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Essential Computer Concepts

Introduction to Microcomputers

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XPComputer’s Today

• Today computers do much more than simply compute:

– Computers check out your groceries and calculate our grocery bill while keeping store inventory

– Telephone switching centers play traffic cop to millions of calls and keep lines of communication untangled

– Pump your gas

– ATM dispense money and let us conduct banking transactions from virtually anywhere in the world.

– Turn the heat on and off

– Control the way your car runs.

• In fact, the computer is rapidly becoming, if it hasn't already gotten there, as tightly woven into the fabric of our lives as the automobile.

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XPEarly Computer History

Timeline

• 5000 years ago – Abacus – This device allows users to make computations using a system of sliding

beads arranged on a rack. Early merchants used the abacus to keep trading transactions.

• 1642 – Pascaline – a mechanism that calculate with 8 figures and carries 10's , 100's, and

1000's etc using a system of gears and dials.

• 1812 - Difference Machine (Babbage)– Powered by steam and large as a locomotive, the machine would have a

stored program and could perform calculations and print the results automatically.

• 1889 – Hollerith– used cards to store data information which he fed into a machine that

compiled the results mechanically.

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XPFirst Generation Computers(1945-1956)

• With the onset of the Second World War, governments sought to develop computers to exploit their potential strategic importance.

– German engineer Konrad Zuse developed a computer, the Z3, to design airplanes and missiles.

– The Allied forces, however, made greater strides in developing powerful computers. In 1943, the British completed a secret code-breaking computer called Colossus to decode German messages.

• The existence of the computers were kept secret until decades after the war.

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XPFirst Generation ComputersENIAC

• Another computer development spurred by the war was the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), produced by a partnership between the U.S. government and the University of Pennsylvania.

– Consisting of 18,000 vacuum tubes

– 70,000 resistors

– 5 million soldered joints

– It consumed 160 kilowatts of electrical power, enough energy to dim the lights in an entire section of Philadelphia.

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XPSecond Generation Computers (1956-1963)

• The invention of the transistor greatly changed the computer's development by replacing the large, cumbersome vacuum tubes.

• Throughout the early 1960's, there were a number of commercially successful second generation computers used in business, universities, and government.

• Programming languages were created to give computers the flexibility to finally be cost effective and productive for business use.

• The entire software industry began with second generation computers.

Cobol Ada

Pascal Fortran

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XPThird Generation Computers (1964-1971)

• The integrated circuit (IC) is developed in 1958.

– It combined electronic components onto a small silicon disc, which was made from quartz.

– Scientists later managed to fit even more components on a single chip, called a semiconductor.As a result, computers became ever smaller as more components were squeezed onto the chip.

• Another third-generation development included the use of an operating system that allowed machines to run many different programs at once with a central program that monitored and coordinated the computer's memory.

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XPFourth Generation Computers

(1971-Present)

• After the integrated circuits, the only place to go was down - in size, that is. Large scale integration (LSI) could fit hundreds of components onto one chip.

• The ability to fit so much onto an area about half the size of a U.S. dime helped diminish the size and price of computers. It also increased their power, efficiency and reliability.

• Soon everyday household items such as microwave ovens, television sets and automobiles with electronic fuel injection incorporated microprocessors.

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XPFourth Generation Computers

(1971-Present)

• By the mid-1970's, computer manufacturers brought computers to general consumers.

• computers came complete with user-friendly software packages that offered even non-technical users an array of applications, most popularly word processing and spreadsheet programs.

• Pioneers in this field were Commodore, Radio Shack and Apple Computers.

• In the early 1980's, arcade video games such as Pac Man and home video game systems such as the Atari 2600 ignited consumer interest for more sophisticated, programmable home computers.

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XPFourth Generation Computers

(1971-Present)• In 1981, IBM introduced its personal computer (PC) for use in the home,

office and schools.

• The 1980's saw an expansion in computer use in all three arenas as clones of the IBM PC made the personal computer even more affordable.

• The number of personal computers in use has increased from 2 million in 1981 to 500 million in 2000.

