Discovering

Computers 2010
Living in a Digital World
A World of Computers

• Computers are everywhere

Ahmad Idrees 2
What Is a Computer?

• A computer is an electronic device, operating

under the control of instructions stored in its own
memory

Collects Produces
data Processing information
(input) (output)

Information Processing Cycle

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What Is a Computer?

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Figure 1-2
The Components of a Computer

Input Device • Allows you to enter data and instructions into a computer

Output Device • Hardware component that conveys information to one or more people

• Case that contains the electronic components of the computer that

System Unit are used to process data

Storage Device • Holds data, instructions, and information for future use

Communications • Enables a computer to send and receive data, instructions, and

Device information to and from one or more computers or mobile devices

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The Components of a Computer

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Figure 1-3
The Components of a Computer
What is an input device?

 Hardware used
to enter data
and instructions into
a computer e.g,
keyboard, mouse,
microphone, scanner
and web cam etc.

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The Components of a Computer
What is an output device?

 Hardware that
conveys information
to one or more
people e.g. printer,
monitor and speakers
etc.

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The Components of a Computer
What is the system unit?
 Case containing
Electronic components
used to process data.

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 The Components of a Computer
What are two main components on the motherboard?

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Also called a processor.
The electronic component that interprets and carries
out the basic instructions that operate the computer.

Memory
Consists of electronic components that store
instructions waiting to be executed and data needed by
those instructions

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The Components of a Computer
What is storage?
 Holds data, instructions, and information for future use

Storage media
Physical material on which data, instructions,
and information are stored e.g. USB flash drive,
hard disks, optical discs and memory cards..

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The Components of a Computer
What is a USB flash drive?
 Provides much
greater storage
capacity than a
floppy disk

 Portable storage device

small and lightweight
enough to be transported
on a keychain or
in a pocket.

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The Components of a Computer
What is a hard disk?
 Provides greater storage
capacity than a
floppy disk or
USB flash drive
 Most are housed inside
of the system unit

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The Components of a Computer
What is a optical disc?
 Flat, round, portable metal disc e.g. CDs, DVDs.

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The Components of a Computer
What is a communications
device?
 Hardware component that
enables a computer to send and
receive data, instructions and
information
 Occurs over cables, telephone
lines, cellular networks, satellites,
and other transmission media

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Computer Applications in Society

Education
Finance
Government
Health Care
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Computer Applications in Society

Science
Publishing
Travel
Manufacturing
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Advantages and Disadvantages
of Using Computers
Advantages of Disadvantages of
Using Computers Using Computers

Speed Health Risks

Reliability Violation of Privacy

Consistency Public Safety

Storage Impact on Labor Force

Communications Impact on Environment

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Advantages and Disadvantages
of Using Computers
• Green computing involves reducing the electricity
consumed and environmental waste generated when
using a computer
• Strategies include:
– Recycling
– Regulating manufacturing processes
– Extending the life of computers
– Immediately donating or properly disposing of replaced computers

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Networks and the Internet

• A network is a
collection of computers
and devices connected
together through
transmission media.

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Networks and the Internet
What are the reasons to network?
To share

Resources
Hardware
devices
Software
programs
To save
Data
time
Information and
money

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Networks and the Internet
What is a server?
 A server manages
the resources on a
network
 Clients access
the resources
on the server

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Networks and the Internet
What is the Internet?
 Worldwide collection of networks that connects
millions of businesses, government agencies, educational
institutions, and individuals

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Networks and the Internet
What is the Web?
 Billions of documents, called Web pages, available to
anyone connected to the Internet

A Web site is
a collection of
related Web pages
A Web page contains
text, graphics, sound, You can share
video, and links to information by
other Web pages creating Web pages
or posting photos on
a photo sharing
community

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Networks and the Internet

• People use the Internet for a variety of reasons:

Communicate Research and Shop Bank and Invest Online Trading

Access Information

Entertainment Download Music Share Videos Web Application

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Computer Software

• Software, also called a program,consists of series of instructions

that tells the computer what tasks to perform and how to perform
them

System Software
• Operating system
• Utility program

Application Software

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Computer Software
What is system software?
 Programs that control or maintain the operations of
the computer and its devices

Operating System (OS)

is a set of programs
that coordinates all
activities among
computer hardware
devices and allows Utility Programs allow the user to
users to run perform maintenance-type tasks
application software usually related to managing a
computer, its devices or its programs

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Computer Software
What is application software?
 Programs that perform specific
tasks for users
Word
Spreadsheet
Processing

Presentation
Database
Graphics

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Computer Software

• A programmer develops
software or writes the
instructions that direct
the computer to
process data into
information

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Categories of Computers
Personal computers

Mobile computers and mobile devices

Game consoles

Servers

Mainframes

Supercomputers

Embedded computers

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Personal Computers

• A personal computer can perform all of its input,

processing, output, and storage activities by itself
• Two popular architectures are the PC and the Apple
– Desktop computer

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Mobile Computers and Mobile Devices

Mobile Mobile
Computer Device
Personal computer you Computing device
can carry from place to small enough to hold in
place your hand

Examples include
Examples include smart phones, PDAs,
notebook computers, handheld computers,
laptop computers, and portable media
Tablet PCs players, and digital
cameras

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Mobile Computers and Mobile Devices

Notebook computer

Tablet PC

Smart phone

PDA

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Mobile Computers and Mobile Devices

Handheld computer

Portable media player

Digital camera

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Game Consoles

• A game console is a
mobile computing
device designed for
single-player or
multiplayer video
games

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Servers

• A server controls access

to the hardware,
software, and other
resources on a network
– Provides a centralized
storage area for
programs, data, and
information

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Mainframes

• A mainframe is a large,
expensive, powerful
computer that can
handle hundreds or
thousands of connected
users simultaneously

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Supercomputers

• A supercomputer is the fastest, most powerful

computer
– Fastest supercomputers are capable of processing
more than one quadrillion instructions in a single
second

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Embedded Computers

• An embedded computer is a special-purpose

computer that functions as a component in a
larger product

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Embedded Computers

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Elements of an Information System

Hardware Software Data

People Procedures

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Elements of an Information System

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Summary

Basic computer Components of a

concepts computer

Many different
categories of
Networks, the Internet,
computers, computer
and computer software
users, and computer
applications in society
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