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A computer is an electronic device
that:
Accepts information and instructions
from a user
Manipulates the information
according to the instructions
Displays the information in some way
Stores the information for retrieval
later.
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Personal Computers (PCs)
 Desktop computers
 Laptops-they are portable
Handheld computers-example?
Smartphone
Mainframe computers
Supercomputers
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Pictures of Computers
Tablet PC: Apple’s IPad2
Supercomputer
See page ECC 4-5
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Desktop
Portable (laptops, notebooks)
Desktop by HP
Laptop by HP
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Size-Sits on your desk
Speed-Example-2.6 GHz AMD athlon
dual-core processor
Cost-$300 to $3500
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Laptops-Laptops come in many brands that
use Windows software such as Dell, Acer,
Toshiba, IBM. Brands that use Apple
software are MacBooks.
Notebooks-similar to laptops but usually
smaller, lighter. Example: Dell “Netbook”.
Very small.
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PDAs (Personal Data Assistant)Example-Blackberry-holds calendar,
names and addresses, can access the
internet
Cell phones-Iphone, the Droid
(Googles answer to the Iphone)
Size-can hold in your hand
Cost-$100-$2500
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Example-the computers running MSTC, the
computers running the hospital, the computers
running your local bank.
Cost: Several hundred thousand dollars to a
million dollars
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Size-Huge
Speed-Fastest on
the planet
Cost-$ Millions
Example-Cray
Research in
Chippewa Falls WI
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Seymour Cray standing
next to the core unit of the
Cray-1 computer, circa
1974, Chippewa Falls, WI.
Photograph courtesy of
the Charles Babbage
Institute, University of
Minnesota, Minneapolis
Cray Timeline
About Cray's latest
Supercomputer....The
Jaguar
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Include computer hardware and software
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Hardware –the physical stuff-the case, the guts
inside
Software refers to the instructions, the programs
that the computer needs to perform a specific task
Specifications-The technical details about each
component (See pg 2 of textbook for an
example)
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The motherboard is the
main electronic
component of the
computer
The microprocessor-the
“brain” of a computer,
also called CPU
(transistors on a chip,
speed)-Examples- Intel,
AMD
Good pics on pg
ECC 8-9.
Cards are removable
circuit boards-Examplevideo cards, sound
cards
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Input-instructions you put in.
 How?
 With a keyboard
 With a mouse
 With a scanner
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Output-the results.
 How do you see the results?
 With a monitor
 With a printer
Monitor
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 Laser-fastest, most expensive, highest
quality
 Inkjet-sprays ink on paper
 Dot matrix-punches dots, lowest
quality
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Computers understand only code. (0s and 1s; On
or Off). They don’t understand English.
The code they understand uses binary digits,
called bits. The code is called ASCII code.
8 bits = 1 byte = 1 character
1 thousand bytes = 1KB (kilobyte)
1 million bytes = 1 MB (megabyte)
1 billion bytes = 1 GB (gigabyte)
1 trillion bytes = 1 TB (terabyte)
Main point: Computers use and store A LOT of info!
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RAM-Random Access Memory
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Temporary
Lost when the computer is turned off (unless you save
your work)
ROM-Read Only Memory
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Permanent
Tells the computer how to “boot”.
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Hard drive-usually your “C:” drive. Here at
school you will be storing your work on the “H”
drive and/or your flash drive.
CDs and DVDs-2 things you should NEVER do!
• 1) Scratch or 2) Expose to high temps
• DVD can store 4.7 GB-more than enough
capacity for a full-length feature film. Blu-ray
can store more than 5 times more (25 GB per
layer).
Flash drives-“jump drive”-from 32 MB -16 GB
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A computer file -a collection of stored data:
 An executable file -instructions that tell a
computer how to perform a specific task
 A data file -created by a user-you will be
creating data files in Microsoft Office
(Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access).
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APPLICATION
SOFTWARE
SYSTEM SOFTWARE
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Windows 7
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Safari, Lion (Apple
Systems)
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Microsoft Word
Microsoft Powerpoint
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Access
Gaming Software
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System software- manages the
fundamental operations of your computer.
Also called an operating system.
Examples
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Windows XP
Windows 7
Lion (Apple)
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To get here, click on the folder icon in the bottom left corner of your desktop.
Then click “Computer.”
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Application software -enables you to write
letters, make spreadsheets, create databases,
create presentations, create games etc.
Examples of application software are Microsoft
Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access and many
others.
Example of gaming software- Blizzard
Entertainment
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Data communications-the transmission of text,
numeric, voice, or video data from one
computer to another or from a computer to a
peripheral (keyboards, printers etc).
4 things are needed for data communications:
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Sender
Channel-telephone cable, coaxial cable, optical fibers
Protocol-rules for accurate transfer handled by a
driver
Receiver
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Data bus-The path connecting the
microprocessor, RAM, and peripherals and
back again
The data bus needs ports:
 USB port (Universal Serial Bus) -where flash
drives, cameras, your IPOD connects
 Ethernet port-where the internet connects
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A network connects one computer to other
computers. Example-LAN (local area network)
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Communicating over a long distance using a
phone line or some other data line. To do this you
need:
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A modem either outside your computer or inside on the
motherboard.
 The modem converts a computer signal (called a digital
signal) to a telephone signal (called an analog signal) and
back again on the other end.
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A phone line (through the phone company) or a
dedicated subscriber line (DSL) like through the cable
company. The DSL will transmit faster than a telephone
line.
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The Internet is the largest network in the
world. It offers:
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Electronic mail (email)
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World Wide Web (www)-lots and lots AND
LOTS of information and products
 Info and products are on web pages
 A collection of web pages is a web site.
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Security-steps a computer owner takes to
prevent unauthorized use of or damage to
the computer.
 Viruses- harmful programs. Also called
malware.
 Antivirus software-searches files for
viruses and disinfects them.
Firewall- like a locked door on your
computer which prevents other computers
on the internet from accessing yours without
your permission.
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Storing data, applications, and resources on
servers which you access over the Internet
rather than on a users’ computer.
Access only what you need, when you need it.
Examples: Google Docs, Microsoft Web Apps,
Windows Live Skydrive. Companies can also
have “the Cloud” do automatic back-ups of
their data.
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Space on Windows Live servers which you
access over the Internet.
You can store up to 25 GB of files there
You can store them in public or private folders
or in folders that you make available to only
certain people
Need a Windows Live ID to use it (free).
See pg ECC 32 for screen display.
Here is what Skydrive looks like:
https://login.live.com
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All photos are courtesy of Course Technology
at Cengage Learning unless credit is otherwise
given.
YouTube clip of “Mouse” courtesy of YouTube.
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