Computer Basics PDF

2 The Basics 1. Computer A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory that can accept data (input), process the data according to specified rules, produce information (output), and store the information for...

2 The Basics 1. Computer A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory that can accept data (input), process the data according to specified rules, produce information (output), and store the information for future use 2. Data Data is a collection of unorganized facts, which include words, numbers, images, and sounds. Computers process data to create information. 3. Information Information is data that is organized, has meaning and is useful. Example: reports, newsletters, a receipt, a picture, an invoice or a check. 3 Terms of computer technology i) Input – the data entered into a computer. ii) Output – the processed results. iii) Storage – a place whereas a computer hold data and information for future use. iv) User - a person that communicate with a computer or uses the information it generates. v) Hardware – the electrical, electronic and mechanical equipment that makes up a computer vi) Software – is the series of instruction that tells the hardware how to perform tasks. 7 Hardware 🠶 Computer hardware is the collection of physical elements”Tangible objects” 🠶 that constitutes a computer system. 🠶 T h e actual machinery, wires, transistors, and circuits … etc. 11 Input Devices 🠶 Input device is any peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment to provide data and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or other information appliance. 🠶 Input device Translate data from form that humans understand to one that the computer can work with. Most common are keyboard and mouse 14 Example of Input Devices Keyboard Mouse (pointing device) Microphone Touch screen Scanner Webcam Touchpads MIDI keyboard Graphics Tablets Cameras Pen Input Video Capture Hardware Microphone Trackballs Barcode reader Digital camera Joystick Gamepad Electronic Whiteboard Note: The most common use keyboard is the QWERTY keyboard. Generally standard Keyboard has 104 keys 15 Central Processing Unit 🠶 CPU 🠶 k nown as microprocessor or processor 🠶 I t is responsible for all functions and processes 16 CPU Components 🠶 T h e CPU is comprised of three main parts 1. ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) 2. Control Unit (CU) 3. Registers: Stores the data that is to be executed next. 17 ALU 🠶 Executes all arithmetic and logical operations. 🠶 Arithmetic calculations like as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. 🠶 Logical operation like compare numbers, letters, or special characters 18 Control Unit (CU) Control Unit (CU): controls and co-ordinates computer components. 🠶 Read the code for the next instruction to be executed. 🠶 Increment the program counter so it points to the next instruction. 🠶 Read whatever data the instruction requires from cells in memory. 🠶 Provide the necessary data to an ALU or register. 🠶 If the instruction requires an ALU or specialized hardware to complete, instruct the hardware to perform the requested operation. 19 Registers 🠶 Registers :Stores the data that is to be executed next, "very fast storage area". 20 Primary Memory 🠶 1. RAM. 🠶 2.ROM 21 Primary Memory 1. RAM: Random Access Memory: is a memory scheme within the computer system responsible for storing data on a temporary basis, so that it can be promptly accessed by the processor as and when needed. 🠶 It is volatile in nature, which means that data will be erased once supply to the storage device is turned off. 🠶 RAM stores data randomly and the processor accesses these data randomly from the RAM storage. 🠶 RAM is considered "random access" because you can access any memory cell directly if you know the row and column that intersect at that cell. 22 Primary Memory 2. ROM (Read Only Memory): ROM is a permanent form of storage. ROM stays active regardless of whether power supply to it is turned on or off. ROM devices do not allow data stored on them to be modified. 23 Secondary Memory 🠶 Stores data and programs permanently 🠶 its retained after the power is turned off 🠶 M a i n Examples 1. Hard Disk 2. Optical Disk 3. Flash memory 24 Hard Disk 🠶 Calle d Disk drive or HDD 🠶 stores and provides relatively quick access to large amounts of data. 🠶 Stores data on an electromagnetically charged surface or set of surfaces. 25 Optical Disk & Flash 🠶 an optical disc drive (ODD) is a disk drive that uses laser light to store data. 🠶 There are three main types of optical media: CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disc CD “Compact Disk” can store up to 700MB DVD “ Digital Video Disk “ can store up to 8.4 GB Blu-ray disc. can store up to 50 GB 26 3. Flash Disk 🠶 A storage module made of flash memory chips. A Flash disks have no mechanical platters or access arms, but the term "disk" is used because the data are accessed as if they were on a hard drive. The disk storage structure is emulated. 27 RAM V.s Hard Disk 🠶 W h at are the differences between RAM as a main memory and HDD as a Secondary Memory. 28 RAM V.s Hard Disk 33 Software 🠶 Software is a generic term for organized collections of computer data and instructions, often broken into two major categories two major categories: 1. system software 2. application software 34 System software 🠶 Known as Operating System 🠶 i s responsible for controlling, integrating, and managing the individual hardware components of a computer system 🠶 Windows is an example of OS. 🠶 example of System Software: 🠶 1) Microsoft Windows 🠶 2) Linux 🠶 3) Unix 🠶 4) Ma c OSX 🠶 5) DOS 35 Application software 🠶 is used to accomplish specific tasks other than just running the computer system. 🠶 It may consist of: 🠶 a single program, such as an image viewer; 🠶 a small collection of programs (often called a software package) that work closely together to accomplish a task, such as a spreadsheet or text processing system; 🠶 a larger collection (often called a software suite) of related but independent programs and packages that have a common user interface or shared data format, such as Microsoft Office, 36 52 Data, Information and Knowledge 🠶 Data: 🠶 Facts and figures which relay something specific 🠶 but which are not organized in any way and which provide no further information regarding patterns 🠶 unstructured facts and figures 53 Data, Information and Knowledge 🠶 Information: 🠶 Fo r data to become information, it must be contextualized, categorized, calculated and condensed. (Processing) 🠶 i t is data with relevance and purpose. 54 Data, Information and Knowledge 🠶 Knowledge: 🠶 Knowledge is closely linked to doing and implies know-how and understanding. 🠶 Processing Information 55 Data, Information and Knowledge 🠶 Data: symbols 🠶 Information: data that are processed to be useful; provides answers to "who", "what", "where", and "when" questions 🠶 Knowledge: application of data and information; answers "how" questions