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Essential Computer Concepts
Essential Computer Concepts
Chapter Objectives
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At the end of the chapter, you will understand:
• The components of a
computer system
• The different types of
computers
• Personal computer
hardware and its functions
• Data representation and
the ASCII code
• Peripheral devices
• Hardware and software
used to establish a
network connection
• Internet, e-mail, and
World Wide Web
• System software
• Popular application
software
• Data sharing among
different application
software
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What is a Computer?
A computer is a device that:
• Accepts input
• Processes data
• Stores data
• Produces output
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What is a Computer?
A Computer System is made up of:
• Hardware—the physical components
• Software—the programs or lists of
instructions
• Peripherals—the additional components
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What is a Computer?
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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Types of Computers
The categories of computers are:
• Personal or microcomputers
– Desktop
– Notebook, Laptop, Table PC
• Hand-helds or PDAs
• Mainframes
• Supercomputers
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Types of Computers
Personal computers
are used for general
computing tasks
and fit the needs of
most users
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Types of Computers
Hand-held computers fit in the palm of your
hand and run on batteries.
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Types of Computers
Mainframes are used by companies to provide
centralized storage, processing, and
management for large amounts of data.
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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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Computer Hardware
Computer hardware includes:
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Input devices
Output devices
Processing hardware
Storage devices and media
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Computer Hardware
Some input devices are:
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Keyboard
Mouse
Wireless pointer
Touch pad
Track point
Cordless mouse
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Computer Hardware
Output devices are:
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 include:
• Laser
• Ink-jet
• Dot Matrix
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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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Computer Hardware
• The most important computer function is
data processing.
• Processing hardware is used to process data.
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Processing Hardware
• 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 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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The Microprocessor
• The microprocessor is a silicon chip designed to
manipulate data.
• The speed of the microprocessor is the most
important factor in determining the performance
of the computer system
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Memory
Computer memory is a set of storage locations on the
motherboard.
There are three main types of memory:
• Random access memory (RAM)
– Virtual memory
• Read-only memory
• Flash memory
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Memory
RAM is temporary memory that is constantly
changing while the computer is on. RAM
holds all programs and data while they are
being used.
Virtual memory is extra memory that
simulates RAM if more is needed.
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Memory
Read-only memory (ROM) is the permanent storage
location for a set of instructions the computer uses
at startup.
FLASH memory is semi-permanent information
about where essential software is stored.
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Memory
A storage device receives data from RAM and writes
it on a storage medium. Later, it can be read and
sent back to RAM.
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Storage Devices
Data is stored as files.
Executable files tell computers how to perform
specific tasks.
Data files are created by the user, usually with
software.
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Storage Devices
Files are kept on storage devices.
There are:
Magnetic storage devices.
Optical storage devices.
Electronic storage devices.
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Storage Devices
Some common
magnetic storage
devices are:
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A floppy disk
Floppy disks
Hard disk drives
Tape drives
Zip drives
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Storage Devices
Some common optical storage devices are:
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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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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
The four essential components of data
communications are:
• Sender
• Channel
• Receiver
• Protocol
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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.
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Data Communications
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
The data bus is the communication
medium between microprocessor,
RAM, and the peripherals.
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Data Bus
An external peripheral device has a port or cable that
connects it to the computer.
Each port connects to a controller card, which plugs
into an expansion slot.
The transmission protocol is handled by a device
driver.
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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)
• Firewire
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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.
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Data Bus
A SCSI (“scuzzy”) connection can allow
many devices to use the same port, and
are popular on Macs and some
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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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 peerto-peer network. All of the computers
are equal.
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Networks
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Networks
Each computer that is part of the network
must have a network interface card and
network software.
Then it becomes a workstation.
Any device connected to the network is called
a node.
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Telecommunications
Telecommunications is communicating
over a telephone line. In the
telecommunications process, the
modem converts digital signals to
analog signals at the sending site and a
second modem converts them back at
the receiving site.
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Telecommunications
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The Internet
The Internet is the world’s largest
network.
E-mail and the World Wide Web are two
benefits of the Internet.
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The Internet
A hyperlink is a place on a Web page
allowing you to connect to a particular
file.
http://www.course.com/newperspectives
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The Internet
A Web browser is
the communications
software that
allows you to
navigate the
WWW.
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Computer Software
Software is the instructions and data that
direct the computer to accomplish a
task. It can refer to a single program or
a package.
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System Software
System software helps the computer
carry out its basic operating tasks.
Application software helps the user carry
out a variety of tasks.
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System Software
The four types of system software are:
• Operating systems
• Utilities
• Device drivers
• Programming languages
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Application Software
Application software enables you to perform specific
tasks. Application software includes:
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Document production software
Spreadsheet software
Database management software
Graphics and presentation software
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Application Software
Document production software includes word
processing, desktop publishing, and Web
authoring software that assist you in writing
and formatting documents.
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Application Software
It often has grammar and spell-checking, thesaurus,
search and replace, and template features.
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Application Software
With spreadsheet software, you can create formulas that
perform calculations. Spreadsheet software creates
worksheets with columns and rows. The intersection of a
column and row is a cell.
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Application Software
Database management software creates
structured databases to contain information.
Graphics and presentation software allow you
to create illustrations, diagrams, and charts
to be presented or transmitted. Most allow
you to include graphics.
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Application Software
Multimedia authoring software allows
you to record digital sound files, video
files, and animations that can be
included in presentations and other
documents.
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