computers simplified supplemental lecture notes. introduction chapter 1
TRANSCRIPT
Parts of A Computer
Hardware – you can see it or touch it Software – set of electronic instructions
– Application software – specific tasks– Operation software – controls overall activity
Peripherals – anything attached
Storage Simplified
Bit: on or off– Smallest unit of information in a computer
Byte: one character– 8 binary digits
Bigger Is Better Kilobyte (KB)
– 1,024 character• One double-spaced typed page
Megabyte (MB)– 1,048,576 characters
• A book
Gigabyte (GB)– 1,073,741,824
• A shelf of books
Terabyte (TB)– 1,099,511,511,627,776 characters
• A library of books
Set-top Box
Computer device that you connect to your television.– Use telephone or cable connection– Email of Internet
Computer Components Power supply Hard drive Expansion card Expansion slot System board CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Floppy disk Drive bay Central Processing Unit (CPU) Random access memory (RAM)
Power Plays
The capacity of a power supply is measured in watts
Computer uses 250; light bulb uses 60 Can use
– Surge protector– UPS
Ports
Ports are connectors at the back of a computer system that you use to plug in an external device. This allow instructions and data to flow between the computer and the device
Any Port in a Storm
Parallel port – 25 holes; female connector; LPT1; printer or storage devices
Monitor port Keyboard port Serial port – 9 or 25 pins; male connector; COM1; mouse
or modem Game port Network port USB port
– 127 devices– Printer, modem, joy stick
Growing
An expansion card is a circuit board that lets you add new features to a computer– Video– Modem– Sound– Network Interface
Upgrades
Upgrading refers to replacing an old or obsolete component with a newer component to improve the efficiency of the computer
Upgrading also can include adding a new component like a tape drive or DVD to increase the capabilities of a computer
Increasing the amount of memory in a computer is one of the most effective upgrades you can perform
Mouse Actions
Click – selects Right click – displays commands Double click – opens Drop and Drag – moves items on screen
Mice
Types– Conventional– Wheel mouse– Wireless mouse– Programmable mouse – e.g. three buttons– Optical sensor mouse
Other devices– Touchpad– Trackball– Pointing stick
Keyboards
There are 101 keys on a keyboard to help you input information
Function keys let you perform specific task Can use CNTL-x shortcuts to execute
commands– CNTL-C – copy– CNTL-X – cut– CNTL-V – paste
Windows key will quickly display the start menu
Printers
Speed of a printer is measured in pages per minute (PPM). A higher speed represents faster output
Resolution determines the quality of images– A higher resolution results in sharper images– Printer resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi)
• 600 dpi is acceptable; 1200 is better for images
– Resolution expressed with two numbers represents dots per inch across and down
Types of Printers Ink-jet: has a print head that sprays ink
through tiny nozzles onto a page– 2 to 10 pages (ppm)– 360 to 2400 dots per inch– Color printers spray cyan, magenta, yellow
and black to create different colors Laser-printer
– Works like a photo copier– Speed of 4 to 16 pages– Have a CPU– 600 to 2400– Memory – 2mb to 8 Mb
Other Types
Dot matrix– Print head contains small blunt pins that strike
an inked ribbon• Useful for multi-part forms
LED printer• Similar to lasers but cheaper
Color photo printer Multifunction Printer
Print Buffer and Spoolers
Printer buffer: section of memory printer stores information waiting to print
Printer spooler: program on your computer that stores information waiting to print– Stores more information than the buffer– One spooler for each connected printer
Monitors Video cards translate instructions from
the computer into a form Most computes the monitor can understand– require at least 2 mb of video card
memory– Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) – uses
AGP bus to communicate directly with main memory
– 3D Graphics Accelerator has chip called a GPU optimized for 3-D graphics
Monitor Metrics
The smaller the dot pitch, the crisper the image– 0.28mm is acceptable
Refresh rate is measured in hertz (Hz)– Times per second computer redraws the image– 72 Hz or more is acceptable
