A computer is a programable machine that converts raw data into useful information
Ergonomics
An applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and the things interact most efficiently and safely
Information Processing Cycle
I: It gathers data or allows users to input data
P: It processes that data into information
O: It outputs data and information
S: It stores data and information
Moore's Law
Predicts that the number of transitors inside a CPU will increase so fast that CPU capacity will double every 18 months
Named after Gordon Moore, cofounder of CPU chip manufacturer Intel
Hardware
Any part of the computer a person can physically touch. Examples: the system unit and peripheral devices such as keyboards, mice, monitors, printers and speakers
ALU
Arithmetic logic unit, it's responsible for performing all the arithmetic calculations, logic, and comparison decisions, such as comparing items to determine if one is greater than, less than, equal to or not equal to another.
It's one of two units that the CPU is composed of (the other is the control unit)
What language does a computer understand?
Binary language
It consists of two digits, 1 and 0
What is a zero or one called in computer speak?
A binary digit, or bit.
How many bits create 1 byte?
Eight
Kilobyte
KB
1000 bytes
Megabyte
MB
1 million bytes
Gigabyte
GB
1 billion bytes
Terabyte
TB
1 trillion bytes
Petabyte
PB
1 quadrillion bytes
Excabyte
EB
1 quintillion bytes
Zettabyte
ZB
1 sextillion bytes
Yottabyte
YB
1 septillion bytes
Types of storage devices
Compact disc (CD), 700 MB, optical laser
Digital Versitile Disc (DVD), stores 6 times as much as a CD, optical laser
Blu-Ray, optical laster, five times capacity of DVD
USB/Flash/Jump drives, nonmechanical (not optical but stored on a memory chip)
Hard drives
Hard drives
The main huge storage devices inside the system unit. Holds the operating system, computer programs and data files that people create.
Clock speed
The speed at which the processor executes the four steps of the instruction cycle
Measured in gigahertz (GHz), which means billions of cycles per second
Computer network
Simply two or more computers (sometimes called nodes) that are connected together by way of software and hardware so they can communicate with each other
Local Area Network
LAN
A network where the computers are located within a small geographic area
Wide Area Network
WAN
A network connected over long distances, such as the internet
Network adapters
Allow the computers on the network to communicate with each other and to access the network
Control unit
Coordinates the activities of all the other computer parts or components
CPU
Central Processing Unit
The largest and most important chip in the processor
The "brains"
Controls all functions performed by other components and processes all commands
Located on the motherboard
Data bus
Part of the motherboard, data buses are wires that connect the internal devices on the motherboard
Data v. Information
Raw data is entered into the system during the input stage
When the data is processed or manipulated, it becomes useful information
A device that works by scanning a document and converting it into a digital format that can be transmitted over telphone lines to a receiving device, which outputs the document
Fax
GHz
Gigahertz
Billions of cycles per second - a 3 GHz processor has 3 billion data cycles per second
Clock speed is measured in GHz
Input devices
enable a person to enter data and instructions into the computer to be processed into valuable information
Two most common input devices are the keyboard and the mouse
Output devices
Enable a person to send processed data out of the computer
Monitors and printers are output devices, also projectors, video and sound cards, speakers and headphones
Other input devices
stylus (used on PDAs), touch pads, digital cameras, scanners, microphones and game controllers
The standard computer keyboard is
The QWERTY keyboard
What type of keyboard allows a user to type most of the commonly used words in the English language with the letters found on home row?
Dvorak (A,O,E,U,I,D,H,T,N and S are on the home row)
Instruction Cycle
Every time the CPU executes program instructions, performs calculations, or makes decisions it goes through the four steps of the instruction cycle
What are the four steps of the instruction cycle?
F: the CPU fetches the required piece of data or instructions from RAM
D: the CPU decodes the instruction into something the computer can understand
E: The CPU executes the instructions and
S: Stores the result to RAM before fethching the next instruction and starting the four steps all over againg
Motherboard
The main circuitboard inside the system unit
Contains the set of chips that powers the system unit
Provides the way for devices to attach to a computer
Houses the chips that provide the short term memory for the computer as well as a set of slots for expansion cards
Has data buses that connect internal devices that are on the motherboard
Peripheral devices
Keyboards, mice, monitors, printers and speakers
Connected to expansion cards on the motherboard, which is inside the system unit
Ports
Connect peripheral devices to the motherboard
Most common ports today are USB and FireWire
USB - printers, mice keyboards, digital cameras and cell phones
FireWire - primarily high-end digital cameras
Pixels
Monitor screens are grids made up of millions of pixels.
Illuminated pixels create the images seen on the monitor
LCD monitors
Made up of two layers or sheets of material filled with a liquid crystal solution.
An electric current passes through the solution, the crystals move around (either blocking the fluorescent light or letting the light shine through) to form images on the screen
What are the most common printers today?
