COMPUTER BASICS

COMPUTER

A computer is an electronic device used to process data, converting the data into information that is useful to people

A computer consists of 4 main parts1. Hardware2. Software3. Users4. Data

HARDWARE

Hardware - The mechanical, magnetic, electronic, and electrical components making up a computer system Anything you can touch

Hardware

COMPUTER HARDWARE Central Processing

Unit (CPU) Hard Drive Motherboard Sound Card and

Video Card Memory Card Power Supply

Computer Case Monitor Keyboard & Mouse Disk Drive, Zip

Drive, CD-ROM, DVD,

Speakers Printer

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)

The CPU contain the brains of the computer. They can be desktop models that the monitor sits on top of, or tower models that stand up tall.

HARD DISK DRIVE

•The Hard Disk Drive is a magnetic storage device. All the computer programs and files you create and save are located there.

•This is permanent storage (at least until you uninstall software or delete a file).

•The hard drive is normally signified by the drive letter “C”. Today’s hard drives can store a HUGE amount of information. A new computer might have a hard drive that will hold 250 GB’s!

Inside the Hard Disk Drive case you’ll find circular disks that are made of steel. On the disks, there are many tracks, or cylinders. An electronic reading device called the head passes back and forth over the cylinders, reading information from the disk or writing to it.

HARD DISK DRIVE

Hard Disk Drives can spin at 7200 or more rpm’s (Revolutions Per Minute). That means in one minute, the hard drive spins around more than 7200 times!

HARD DISK DRIVE

THE MOTHERBOARD

• Your computer couldn’t work without the motherboard. It ties everything together!

• It allows every part of your computer to receive power and communicate with each other. Everything that runs the computer or enhances it’s performance is either part of the motherboard or plugs into one of it’s expansion slots or ports.

THE MOTHERBOARD

SOUND AND VIDEO CARDS

Sound and Video Cards are Output Devices. They contain special circuits that allow your computer to play sounds and display graphics on your monitor.

MEMORY CARD

RAM cards will remember what you tell them and can even change to remember new information. But, when the computer is turned off, it forgets everything you did! That’s why you always save your work!

ROM is good at remembering, but cannot change it’s mind. It holds the information that was built into it!

Remember RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read-Only Memory)

POWER SUPPLY

• If there is any one component that is absolutely vital to the operation of a computer, it is the power supply!

• Without it, a computer is just a box full of plastic and metal.

You can see the power supply from the back of your computer because of the power cord and the cooling fan.Computers put out a LOT of heat and need the fan to keep them from overheating.

POWER SUPPLY

STORAGE DEVICES

Storage devices are both input and output devices in one. A storage device is a place to keep data that has been processed so that it can be retrieved at a later time to be used again.

Hard DiskFloppy DiskCD’s, DVD’sFlash Memory, Jump Drive

FLOPPY DISK

A flexible removable magnetic disk, typically encased in hard plastic, used for storing data.

CD/DVD

A small plastic disc on which music or other digital information is stored, and from which the information can be read

FLASH DRIVE (JUMP DRIVE, THUMB DRIVE)

A small electronic device containing flash memory that is used for storing data or transferring it to or from a computer

EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE

An external hard disk drive is a type of hard disk drive which is connected to a computer by a USB

I’VE HEARD THOSE WORDS,BUT WHAT’S A BYTE??

All the information that moves through your computer is based on 2 commands. That’s all, just two. The two commands are ON and OFF. They are symbolized by 1’s and 0’s.

That’s right! The only information your computer can understand is ON (1) and OFF (0)!The millions of combinations of those two commands given in series are what makes your computer work.

BYTES, KILOBYTES,MEGABYTES AND GIGABYTES

Byte 8 Bits=1 byte KB Kilobyte=1,000 bytes MB Megabyte=1,000,000

(1 million) bytes GB Gigabyte=1,000,000,000

(1 billion) bytes TB Terabyte=1,000,000,000,000

(1 trillion) bytes

STORAGE DEVICES

Device Amount of Storage

Floppy Disc 1.4 MB

CD 670 MB – 4 GB

DVD 9 GB – 20 GB

Flash Drive 200 MB – 250 GB

External Hard Drive 100 GB – 4 TB

Byte 8 Bits=1 byteKB Kilobyte=1,000 bytesMB Megabyte=1,000,000 (1 million) bytesGB Gigabyte=1,000,000,000 (1 billion) bytesTB Terabyte=1,000,000,000,000 (1 trillion) bytes

To get an idea of how much data a computer can store, imagine pressing any key 1 billion times. How long would it take?

