Extended Learning Module A
Computer Hardware and
Software
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Presentation Overview
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A Quick Tour of Technology
Categories of Computers by Size
Software: Your Intellectual Interface
Hardware: Your Physical Interface
The Complete Computer At Work
Introduction
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Information technology (IT) – computer-based tool that
people use to work with information and support the
information and information-processing needs of an
organization.
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Hardware – the physical devices that make up a
computer.
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Software – the set of instructions that your hardware
executes to carry out a specific task for you.
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See the PDA, scanner, and monitor photos in Figure A.1
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A Quick Tour of Technology
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Six categories of hardware
Input device
Output device
Storage device
Central processing unit (CPU)
Telecommunications device
Connecting device
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See photos of devices in Figure A.2
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A Quick Tour of Technology
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Software types include:
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Application software - solves specific
problems or perform specific tasks.
System software - handles tasks specific to
technology management.
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Operating system software - controls application
software and manages hardware devices.
Utility software - provides additional functionality
to the operating system.
Categories of Computers By Size
Personal Digital Assistants, Notebook
Computers, and Desktop Computers
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Personal digital assistant (PDA) - small hand-held
computer that surfs the Web and performs simple tasks.
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Notebook computer - a fully functional computer that
runs on battery power.
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Desktop computer - the most popular choice.
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See Figure A.4
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Categories of Computers By Size
Minicomputers, Mainframe Computers, and
Supercomputers
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Minicomputer – used in a small to medium-size business
environment.
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Mainframe computer – used in a large business
environment.
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Supercomputers - the fastest, most powerful, and most
expensive type of computer.
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Notice Supercomputer photo from A.5
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Software: Your Intellectual Interface
Application Software
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Application software is used to meet
specific information-processing needs,
including such things as:
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Payroll
Customer relationship management
Project management
Training
Word processing and many others.
Software: Your Intellectual Interface
Application Software
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Personal productivity
software - performs
personal tasks, including
such things as creating:
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Memos
Graphs
Slide presentations
Team Work
Buying Personal
Productivity
Software Suites
Software: Your Intellectual Interface
Application Software
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Vertical market software - unique to a
particular industry. Examples include:
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Patient-scheduling software
Nursing allocation software
Horizontal market software - general enough
to be suitable for use in a variety of industries.
Examples include:
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Inventory management software
Payroll software
Software: Your Intellectual Interface
System Software
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Operating system software - controls
application software and manages how
hardware devices work together.
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Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro
Microsoft Windows 2000 ME
Microsoft Windows XP Home
Microsoft Windows XP Pro
Mac OS
Linux
Software: Your Intellectual Interface
System Software
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Utility software - adds
additional functionality
to the operating system.
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Anti-virus software
Crash-proof software
Uninstaller software
Disk optimization
software
Team Work
Evaluating Utility
Software Suites
Hardware: Your Physical Interface
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Binary digit (bit) - the smallest unit of
information.
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ASCII (American Standard Code for
Information Interchange) - the coding system
that most personal computers use to represent,
process, and store information.
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Byte - a group of eight bits represents one
natural language character.
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Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Common Input Devices
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Input device - a tool you use to capture information and
commands. Examples include:
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Keyboard
Point-of-sale (POS)
Microphone
Mouse
Trackball
Pointing stick
Touch pad
Touch screen
Bar code reader
Optical mark recognition (OMR)
Scanner
Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Common Output Devices
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Output device - a tool you use to see,
hear, or otherwise accept the results of
your information-processing requests.
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Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Common Output Devices
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CRTs – look like television sets.
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Flat-panel displays – thin, lightweight
monitors that take up much less space
than CRTs.
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Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Common Output Devices
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Resolution of a screen – number of pixels it
has.
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Dot pitch – the distance between the centers of
a pair of like-colored pixels.
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Resolution of a printer - the number of dots per
inch (dpi) it produces, which is the same
principle as the resolution in monitors.
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Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Common Output Devices
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Inkjet printers – make images by
forcing ink droplets through
nozzles.
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Laser printers – form images
using an electrostatic process.
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Multifunction printers – scan,
copy, and fax, as well as print.
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On Your Own
Finding a Printer to
Meet Your Needs
Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Characteristics of CPUs and RAM
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CPU
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Speed measured in megahertz (MHz) and
gigahertz (GHz).
Contains control unit and arithmetic/logic unit
(A/L unit) - see Fig A.12
RAM
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Capacity measured in megabytes (millions of
characters)
Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Common Storage Devices
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Common storage devices include:
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Floppy disk
High-capacity floppy disk
Hard disk
CD-ROM
CD-R (compact disc – recordable)
CD-RW (compact disc – rewritable)
DVD-ROM
DVD-R
DVD-RW, or DVD-RAM, or DVD+RW (all different
names by different manufacturers)
Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Telecommunications Devices
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Network - two or more computers connected so
that they can communicate with each other and
possibly share information, software, peripheral
devices, and/or processing power.
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Telephone modem - a device that connects
your computer to your phone line so that you
can access another computer or network.
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Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Telecommunications Devices
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Types of modems include:
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Telephone modem
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) modem
Cable modem
Satellite modem
Module E covers these in more detail.
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Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Telecommunications Devices
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Communication software includes:
 Connectivity software – enables you to use
your computer to “dial up” or connect to
another computer.
 Web browser software – enables you to surf
the Web.
 E-mail software – enables you to
electronically communicate with other people
by sending and receiving e-mail.
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Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Connecting Devices
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Connecting devices enable your hardware to
communicate with each other.
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Busses – system and expansion.
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Expansion – slots and cards.
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Ports and connectors – USB, serial, parallel,
and IrDA
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Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Connecting Devices
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Popular connectors include:
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USB (universal serial bus) –the most
popular means of connecting devices to a
computer.
Serial connector – usually has 9 holes but
may have 25, which fit into the corresponding
number of pins in the port.
Parallel connector – has 25 pins, which fit
into the corresponding holes in the port.
Hardware: Your Physical Interface
Connecting Devices
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IrDA (infrared data association) ports –
are for wireless devices that work in
essentially the same way as the remote
control on your TV does.
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Putting it all together…
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See example program on pp. 64-5.
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Describes simple program for adding two
numbers
Describes how the CPU processes the
program statements to give output
See you in class!
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