Computers Are
Your Future
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Computers Are Your Future
Chapter 1
Computers, the Web & You
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 2
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
What You Will Learn About
 The importance of computers in your world
 The four basic operations a computer performs
 The two main components of a computer system
 Hardware
 Software
 The differences between system software and
application software
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 3
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
What You Will Learn About
 Examples of hardware devices
 The information processing cycle
 Ethical considerations involved with computer usage
 The two major categories of computers
 The Internet and its most popular uses
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 4
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Computers, the Web & You
 Your future isn’t just about performing tasks. Your
future is about having choices and making decisions.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 5
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Understanding the Computer: Basic Definitions
 Computer – A machine
that performs four basic
operations: input,
processing, output, and
storage.
 Information
processing cycle – The
term used to describe
the four basic
operations.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 6
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Understanding the Computer: Basic Definitions
Hardware
Software
 Computer system – A collection of related
components that are designed to work together.
 A system includes hardware and software.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 7
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Understanding the Computer: Basic Definitions
 Program – A list of instructions that tell the computer
how to perform the four basic operations to
accomplish a task.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 8
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Understanding the Computer: Basic Definitions
 Software – All the programs that give the computer
its instructions.
Two categories of software:
System software
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Application software
Slide 9
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Input: Getting Data into the Computer
 Data – Unorganized raw materials made up of words,
numbers, images, or sounds
 The first operation
 Input devices enable the user to enter data into the
computer.
 The computer accepts data.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 10
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Processing: Transforming Data into Information
DATA IN
INFORMATION OUT
 The second operation
 Computers transform data into information.
 Processing circuitry:
 Central processing unit (CPU)
 Random access memory (RAM)
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 11
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Output: Displaying Information
 The third operation
 The computer shows the results of the processing operation
in a way people can understand.
 Output devices show the results of processing operations.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 12
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Storage: Holding Programs and Data
for Future Use
 The fourth operation
 The computer saves the data or output so that it can be used
again later.
 Storage devices hold all programs and data that the
computer uses.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 13
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Communications: Moving Data between
Computers
 A fifth operation
 Moving data within the computer or between computers
 Communications devices – Enable computers to connect to a
computer network.
 Network – Two or more computer systems that are
connected.
 Modem – A device that enables the computer to access other
computers.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 14
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
The Information Processing Cycle In Action
 Input – You enter text in a
word processing program.
 You run the program’s spell
checker program.
 Processing – The computer
checks and compares all
words entered with a list of
correctly spelled words.
 Output – The computer
provides a list of apparent
misspellings.
Compoters
A computer is a machine that perfirms four basic
operations: input, processing, output, and
storage. Together, these four operations are
called the information proceesing cycle.
 You correct the spelling in
your document.
 Storage – You save the
revised document to a disk.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 15
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using
Computers
Advantages
Disadvantages
Speed
Information overload
Memory
Expensive
Storage
Slower than RAM
Reliability and accuracy
Only applies to hardware,
not software
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 16
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Don’t Be Intimidated by Hardware
 People feel threatened by
computers because they
fear computers are too
complicated.
 Computers should be
treated in the same way as
any other electrical device.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 17
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Take Ethics Seriously
 Ethics is the behavior associated with moral beliefs.
 Computer ethics deals with computer-related moral
dilemmas and principles for computer professionals.
 Responsible computing requires an understanding of
both the benefits of computer use and the potential
harm of computer misuse.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 18
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Recognize the Risks of Using Flawed Software
 All programs contain errors.
 All computer use entails a certain level of risk.
 Bug – An error or defect in software or hardware that
causes a program to malfunction.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 19
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Types of Computers
Computers for Individuals
Desktop – PC, iMac
Notebook – Laptop
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Personal Digital
Assistant
All-in-One
Workstation
Internet Appliance
Slide 25
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Types of Computers
Computers for Organizations
 Servers are not
designed for
individuals. They
make programs
available for network
users.
 Minicomputers
handle the computing
for small
corporations
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
 Mainframes
handle gigantic
processing jobs
for large
corporations or
agencies.
 Supercomputers
are ultra-fast and
handle huge
amounts of
scientific data.
Slide 26
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
The Internet and World Wide Web
 A global information system composed of computers
and networks
 All computers connected to it can exchange data with each
other.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 27
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
World Wide Web –
(WWW)
Internet Services
Electronic mail
(e-mail)
Electronic commerce
(e-commerce)
Instant messaging
World Wide Web– (WWW)
Electronic mail– (e-mail)
Instant messaging
Electronic commerce– (e-commerce)
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 28
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Chapter 1 Summary
•
•
•
•
•
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Computer users must be able to adapt to new
computer technologies with ease.
A computer is a machine that performs the
operations of input, processing, output, and
storage.
A computer system is a collection of related
components.
System software helps the computer function
properly and application programs enable users
to perform tasks.
The information processing cycle consists of
the input, processing, output, and storage
operations.
Slide 29
Computers Are Your Future Chapter 1
Chapter 1 Summary (continued)
• Understanding the advantages and disadvantages
of computer use is necessary for responsible
computing.
• Two types of computers:
 Computers for individuals
 Computers for organizations
• The Internet is a global information network.
• Internet services include e-mail, the World Wide
Web, instant messaging, and e-commerce.
© 2005 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Slide 30