• Computers continued their trend toward a smaller size, working their way down from desktop to laptop computers (which could fit inside a briefcase) to palmtop (able to fit inside a breast pocket).

• In direct competition with IBM's PC was Apple's Macintosh line, introduced in 1984. – Notable for its user-friendly design, the Macintosh offered an operating system

that allowed users to move screen icons instead of typing instructions. Users controlled the screen cursor using a mouse, a device that mimicked the movement of one's hand on the computer screen.

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XPFourth Generation Computers

(1971-Present)

• As smaller computers became more powerful, they could be linked together, or networked, to share resources.

• Using either direct wiring, called a Local Area Network (LAN), or telephone lines, these networks could reach enormous proportions.

• The Internet, for example, links computers worldwide into a single network of information. the most popular use today for computer networks such as the Internet is electronic mail, or E-mail, which allows users to type in a computer address and send messages through networked terminals across the office or across the world.

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XPFifth Generation (Present and Beyond)

• Still in its infancy. • The most famous example of a fifth generation

computer is the fictional HAL9000 from Arthur C. Clarke's novel, 2001: A Space Odyssey.– HAL performed all of the functions currently envisioned for

real-life fifth generation computers. – With artificial intelligence, HAL could reason well enough to

hold conversations with its human operators, use visual input, and learn from its own experiences.

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XPWhat makes a computer powerful?

• Speed - A computer can do billions of actions per second.

• Reliability - Failures are usually due to human error, one way or another.

• Storage - A computer can keep huge amounts of data.

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XPSome Beginning Terms

• A computer system consists of much more than just a computer; it also includes peripheral devices and software.

– Hardware The computer's physical components (such as the main circuit board and the motherboard) are referred to as hardware.

– Software (computer program) - refers to the intangible components of the computer system, such as the programs that the computer needs to perform specific tasks.

– Data – refers to the words, numbers, and graphics

– Peripheral - A computer device that is not part of the essential computer. It ‘s “outside” of , or in addition to, the main computer. These devices are additional components that are needed to accomplish input, output, and storage functions.

– Architecture – design and construction of a computer system

– Configuration – the hardware components that make up a particular computer system.

– Specification – Technical details about computer components.

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XPA typical computer specifications

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XPWhat is a computer?

• A computer is an electronic device that executes the instructions in a program.

• A computer has four functions:

1. accepts data Input

2. processes data Processing 3. produces output Output 4. stores results Storage

The Information Processing Cycle

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XPData is input, processed, stored, and output

This figure shows a typical processing cycle of data:

•The user enters data via the keyboard.

•It is processed by the CPU, it may be sent to another workstation or to a printer,

•It is usually saved on a storage device.

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XPCompare the types of computers

• There are four basic types of computers:– Microcomputers

– Minicomputers

– Mainframes

– Supercomputers

• These classifications are based on size, speed, and cost.

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XPMicrocomputer

• Microcomputers, or personal computers (PCs), are the computers you typically find in homes and small businesses.

• They come in several forms:– Desktop– Tower– Notebook– Personal digital assistants (PDA)

This figure shows the various types of microcomputers available today.

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XPMinicomputers

• The minicomputer has become less important since the PC has gotten so powerful on its own. In fact, the ordinary new PC is much more powerful than minicomputers used to be.

• Originally this size was developed to handle specific tasks, like engineering and CAD calculations, processing payroll that tended to tie up the main frame.

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XPMainframes

• A mainframe computer is larger and more powerful than a minicomputer and can handle many more users.

– Typically used for centralized storage, processing, and data management

– Generally used by business or government

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XPSupercomputers

• The supercomputer is the largest and fastest of all the computers and is used for high-volume computing tasks.

• Handles specialized information analysis, such as predicting the weather and modeling nuclear reactions.

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XPComputer Basics INPUT

• Regardless of the type of computer you have, all computers have four standard functions.

