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1 - Introduction To Information Technology

1. Information is data that is processed and communicated for a specific purpose. 2. Computers are general purpose, programmable devices that process and store information. They run programs to perform tasks like word processing. 3. Computer hardware includes components like the processor, memory, storage devices, input devices like keyboards and mice, and output devices like monitors and printers. Software programs control the hardware.

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45 views26 pages

1 - Introduction To Information Technology

1. Information is data that is processed and communicated for a specific purpose. 2. Computers are general purpose, programmable devices that process and store information. They run programs to perform tasks like word processing. 3. Computer hardware includes components like the processor, memory, storage devices, input devices like keyboards and mice, and output devices like monitors and printers. Software programs control the hardware.

Uploaded by

lee robert olivar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Basic Concepts Of

Information
Technology (IT)
The Basics – What is
Information?
• Information is data processed for some purpose
• Information can only be considered to be 'real'
Info if it meets certain criteria i.e.
1. it must be communicated to the recipient
2. it must be in a language that is understood
3. it must be in a suitable form
4. it must be relevant for achieving some
purpose
Information -
 is any form of communication
that provides understandable
and useful knowledge for the
person receiving it.
What Is A Computer?

 A computer is a general purpose,


programmable device that is used
for the production and processing of
information
 capable of calculating and storing
results
What do we mean
by general purpose?
 Most devices can be described by their function e.g
Washing Machine, DVD Player
 Computers, however, can be used for almost any
purpose:
- typewriter
- video editor
- accounts tracker
- database / address book
- DVD / CD Player
- and many others…
Computers Are
Programmable
 Computers repond to instructions in the form of
 programs
 Programs are written in order to make computers
behave in specific ways i.e. word processor,
systems control
 Programs are stored in the Computer memory
How computers process
information
 Computers accept inputs ( i.e. data)
 The input is translated into binary numbers and
‘processed’
 The process produces output (i.e information)
 This sequence can repeat endlessly: outputs can be
inputs!
 Illustrating this - the ‘Black Box’ model
Processing - the ‘Black
Box’ model
 We can think of a computer as a ‘black
box’ :

input process output


Components of a
Computer System
 Computer Systems are made up of:
 Hardware – the physical parts
 Software - the instructions or programs that
control the hardware
 The Human Being – the brains behind the
whole system!
Types Of
Computer
 Mainframe Computer
 Minicomputer
 Personal Computer (Microcomputer / Desktop)
 Laptop
 Network Computer / Server
– Uses two types of terminal: “Dumb” and “Intelligent”
Computer Organisation – the
Von
Neumann model

 Most Computers are based on a model


proposed by John Von Neumann in 1946
 The ‘logical’ units of this model are:
– Stored program
– Central Processing Unit: fetches and executes the
program instructions sequentially
– Memory
– Input and Output devices
Computer Hardware
components
 A typical PC System is made up of:
– System Unit
– Keyboard
– Monitor (VDU)
– Mouse
– Printer
– Modem
– Multimedia Devices
Hardware – The
System Unit
 The central component of the system
 Houses:
– The Processor: corresponds to the CPU
– Memory: RAM and ROM
– Storage: Hard Disk, Removable Storage devices
The Processor
(CPU)
 Types include Intel Pentium series, Celerion,
AMD Athlon
 Chip at the heart of the computer- does the
calculations
 Speed is very important – measured in
megahertz (MHz): the faster the processor the
more calculations performed per second.
Memory
 A computer must be able to store its calculations
and programs
 Two types of memory: “Volatile” and permanent.
 Measured in bytes
 One byte = eight bits
Random Access
Memory (RAM)
 Used by the Computer as the working area
 Holds the working program, the data being
processed and the interim results
 Volatile - contents are erased if power is cut
 Can be accessed randomly: can get any piece
of data directly.
 Faster than perminant storage
 Not to be confused with ROM (Read-Only
Memory)
Storage -
Hard Disk
 Permanent Memory - records and stores all
programs and data / information magnetically
 Larger than RAM - average 12 - 120GB
 Slower - involves mechanical movement
(read/write head, revolving disk)
Other types of
Storage
 Floppy Disks
 CD/DVD ROM
 Zip Drive
 Magnetic Tape
Input
Devices
 Keyboard
 Mouse: used in conjunction with the GUI
(Graphical User Interface), point and click
 Other types of Input Devices:
– Trackballs
– Light Pens
– Touch Screens
– Tablets
Output
Devices
 Monitor: also known as the Visual Display Unit
(VDU)
 Printers
– Laser Printer
– Inkjet Printer
– Impact
Software

 Generic name of all programs


 Made up of code interpreted by the hardware
 Written in programming languages - Java, C,
C++, Perl
 Two kinds of Software:
– System
– Application
System
Software
 Concerned with the computer itself: devices,
file and storage management, error correction
 Main piece of SS: Operating System (OS)
 OS: the driving program of the computer
– communicates between all programs and the
hardware
– controls timing and sequence of events
– manages data to ensure security and integrity
– Examples: Windows, Mac OS, Unix
Applications
Software
 Concerned with the world outside the computer
 Gives the computer its general purpose nature
 Used for the things you want the computer to
do
 Common Examples - Word, Excel, Internet
Explorer
 Applications can be more specialised: e.g.
Architecture package
How Software is
made
 Involves a cycle of research, analysis,
development and testing
 Systems Analysts - study the business
processes and designs the software
 Programmers - develops the software
Problems with
Software
 Software is complex
 Difficult to test comprehensivly
 Can have bugs: these can be trivial or major
 Symptoms of bugs
– hanging
– crashes
The Graphical User
Interface (GUI)
 Represents all the program / computer
resources as icons
 Workspace represented graphically - creates
‘virtual’ documents
 More usable: led to wider use of computers
 Adds to the unique nature of the computer as
both a tool and a medium

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