BASIC

COMPUTER
CONCEPTS

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Updated 8/27/04
Hardware vs. Software
• Hardware
• The computer equipment
• Includes printers, monitors, disk drives, etc.
• Software
• Programs which tell the computer what to do
• Examples - word processing, gradebook, tutorials, games, etc.

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History of Computers
• Charles Babbage - father of computer
• 1800’s planned analytical engine
• ENIAC - developed at end of WW II
• 1951 - 1963 1st and 2nd generation
• very large, used unreliable vacuum tubes
• 1963 - present - 3rd and 4th generation
• smaller, faster - use transistors and integrated circuits

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Computer Operations

Input Processing Output

External Storage

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Input Devices - Keyboard

• Most commonly used input device

• Ergonomic - fit natural hand placement

• Special keys
• Enter, Function, Ctrl, Alt, Num Lock, Esc

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Input Devices - Mouse

• Controls cursor on screen

• May be mechanical or optical
• Most models have a “wheel” for
scrolling
Input Devices - Other

• Pointers (replaces mouse on notepads)

• Track point, track ball, touch pad

• Scanner

• Digital camera

• Touch screen

• Voice
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Output Devices
• Monitor
• Printer
• Disk Drive
• Can also be input device

• Modem
• Can also be input device

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Monitors

• Made up of tiny elements called

pixels
• Each row of pixels is called a
scan line
• Picture is displayed by an
electronic beam lighting up
certain pixels
Monitors - Resolution
• Resolution is how sharp and clear the picture is

• How many scan lines on the screen

• 640 x 480 is low resolution
• 1600 x 1200 is high resolution

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Monitors - Sizes
• Screen measured diagonally
• May also measure actual viewing area
• 14” or 15” on bargain systems
• 17” has become the standard
• 19 and 21” available but are more expensive.

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Monitors - LCD
• Liquid Crystal Display
• Similar to digital watch
• Used for notebook computers
• Should be an Active Matrix Screen
• Also used in flat screen monitors
• Much thinner than regular CRT monitor
• More expensive than regular CRT monitor

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Printers

• Laser

• Ink Jet

• Dot Matrix
Printers - Laser

• Works similar to a copy machine

• Color printers available but more expensive

• Fast, quite, with excellent quality

• More expensive to buy and operate

• Some units scan, photocopy, and print

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Printers - Ink Jet
• Squirts small jet of ink onto paper to form characters
• Replaced dot matrix
• Quiet
• Does good job on color
• Good quality and reliability

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Printers - Dot Matrix

• Strikes pins against ribbon to print

• Comes in 9 and 24 pin

• Once very popular

• Now replaced by ink jet and laser

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Printers - Speed

• Measured in pages per minute (PPM)

• Laser printers range from 20-45 ppm

• Color printing is slower

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Basic Processing Cycle

Central Internal
Data Bus
Processing Memory
Unit

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How Information Is Stored
• Memory consist of switches which can be either on or off - Off=0
On=1
• Each on/off switch is called a bit
• Eight bits make up a byte
• It takes one byte to store a character
• Character can be letter, space, punctuation, etc.
• ASCII code used

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Other Memory Terms

• Byte is eight bits

• Kilobyte (KB) is approx. 1,000 bytes

• Megabyte (MB) is approx. 1million bytes

• Gigabyte (GB) is approx. 1 billion bytes

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Central Processing Unit

• Also called CPU, processor or microprocessor

• Is the “brains” of the computer

• Performs all computer operations

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CPU - IBM COMPATIBLES

• Many made by company called Intel

• Also made by AMD

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CPU - Clock Speed
• Number of “cycles” per second computer can operate
• Measured in megahertz (MHz)
• One MHz = 1 million cycles per second
• One gigahertz(GHz)=1 billion cycles
• Current speeds 2-4 GHz

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Internal Memory - RAM
• RAM - Random Access Memory
• CPU can access any location as quickly as any other
• Can not only read current info but also write new info
• Very important in determining capabilities of the computer system
• Computer should have at least 256 megs - 512 preferred (can add to
later)

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Internal Memory - ROM
• ROM - Read Only Memory
• Can read info Stored in ROM
• Can not write new info into ROM

• Used for “internal workings” of computer

• Buyer is not very concerned with ROM

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External Memory

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Floppy Drives

• Comes in 5 1/4” and 3 1/2”

• All systems now only have 3 1/2”

• HD - High density - comes on all current systems

• 3 1/2” - 1.44 megs

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Hard Drives
• Built into machine
• Made up of stack of platters
• Can store much more than floppy drives
• 40 gigabytes should be minimum
• Can access info much faster than floppy drive

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CD ROM
• Same as music CDs
• Are read only
• Can store over 650 megs
• All programs now only sold on CD
• Make multimedia possible
• Come in different speeds - 20x, - 50x

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DVD-ROM

• Digital Video Disk

• Can store up to 17 GB

• Can store full-length movies

• Can also read CD-ROM disk

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CD-RW & DVD-RW DRIVES
• Allows you to write to disk
• Useful for
• Data backup
• Storage of large files
• Recording music and other multimedia files
• DVD-RW
• Allows you to write to both CD and DVD disk
• Still somewhat expensive

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Storage Devices - Other
• USB drive
• Very popular – 64-512 MB
• Tape drive
• Similar to cassette tape
• Used for backup
• Zip drive
• 100 MB to 2 GB capacity
• Everyday use and backup

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Expansion Slots
• Allows you to add capabilities
• Example of cards you can add
• Network card
• Modem

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Ports

• Connects computer to another device

• Parallel port
• Used primarily by printers

• Serial ports
• Modem, mouse, etc.

• SCSI - chain devices

• USB –may be needed for
• Digital Cameras
• Mp3 players
• Other devices
Computer - Social Impact
• Threat to privacy
• Reduce personal interactions
• Displace workers and change workplace
• Create two tiered society
• Computer failures cause great damage
• Artificial Intelligence
• Create a “new life form”
• Machines smarter than their creators

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Types of Computers – Personal

Computers (PC)
• Also called Microcomputers
• Available in desktop size, notebook
size and handheld
• Can be IBM, IBM Compatible or Apple
Types of Computers - Minicomputers

• Size of filing cabinet

• Used by small and medium size companies and institutions

• Operated by computer specialist

• Terminals allow many people to use

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Types of Computers - Mainframes

• Very powerful

• Very fast

• Used by large corporations and governmental agencies

• Operated by computer specialist

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Types of Computers-
Supercomputers
• Most powerful
• Fastest
• Most expensive
• Several million dollars each
• Used only by
• Governmental agencies
• Large international corporations

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Programs
• Set of instructions to the computer
• Programming languages
• Machine language
• Assembly language
• Procedural languages
• Basic, Fortran, Cobol
• Object oriented languages
• Visual Basic, C++, C#, Java

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Systems Software
• Run fundamental operations
• Loading and running programs
• Saving and retrieving data
• Communicating with printers, modems, etc.

• Examples of systems software

• DOS
• Windows 3.1, 95, 98, Me, 2000, and XP
• Unix
• Linux

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Applications Software
• Helps you to accomplish a certain task
• Examples
• Word processing - memos, reports, etc.
• Spreadsheets - budgets, etc.
• Database - search, sort, select data
• Educational - simulations, practice
• Graphics - charts, diagrams
• Desktop publishing - pamphlets, etc.

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