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XPInput Data & Instructions

• Input - Deals with how you get “data" into your computer

– Keyboard and mouse are the primary input tools

– Trackball replaces the mouse on mobile computers

– Video game players are very familiar with using a joystick to send commands to their computer.

– Scanner is used to input text and images into computers – (supermarkets, UPS, retail outlets)

– Touch pad are used to enter info onto the screen (ATM, Wawa)

– Microphone to record our voice and voice recognition technology (still being perfected)

– …Digital video & cameras & Webcams.

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XPTypical input devices

This figure shows several devices used for inputting data to the computer.

Keyboards Mouse

Scanner Touch pad

Joystick Microphone

Other pointing devices

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XPComputer BasicsPROCESSING

• Regardless of the type of computer you have, all computers have four standard functions.

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XPProcessing

• The most important computer function is processing data.

• Before we cover this function, we’ll learn how the computer represents and stores data.

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XPExamine data representation

and the ASCII code

• A computer does not understand the characters that are used in human languages.

• A computer must represent every signal as either “on” (with a 1) or “off” (with a 0).

• These numbers are called binary digits or bits. • A series of 8 digits is called a byte.

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XPHow numbers appear in binary form

This table shows how various decimal numbers would be represented in binary form.

Note that each number requires 8 bits, which makes up one byte.

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XPLearn about ASCII code

• The computer can use bytes to represent more than just numbers. There are less than 256 letters, numbers and punctuation marks in the English language.

• A code number has been assigned to each one. This system is called ASCII. (American Standard Code for Information Interchange).

• With ASCII numbers, a byte can therefore represent any standard character.

• Check this link: ASCII Code Representation

• These capacities are expressed in kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), or gigabytes (GB).

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XPHow letters and symbols appear in ASCII code format

This figure shows how several letters and symbols would appear inside the computer when converted into ASCII format.

Note that each character still requires one byte (8 bits) of storage.

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XPProcessing Data & Instructions

• Processing - The computer must do things that you want it do

– The phenomenal power of the computer is harnessed in the CPU (Central Processing Unit). The CPU is "the brain, the heart, and the soul" of the computer.

– Inside the CPU is the "Motherboard"

– The Motherboard is a platform consisting of an intricate weaving of circuits the computer uses to process data and instructions.

– Located on the Motherboard is the micro processing chip (Processor) which provides the computer with the processing power to "process" instructions.

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XPProcessing Function

• 2 most important components of microcomputer hardware are the microprocessor, and the memory.

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XPMicroprocessor

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XPProcessors

• Microprocessor - refers to powerful integrated circuit chip on the motherboard inside the system unit.– A.k.a as processor and central processing unit (CPU)

• The speed of a processor is determined by its clock speed, word size, and cache size.

– Clock Speed – pulse of the processor, measure the amount of time it takes to carry out instructions (trips through the motherboard circuitry) per second

• Megahertz -1 million cycles• Gigahertz - 1 billion cycles

– Every "trip" or cycle allows the computer to send and/or retrieve data and instructions.

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XPProcessor - Clock Speed

• Clock Speed – pulse of the processor, measure the amount of time it takes to carry out instructions (trips through the motherboard circuitry) per second

– Megahertz -1 million cycles

– Gigahertz - 1 billion cycles

• Every "trip" or cycle allows the computer to send and/or retrieve data and instructions.

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XPProcessor Evolution

• Power of processors have evolved, and continue to evolve:

– 8088 - 5 to 10 MHz– 80286 – 10 to 20 MHz– 80386 – 20 to 50 MHz– 80486 – 50 to 75 MHz

• Pentium is a standard processor for most computers.

– Pentium – 75 to 100 MHz– Pentium II – 100 to 500 MHz– Pentium III – 500 MHz to 1 GHz– Pentium IV – 1 to 2 GHz

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XPProcessor – Word Size

• Word Size - refer to the number of bits that are processed at one time.

• A computer with a large word size can process faster than a computer a computer with a small word size. – 8-bit earlier processors

– 16-bit

– 32-bit

– 64-bit Newer processors

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XPProcessor - Cache

• Cache – special high-speed memory, reserved for the microprocessor’s use.

