Welcome to CMPE003 Personal Computer Concepts: Hardware and Software

1. Welcome to CMPE003 Personal Computer Concepts: Hardware and Software Winter 2003 UC Santa Cruz Instructor: Guy Cox

2. Computers:Tools for an Information Age Chapter 1 – Part b Computers: Tools for an Information Age

3. Forging a Computer-Based Society • Traditional Cornerstones of Economy: • Land • Labor • Capital • New Economic Element: • Information

4. Computers are all around! • Grocery store • School • Library • Bank • Mail We interact with computers everyday!

5. Fundamental Characteristics • Speed • Reliability • Storage Capability • By-products (or Benefits)

6. Benefits of Computers • Productivity • Workers use computers to do their jobs faster and better • Many processes can be more efficiently controlled by computers • Decision Making • Helps decision makers sort out financial, geographical, and logistical factors • Cost Reduction • Helps hold down costs of labor, energy and paperwork

7. Chapter Objectives • Describe the three fundamental characteristics of computers • Speed, reliability & storage • Describe at least four areas of society in which computers are used • Identify the basic components of a computer system: • input, processing, output, and storage (IPOS) • List some common input, output, and storage media • Distinguish raw data from information • Describe the significance of computer networks • Explain the significance of the Internet • Explain the various classifications of computers

8. Computer System People Software Hardware

9. People • Hardware Engineers – • People who design and build computers • Software Engineers (programmers) – • People who design and write software programs • Users or End-users – • People who make use of the computer’s capabilities

10. Software • Programs • Set of instructions that directs the hardware to do a required task and produce the desired results

11. Hardware – Basic Components of a Computer

12. What Is a Computer? • A machine that can be programmed to accept data, process it into useful information, and store it away • Data: raw facts representing people and events • Information: data that is organized, meaningful, and useful

13. Functions in a Computer System What is a computer? • Four primarycomponents: • Input devices • Processor • Output devices • Storage

14. Input: What Goes In • Input: the data or commands put into the computer for processing • Common input devices: • Keyboard • Mouse • Scanner • Microphone • Camera

15. Keyboard • Most common input device • Generates electrical signals which are translated into characters

16. Mouse • Moves over a flat surface • Movement of mouse ball causes corresponding movement of pointer on screen

17. Scanner • Reads special letters, numbers, and symbols • Wand reader, bar code reader often used in stores • Flatbed and sheet-fed scanners scan pictures or printed documents

18. The Processor and Memory:Data Manipulation • Processor • Also called central processing unit (CPU) • Memory (primary storage) • Closely related to, but distinct from processor • Provides temporary storage

19. Primary Storage • Used to temporarily hold data • After it is retrieved from input device and before it is processed • After it is processed and before it is released to output device • Temporary (volatile) storage • Data in memory lost if power is lost or program closed

20. The Processor • Center of activity in the computer • Consists of electronic circuits • Interprets and executes program instructions • Communicates with input, output, and storage devices • Transforms data into information

21. Output: What Comes Out • Output: the result produced by the CPU • Common forms of output: text, numbers, graphics, and sounds • Common output devices: • Screen (monitor): can display text, numbers, photographs, even video, in full color • Printer: produces printed reports as instructed by a program

22. Monitor or screen Text Numbers Symbols Art Photographs Video Printer Black and white Color Output devices • Convert from electronic form to some other form • May display the processed results • Usable information Speakers • Music • CDs, DVDs

23. Secondary Storage • Provides long-term storage • Separate from memory • Common media • Magnetic disks • Optical disks • Magnetic tape • Caveat -- “Bit rot” • Data can be lost or changed over time

24. Magnetic Disks • The most common storage media • Diskette: 3.5” flexible diskette in plastic case • Hard Disk: more storage capacity and faster access than diskette

25. Optical Disks • Use a laser beam to read large volumes of data inexpensively • CD-ROMs • DVD-ROMs

26. Magnetic Tape • Stores large amounts of data inexpensively • Often used for system backup

27. Peripheral Devices • All hardware devices attached to the computer • Includes all input, output, and storage devices

28. Networking • Network: a system that uses communications equipment to connect computers and their resources • Common network tools: • Local Area Network (LAN) • Wide Area Network (WAN) • Modem • Electronic mail