Resolution
Amount of information a monitor can display– Measured by the number of horizontal and vertical
pixels
Monitors switch settings based on the resolution and refresh rate of video card
Video card determines number of colors a monitor can display– 256 suitable for most home use– 24-bit displays more colors than eye can distinguish
Communications Modems let a computer exchange
information through telephone lines Speed of a modem determines how fast it
sends and receives messages– 56,000 bps (56 Kbps)
• V.90 standard: receive 56K and send 33.6K
– Speed at which information flows depend on the quality of the phone line
A modem needs a communications package to manage the transmission of information
Data compression – squeezes together data
High-speed Connections ISDN – Integrated Services Digital Network
– Digital phone line– 56 Kbps to 128 Kbps
Cable Modem– Same cable as TV– 4000 Kbps
DSL – Digital subscriber line– High speed digital phone line– 1000 – 6000 Kbps
Satellite
Sound Cards
Sampling Rate: at least 44.1 KHz Full-duplex
– Talk and listen at same time
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) support– Wavetable synthesis
• Actual recordings
– FM synthesis• Imitated sounds
Scanners A scanner is a device that reads
images and text into a computer– Most scanners come with Optical
Character Recognition (OCR) software. This software places scanned text into a document that can be edited in a word processor
– Color dept is measured in bits and indicates the number of colors a scanner can detect
• 36 bit color depth is acceptable
Resolution
Resolution determines the amount of detail a scanner can detect
• Ranges from 600 dpi to 2400 dpi
• You usually don’t need to scan at a higher resolution than a printer can produce or a monitor can display
– Most monitors are 73 dpi
– Printers vary
Cameras
Resolution is measured in megapixels– 1000 x 1000 pixels– 1, 2 and 3 megapixel cameras are available
Digital video cameras use a Charged Coupling Device (CCD) to capture video– Quality depend on amount of detail a CCD can detect
• Most CCD’s have resolution between 250,000 and 700,000 pixels
Web cameras – resolution and speed determine quality of image– Common transfer rates– 15 frames per second at 640 x 480 pixels– 30 frames per second at 352 x 288 (clearer but smaller)
MP3
Sound format used to CD-quality music over the Internet– Compresses sound
Commonly 64 bit memory
USB and Firewire
High-speed ports that allow information to quickly transfer between a computer and an external device– USB
• Supports up to 127 device– USB 1.0: 12 megabits per second
– USB 2.0: 480 Mbps
– FIREWIRE• 63 devices at 400 Mbps
• Can purchase Firewire expansion card
CPU Central Processing Unit Processes instructions, performs calculations,
and manages the flow of information through a computer system
Performance:– Each generation of CPU is more powerful than the
one before– CPU speed is a major factor in determining how fast
a computer operates (faster the speed, faster computer operates)
• Measured in megahertz (MHz)
Processing
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the main chip in a computer– Processes instructions– Performs calculations– Manages the flow of information
Types of CPUs Intel Pentium Processor
– Speeds of 450 MHz to 1.13 GHz
Intel Celeron– Needs of home machines (500-700MHz)
AMD Athlon Processor– Business and home use
AMD Duron Processor– Home use
VIA Cyrix Processor– Inexpensive CPU
Processing Random Access Memory – Temporarily stores data
inside a computer– Constantly overwritten– Measured in megabytes (MB)
• 64 minimum these days100 MHz (millions of cycles per second)
– Dynamic RAM is type of memory chip that makes up memory in many computer systems. Access speed measured in megabits
• Most system boards can support access speed of Single Inline Memory Module (SIMM) – 9 memory chips
• Dual Inline Module (DIMM) – 18 memory chips
If you have limited memory or you have many programs open, your computer may need to use part of the hard drive to simulate more memory
Using Memory Cache
1. Look through documents on your desk (internal cache)
2. Look through documents in your desk drawer (external cache)
3. Looking through documents in your filing cabinet (RAM)
Using Memory Cache
