Chapter 1B Looking Inside The Computer System PDF

Chapter 1B Looking Inside the Computer System McGraw-Hill Technology Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All  Parts of the Computer System Computer systems have four parts – Hardware – Software – Da...

Chapter 1B Looking Inside the Computer System McGraw-Hill Technology Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All  Parts of the Computer System Computer systems have four parts – Hardware – Software – Data – User 1B-2  Parts of the Computer System Hardware – Mechanical devices in the computer – Anything that can be touched Software – Tell the computer what to do – Also called a program – Thousands of programs exist 1B-3  Parts of the Computer System Data – Pieces of information – Computer organize and present data Users – People operating the computer – Most important part – Tell the computer what to do 1B-4  Information Processing Cycle Steps followed to process data Input Processing Output Storage 1B-5  Essential Computer Hardware Hardware categorized into four types; processor, memory, input-output and storage. 1B-6  Essential Computer Hardware Processing devices – Brains of the computer – Carries out instructions from the program – Manipulate the data – Most computers have several processors – Central Processing Unit (CPU) – Secondary processors: motherboard, RAM, 1B-7 chip set  Essential Computer Hardware Memory devices – Stores data or programs – Random Access Memory (RAM) Volatile Stores current data and programs More RAM results in a faster system – Read Only Memory (ROM) 1B-8 Permanent storage of programs  Essential Computer Hardware Input and output devices – Allows the user to interact – Input devices accept data Keyboard, mouse – Output devices deliver data Monitor, printer, speaker – Some devices are input 1B-9  Essential Computer Hardware Storage devices – Hold data and programs permanently – Different from RAM – Magnetic storage Floppy and hard drive, Audio & Video cassettes, tape Uses a magnet to access data – Optical storage 1B-10  Software Runs The Machine Tells the computer what to do Reason people purchase computers Two types – System software – Application software 1B-11  Software Runs The Machine System software: is a type of computer program that is designed to run a computer’s hardware and application programs – Most important software – Operating system Windows XP – Network operating system (OS) 1B-12 Windows Server 2003  Software Runs The Machine Application software – Accomplishes a specific task – Most common type of software MS Word – Covers most common uses of computers 1B-13  Computer data Fact with no meaning on its own Stored using the binary number system Data can be organized into files 1B-14  Computer users Role depends on ability – Setup the system – Install software – Mange files – Maintain the system “Userless” computers – Run with no user input 1B-15  Chapter 1B End of Chapter McGraw-Hill Technology Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All