• The Cache is a "repository" where the computer keeps instructions for locating the most frequently used documents, files, and folders based on your usage patterns.

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XPMemory

• While MHz & GHz refers to a computers processing speed. Another type of capacity important for computers is referred to as RAM or main memory.

• Computer memory is a set of storage locations on the main circuit board.

• Your computer has 4 types of memory:– RAM – Random Access Memory– Virtual Memory– ROM - Read Only Memory– CMOS – complementary metal oxide semiconductor

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XPRAM

RAM (Random Access Memory), a.k.a "Main Memory", is the amount of "work space" a computer requires to carry out the instructions you ask it to do.

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XPOther Memory

• Virtual memory – Operating system uses space on your computer storage devices to simulate RAM if more is needed. (Pg. EC 16)

• ROM – memory on which data has been prerecorded, it holds all of the instructions it needs to carry out its operations. Example: BIOS chip. – Once data has been written onto a ROM chip, it cannot be removed and can only

be read. – Unlike main memory (RAM), ROM retains its contents even when the computer

is turned off. ROM is nonvolatile. – Most personal computers contain a small amount of ROM that stores critical

programs such as the program that boots the computer.

• CMOS – another chip installed on the motherboard, activated during the “boot process”. Holds BIOS data.

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XPProcessor vs RAM

• Difference between processing speed and RAM is:– The processor determines how fast your computer can complete

instructions.

– RAM deals with how much "workspace" is needed to complete

those instructions.

• Computer can be "upgraded" in both areas. A larger processor will help your computer work faster and more RAM will allow your computer to work on more and/or larger projects at any given time.

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XPStorage devices and RAM storage

Data is frequently transferred from a storage device to RAM for processing, and transferred back to the storage device after processing.

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XPComputer BasicsSTORAGE

• Regardless of the type of computer you have, all computers have four standard functions.

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XPStorage

All data and programs are store as files. A computer file is a named collection of related bits that exits on a storage medium.

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XPStorage

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XPStorage Devices

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XPFixed Hard Disk (Hard Drive)

• Primary Storage Device• Mounted inside the computer casing. (Not

portable)• Usually designated as the C: drive.• Fast Access• Measured in GB now a days

– 20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB, 100 GB, etc, etc. etc.

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XPStore data on a magnetic disk

This figure shows how data is stored on a magnetic disk, be it a hard drive or a floppy drive.

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XPSecondary Storage Devices

• Floppy Disk Drives

• CD-ROM drives

• Misc. Storage Devices

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XPAn optical storage device

This figure shows the basic way in which data is stored on an optical storage device.

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XPMisc. Storage Devices

• Zip Drives

• CD-R

• CR-RW

• DVD-ROM

• DVD-RW

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XPComputer BasicsOUTPUT

• Regardless of the type of computer you have, all computers have four standard functions.

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• Most-used output device.• • Provides instant feedback by showing you text and graphic images

as you work or play.

• Two types of monitors: Character Display & Graphic Display.

• Character Display – divides the screen into a grid of rectangles, one for each typed character.

• Graphic display – divides the screen into a matrix of small dots called pixels.

Monitor

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XPMonitors

• A computer display system consists of a monitor and a graphic card, aka video display adapter or video card.

• Video card controls the signals the computer sends to the monitor.

• If you plan to display a lot of images on the monitor, you may need a graphic accelerator card to speed up the PC’s ability to display them.

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Factors that influence the quality of a monitor are screen size, resolution, and dot pitch.

•Screen size - diagonal measurement in inches from one corner

of the screen to the other. •Common measurements: 15”, 17”, 21”

•Resolution - maximum number of pixels the monitor can display.

•Standard resolution: 640 x480, 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 1024, 1600 x 1200.

•Dot Pitch – measures the distance between pixels. A smaller dot pitch means a sharper image.

•Standard in today's monitors is .26 or .28 dp.

