Chapter 1: Why Computers Matter to You

o computer literate: be familiar enough with computers to

understand their capabilities and limitations and to know
how to use them
o Benefits of learning about computers include:
Being a knowledgeable consumer
Using current and future technology
Increasing your career options
Understanding ethical and legal implications
o Information technology (IT): a field of study focused on
managing and processing information and the automatic
retrieval of information. IT includes computers,
telecommunications, and software deployment
o Data mining is the art of combining huge volumes of raw
data into views that provide insight.
o Computer forensics analyzes computer systems with
specific techniques to gather potential legal evidence.
o Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are placed on
the ears of livestock so that animals can be tracked and a
record can be kept in case of disease outbreaks.
o Automotive technicians diagnose and research problems
with computerized sensors and CPU systems in vehicles
using computers, databases, and the Internet.
o Nanotechnology: Nanotechnology is the science involving
the use of nanostructures to build devices on an
extremely small scale. The devices are called nanoscale
machines and represent the smallest human-made
structures that can be built.
o A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Nanoscience
involves the study of molecules and structures (called
nanostructures) that range from 1 to 100 nanometers.
o The discrepancy between the haves and have-nots
with regard to computer technology is commonly referred
to as the digital divide.

Chapter 2: Understanding the Parts

A computers four major functions:
Gathers data (users input data)
Processes data into information
Outputs data or information
Stores data and information
Communications
Data vs. Information
Data: Representation of a fact, figure, or idea.
Data can be a number, a word, a picture, or even a
recording of sound.
Information is data that has been organized or
presented in a meaningful fashion.
Binary language:
Binary language consists of just two digits: 0 and
1. Eight binary digits (or bits) combine to create 1
byte.
In computers, each letter of the alphabet, each
number, and each special character (such as the
@ sign) consists of a unique combination of 8 bits,
or a string of eight 0s and 1s.
Kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, and terabytes
are simply amounts of bytes and make it easier to
measure the size of files.
Hardware consists of any of the computer components
you can touch, such as the monitor, keyboard, mouse,
and printer.
Software: Programs that enable hardware to perform
different tasks
Application software: the set of programs you use
to help you carry out some specific tasks
System software: the set of programs that enables
the computers hardware devices and application
software to work together
Design of computers:

The two basic designs of computers are portable

and stationary.
Mainframe computers can execute many different
computer programs at the same time and are
often used in insurance companies and colleges
and universities.
Supercomputers are used to perform intensive
mathematical calculations such as weather
forecasting.
Embedded computers are computer chips that
reside inside other devices such as your car,
thermostat, or microwave.
An input device enables you to enter data (text,
images, and sounds) and instructions (user responses
and commands) into the computer.
Output devices enable you to send processed data out
of your computer. This can take the form of text,
pictures (graphics), sounds (audio), and video.
LCD:
The most common type of monitor is a liquid
crystal display (LCD), also called a flat-panel
monitor, which is light and energy efficient.
Some newer LCD monitors use light-emitting diode
(LED) technology, which is even more energy
efficient, and can have better color accuracy and
thinner panels than traditional LCD monitors.
LCD Quality Factors: aspect ratio, screen
resolution, and contrast ratio, viewing angle,
brightness, response time.
Printers: Inkjet printers, Laser printers, All-in-one
printers, Plotters and thermal printers
Motherboard:
The motherboard is the key circuit board holding
the essential processing parts.
Attached directly to the motherboard are the CPU,
ROM, RAM and cache memory, expansion cards,

and in many new computers, networking, modem,

video, and audio components.
RAM vs. ROM:
Random access memory (RAM) is a series of small
cards or modules plugged into slots on the
motherboard. All the contents of RAM are erased
when you turn off the computer; RAM is the
temporary or volatile storage location for the
computer.
Read-only memory (ROM) holds all the instructions
the computer needs when it is powered on. The
data does not get erased when the power is
turned off.
The central processing unit (CPU, or processor) is the
largest and most important chip in the computer.
CPU clock speed: measured in hertz or machine
cycles per second. Older computers ran at speeds
measured in megahertz (MHz) or millions of
machine cycles per second. Current systems run
at speeds measured in gigahertz (GHz) or billions
of machine cycles per second.
CPU performance is also affected by the number
of cores, or processing paths, the processor has.
Processors have been designed that have two,
four, and even eight cores.
Machine cycle: the process of the CPU to execute
one machine instruction
Fetch
Decode
Execute
Storage
The hard drive is your computers primary device for
permanent storage of software and documents and
usually holds all permanently stored programs and
data. The hard drive is a nonvolatile storage device.
Ports:

 Ports are the places on the system unit where

peripheral devices attach to the computer so that
data can be exchanged between them and the
operating system.
USB
Serial and parallel (legacy technologies
FireWire 400/800/3200
Ethernet port
Modem port
Video ports
HDMI ports
Use expansion cards or expansion hub to add
more ports to the computer

 Chapter 3: Using the Internet

o The Internet is a network of networks that utilizes a
common communication protocol so that computers
from different manufacturers can communicate.
Establishing a secure form for military
communication
Providing a means by which all computers can
communicate
o The WWW is part of the Internet, distinguished by
Common communication protocols
Navigation links
o Forms of Internet-based communication include:
E-mail: Electronic mail, Asynchronous
communication, Not private
Instant messaging: Real-time, text-based
conversations, Personal and business uses
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
Group communication such as:
chat rooms: Real-time, text-based
conversations
newsgroups: online discussion forums open
to members
social networks: communicate and share
information among immediate friends, and
meet and connect with others through
common interests, experiences, and
friends
o Web 2.0:
a new wave of Web interactions among people,
software, and data.
It is classified as the social Web in which the
user is also a participant.
Additionally, Web 2.0 describes a trend of new
applications that combine the functionality of
multiple applications.