1. Look through documents on your desk (internal cache)
2. Look through documents in your desk drawer (external cache)
3. Looking through documents in your filing cabinet (RAM)
Memory Cache
Speeds up computer by storing data the computer has recently used– Internal Cache: On CPU chip (L1 or primary cache– External Cache: On the system board and consists of
Static RAM (SRAM chips)• Sometimes built into chip
RAM – slower main memory– Each time the computer requests data from RAM, the
computer places a copy of the data in memory cache• Constantly contains the most recently used data
BUS
Electronic pathway that carries information between devices in a computer– Bus Width (think lanes of a highway)
• 8 bits is one character
– Bus Speed (think speed limit)• Measured in MHz (millions of cycles per second)
Bus Types
ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)– Slowest and oldest– 16 bits; 8MHz (millions of cycles per second)– Pentium, Pentium II
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)– 32 or 64 bits– 66 MHz– Support Plug and Play– Pentium II, III, 4
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)– Between video card and main memory– 32 bits; 66 MHz
Using a Hard Drive Correctly
Virus protection Backups Defragmentation
– Prevents files from being broken up for storage
Repairing a Disk Disk Cleanup Data compression
– Only if disk is running out of space
Hard Drives
Magnetically stores data on rotating disks called platters
Stores your operating system and programs Document will not be lost when you turn
off the computer Capacity is measured in bytes Speed is measured in revolutions per
minute
Connection Types
EIDE (Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics) – Called IDE– Supports total of 4 devices (any drives)– Ultra Direct Memory Access (UDMA) is enhanced
IDE
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)– Called ‘scuzzy”– Supports 7 devices– Expensive
Relation of Cache & Hard Drives
Disk cache speeds up the computer by storing the data the computer has most recently used– Constantly updated– Area of memory– Fast access– Then hard drive is searched
CD-ROM
ROM (Read-only memory) - can’t be changed 650 Mb of data
– Equal to entire set of encyclopedias– 400 Floppy disks– Music, games, software installs
Speed determines how fast a disk spins– Look for 24X
Speed of CD-ROM drive is the transfer rate– In Kb (e.g. 3600Kbs)
CD-R & CD-RW Drives
CD-R (Compact Disc – Recordable)– Permanent store; not erasable
CD-RW – Can be erased and rewritten– Read / Write and Re-write speeds– Usually 74 minutes
Special software needed to record onto a disk– Referred to as burning a CD
DVD-ROM Drive
DVD – Digital Versatile Disk– Generally cannot change the information stored on a
disk– Similar to CD but stores more information– Speed determines transfer rate (6 X)– Capacity
• 1 side / 1 layer – 4.7 GB
• 1 side / 2 layer – 8.5 GB
• 2 sides / 1 layer – 9.4 GB
• 2 sides / 2 layers – 17 GB
Tape Drive
Backup helps you copy files to tape cartridges Tape drives come with backup programs Schedule backups to run at night
– Backup programs compress data together Try to find a drive that can store the entire
contents of your hard drive Travan drives are the most common type of tape
drives – 10 GB DAT drives are faster than a Travan – 24GB
Software
Software helps you accomplish specific tasks Manufacturers also may create minor software updates called
patches, to make corrections or improvements to software Application software:
– Word processor helps you create professional looking documents quickly and efficiently
• Documents
• Editing
• Printing
• Formatting
• Tables
• Images
• Mail merge
Spreadsheets
Perhaps the original ‘killer app’– Manage finances on your computer– Manage data in a list
Funtions– Formatting– Editing– Formatting– Formulas and calculations– Charts
Database Programs
Helps you manage large collections of information– Phone directories– Product listings– Payroll information
Features– Store information– Find information– Analyze and print information
Databases
Organized in: – Tables
• Collection of information about a specific topic
– Field• Category of information
– Record• Single instance of information
Application Suites
Word processing Spreadsheet program Presentation program Information management program
