
  • volume of data.
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Examining Input Devices
  • Some input devices are:
  • Keyboard
  • Mouse
  • Trackball
  • Track point
  • Touch pad
  • Wireless pointer
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Examining Output Devices
  • Output devices
  • Monitors and printers are common output devices.


  • CRT monitors and LCD (or flat panel display) monitors are two types of monitors.
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Computer Hardware
  • Factors that influence
  • a monitor’s quality are:
  • Screen Size
  • Resolution
  • Dot Pitch
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Types of printers
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Computer Hardware
  • Multimedia devices are peripheral devices that include text, graphics, sound, animation, and video.


  • Speakers and sound cards are common multimedia output devices
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Data vs. Information


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Investigating Data Processing
  • Computers interpret every signal as “on” or “off.”


  • 1 (“on”) and 0 (“off”) are referred to as bits.


  • Eight bits is a byte.  Each byte represents a unique character.
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Data
  • Binary number system to define electronic data
  • 0 or 1
  • Bit
  • Byte (8 bits)
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Coding Systems
  • Depends on computer
  • ASCII (7 bits)
  • Extended ASCII (8 bits - current PCs)
  • EBCIDIC (8 bits - older IBM machines )
  • Unicode (16 bits - good for languages - future)
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Data Representation
  • Storage and memory capacity is the amount of data the storage device can handle.


    • Kilobyte (KB) is about one thousand bytes
    • Megabyte (MB) is about one million bytes
    • Gigabyte (GB) is about one billion bytes
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Processing Hardware
  • The two most important components of personal computers hardware are the microprocessor and memory.


  • These two factors directly affect the computer’s price and performance.
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System Unit
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The Microprocessor
  • The microprocessor is a silicon chip designed to manipulate data.


  • Its speed is determined by:
    • Clock speed
    • Word size
    • Cache size
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Understanding Memory
  • Computer memory is a set of storage locations on the motherboard.


  • There are four types of memory:
    • Random access memory (RAM)
    • Virtual memory
    • Read-only memory
    • Complementary metal oxide semiconductor memory (CMOS)
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Understanding Memory
  • RAM is temporary memory that is constantly changing while the computer is on.


  • Virtual memory is extra memory that simulates RAM if more is needed.
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Understanding Memory
  • Read-only memory (ROM) is the permanent storage location for a set of instructions the computer uses.


  • CMOS memory is semi-permanent information about where essential software is stored.
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Storage Process
  • Data copied from storage device to RAM
  • Processed in RAM
    • Volatile (temporary) high speed storage
  • Data copied back to storage medium (permanent)
  • Storing data is writing/saving file
  • Retrieving data is reading/loading/opening file
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Understanding Magnetic Storage Devices and Media
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Magnetic Storage
  • Magnetizes microscopic particles on medium surface
  • Permanent, but modifiable
  • Hard disk, floppy disk, zip disk and tape
  • Read-write head
  • Not very durable
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Understanding Magnetic Storage Devices and Media
  • Floppy disks or diskettes are flat circles of iron oxide-coated plastic in a hard plastic case.  Floppy disks can store 1.44 MB of data.
  • Tape drives provide inexpensive archival storage for large quantities of data.
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Storage Devices
  • Some common magnetic
  • storage devices are:
  • Floppy disks
  • Hard disk drives
  • Tape drives
  • Zip drives
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Understanding Optical and Flash Storage Devices and Media
  • Some common optical storage devices
  • are:


  • CD-ROM drives
  • DVD drives
  • CD-R drives
  • CD-RW drives
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Storage Devices
  • CD-ROMs are for “read-only” access.


  • CD-R drives allow you to record data on a CD-R disk.


  • CD-RW drives allow you to write data on a CD-RW disk and access and modify data.
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Optical Storage
  • Stores data as microscopic light and dark spots on disk surface
  • Pits and lands
  • Uses laser lights
  • More durable
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Exploring Data Communications
  • Data Communications is the transmission of
  • text, numeric, voice, or video data from one
  • computer to another.
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Data Communications
  • Data Communications is the transmission of text,
  • numeric, voice, or video data from one computer to
  • another.


  • The four essential components of data communications
  • are:
  • Sender
  • Channel
  • Receiver
  • Protocols
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Data Communications
  • A sender is the computer that originates the message.
  • The message is sent over a channel, such as a telephone.
  • The receiver is the computer at the message’s destination.
  • Protocols are the rules that establish the transfer of data between sender and receiver.
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Data Bus
  • Microcomputers have several types of
  • ports:
    • Parallel
    • Serial
    • Small computer system interface (SCSI)
    • Musical instrument digital interface (MIDI)
    • Universal serial bus (USB)
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Data Bus
  • A parallel port transmits data eight bits at a time, and is often used to connect a nearby printer.
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Data Bus
  • A serial port transmits data one bit at a time, and often connects a mouse, keyboard, or modem.


  • A SCSI (“scuzzy”) connection can allow many devices to use the same port, and are popular on Macs and notebooks.


  • MIDI cards are used to record and play back musical data.
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Data Bus
  • Computer expansion ports
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Data Bus
  • USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports replace
  • numerous connectors with one plug and port
  • combination.  The device you install must have
  • a USB connector.
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Learning About Networks
  • A network connects one computer to other computers and peripherals.


  • In a local area network (LAN), computers and peripherals are close to each other.
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Networks
  • A client/server network is a network with a file server. A file server acts as the central storage location.


  • A network without a file server is a peer-to-peer network.  All of the computers are equal.
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Networks
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Networks
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Computer Software
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Understanding System Software
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Understanding System Software
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Understanding Application Software
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Understanding Application Software
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Understanding Application Software
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Understanding Application Software
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Understanding Application Software
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Understanding Application Software