Podcast
Questions and Answers
You can do a lot of things on your computer, such as moving your ______ around on the screen.
You can do a lot of things on your computer, such as moving your ______ around on the screen.
mouse
There are programs for everything that the ______ does.
There are programs for everything that the ______ does.
CPU
Each program was initially written by a human in a human-readable ______ language, like Java, C++, or Python.
Each program was initially written by a human in a human-readable ______ language, like Java, C++, or Python.
programming
The CPU realizes that it needs instructions for how to deal with this ______ click, so it looks up the address for the mouse program.
The CPU realizes that it needs instructions for how to deal with this ______ click, so it looks up the address for the mouse program.
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The CPU asks ______ for the program for the button, which means that the CPU needs the monitor program again to show the video associated with the button.
The CPU asks ______ for the program for the button, which means that the CPU needs the monitor program again to show the video associated with the button.
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When you click the button on your mouse, it sends a message to the computer with information about its ______.
When you click the button on your mouse, it sends a message to the computer with information about its ______.
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The basic input-output subsystem acts like the ______ and ears and mouth and hands of the computer.
The basic input-output subsystem acts like the ______ and ears and mouth and hands of the computer.
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The CPU, or ______ processing unit, is the brains of the whole computer.
The CPU, or ______ processing unit, is the brains of the whole computer.
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The CPU's job, its whole job, is fetching instructions from ______ and executing them.
The CPU's job, its whole job, is fetching instructions from ______ and executing them.
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While you're typing, typing, typing, maybe really fast, like 60 words a minute, the CPU is fetching and executing billions of instructions a ______.
While you're typing, typing, typing, maybe really fast, like 60 words a minute, the CPU is fetching and executing billions of instructions a ______.
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Study Notes
Inside Your Computer
- A computer is more than just a monitor and keyboard, there are underlying components that capture and understand user intentions.
Mouse and Basic Input-Output Subsystem
- A mouse is a simple machine with buttons and a system for detecting motion and distance.
- When a mouse button is clicked, it sends a message to the computer with information about its position.
- The basic input-output subsystem acts like the eyes, ears, mouth, and hands of the computer, providing a way for the computer to interact with its environment.
- The subsystem acts as a buffer to keep the CPU from being overwhelmed by distractions.
CPU and Its Role
- The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain of the computer, responsible for fetching instructions from memory and executing them.
- The CPU's job is to fetch and execute instructions at a rate of billions per second.
- The CPU is a multitasker, handling multiple tasks simultaneously, such as moving the mouse, running the clock widget, playing internet radio, and managing files.
Programs and Memory
- There are programs for each task the CPU performs, including the mouse, clock widget, internet radio, and keyboard.
- Programs are initially written in human-readable programming languages like Java, C++, or Python, then compiled and stored in memory as bits of ones and zeros.
- The CPU retrieves instructions from memory by looking up the address for the required program and sending a request to the memory subsystem.
Mouse Click and Program Execution
- When a mouse click is received, the CPU looks up the address for the mouse program and executes the instructions.
- The CPU may need to request additional instructions from memory, such as the monitor program, to determine the action associated with the clicked button.
- Multiple programs are involved in the process of clicking a button and displaying the resulting action on the screen.
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Description
Explore the inner workings of your computer and learn about the components that make it function. Discover what happens between the mouse click and the video playing.