– Mail, calendars, address book
Database program
Utility Programs
Utility: A program that performs a specific task on your computer– Norton utilities: recover files– Virusscan: anti-virus– Acrobat Reader: View PDF (Portable Document
Format) files– Winfax pro– ViaVoice – Speech recognition– WinZip – Compress and decompress files
Operating Systems
Software that controls the overall activity of the computer– Ensure that all of the parts of the computer work
together smoothly– Functions:
• Control hardware
• Run software
• Manage information
– Programs that run on one operating system platform do not generally run on others
Types of Operating Systems
MS-DOS• Command driven
Windows– Windows 3.1– Windows 9X (95, 98)– Windows ME– Windows XP– Windows NT– Windows 2000
• GUI – “Graphical User Interface”
UNIX MAC OS
MS-DOS
Characterized by the C:\> prompt Cursor is the flashing line on the screen
where you type File Organization: Root directory is C:\
– Path describes the location of a file
Files: Name is 8; extension is 3
Windows 3.1
Not technically an operating system– Works with MS-DOS
Program Manager is the control center File Manager used to organize files Desktop – Background area
Windows 95
True operating system – eliminated reliance on DOS
My Computer lets you browse all folders and documents
START button allows you to quickly access programs and documents
Windows Explorer: Shows the location of each folder and document on the computer
Windows -98
Similar to Windows-95 More reliable than Windows-95 Has multiple monitor capability Uses FAT32 file system Includes Internet functionality
• Explorer• Outlook Express• Front Page Express
Windows ME
Millennium Edition Similar to 98 Added features
– Record videos using Windows Movie Maker– Manage Multimedia Files with Media Player– Restore your computer– Set up a home network– Phone home
Windows XP Windows XP, which is available in Home and
Professional editions, was released in October. Windows XP Professional is intended to replace Windows 2000 Professional. Windows XP Home Edition was designed as the upgrade for the Windows 95, 98 and Me line.
Although the two systems run on the same kernel, or engine that drives the operating system,Windows XP has many features that are not included in Windows 2000.
• System Restore• Built-in Firewall• Much more graphic• NT look and feel• Multiple users• CD-RW functionality
Windows NT
Features advanced networking and security Separates Workstations and Servers Runs Windows-9X programs Workstations communicating with NT can run:
– NT– Linux– Win 9X– Mac OS 9
UNIX
Can run single computer or entire network Developed on mainframes in late ’60’s Versions:
– SCO– Solaris– Linux– HP-UX– AIX
Most widely used operating system on Internet
LINUX
Unix-based system offered as freeware on the Internet– Can purchase from Red Hat, Corel or mandrake
Can be set up with GUI operating system called GNOME or as a command line system
Features:– Software analogous to Windows available– Accounts for root and personal functions are available
MAC OS
Version 9– Advanced sound, video and graphics– Internet (Sherlock2)
Version 10– New GUI
• Includes dock for frequently accessed items
– Graphics: PDF, QuickTime and OpenGL– Improved operating system Kernel
Notebook Computes
Small lightweight computer you can easily transport– Built-in keyboard and pointing devices
Batteries– Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH)– Lithium Ion
• More expensive but lighter and stronger
– Last only a few hours
Laptop Features
Screens– Uses liquid crystal display (LCD)– Measured diagonally– Backlit– Can use a full-size monitor– Types
• Passive Matrix– Hard to view from an angle
• Dual-Scan• Active Matrix (also called a Thin Film Transistor)
– Can be view from oblique angles
Laptop Features
Input / Output Devices– There are several device that let you move the pointer
around the screen of a notebook computer• Pointing stick
• Trackball
• Touchpad
– Keyboards– Modem– Sound card and speakers
Laptop Features
Input / Output Devices– There are several device that let you move the pointer
around the screen of a notebook computer• Pointing stick
• Trackball
• Touchpad
– Keyboards– Modem– Sound card and speakers
Laptop Features
