COMPUTER LITERACY

1. COMPUTER LITERACY Hardware and Software To be computer literate, you must be familiar enough with computers that you understand their capabilities and limitations and know how to use them.

2. INTRODUCTION • Information technology (IT) - any computer-based tool that people use to work with information and support the information and information-processing needs of an organization • Hardware - consists of the physical devices associated with a computer system • Software - the set of instructions that the hardware executes to carry out specific tasks

3. Hardware Basics • Computer -an electronic device operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory that can accept, manipulate, and store data • Hardware components: • Central processing unit (CPU) • Primary storage • Secondary storage • Input device • Output device • Communication device

4. Central Processing Unit • Central processing unit (CPU) (or microprocessor) - the actual hardware that interprets and executes the program (software) instructions and coordinates how all the other hardware devices work together • The CPU contains 2 main parts: • Control unit -interprets software instructions and literally tells the other hardware devices what to do, based on the software instructions • Arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) -performs all arithmetic operations (for example, addition and subtraction) and all logic operations (such as sorting and comparing numbers)

5. Central Processing Unit • The number of CPU cycles per second determines the speed of a CPU • Hertz (Hz) • Megahertz (MHz) - the number of millions of CPU cycles per second • Gigahertz (GHz) - the number of billions of CPU cycles per second

6. Central Processing Unit • Computers are digital, meaning that the data they process, whether it be text, sound, graphics, or video, is first converted into a digital (numeric) value. • Only the digits 0 and 1 are used. • Only two digits are used because they can be easily represented electronically by circuits in the computer being either off or on. • This numbering system is referred to as the binary language. 0 = Off 1 = On • Bit: Each off or on digital value—the smallest unit of data handled by a computer. Bit is short for BInarydigiT. • Byte: A group of 8 bits—can be thought of as a character (letter, number, symbol, mark of punctuation, space, etc.).

7. RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM) • Random access memory (RAM) - the computer’s primary working memory, in which program instructions and data are stored so that they can be accessed directly by the CPU via the processor’s high-speed external data bus • Volatile (temporary) • Primary Storage

8. READ ONLY MEMORY (ROM) • ROM (read only memory): contains permanent programs or data recorded in the memory by the manufacturer. • ROM is used to store the instruction set of a computer—BIOS, basic input/output system. • It retains its contents when the power of the computer is turned off. It is nonvolatile. • Data or programs in ROM can be read but not changed. • Many special-purpose computers used in automobiles, appliances, etc. use a small amount of ROM.

9. STORAGE DEVICES • Storage Devices - consists of equipment designed to store large volumes of data for long-term storage • Referred to as secondary storage • Permanent or non-volatile

10. Secondary Storage

11. Secondary Storage • Hard drives • Optical drives • CD Drive • DVD Drive • Combo CD/DVD Drive • Blu-Ray Drive (BD) • Memory cards • SD • Compact flash • Memory sticks • USB drives • Pen drives • Flash drives • Jump drives • Thumb drives

12. INPUT DEVICES • Input device - equipment used to capture information and commands • Keyboard • Mouse • Microphone • Touch Screen • Digital Camera • Bar Code Scanner • Biometric Input Devices

13. OUTPUT DEVICE • Output device -equipment used to see, hear, or otherwise accept the results of information processing requests • Monitors • Cathode-ray tube (CRT) • Liquid crystal display (LCD) • Printers • Laser printer • Ink-jet printer • Plotter • Speakers

14. Communication Device • Communication device -equipment (modem) used to send information and receive it from one location to another • Dial-up access • Broadband access • Cable • Fiber-optic Service (FiOS) • Digital subscriber line (DSL) • Satellite • Wireless

15. COMPUTER CATEGORIES • PC • Mobile Devices • Personal digital assistant (PDA) • Laptop • Tablet • Workstation • Minicomputer • Mainframes • Supercomputers

16. 2 CATEGORIES OF SOFTWARE There are two categories of software— • System software -controls how the various pieces of hardware work together along with the application software • Operating system software • Utility software • Application software - consists of programs that tell a computer how to produce information

17. UTILITIES • Types of utility software • Installation Wizards and Uninstall wizards • File compression utilities • Disk cleanup • Disk defragmenter • Scan disk (Error checker) • System Restore • Backup • AntiSpyware • AntiVirus

18. Application Software • Types of application software • Bowser • Database management • Desktop publishing • Email • Games/Entertainment • Presentation graphics • Spreadsheet • Word processing • Accounting software

19. HOME WORK • READING: • Business Plugin B3, Hardware & Software • Online: www.LagProfi.com • Do: • Computer Literacy Review Sheet • Online: www.LagProfi.com

20. LEARNING OUTCOMES • Describe the six major categories of hardware and provide an example of each • Identify the different computer categories and explain their potential business uses • Explain the difference between primary and secondary storage

21. LEARNING OUTCOMES • List the common input, output, storage, and communication devices • Describe the eight categories of computers by size • Define the relationship between operating system software and utility software