BASIC
COMPUTER
CONCEPTS
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Updated 8/27/04
Hardware vs. Software
• Hardware
• The computer equipment
• Includes printers, monitors, disk drives, etc.
• Software
• Programs which tell the computer what to do
• Examples - word processing, gradebook, tutorials, games, etc.
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History of Computers
• Charles Babbage - father of computer
• 1800’s planned analytical engine
• ENIAC - developed at end of WW II
• 1951 - 1963 1st and 2nd generation
• very large, used unreliable vacuum tubes
• 1963 - present - 3rd and 4th generation
• smaller, faster - use transistors and integrated circuits
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Computer Operations
Input Processing Output
External Storage
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Input Devices - Keyboard
• Most commonly used input device
• Ergonomic - fit natural hand placement
• Special keys
• Enter, Function, Ctrl, Alt, Num Lock, Esc
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Input Devices - Mouse
• Controls cursor on screen
• May be mechanical or optical
• Most models have a “wheel” for
scrolling
Input Devices - Other
• Pointers (replaces mouse on notepads)
• Track point, track ball, touch pad
• Scanner
• Digital camera
• Touch screen
• Voice
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Output Devices
• Monitor
• Printer
• Disk Drive
• Can also be input device
• Modem
• Can also be input device
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Monitors
• Made up of tiny elements called
pixels
• Each row of pixels is called a
scan line
• Picture is displayed by an
electronic beam lighting up
certain pixels
Monitors - Resolution
• Resolution is how sharp and clear the picture is
• How many scan lines on the screen
• 640 x 480 is low resolution
• 1600 x 1200 is high resolution
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Monitors - Sizes
• Screen measured diagonally
• May also measure actual viewing area
• 14” or 15” on bargain systems
• 17” has become the standard
• 19 and 21” available but are more expensive.
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Monitors - LCD
• Liquid Crystal Display
• Similar to digital watch
• Used for notebook computers
• Should be an Active Matrix Screen
• Also used in flat screen monitors
• Much thinner than regular CRT monitor
• More expensive than regular CRT monitor
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Printers
• Laser
• Ink Jet
• Dot Matrix
Printers - Laser
• Works similar to a copy machine
• Color printers available but more expensive
• Fast, quite, with excellent quality
• More expensive to buy and operate
• Some units scan, photocopy, and print
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Printers - Ink Jet
• Squirts small jet of ink onto paper to form characters
• Replaced dot matrix
• Quiet
• Does good job on color
• Good quality and reliability
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Printers - Dot Matrix
• Strikes pins against ribbon to print
• Comes in 9 and 24 pin
• Once very popular
• Now replaced by ink jet and laser
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Printers - Speed
• Measured in pages per minute (PPM)
• Laser printers range from 20-45 ppm
• Color printing is slower
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Basic Processing Cycle
Central Internal
Data Bus
Processing Memory
Unit
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How Information Is Stored
• Memory consist of switches which can be either on or off - Off=0
On=1
• Each on/off switch is called a bit
• Eight bits make up a byte
• It takes one byte to store a character
• Character can be letter, space, punctuation, etc.
• ASCII code used
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Other Memory Terms
• Byte is eight bits
• Kilobyte (KB) is approx. 1,000 bytes
• Megabyte (MB) is approx. 1million bytes
• Gigabyte (GB) is approx. 1 billion bytes
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Central Processing Unit
• Also called CPU, processor or microprocessor
• Is the “brains” of the computer
• Performs all computer operations
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CPU - IBM COMPATIBLES
• Many made by company called Intel
• Also made by AMD
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CPU - Clock Speed
• Number of “cycles” per second computer can operate
• Measured in megahertz (MHz)
• One MHz = 1 million cycles per second
• One gigahertz(GHz)=1 billion cycles
• Current speeds 2-4 GHz
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Internal Memory - RAM
• RAM - Random Access Memory
• CPU can access any location as quickly as any other
• Can not only read current info but also write new info
• Very important in determining capabilities of the computer system
• Computer should have at least 256 megs - 512 preferred (can add to
later)
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Internal Memory - ROM
• ROM - Read Only Memory
• Can read info Stored in ROM
• Can not write new info into ROM
• Used for “internal workings” of computer
• Buyer is not very concerned with ROM
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External Memory
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Floppy Drives
• Comes in 5 1/4” and 3 1/2”
• All systems now only have 3 1/2”
• HD - High density - comes on all current systems
• 3 1/2” - 1.44 megs
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Hard Drives
• Built into machine
• Made up of stack of platters
• Can store much more than floppy drives
• 40 gigabytes should be minimum
• Can access info much faster than floppy drive
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CD ROM
• Same as music CDs
• Are read only
• Can store over 650 megs
• All programs now only sold on CD
• Make multimedia possible
• Come in different speeds - 20x, - 50x
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DVD-ROM
• Digital Video Disk
• Can store up to 17 GB
• Can store full-length movies
• Can also read CD-ROM disk
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CD-RW & DVD-RW DRIVES
• Allows you to write to disk
• Useful for
• Data backup
• Storage of large files
• Recording music and other multimedia files
• DVD-RW
• Allows you to write to both CD and DVD disk
• Still somewhat expensive
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Storage Devices - Other
• USB drive
• Very popular – 64-512 MB
• Tape drive
• Similar to cassette tape
• Used for backup
• Zip drive
• 100 MB to 2 GB capacity
• Everyday use and backup
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Expansion Slots
• Allows you to add capabilities
• Example of cards you can add
• Network card
• Modem
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Ports
• Connects computer to another device
• Parallel port
• Used primarily by printers
• Serial ports
• Modem, mouse, etc.
• SCSI - chain devices
• USB –may be needed for
• Digital Cameras
• Mp3 players
• Other devices
Computer - Social Impact
• Threat to privacy
• Reduce personal interactions
• Displace workers and change workplace
• Create two tiered society
• Computer failures cause great damage
• Artificial Intelligence
• Create a “new life form”
• Machines smarter than their creators
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Types of Computers – Personal
Computers (PC)
• Also called Microcomputers
• Available in desktop size, notebook
size and handheld
• Can be IBM, IBM Compatible or Apple
Types of Computers - Minicomputers
• Size of filing cabinet
• Used by small and medium size companies and institutions
• Operated by computer specialist
• Terminals allow many people to use
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Types of Computers - Mainframes
• Very powerful
• Very fast
• Used by large corporations and governmental agencies
• Operated by computer specialist
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Types of Computers-
Supercomputers
• Most powerful
• Fastest
• Most expensive
• Several million dollars each
• Used only by
• Governmental agencies
• Large international corporations
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Programs
• Set of instructions to the computer
• Programming languages
• Machine language
• Assembly language
• Procedural languages
• Basic, Fortran, Cobol
• Object oriented languages
• Visual Basic, C++, C#, Java
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Systems Software
• Run fundamental operations
• Loading and running programs
• Saving and retrieving data
• Communicating with printers, modems, etc.
• Examples of systems software
• DOS
• Windows 3.1, 95, 98, Me, 2000, and XP
• Unix
• Linux
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Applications Software
• Helps you to accomplish a certain task
• Examples
• Word processing - memos, reports, etc.
• Spreadsheets - budgets, etc.
• Database - search, sort, select data
• Educational - simulations, practice
• Graphics - charts, diagrams
• Desktop publishing - pamphlets, etc.
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