Monitor

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XPPrinters

• Most often use for a hard copy of a file • Not all printers are created equal and there are a

number of types that typically fall into two categories:

– Impact Printers: like "old" typewriters that would strike a key through a ribbon and "stamp" an image on the page, these printers (dot matrix and line printers) operate in much the same way.

Non-Impact Printers: Rather than "stamping" an image onto your paper, "Non-impact" printers (typically ink jet or laser) actually "shoot a blob of ink" onto your page in the form of the image to be printed.

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XPPrinter Quality

• Quality of printers are measured in…

– resolution (dots per inch or dpi)

– speed of printing (pages per minute (ppm)

– characters per minute (cpm).

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XPPERIPHERAL DEVICES connected to a microcomputer

• In order for peripheral devices to be useful, they must have a way of communicating data with the microprocessor.

• Each device has a port and a cable that connects into the computer (either externally or internally).

• These ports connect to a controller card that provides the electrical connection to the main computer board.

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XPExpansion Slots

• Because computer technologies are evolving so rapidly and new "add-on" or peripheral devices are constantly being invented, today's computers are created with "room to grow".

• Expansion slots are literally places on your CPU reserved for attaching additional devices such as modems, zip drives, additional hard drives, RAM, video and audio cards, and other peripherals.

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XPPorts

• Ports allow peripheral (printers & scanners) devices to be attached to your computer.

• Ports are "plug-in" slots on your CPU that allow your computer to send information to external resources & vice-versa.

• Your computer may not "speak" the same language as the printer or scanner. The port serves as a language translator.

– As information is passed from the computer to a printer, for example, it is converted at the port from the computer's language to the language understood by the printer. Conversely, when an image is scanned into a scanner and transmitted to your computer, the port effectively translates the information from the scanner's language to the language that is understood by the computer.

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XPIdentify microcomputer ports

This figure shows the various types of ports in use on modern microcomputers. Notice that each port requires a different connector format.

Parallel Port

Keyboard

PS/2 Mouse

USB Port

DB-9 Serial Port

Power cable

DB-25 Serial Port

Sound Modem VideoCard Ports Ports Port

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XPConnect a printer to the computer

A printer must be connected to a computer port before it can be used. It is connected via a cable that has a connector on one end that fits into the printer port. The other end has a connector that fits into the computer’s port.

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XPPorts

• There are two types of ports commonly found on an average computer...Serial Ports and Parallel Ports. The difference between these two types lies in how information flows through the port.

– Remember in grade school when you used to have to line up in single-file to come in from recess? Now compare that to a marching band with several rows of band members, each row consisting of 8 band members marching side-by-side.

1. A Serial Port is like the single-file line in that information flows through a port one bit at a time.

2. A Parallel Port is more like the marching band where 8 bits (1 Byte) of information is able to pass through the port at the same time.

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XPPorts are used for…input and output operations

• There are several types of ports available with microcomputers:– USB– Parallel– Serial– SCSI– MIDI

• Each has different capabilities for data transmission, and each is designed to work with different peripheral devices.

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XPBus

• Communication between the microprocessor, RAM, and peripherals is called the Data Bus.

• You can think of a bus as a highway on which data travels within a computer.

• It connects all the internal computer components to the CPU and main memory.

• The size of a bus, known as its width, is important because it determines how much data can be transmitted at one time. For example, a 16-bit bus can transmit 16 bits of data, whereas a 32-bit bus can transmit 32 bits of data.

• Every bus has a clock speed measured in MHz. A fast bus allows data to be transferred faster, which makes applications run faster. On PCs, the old ISA bus is being replaced by faster buses such as PCI.

• Nearly all PCs made today include a local bus for data that requires especially fast transfer speeds, such as video data. The local bus is a high-speed pathway that connects directly to the processor.

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XPNETWORK

• A network enables you to share data and resources with others.

• A typical network configuration is a local area network (LAN), in which the computers and devices are located relatively close to each other.

