ESSENTIALS OF COMPUTING I

CSCI 104

COMPUTING CONCEPTS

OBJECTIVES

• Distinguish between system and application software.

• Identify the four types of computers and the four type

of microcomputers.

• Describe computer hardware including the input,

output, storage, and communication devices.

• Explain computer connectivity and the Internet.

INTRODUCTION

• What is a Computer?

An electronic device that processes data.

SOFTWARE

SOFTWARE

• Programs

• Executable step by step instructions that tell the computer

how to perform a task.

• Two major kinds of software

• System Software (Operating Systems)

• Application Software

SOFTWARE

• System Software • Linux (& its distributions)• Mac OS X• Windows 7 • Windows 8• What are the different version of Windows?

• Application Software • Productivity Applications – Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint• Games Other applications – Dreamweaver and Publisher

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SYSTEM SOFTWARE

• What do they do?

• Provide User Interface

• Interface between

hardware and software

• RAM Management

• Hard Drive Management

• Process Management

• Network connections

• Utilities:

• Disk cleanup

• Defrag

APPLICATION SOFTWARE

• “End-user” software

• Two major categories

• Basic Application or General purpose

• Specialized applications

• Don’t see too often

• Most programmers work

on these.

• Examples?

DATA

• Raw, unprocessed facts

• Processing creates information

• Stored electronically in files

• Document Files

• Worksheet Files

• Presentation Files

DOCUMENT FILES

• Created by word processors to save documents

such as memos, term papers,

and letters

WORKSHEET FILES

• Created by electronic spreadsheets to analyze

things like budgets and to predict sales

PRESENTATION FILES

• Created by presentation graphics programs to save

presentation materials. For example, a file might

contain audience handouts, speaker notes, and

electronic slides.

HARDWARE

TYPES OF COMPUTERS

• Clusters

• Supercomputers

• Mainframe computers

• Microcomputers

• Tablet

TYPES OF MICROCOMPUTERS

• Desktop

• Notebook or Laptop

• Tablet PC

DESKTOP COMPUTERS

• Are small enough to fit on top of or alongside a

desk yet are too big to carry around

NOTEBOOK OR LAPTOP COMPUTERS

• Notebook computers, also known as laptop

computers, are portable, lightweight, and fit into

most briefcases

• Advantages & Disadvantages?

PC TABLET

• Is a type of notebook computer that accepts your

handwriting and senses touch. This input is digitized

and converted for further processing by programs.

• Other differences

MICROCOMPUTER HARDWARE

• Four basic categories of equipment:

- System Unit

- Input/Output

- Secondary Storage

- Communication

INPUT/OUTPUT

• Common input devices ?

• Common output devices ?

SYSTEM UNIT

• Two important

components-

• Microprocessor

• Intel

• AMD

• Memory (RAM)

MICROPROCESSOR

• Original chips were numbered

• 8086, 80286, 80386, 80486

• Intel I5, i7, etc..

• You could buy chips from multiple vendors

• Clock speed (MHz or GHz) differentiates chips

• Dual Core, Quad Core

• The central processing unit (CPU)

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MEMORY (RAM)

• RAM – Random Access Memory

• Stores active programs and data

• Volatile (erased when power turned off)• Consider a UPS (uninterrupted power supply)

• Measured in Bytes • 1 Megabyte = 220 characters (~1,000,000 bytes)• 1 Gigabyte = 230 characters (~1,000,000,000 bytes)

• Comes with 2GB up to 16GB of RAM• Keep multiple programs & data files in memory• Graphic-intensive programs demand a lot of memory

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OTHER MEMORY (ROM)

• ROM – Read Only Memory

• Permanent memory that controls basic operations

of the computer when in use.

• BOOTS UP the computer

SECONDARY STORAGE

• Unlike memory, secondary storage

holds data and programs even if

electrical power is not available

SECONDARY STORAGE

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Hard (fixed) disk 1 TB and higher

Removable storage CD-ROM CD-R/CD-RW DVD/DVD-R/DVD-RW Tape (common for backups) Flash Drives & SD Cards Outdated

Zip disks Floppy Disks

COMMUNICATION HARDWARE

• Devices that allow computers to communicate with

each other

• Allows a LAN (local area network) to connect to a

WAN (the Internet)

• Modem/Cable Modem/DSL Modem – allows the

computer to communicate over cables used for

other transmissions (voice, cable TV, etc).

COMMUNICATION HARDWARE

• Network Card – Ethernet card or wireless

• Ethernet Cable – cable to connect the computer Ethernet network card to a router or modem.

• Router – Allows two or more devices to share the internet connection

HOW COMPUTERS WORK

RAM

Hard Drive

HOW SYSTEM HARDWARE INTERACTS

CPU

CD , DVD, Flash Drive

Input Output

HOW TO PURCHASE A PC

PURCHASE OF A PC

• What to Consider

• How much can you spend?