You would have to press a key 5 times a second non-stop for over 6 YEARS to reach 1 billion keystrokes.

One billion keystrokes equals just 1 GB of memory!

Think about that the next time you think a webpage is loading too slowly!

HARDWARE

There are three types/categories of hardware

1. Input Devices 2. Output Devices 3. Storage Devices

INPUT DEVICES

Input basically means getting data into the computer to be processed.

Keyboard, Mouse, Trackball, Touch PadLight Pen, Laser Scanner, Pointing StickTouch Screen, Bar Code Reader, ScannerMicrophone, Joystick

OUTPUT DEVICES

Output basically means getting data out of the computer.

MonitorPrinterSpeakersHeadphonesModemFax

SOFTWARE Software is the programs and applications

that tell the computer what to do and how to look.

Computer programmers write the codes/instructions that make-up software applications/programs.

HTML is a type of computer programming language that allows programmers to make web pages.

The next 2 slides show what HTML codes look like and the web page the codes produce.

TWO TYPES OF SOFTWARE

Application Software

Operating System Software

OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE

Directs all the activities and sets all the rules for how the hardware and software will work together.

Examples would be: DOS, Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, XP, 7

Unix, Linux, MAC system OS 6,7,8,9,10

COMMAND LINE OPERATING SYSTEMS

DOS is an example of a command line operating system.

On the next slide, Notice that there are no: Icons (pictures) Colors Mouse Pointer Buttons You have to memorize commands in

order to use this text based operating system.

OPERATING SYSTEMS: GUI

GUI stands for Graphical User Interface

Uses pictures (icons) to represent files, folders, disk drives, modems, printers, etc.GUI’s were created to make using a computer easier, more interesting, non-threatening to inexperienced users.A mouse allows users to point at something and

click to make it work. With command line you have to have all of the commands to

make your programs work.Here is an example of a GUI

APPLICATION SOFTWARE

Programs that work with operating system software to help the computer to do specific types of work.

There are six basic types of application software...

APPLICATION SOFTWARE

1. Business software: word processors, spreadsheets, and database programs.

2. Communication software: allows computers to communicate with other computers: email, wireless software

3. Graphics software: software that allows users to create and manipulate graphics...Photoshop, Print Shop, etc.

APPLICATION SOFTWARE

4. Education and Reference software: Programs that help teach new material and ideas, and programs that can be used to find information... Worldbook Encyclopedia, Jumpstart Kindergarten, MicroType.

5. Entertainment and Leisure software...Warcraft, Age of Empires, Barbie Design Center, Mrs. Pacman, Solitaire

6. Integrated software: Combines several types of software into one program or package...Quicken (Spreadsheet/data base/communications/reference) or Print Shop (Graphics/Word processor).

SOFTWARE

TYPES OF COMPUTERS There are 4 main types of computers. 1. Supercomputers...are used to process very

large amounts of information including processing information to predict hurricanes, satellite images and navigation, and process military war scenarios.

2. Mainframes...are used by government and businesses to process very large amounts of information.

3. Mini-Computers...are similar to mainframes...they are used by business and government to process large amounts of information.

4. Personal Computers (PC)…

TYPES OF COMPUTERS

Personal Computers (Continued)

Personal Computers...also known as PC’s...are smaller and less powerful than the others. They are used in homes, schools, and small businesses.

TYPES OF PERSONAL COMPUTERS

There are 3 main types of PCs

Desktop Portable (Notebook/Laptop)

When portable (notebook/laptop) computers were first created they were HUGE. They weighed around 100 lbs., and were carried in a large luggage suitcase. The creators of the portable (notebook/laptop) computer dreamed that one day it would be the size a notebook or pocket dictionary. With today’s technology, we have been able to accomplish this goal and more..

Hand-Held