" What's in the Box?: Introduction to Computers "

1. "What's in the Box?: Introduction to Computers"  ‘Seun Olajide Manager / Member E-nnova Media / Paradigm Initiative Nigeria www.nairahost.com | me@seunolajide.com.ng ICT4All Workshop -- Wednesday, March 29, 2006 @ Lagos Digital Village

2. History • From the beginning of the world • 1642 Blaise Pascal invented a mechanical Calculator • 1801 a French man Jacquard invented a punch card system for controlling the threads on his weaving looms. • 1833 Charles Babbage invented analytical Engine,–The first Digital computer • 1889 American Hollerith system • 1943 – Calculators was born • 1950’s widespread of electronic computers • 1971 AD to 1976 ADThe First Microprocessors • 1973 AD to 1981 ADThe First Personal Computers (PCs) • Every day development

3. What's this box? • An Electronic Device For Imputing –Processing Outputting

4. Types of computer • Mainframe Computer – big, powerful, expensive, used by Government Agencies and big corporations • Laptop – Small, Portable, equally fast as a PC, More costly than a PC, used by Business people, people on the move • Personal Computer – Fast, Getting Cheaper by the day, used in cyber café's, homes, offices, education, etc • Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) – very small, not as versatile as a laptop

5. Main Parts of a Personal Computer • System Unit – name given to the main PC box which houses the various elements which go together to make up the PC. • System (Mother) Board – contained within the system unit and all the vital computer systems components plug directly into the system board, e.g. CPU, BIOS, RAM etc, hard disk are plugged to it directly or via a cable • Central Processing Unit (CPU) – normally an Intel Pentium (or Equivalent) and it is one of the most important components within your computer. Measured in HZ • Serial Port – Located at the back of your computer which enables you to connect items to the computer, such as a modem.

6. …Cont • ROM-BIOS (Read Only Memory – Basic Input Output System) is a special chip held on your computer’s system (mother) board. It contains software which is required to make your computer work with your operating system. • Parallel Port – usually where printer are plugged in • USB – used for hot pluggable devices, most computer devices are now coming with USB technology • Memory (RAM) – Is where the Operating system is loaded to when you switch on your computer and also where your applications are copied to when you start an application (MS WORD, Internet Explorer)

7. What are input devices? • Allow you to input information to the computer. E.g. Keyboard, Mouse, Microphone, Light pen, joysticks, web cams, digital cameras, scanners

8. What are output devices? • Allow you to output information from the computer. E.g. Monitor,Speaker, Printers, Plotters, Projectors

9. Storage devices? devices used for storing data permanently Hard disks,Zip, Floppy, CD’s & DVD’s, Memory Stick

10. Storage devices? Server PC

11. Software • Operating System Software – Interface between the application program and the hardware E.g. Linux, Windows 2000, DOS, OS/2, • Applications Software – An application program is the type you use once the operating system has been loaded.

12. Examples of Application Software • Word Processing • Spreadsheets • Databases • Presentation • Accounts/Payroll • Web Browsing • Web Authoring

13. THANK YOU  ‘Seun Olajide Manager / Member E-nnova Media / Paradigm Initiative Nigeria www.nairahost.com | me@seunolajide.com.ng ICT4All Workshop -- Wednesday, March 29, 2006 @ Lagos Digital Village