 Examples include blogs, wikis, podcasts, and

social networking sites.
Weblogs: Blogs, primary text-based
Vlogs: personal journals that use video as
the main form of expression
A wiki: a type of Web site that allows
anyone visiting the site to change its
content by adding, removing, or editing
the content.
Podcasts: Compressed audio or video files
distributed on the Internet. Uses RSS
Webcasts: Broadcasts of audio or video
content over the Internet
o E-Commerce: Conducting business online: B2B, C2C,
B2C
Web browser: software to locate, view and navigate the
web
o URL
o Domain name, particularly top-level domains
o Hyperlink
o Favorites and bookmarks
o Search Sites:
search engine: a set of programs that searches
the Web for specific keywords then returns a list
of the Web sites on which those keywords are
found
including spider, indexer program, search
engine software
Internet Clients & Servers
o Client: requests data and web pages
o Server: stores web pages and data, returns the
requested data to clients
o Internet Protocol (IP) addresses: an unique numeric
address to identify each computer connected to the
internet

o Internet backbone: the largest and fastest pathways

over the internet
o Connections: dial-up, broadband

 Chapter 4: Application Software

o software refers to a set of instructions that tells the
computer what to do. These instruction sets, also
called programs, provide the means for us to interact
with and use the computer
System software coordinates instructions
between application software and the
computers hardware devices. System software
includes the operating system and utility
programs (programs often in the operating
system that help manage system resources).
Application software is what you use to do tasks
at home, school, and work
Productivity software includes programs that
enable you to perform various tasks generally
required in home, school, and business. This
category includes word processing,
spreadsheet, presentation, database, and
personal information manager (PIM) programs.
o You buy a license for one installation instance of the
software, not the software itself. Multiuser licenses
available
o Web-based application software
Hosted on a Web site
Requires no installation on your computer
o Types of Software:
Freeware: Copyrighted software you can use for
free
Beta versions: Programs still under
development, usually free of charge for test
purpose
Shareware: Software that allows users to run it
for a limited time for free
Open source: Free to use

o Every software program has a set of system

requirements that specify the minimum
recommended standards for the operating system,
processor, primary memory (RAM), and hard drive
capacity. Sometimes there are other specifications,
such as for the video card, monitor, CD drive, and
other peripherals. These requirements are generally
printed on the software packaging or viewable on the
publishers Web site.

 Chapter 5: System Software

o Operating Systems:
Providing user interaction
Managing the processor
Managing memory
Managing hardware
Interacting with application software
Starting the computer
o Utilities: Programs that perform computer
housekeeping tasks
Backup
Security
Diagnostic
Recovery
o OS category:
Single-user, single-task
Example: MS-DOS
Single-user, multitask
Example: Apple Mac OS
Multiuser: Network operating system
Example: Microsoft Windows Server OS
Real-time (RTOS): Embedded systems
Example: Found in measurement
instruments
o What does OS do?
Provides a user interface
Command-driven interface
Menu-driven interface
Graphical user interface (GUI)
Manages the CPU
Controls the timing of events the processor
works on
OS assigns a slice of its time to each
activity requiring CPUs processing
OS switches between processes millions of
times per second

 Multitasking: the ability of OS performing

more than one task at a time
Manages memory and storage
When RAM is full, OS borrows room from
the HD to store required data and
instructions
Virtual memory: the process of optimizing
RAM storage by borrowing HD space
Data and instructions/programs are divided
into fixed-length blocks called pages
Paging: the process of swapping
data/instructions between the RAM and the
swap file
Thrashing: the condition of excessive
paging
Manages hardware and peripheral devices
Device drivers
o Programs that enable the operating
system to communicate with
peripheral devices
o Device driver translates the
specialized commands of the device
to commands that the OS can
understand, and vice versa
o Provided by the manufacturer of the
device
Plug and Play
o Hardware and software standard
o Facilitates the installation of new
hardware: the OS already has the
driver of a device
o OS can automatically recognizes the
new device and install its driver when
you plug the new device into the
system

Coordinates application software with the CPU

boot process
BIOS is activated
A POST checks attached hardware
The OS loads into RAM
Configuration and customization settings are
checked
o File Management:
The operating system provides an
organizational structure for the computers
contents
File path: Location of the file
o Utility Programs:
Small programs that perform special functions
Manage system resources
Create a pleasant environment
Improve efficiency
Examples: Installation wizard, Uninstall wizard,
File Compression Utilities, Disk Cleanup, Disk
Defragmenter, Task Manager, System Restore,
System backup

o The