Storage Devices– Hard Drive– CD-ROM or DVD-ROM– Floppy Drives– External Drives– PC cards: Personal Computer Memory Card
international Association (PCMCIA)• Compact Flash Memory
Processing
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the main chip in a computer– Processes instructions– Performs calculations– Manages the flow of information
PC Cards
A PC Card adds a new capability such as memory, different devices or connectivity to a laptop– Type I, II, III– Can have one Type III card or two Type I or
IIs
Other Features
Network Interface Card Infrared port Port Replicator
– Lets you connect many devices to a notebook at once
Docking station adds a keyboard and a full-size monitor to the port replicator
Introduction to Handhelds
Portable computer small enough to carry– Called a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)– Popular Handhelds
• Palm
• Visor
• CI
– Features• Stylus
• Collapsible keyboards
• Wireless modems
Handheld Systems
Operating Systems– Palm OS– Windows CE
Electronic organizers Information exchanges Other technologies
– Smart phones– RIM BlackBerry – two-way paging
Macintosh Examined First computers with mouse and GUI Advantages
– Ease of use– WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get)
Types– Power Mac (G4)– Cube – Quarter-size– iMac – all-in-one– PowerBook
OS– Versions 9 & 10
Ports
Connectors for external devices– FireWire
• 63 devices• High speed for multimedia like cameras and external drives
– USB Port• 127 devices
– Network Port– Speaker Port– Microphone Port– Monitor Port
Processing
All new Macintosh computers use PowerPC microprocessors called Reduced Instruction Set Computer Chips (RISC)
Types of CPUs:– G3– G4 – may be in tandem
BUS: Peripheral Component Interconnect(PCI) bus with width of 32 or 64 bits and speed up to 64 MHz
128 mb of RAM is recommended
What Is a Network
A network is a group of connected computers that allow people to share information and equipment
Types of Networks
LAN (Local Area Network) connects computers within a small geographic area like a building
WAN (Wide Area Network) connects computers across a large geographic area like a city or country (often via satellite)
Internet: World-wide network of networks
Who Runs It?
A network administrator manages the network and makes sure it runs smoothly– Often called a systems administrator or an IS
manager
Network Applications
Electronic mail Groupware
– Calendaring– Scheduling
Video-conferencing– Requires sound card, speakers, mike & camera
Physical Networking
Hubs– A hub is a device that provides a central location
where all the cables on a network come together NICs (Network Interface Card)
– An expansion card that physically connects each computer to the network
Cables– Coaxial, Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), Shielded
Twisted Pair, Fiber-optic– Wireless
How Information Is Stored
Client-Server:– Used for large networks– Files are stored on a central computer and everyone
who can access the network can be given access them• Easy to create scheme to backup and protect files
– Client: a computer that can access information stored on the server
– Server: Central computer that stores files– NetWare, UNIX, Windows NT/2000
How Information Is Stored
Peer-to-Peer:– Used for a small number of computes (e.g. 10)– Files stored on own computers; access given
to them to others on the network– LANtastic, Windows-98, Windows-ME
How Information Is Exchanged
Ethernet:– Most popular and least expensive solution– Each computer waits for a pause before
sending information• Like polite conversation
– Collisions between information often occur• Computers wait a moment, then resend
– Ethernet – 10 Mbps, Fast Ethernet – 100 Mbps, Gigabit Ethernet 1000 Mbps
How Information Is Exchanged
Token-ring is a type of network where a token that collects and delivers information is passed from compute to computer– Speeds of 4 or 16 Mbps
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a type of network that works by sending information in equal-sized pieces called cells– 25, 155, 622 or 2488 Mbps– Often networks networks
Network Security
Firewall – specialized hardware or software package designed to protect a private computer network from unauthorized access– Think “Moat”
User name and password– Used for authentication– Good passwords
Intranet
