COMPUTER
OVERVIEW
Hardware and Software
WHAT IS A COMPUTER?
A computer is an electronic device that receives input,
stores it for a period of time, operate it according to a set
of instructions (known as a PROGRAM) and gives the
user with an output.
[email protected]COMPUTERS ARE EVERYWHERE
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Rick Graziani [email protected]
TRADITIONAL TYPES OF COMPUTERS
General purpose computers
Mainframe
Minicomputer
Microcomputer (Personal
Computer)
TRADITIONAL TYPES OF COMPUTERS
• Mainframe
Computers
First computers, introduced in 1950s
Used by large businesses
Typically supported hundreds or thousands of users
Very expensive
Used for very large processing tasks
TRADITIONAL TYPES OF COMPUTERS
• Minicomputers
Typically supported hundreds of users
No longer a product line
Smaller and less expensive than mainframes
The real difference is relative in terms of price, power, marketing.
TRADITIONAL TYPES OF COMPUTERS
• Microcomputer
(Personal Computer)
Small, self-contained computers
with their own CPUs
Uses a microprocessor, a CPU
(Central Processing Unit) on
a single chip.
PERSONAL COMPUTER
• Desktop computers
• Laptop computers
• Tablets
• Smart Phones
EMBEDDED COMPUTERS
Embedded computers – Computers found
inside consumer goods in order to enhance
their function.
Cars today might have as many as 50
microprocessors on them.
Some of the reasons for this increase in the
number of microprocessors are:
Meet emissions and fuel-economy
standards
Advanced diagnostics
Reduction of the amount of wiring in cars
New safety features
New comfort and convenience features
Sensors, wearables, medical devices, and
more
SPECIAL PURPOSE COMPUTERS
Special purpose or dedicated computers – A device with a
specific purpose such as game system or information kiosk.
COMPUTER IS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
HARDWARE VERSUS SOFTWARE
Hardware = The
physical components
that make up a
computer system.
HARDWARE VERSUS SOFTWARE
Software = The
programs (instructions)
that tell the computer
what to do.
Operating System
Application Software
Programming Software
Utility Software
HARDWARE COMPONENTS
INPUT SYSTEM UNIT OUTPUT
PERMANENT
STORAGE
INPUT AND OUTPUT DEVICES
INPUT SYSTEM UNIT OUTPUT
PERMANENT
STORAGE
INPUT DEVICES
Inputdevices allow a user to key-in
data into the computer.
Enter information into a computer
INPUT DEVICES
Mouse
Keyboard
Scanner
Web Camera
Barcode Scanner
Microphone
MOUSE
A mouse is a small device used to point to
and select items on your computer screen.
It has two buttons: the left (primary)
button and the right (secondary) button.
Youcan move the mouse using your hand
and the mouse pointer in the screen moves
along in the same direction.
COMMON TYPES OF
MOUSE
Optical Mouse Wireless Mouse
KEYBOARD
Thekeyboard is used to type text into the
computer. It has keys for letters, numbers
and some special characters.
KEYBOARD
OUTPUT DEVICES
Theseare devices that receive or
display information from a
computer.
Send information out from a PC.
OUTPUT DEVICES
Monitor
Printer
Speakers
Headset
MONITOR
Amonitor displays information
in visual form, using text or
graphics. The part of the
monitor which displays the
information is called the screen.
MONITOR
CRT LCD & LED
PRINTER
Inkjet Printer Laser Printer
Dot-matrix Printer
SPEAKERS
Speakers are used to play sounds. They
are connected into the computer which
then allows you to listen to music and
hear sound effects from your computer.
SYSTEM UNIT
SYSTEM UNIT
INPUT SYSTEM UNIT OUTPUT
PERMANENT
STORAGE
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SYSTEM UNIT
The system unit is the core of the computer
system. It is usually the rectangular box placed
underneath a computer desk. Inside the box are
the following electronic components that help in
the processing of information:
CPU
Memory
Motherboard
Power Supply
CPU
Central Processing Unit. Also known as the
microprocessor. The CPU acts as the “brain” of
the computer. It is a place in the computer where
data is processed.
CPU
CPU (Central Processing Unit) = A complex collection of electronic
circuits on one or more integrated circuits (chips) which:
1. executes the instructions in a software program
2. communicates with other parts of the computer system, especially
RAM and input devices
The CPU is the computer!
MEMORY UNIT
It is composed of the RAM and ROM.
RAM (RANDOM ACCESS
MEMORY)
RAM (Random Access Memory) =
temporarily stores information that the
CPU uses while the computer is turned on.
RAM
Inserting RAM
RAM is TEMPORARY memory
RAM is volatile
when power goes off, everything in RAM is lost
RAM: CAPACITY
The amount of RAM determines:
What software and data the user can work on
How much software and data the user can work with
Most new computers have at least 2 GB and that is steadily increasing
“out of memory” error message from the Operating System
The more complex and sophisticated the software, the more instructions
that software contains, which means larger software files.