• If a computer is connected to a network, it is referred to as a workstation. – Each workstation requires a network interface card to create the

communications channel between the network and the computer – The computer workstation must also have network software to

establish communications protocols • Each device on the network is referred to as a node.• Internet is the biggest Network in the world

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XPA typical LAN configuration

This figure shows a typical network with several workstations connected to a server, and a printer connected to the network that can be accessed by any workstation.

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Telecommunications

• A modem is a device that enables a computer to transmit data over telephone lines.

• Computer information is stored digitally, whereas information transmitted over telephone lines is transmitted in the form of analog waves. – A modem converts between these two forms. Hence the

name: modulator-demodulator

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Modems Speed

• bps : How fast the modem can transmit and receive data.

– At slow rates, modems are measured in terms of baud rates. • The slowest rate is 300 baud (about 25 cps).

– At higher speeds, modems are measured in terms of bits per second (bps).• The fastest modems run at 57,600 bps, although they can achieve even higher

data transfer rates by compressing the data.

• Note:– You cannot receive data any faster than it is being sent.– Some telephone lines are unable to transmit data reliably at very high

rates.

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XPInternet access, e-mail, and the World Wide Web affect

the use of computers

• The Internet, which was originally developed for the government to connect researchers around the world who needed to share data, is the largest network in the world.

• It can be used to send messages from one user's computer to another - commonly called e-mail.

• It can also be used to access the World Wide Web - a huge database of information stored on network servers around the world.

• You can use a Web browser to search for and view the information available on any topic or to go to a specific location.

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XPA Web page on the World Wide Web

The variety of text, images, sounds, etc. that can be displayed on the Internet, as well as the format in which they appear, is virtually limitless. This figure is an example of what one page of one Web site looks like.

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XPDiscuss the types of system software and their functions

• The fundamental operations of your computer are managed by the system's software.

• There are four types of system software. – Operating system software controls basic input and output,

allocates system resources, manages storage space, maintains security, and detects equipment failure

– Utilities aid the operating system by taking over some of its responsibility for allocating hardware resources

– A device drive aids the computer in communicating with individual peripheral devices

– Computer programming languages are used by programmers to write computer instructions

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XPOS – Operating System

PC– MS-DOS (single task)– Windows 3.1 (Shell Interface)– Windows 95 (multitasking)– Windows 98– Windows ME– Windows 2000– Windows XP

• Networking– Windows NT– Windows 2000 server

MAC– System X

Other– Unix

– Linux

– VMS

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XPSoftware works with your hardware to perform basic functions

Many of the components of the system software work hand-in-hand with each other to assist you in accomplishing your tasks. This figure shows the operating system software working with the word processing software in order to print a document.

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XPIdentify popular application software

• Application software (commonly referred to as a computer program) enables you to perform specific tasks with your computer.

• Some typical tasks are: creating documents and spreadsheets, managing databases, and creating graphics and multimedia presentations.

• All of these applications have features and tools built into them that aid you in achieving the best results for the project on which you are working.

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XPApplication software can be purchased and installed

This figure shows a popular application software product - Microsoft Office.

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XPA word processing application

This figure shows a typical window for a word processing application program. In this case, the red line underneath the word ‘bigin’ indicates a potential spelling error that was caught by the program.

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XPA typical spreadsheet application

Spreadsheet application programs allow you to organize data in a grid of rows and columns. The data can be used in calculations and formulas.

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XPUse presentation software

Presentation software allows you to create slide shows that can be shown via your computer.

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XPDescribe how data is shared among different types of application software

• The ability to use data created in one application in another application is one of the most powerful developments in the software industry.

• In the Windows environment, this is done through object linking and embedding (OLE).

• Embedding copies the source data from one application into a different application. – The copy will remain in its new location regardless of what

happens to the original • Linking creates a continuous connection between original

source data and the copied data. – Whenever the source data is updated or changed, so too is the data

in the linked application

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XPWhat’s Inside the Box

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XPData Communication

• The transmission of text, numeric, voice, or video data from one machine to another is called data communications.– Sending a letter to the printing– emailing a message across the office or around the world.

• Data communication essential components– Sender

– Channel

– Receiver

– protocol