• Desktop or Laptop?

• What will it be used for?

• Hardware

• RAM

• Hard Drive Size

• Screen Size

• Network Card

PURCHASE OF A PC

• Sound Card

• Video Card

• Processor Speed

• Processor Type

• Mac vs. Windows vs. Chrome

Components Specifications

Processor Intel Pentium 4; Intel Core Duo 2GHzIntel Centrino; Intel CeleronAMD AMD64; AMD Turion

Video Card 2 Screen; Gamming

Memory 2 Gig at least

Floppy Disk Drive Not used any more

Hard Drive Desktop – 150 GBLaptop – 80 GB

CD, DVD, R/RW CD/DVD – Re-Writeable

Networking Wired – Ethernet CardWireless – 802.11g

Warranty ?

Software Operating SystemOffice ProductsFree-WareAnti-Virus

Monitor LCD

Printer Color or notIf color want high dpiMany colors

HOW THE INTERNET WORKS

WIRELESS REVOLUTION

• Connectivity

• Sharing of information

• Wireless communication is

becoming popular

• Computer networks

• WAN

• LAN

THE INTERNET AND WORLD WIDE WEB

• The Internet

• Network of networks

• Began in 1969 as a

government project

• Original network had 4

computers;

• No central authority and

thus impossible to know

the exact size

• The World Wide Web

• A subset of the Internet

consisting of computers that

store hypertext documents

• Invented by Tim Berners

Lee who wanted to share

notes with colleagues at the

European Particle Physics

Laboratory (CERN) in

Switzerland

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INTERNET

• Protocols – rules governing communication

• TCP/IP – Transmission Control Protocol/Internet

Protocol (language of the internet)

• IP Address – Internet Protocol Address

• HTTP – Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

• HTTPS –HTTP Secure

• FTP – File Transfer Protocol

HOW DOES IT WORK…

Open the browser and type a URL (web address)

Translate the URL address into the IP address

Send the packet using IP address

Receive the webpage

http://gargasz.info/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/what-is-dns-diagram1.jpg

LET’S TRY IT

• Open the browser

• Type in a URL as you usually do…

• http://amazon.com

• Open a new tab

• Type in the IP address instead

• http://72.21.215.232

A WEB SITE

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Web address (or URL)

Internet Explorer is the browser

HTTP protocol

URL

http://users.edinboro.edu:80/zimmer/home.html

http – protocol

edu – Top Level Domain (TLD)

edinboro – second level domain (SLD)

Users – third level domain/ subnet

80 – port number (directs it to the program)

zimmer/home.html – path to the webpage home.html

PORT NUMBER

• Many programs use the Internet.

• Port number is similar to a phone extension

• Port number tells the computer what program should

process the Internet message.

• Standard port numbers

• FTP – port 21 or 22

• E-mail – port 25

• Web pages – port 80

EVALUATION OF INTERNET SOURCES

EVALUATION OF INTERNET SOURCES

• Accuracy of Web Documents

• Authority of Web Documents

• Objectivity of Web Documents

• Currency of Web Documents

• Putting it all together

EVALUATING WEB PAGES

A web source:

guides.library.cornell.edu/evaluating_Web_pages

An article to read:

Evaluating Internet Research Sources

A video:

Evaluation video

FILE MANAGEMENT

DISK AND FILE MANAGEMENT

• A file is a set of instructions or data• Program file: Microsoft Word or Excel

• Data File: Document or workbook

• Copy, move, rename or delete a file

• A folder allows us to organize our files• May contain files and/or other folders

• A back up strategy is critical• What (data), When (whenever it changes), Where (off site), How

(Windows Explorer), and Who (you)

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WINDOWS EXPLORER EXERCISE

• Run the program

• Make folders

• Make sub-folders

• Good naming

ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE

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A computer virus is an actively infectious program that can erase data and/or alter the way your computer works

Worms and Trojan horses are other types of infectious programs, but all are bad

Computer viruses are spread through email, and/or infected floppy disks

Windows does not include an antivirus program; i.e., you must buy it separately and update it frequently

Should you get antivirus software?

FILE COMPRESSION• Use WinZip (or

compatible) program to

create a compressed file

or archive

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Create a self-extracting file from the archive that does not require supporting software

QUESTIONS / DISCUSSION

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• What is system software? What kinds of

programs are included in system software?

• Define and compare basic and specialized

application software. Describe some different

types of basic applications. Describe some

types of specialized applications.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Describe the different types of computers. What

is the most common type? What are the types

of microcomputers?

• What is connectivity? What is a computer

network? What is the Internet? What is the

Web?