OVERVIEW OF
COMPUTER AND
IT’S
COMPONENTS
INPUT DEVICES
• Input Devices: devices that input
information into the computer such as
a keyboard, mouse, scanner, and
digital camera.
OUTPUT DEVICES
• Output: devices that output
information from the computer such as
a printer and monitor.
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
• Computer Hardware would include
all tangible parts of a computer.
• Computer Software includes the
programs that are installed.. Or the
instructions for completing tasks.
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT
• CPU (Central Processing Unit) also called the Microprocessor or “The Brain” of the
Computer.
• Processor speed: The speed at which a microprocessor executes instructions. This is
usually measured in megahertz (MHz).
• Brands of Processors include:
• Pentium
• Celeron
• MAC
• AMD
• Cyrix
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT
• Computer chip: also called the microprocessor may
contain an entire processing unit.
• Computer chips contain millions of transistors. They
are small pieces of semi-conducting material (silicon).
• An integrated circuit is embedded in the silicon.
Computers are made of many chips on a circuit board.
DATA STORAGE DEVICES
• The hard-drive is a mechanical storage device typically
located internally.
• Fast recording and recovery of
data
• Large storage capacity
• Magnetic
• Primary storage device for data
and programs
• Speed is measured in R.P.M.’s
(Revolutions per minute)
DATA STORAGE DEVICES (CONT’D)
• CD-ROM (compact disk read only memory)
• An optical device read by
a diode laser
DATA STORAGE DEVICES (CONT’D)
Floppy diskette is magnetic
storage device for small
amounts of data (1.44MB).
FLASH drive is a compact
and portable electronic
storage device.
USB (plug and play) supported
COMPUTER MEMORY
• RAM (random access memory) stores data that is
processing. This type of memory is erased when
the computer is turned off.
• ROM (read only memory) contains special
instructions for the computer to operate.
• Cache memory increases the speed of the
processor by recording and anticipating
instructions.
GRAPHIC USER INTERFACE (GUI)
• GUI (Graphic User Interface) is a set of images and icons seen on the
desktop used to operate a program.
• The GUI makes the programs loaded on the
computer easier to access and use. Basic
Windows GUI
• Icons are small pictures that represent files,
commands, or windows.
• Windows is a GUI operating system.
PORTS AND PERIPHERALS
Ports are an interface between the computer and another peripheral
device such as a disk drive, mouse, printer, modem, monitor,
camera, FLASH drive or keyboard.
Examples:
Serial
Parallel
hot-wire
USB
PORTS AND PERIPHERALS
Peripherals are devices that
plug into a computer and are
not housed internally.
Examples:
Printers
Scanners
Cameras
COMPUTER NETWORK
• A computer network is a system
that connects two or more
computing devices for
transmitting and sharing
information. Computing devices
include everything from a
mobile phone to a server. These
devices are connected using
physical wires such as fiber
optics, but they can also be
wireless
LAN AND WAN
• LAN: are networks usually in the same company or
building. The Local Area Network is connected via
telephone lines or radio waves. Most LANs connect
workstations.
• WAN: are systems of LANs that are connected.
(Wide-area network)
BANDWIDTH AND BAUD RATE
• Bandwidth is how much information can be
carried in a given time period (usually a
second) over a wired or wireless
communications link.
• Baud rate is the rate at which information is
transferred in a communication channel.
MULTITASKING AND MULTIPROCESSING
• Multitasking is the ability to execute more than
one task (program) at the same time. Only one
CPU is used but switches from one program to
another.
• In multiprocessing, more than one CPU is used to
complete a task. Example: network rendering.
MULTIMEDIA
• Multimedia software programs include sound,
pictures, video, text, and hypertext to create
presentations.
Software includes:
PowerPoint
Macromedia Director
FLASH
RESOLUTION
• Screen resolution is measured in pixel per inch (ppi), and printer
resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi).
• Computer screen resolution is approximately 72 ppi.
Width x Height (Pixels) Video Display
640 x 480 Low Resolution
800 x 600 Medium Resolution
1600 x 1200 High Resolution
RESOLUTION
• Resolution refers to the number of pixels
(picture elements) in the monitor image.
• Increased resolution uses more computer
resources but increases the visual clarity of the
display.
COMPUTER MEMORY
• Computer memory is binary (0 or 1) (on or off).
• The byte is the standard unit of measurement.
• A byte is composed of 8 bits (binary digits).
• Typical units of measurement:
• 1 KB (kilobyte) = 1000 bytes
• 1 MB (megabyte) =1000 kilobytes or 1 million bytes
• 1 GB (gigabyte) =1000 megabytes or 1 billion bytes
1 Tb(Terabyte)= 1000 gigabytes or 1 trillon
FILE MANAGEMENT
• Saving files - know the difference between “save” and “save as”.
“Save” will save the open document over the saved document
while “save as” creates a new document if you rename the
document. Save often so work will not be lost.
FILE MANAGEMENT
• Different programs have different file extensions.
• Naming files - avoid the following characters in naming files:
Examples:
• @
• *
• .
• Understand the parts of a path name.
Example: C:\SciVis\movie.avi
Drive designator Directory or folder File name File extension
THANK YOU
