1.1 Introduction to Computer System.pdf

System Installation and Administration (IT403) Unit 1.1 – Introduction to Computer System  Intended Learning Outcomes Analyze the integration of computer into business and personal lives. Distinguish the primary computer operations Categorize the types of computers a...

System Installation and Administration (IT403) Unit 1.1 – Introduction to Computer System  Intended Learning Outcomes Analyze the integration of computer into business and personal lives. Distinguish the primary computer operations Categorize the types of computers and its features and specifications  Intended Learning Outcomes Compare the societal impact of computers, including some benefits and risks related to their prominence in our society. Adapt the proper handling of materials, tools, and equipment  Overview This chapter covers: – What computers are, how they work, and how they are used – Computer terminology – An overview of the history of computers – The basic types of computers in use today – An overview of networks and the Internet – Societal impacts of computers  Computers in Your Life Pervasive computing Also known as ubiquitous computing Computers have become an integral part of our lives Basic computer literacy Knowing about and understanding computers and their uses is an essential skill today for everyone  Computers in Your Life Before 1980 – Computers were large, expensive – Very few people had access to them – Computers were mostly used for high-volume processing tasks Microcomputers in the early 80s – Inexpensive personal computers – Computer use increased dramatically Today – More than 80% of US households include a computer, and most use computers at work – Electronic devices are converging into single units with multiple capabilities  Computers in the Home Computers used for a variety of tasks: – Looking up information and news – Exchanging e-mail – Shopping and paying bills – Watching TV and videos – Downloading music and movies – Organizing digital photographs – Playing games – Telecommuting  Computers in the Home Convergence – The computer has become the central part of home entertainment – Dual-mode mobile phones Wireless networking – Computers can be used in nearly any location Smart appliances – Traditional appliances with built-in computer or communication technology Smart homes – Household tasks are monitored and controlled by a main computer in the house Computers in the Home Computers in the Home Computers in the Home  Computers in Education Many students today have access to computers either in a classroom or a computer lab Colleges and universities are even more integrated – Wireless hotspots allow usage of personal laptops to connect to the college network – Some colleges require a computer for enrollment Distance learning – Students participate from locations other than the traditional classroom setting using computers and Internet access Computers in Education  Computers on the Job Computers have become a universal on-the- job tool for decision-making, productivity, and communication – Used by all types of employees – Used for access control and other security measures – Use by service professionals is growing – Used extensively by the military – Employees in all lines of work need to continually refresh their computer skills Computers on the Job Computers on the Job  Computers on the Go Computers are encountered in nearly every aspect of daily life – Consumer kiosks – ATM transactions – POS systems at retail stores – Self-checkout systems – Portable computers or mobile devices – M-commerce systems – GPS systems Computers on the Go Computers on the Go  Computer Basic Operation Basic operations – Input: Entering data into the computer – Processing: Performing operations on the data – Output: Presenting the results – Storage: Saving data, programs, or output for future use – Communications: Sending or receiving data Computer Basic Operation  Data vs. Information Data – Raw, unorganized facts – Can be in the form of text, graphics, audio, or video Information – Data that has been processed into a meaningful form Information processing – Converting data into information  Computer Hardware Hardware: The physical parts of a computer – Internal hardware Located inside the main box (system unit) of the computer – External hardware Located outside the system unit Connect to the computer via a wired or wireless connection – There is hardware associated with all five computer operations  Computer Hardware Input devices – Used to input data into the computer – Keyboards, mice, scanners, cameras, microphones, joysticks, touch pads, touch screens, fingerprint readers, etc. Processing devices – Perform calculations and control computer’s operation – Central processing unit (CPU) and memory Output devices – Present results to the user – Monitors, printers, speakers, projectors, etc.  Computer Hardware Storage devices – Used to store data on or access data from storage media – Hard drives, CD/DVD discs and drives, USB flash drives, etc. Communications devices – Allow users to communicate with others and to electronically access remote information – Modems, network adapters, etc. Computer Hardware  Software Software: The programs or instructions used to tell the computer hardware what to do – System software: Operating system starts up the computer and controls its operation Without OS computer cannot function Boots the computer and launches programs at the user’s direction Most use a GUI to interact with the user via windows, icons, menus, buttons, etc. Windows, Mac OS, Linux, etc. Software Computer Users and Professionals Computer users (end users): People who use a computer to obtain information Computer professionals include: – Programmers – Systems analysts – Computer operations personnel – Security specialists  Categories of Computers Embedded computers Mobile devices Personal computers Midrange servers Mainframe computers Supercomputers  Embedded Computers Embedded computer: Embedded into a product and designed to perform specific tasks or functions for that product Cannot be used as general-purpose computers Often embedded into: – Household