Small version of the Internet in a company Uses familiar web-browsers and email
packages Allows hyper-linking VPNs (Virtual Private Network)
– End-to-end encryption– More cost efficient than private lines
Internet Fundamentals
Dates from DARPA in the 1960s Consists of thousands of connected networks
around the world– Each organization on the Internet is responsible for
maintaining its own equipment• These organizations allow you to pass-through their nets
Designed to provide multiple routing to bypass disabled computers
Called cyber-space or the information superhighway
Internet Offerings
Electronic mail (Most popular application) Information Entertainment Discussion Groups Chat Programs (Shareware) Online shopping
Connecting
Computer Software Modem or high-speed connection ISP (Internet Service Provider)
– Access for a fee
World Wide Web
Part of the Internet consisting of a huge collection of documents stored on computers around the world– Web server: computer that stores and delivers web
pages– Web site: collection of web pages
• URL (Uniform Resource Locator) – unique address– HTTP, Computer, Directory, Name of Page
– Hyperlinks jump to different web pages
Browsers
A program that lets you view and navigate information on the World Wide Web– Home Page: Web page that appears each time you
start your web browser– Browser:
• Internet Explorer
• Netscape Navigator
– Features• Bookmark
• History lists
Multimedia
MP3 – compressed files containing music or video– WinAmp
Streaming video – requires player– RealPlayer, QuickTime
Enhancements– Java– JavaScript– ActiveX
Web Portal
Central starting point for browsing personalized by the individual– Yahoo, Excite, Go, Lycos– Info– Free services like email, shopping, chat,
games, stock quotes and sports scores
Children on the Web
Inappropriate information– Pictures– Documents
Protection– Adult supervision– Browser restrictions– Restriction programs
• CyberPatrol
• NetNanny
Create & Publish Web Pages
HyperText Mark-up Language is a computer code used to create Web pages
There are many programs available, called visual editors which can help you create Web pages without having to learn HTML
Publishing your pages – loaded to an addressable server
E-mail is a fast, economical and convenient way to send messages to family, friends and colleagues
Addresses– Location of an individual mailbox on the
Internet– User name, @ sign, domain – no spaces
Web-based E-mail
Don’t need email client Popular Web-based E-mail Services
– www.hotmail.com– www.email.com– mail.yahoo.com
Organization
By type:• .com
• .edu
• .gov
• .mil
• .net
• .org
By country• Australia - .au
• Canada - .ca
• Ireland - .ie
• Italy - .it
• Japan - .jp
• United Kingdom - .uk
Other new codes have been defined
E-mail Features
Address books Signatures Attachment of files
– Try to keep under 50Kb– Sometimes certain types of files are
screened
Viruses
An e-mail virus is a program that can disrupt the normal operation of a computer– Display of unusual messages– Destroying files on the hard drive– Sending mail to people in your address book
Opening files; sometimes only in preview Virus programs available commercially
– Must be kept up-to-date
Mail Groups
A mailing list is a discussion group that uses e-mail to communicate– A list of mailing lists is at www.liszt.com
Moderated vs. un-moderated lists Must subscribe to participate Two addresses
– Mailing list addresses– Administrative addresses
Newsgroups
A discussion group that allows people with common interests to communicate with each other
USENET (User’s Network)– All the computes that distribute newsgroup
information Messages
– Individual posts Threads
– Messages and all replies
Addressing
First word describes the main topic Each additional word is separated by a dot
and serves to narrow the topic
Networking Aspects
Newsreader – program that lets you read and post online– Microsoft Outlook has a built-in reader– Gravity– Free Agent
News server– A computer that stores newsgroup messages
Newsgroup Categories
alt
biz
comp
misc
rec
sci
Soc
talk
General Interest Business Computers Miscellaneous Recreation & Hobbies Science Social
(culture/politics) Debate
• alt.fans.actors
• biz.entrepreneurs
• comp.security.misc
• misc.books.technical
• rec.food.recipes
• sci.physics
• soc.history
• talk.politics.misc