29. Local Area Network (LAN) • Personal computers in an office are connected so users can communicate • Users can operate computers independently • Can share resources and exchange data

30. Wide Area Network (WAN) • Wide area network (WAN) – connects computers over great distances • A WAN may connect several LANs

31. The Internet • The largest and most far-flung network • Connects users worldwide • Not actually a network, but a collection of thousands of networks • No ownership • No central source for services available • No comprehensive index of what information is available

32. Internet Connects Everyone! • Individuals • Businesses • Organizations • Libraries • Research labs • Government

33. Electronic Mail (e-mail) • Send and receive messages electronically • Can send text, pictures, links to Web sites • Can attach files for collaboration • Messages stored in computer “mailbox”

34. Getting Connected • To access the Internet, connect to a server computer • Server receives, processes, and transmits information • Computers use a standard to communicate • Need an Internet Service Provider (ISP)

35. Home Connectivity • Connect home PC to other computers • (Usually via an ISP) • Use modem to convert signals between electronic (computer) and analog (voice) formats • Dial-up modem • ADSL modem • Cable modem

36. Modem • A device that allows users to communicate with other computers over telephone lines • Required when you don’t have a digital connection such as DSL or a cable modem

37. Internet Service Providers • The owner of a server computer • Charges a fee for access to the Internet • Fee can provide unlimited access or be based on usage • Provides the user a means to connect to the server • Once connected, you can connect to the Internet and all other server computers

38. Computer Protocols • Provides a standard way to communicate with other computers • Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) used on the Internet • Allows different types of computers to share data

39. Getting Around the Internet • Began as a means for Department of Defense and its research institutions to share information • Information was text-only • Commands to navigate were obscure • Now, much more visually based • Use browser to explore the Internet • World Wide Web

40. Browser • Software that allows you to use a mouse to explore the Internet • Click on screen text and/or graphics to move to different locations • Most commonly used to explore the World Wide Web

41. The World Wide Web • A subset of the Internet • Actually, a standard for displaying and transmitting information • Web site: a location on the Web • Home page: the main page of a Web site

42. Classification of Computers • Personal Computers • Notebook Computers • Handheld Computers • Midrange Computers • Mainframes • Supercomputers

43. Classifications of Computers • Use the computer that fits your needs • Based upon • Size • Speed • Cost • Portability • Number of simultaneous users supported • Available software • Typical use

44. Personal Computers • Desktop computers • Also known as PCs, microcomputers, or home computers • Broken down into three categories: • Low-end computers • Fully-powered personal computers • Workstations • Network computer • Central processing unit and minimal memory • Designed to be used on a network • Sometimes called thin client

45. PC Categories • Low-end computers • Fine for home users, word processing, simple games, Internet access • Fully powered computers • Good for heavy use of graphics, programming, or action-oriented games • Workstations • Very high-end computers used by engineers, financial traders, and graphic designers

46. Notebook Computers • Small, lightweight computers • Capabilities approach that of desktop computers • Similar processing and memory • Most have hard disk, and diskette or CD-ROM drive • Typically more expensive than comparable desktop computers

47. Handheld Computers • Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) • Keeps track of appointments, contacts, etc. • Accepts input with hand-held stylus • Pocket PC • Offers capabilities of PDAs, plus the ability to run stripped-down versions of software such as word processing and spreadsheets

48. Other Types of Computers • Client/Servers • client processes requesting service from server processes • clients and servers running on the appropriate hardware and software • Mainframes • High speed • More expensive • Used to process large amounts of data quickly • Transaction processing • Support multiple users • Does server tasks • Supercomputers • Fastest speed • Most expensive

49. Midrange Computers • Multi-user computers designed to serve the needs of medium-sized organizations • Hundreds or thousands of users connected • Used for inventory, order-entry, and other company-wide applications Return

50. Mainframes • Very large and powerful computers • Capable of processing billions of instructions per second • Capable of handling billions of characters of data • Often used for applications with many users • Reservations systems • Large mail-order houses • E-mail servers Return