appliances – Thermostats – Sewing machines – Cars  Mobile Devices Mobile device: A very small device with some type of built-in computing or Internet capability Typically based on mobile phones Typically have small screens and keyboards Examples: – Smartphones – Handheld gaming devices – Portable digital media players  Personal Computers (PCs) Personal computer: A small computer designed to be used by one person at a time – Also called a microcomputer – Range in size from desktop computers to UMPC’s Desktop computers: Fit on or next to a desk – Can use tower case, desktop case, or all-in-one – Can be PC- compatible or Macintosh – Not designed to be portable  Portable Computers Notebook (laptop) computers: Typically use clamshell design Tablet computers: Can be slate tablets or convertible tablets Netbooks: Small notebooks; rapidly growing type of PC Ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs): Handheld computers  Thin Clients and Internet Appliances Thin client or network computer (NC): Device designed to access a network for processing and data storage – Lower cost, increased security and easier maintenance – Limited or no local storage – Not able to function as a computer if network is down Internet appliance: Specialized network computer designed for Internet access and/or e-mail exchange – Often set-top boxes – Can include Internet-enabled gaming consoles Thin Clients and Internet Appliances  Midrange Servers Midrange server: A medium-sized computer used to host programs and data for a small network – Users connect via a network with a computer, thin client, or dumb terminal – May consist of a collection of individual circuit boards called blades – Virtualization: Creating virtual environments (often used to share a server for increased efficiency) Midrange Servers  Mainframe Computers Mainframe computer: Powerful computer used by several large organizations to manage large amounts of centralized data – Standard choice for large organizations, hospitals, universities, large businesses, banks, government offices – Located in climate-controlled data centers and connected to the rest of the company computers via a network – Larger, more expensive, and more powerful than midrange servers – Usually operate 24 hours a day – Also called high-end servers or enterprise-class servers Mainframe Computers  Supercomputers Supercomputer: Fastest, most expensive, most powerful type of computer – Generally run one program at a time, as fast as possible – Commonly built by connecting hundreds of smaller computers, supercomputing cluster – Used for space exploration, missile guidance, satellites, weather forecast, oil exploration, scientific research, complex Web sites, decision support systems, 3D applications, etc. Supercomputers  Computer Networks and Internet Computer network: A collection of hardware and other devices that are connected together. – Users can share hardware, software, and data – Users can communicate with each other Network servers: Manage resources on a network Clients: Access resources through the network server Computer networks exist in many sizes and types – Home networks – School and small business networks – Large corporate – Public wireless networks – The Internet Computer Networks and Internet  Internet and World Wide Web Internet: The largest and most well-known computer network in the world Individuals connect to the Internet using an Internet service provider (ISP) World Wide Web: One resource (a vast collection of Web pages) available through the Internet – Web sites contain Web pages stored on Web servers – Web pages viewed using a Web browser (Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, etc.) A wide variety of information is available through the Web Internet and World Wide Web  Accessing a Network or the Internet Need a modem or network adapter Some networks require a username and password Internet connections can be: – Direct (always-on) connections – Dial-up connections Internet addresses are used to access resources on the Internet – IP address: Numeric address that identifies computers (207.46.197.32) – Domain name: Text-based address that identifies computers (microsoft.com) – Uniform resource locator (URL): Identifies Web pages (http://twitter.com/jobs/index.html) – E-mail address: Identifies people for e-mail exchange ([email protected])  IP Addresses and Domain Names IP addresses are numeric and unique Domain names: Correspond to IP addresses – Top-level domains (TLDs) identifies type of organization or its location – Custom TLDs may soon be allowed  Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) URL: Uniquely identifies a Web page – Consists of: Protocol or standard being used Identification of the Web server Names of folders in which the Web page file is stored Web page’s filename Protocols: – Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http://) is typically used to display Web pages (https:// is used for secure Web pages) – File Transfer Protocol (ftp://) is often used for file exchange Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)  E-Mail Addresses E-mail addresses consist of: – Username: A person’s identifying name for a particular domain – The @ symbol – Domain name for the computer that will be handling the person’s e-mail (mail server) Pronouncing Internet addresses  Surfing the Web Web browser: Used to display Web pages Browser starting or home page: The first page displayed when the browser is opened To navigate to a Web page, you can: – Type a URL in the Address bar – Click a hyperlink on a displayed Web page – Select a Favorite/Bookmark or page from the History list Surfing the Web  E-Mail Electronic mail (e-mail): electronic messages exchanged between computers on a network – Can be conventional or Web-based – Can contain photos, attached files, etc.  Computers and Society Computer-oriented society also has risks – Computer viruses and malware – Identity theft and phishing – Privacy issues Differences in online communications – Less formal than traditional – Netiquette – Emoticons The anonymity factor Information Integrity – Check your source, not all information on the Internet is accurate.