Inkjet printers and laser printers
(laser are the fastest and quietest)
Purpose of output devices?
allows a person to send processed data (text, pictures, sound and video) out of the computer
RAM
Random Access Memory
Storage space that keeps data and commands nearby so they can be fed to the CPU quickly
RAM is temporary or volatile (all RAM is erased when the computer is turned off)
ROM
Read Only Memory
Holds all the instructions the computer needs to start up
Stored instructions are permanent, non-volatile
System unit
The metal or plastic case that holds all the physical parts of the computer together, including the CPU, motherboard, its memory and the many circuit boards that help the computer function.
Where the processing takes place and data are stores
System unit is the tower, the CPU is inside
Toggle keys
Insert key, Caps lock key, Num Lock key
Basically, turns something on or off
Algorithm
A set of steps designed to solve a problem
What are some backup storage devices?
internal hard drive
external hard drive
optical drive (cd/dvd)
flash drive
network
Which storage location cannot be used by the Windows Backup Utility?
A. Floppy Drive
File compression
The process of making files smaller to conserve disk space and make them easier to transfer
What are the two types of file compression
Lossless (compressed file can be decompressed with no loss of data.)
Lossy (often used on image audio and video files, not possilbe to decompress because some info has been removed from the file)
File extensions
Are assigned by the program used to create the file
Helps the operating system determine the type of file
If you change the file extension, you may no longer be able to open it
The process of opening, closing, saving, naming, deleting and organizing digital files are collectively called
File management
File properties
Each file contains them
Provide info about that file
Can use to organize, sort and find files more easily
type, size, date auto-created with the file
titles and authors can be added or edited by user
Folder
A container used to organize files
Hierarchy
The user folder structure of subfolders within folders
Illegal file characters
\ / ? : * " < > and straight up and down line
can't be used in a file name because they have a special meaning in Windows
Index
Windows maintains an index of common files on each computer to speed up searching
Libraries
Windows 7 introduced
Used to gather files from several locations
Path
The sequence of folders to a file or folder
T/F: Searching from the start menu yields different results than searching from Windows Exploreer because using the start menu will automatically search programs, the control panel and files, and it will search in all indexed locations. In addition to locating a file, a person can quickly launch a program by typing the name of the program in the start menu's search box
True
3 things about searching
Search boxes are in the start menu, most windows, control panels and help screens
Boolean operators AND, OR and NOT can be used to create search filters
Windows maintains an index that contains info about the files located on the computer
To select multiple files in Windows Explorer
Press Ctrl + A
Press Ctrl and click on each file
Click the first file, press shift and click the last file
Public folders
are common to all users and provide an easy way to share files between them
can also share files across computers that are on a network or in the same homegroup
User folders
When a user account is added to a Windows computer, Windows will automatically create a personal user folder for that username and the subfolders inside it
You access your user folder through the Windows Start menu or it may appear on the desktop
Toolbar
contains buttons for common tasks to be performed on the items in the file list area.
Buttons change depending on the objects displayed
Two types of files on every computer
The ones the computer uses to function (programs and device drivers)
Files that are used and created by the computer user
Windows Explorer
Not used to navigate the Internet
The window you use to look at a library or folder
Use to navigate through the folders and drives on your system and to handle most file managment tasks
Zip files using Windows
Ability tompress and deccompress files
Commonly used to send files by email or download them from the Internet
Can contain multiple files zipped together
Lossless compression
Data that may be entered into a cell in a spreadsheet
Words/labels/text/headings
Values/numbers
Formulas + - * /
Functions (preprogrammed formulas, such as average)
Database application software
Microsoft Access, for example
Basically a filing system done on the computer instead of using a filing cabinet or desk drawer
Best used for larger and more complicated groups of data to group, sort and retrieve data
Think MSU student database
Desktop Publishing Application Software
Used for producing magazines, newspapers, brochures and textbooks
Features: columns, special layouts, pictures with captions and special borders
Educational reference software
Encyclopaedias
Dictionaries
Test prep, such as SAT, GMAT and LSAT
Tutorials for typing
Course mangement (like Blackboard)
Freeware
Any copyrighted software that can be used for free
Games, screen savers, virus protection programs
Presentation application software
Used for on-screen slide shows using slide layouts, clip art and sound, video and design templates
Microsoft Power Point, for example
Shareware
Software that allows users to test software (run for a limited trial period free of charge)
Software license
An agreement between the user and the software developer that must be accepted prior to installing the software on a computer
A legal contract that outlines the acceptable and unacceptable uses of the program
Software piracy
Making illegal copies of commerical software
Most software is copyrighted
Software suite
Microsoft bundles together a collection of application software (Word, Excell, PP, Access, etc.) as a package, called a software suite
Less expensive than buying each program separately
Spreadsheet application software
Analyzes numbers
Tracks expenses
Creates budgets
Creates charts
Ex: Excel
Templates
Forms that provide basic structure, specific page layouts and special formatting and styles
Ex: Power Point templates
Wizards
Step by step guides that walk a person through the necessary steps to complete a complicated task