ROM (READ ONLY MEMORY)
ROM (Read Only Memory) = integrated circuits (microchips) that are
used to permanently store start-up (boot) instructions and other
critical information
Read Only = information which:
Cannot be changed
Cannot be removed
Cannot be appended (added to)
Fixed by manufacturer
ROM (READ ONLY MEMORY)
ROM is sometimes known as ROM BIOS (Basic Input Output System
software)
ROM permanently contains:
start-up (boot) instructions
instructions to do “low level” processing of input and output devices,
such as the communications with the keyboard and the monitor
Firmware = software program which is stored permanently on a
microchip, such as the software on the ROM chip
MOTHERBOARD
It is the organizer of all the
components of the system unit. It
consists of other circuits that
allows the outside instruction to
be understood by the machine
language.
a single circuit board with the
components which make up the
computer’s processor for a
microcomputer, including the:
CPU (Central Processing Unit)
Memory
RAM
ROM
Expansion slots
Ports
MOTHERBOARD
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It is the source of regulated current that flows
within the system unit.
PORTS
It is the location for other
connectivity and attachment such as
printer, monitor, scanner and so on.
PORTS
STORAGE DEVICES
INPUT SYSTEM UNIT OUTPUT
PERMANENT
STORAGE
Storage Devices:
Floppy disks (obsolete)
CD-ROMs, DVDs (becoming obsolete)
Hard disks
Solid State Drives (SSD)
Flash Drives
HARD DISK
It is the computer’s permanent storage area. It
holds all the computers’ program and files.
COMPUTER PERFORMANCE
CPU speed (and type)
Amount of RAM (and
speed)
Hard disk capacity
SOFTWARE
Software refers to the instructions or programs
that tell the hardware what to do. It is the name
given to the programs that you install on the
computer to perform certain types of activities.
The following are the types of software:
Operating System
Application Software
Programming Software
Utility Software
OPERATING SYSTEM
Loads automatically when you switch
on a computer
Main roles:
Controls hardware and software
Permits you to manage files
Acts as intermediary between user and
applications
OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE
Software which manages the overall operation of the
computer system including:
hardware (CPU, RAM, I/O)
security
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system interface
application interface
OPERATING SYSTEM
Three well-known operating systems include
MacOS, Windows, and Linux.
CLI – COMMAND LINE INTERFACE
No GUI
MS DOS / Command Prompt
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CLI – Command Line Interface
GUI – GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE
Windows 3.1
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Windows
95/98/XP
WINDOWS 7
MAC OS
LINUX MINT
UBUNTU
OpenSUSE
OPERATING SYSTEMS FOR SMARTPHONES
Open-source OS
currently developed by
Google.
having the largest
installed base worldwide
on smartphones
Cupcake Donut Eclair
Froyo
Honeycomb
Gingerbread
KitKat
Ice Cream Sandwich Jellybean
Lollipop
Android's releases are named after sweets or dessert
items (except for the first and second releases)
Alpha (1.0 & 1.1)
Beta (1.2)
Cupcake (1.5)
Donut (1.6)
Eclair (2.0, 2.0.1, 2.1)
Frozen Yogurt/“Froyo” (2.2.x)
Gingerbread (2.3, 2.3.3)
Honeycomb (3.0, 3.1, 3.2)
Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0, 4.0.3)
Jellybean (4.1, 4.2, 4.3)
KitKat (4.4.4)
Lollipop (5.0, 5.0.1, 5.0.2, 5.1, 5.1.1)
Marshmallow (6.0, 6.0.1
Other Android-based mobile OS:
Color OS – Oppo
EMUI – Huawei
Fire OS – Amazon
MIUI (Mi User Interface) – Xiaomi
mobile operating system created and developed by Apple
Inc. and distributed exclusively for Apple hardware.
presently powers many of the company's mobile devices,
including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
second most popular mobile operating system platform in
the world by sales, after Android
Current iOS version list:
iPhone OS 1.x
iPhone OS 2.x
iPhone OS 3.x
iOS 4.x
iOS 5.x
iOS 6.x
iOS 7.x (Major UI revamp)
iOS 8.x
iOS 9.x
APPLICATION SOFTWARE
Performs specific tasks:
Word processing
Calculations
Information storage and
retrieval
Accounting
Cannot function without
the OS (Operating
System)
Written for a specific
operating system and
computer hardware.
PROGRAMMING
SOFTWARE
These are programming tools that allow
the programmers to craft their own
computerization programs.
Two examples of programming software
are BlueJ and NetBeans. Both are used to
create Java-based programs.
PROGRAMMING
SOFTWARE
UTILITY SOFTWARE
A special purpose software that
improves the PC operations by
providing additional and
specialized functionality. It
helps keep to keep your system
in shape by
eliminating/correcting error.
UTILITY SOFTWARE
UTILITY SOFTWARE
