Computers

1. Computers Comprehensive Guide

2. Brief History • Early times • From Mainframe to the personal computer • Bill Gates & Steve Jobs • Evolution of Hardware and software

3. What are Computers? A computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions called a program. Software/Programs

4. Computers are divided into 2 categories: • Hardware • Software

5. hardware • Hardware is the tangible (touchable) parts of a computer. • There are 3 categories of hardware: • CPU (case/box) • Input devices (mouse, keyboard) • Output devices (monitor, speakers) • Additional Information Link: Hardware

6. hardware • Examples of the CPU Case (box): • Supercomputer • Mainframe • Server • Cloud Computing • Workstation • Personal Computer (PC) • Laptop • Smartphone • Tablet • Notebook • Gaming systems

7. CPU • The Central Processing Unit is also referred to as a Case or Tower • CPU has 4 major parts: • The Motherboard (circuit board) • The Processor (connected to the motherboard) • RAM (connected to the motherboard) • Hard Drive (connected to the motherboard) *Computers today consist of: towers, desktops, laptops, tablets, notebooks and smart phones. **There are other things in the CPU like: Power supply, cooling fan, PCI slots, DVD drives, card readers and more.

8. Motherboard & Processor • The motherboard is the main circuit board in the case. Everything in your computer plugs into the motherboard. • The processor is the “brain” of the computer. • Both the motherboard and processor are measured by how fast they are (speed) which is measured as “Hertz.” • Computer ‘speed’ table: • 1000 Hertz = 1 Kilohertz (KHz) • 1000 KHz = 1 Megahertz (MHz) • 1000 MHz = 1 Gigahertz (GHz)

9. Motherboard & processor More Information Links: MotherboardProcessor

10. Motherboard & Processor • The processor speeds of personal computers are now clocked at between 3 – 4 GHz, with up to 5 GHz being fastest. • The motherboard main circuit board allows data to travel at different speeds. 1800 MHz is considered to be very fast. • Each motherboard has a ‘socket’ that you plug the processor into. Only certain models of processors can fit into certain sockets. • Processors are made by companies like Intel, AMD, Cyrix and Motorola.

11. Quick Questions • What are the 2 parts to any computer system? • What are the 3 categories of hardware? • What are the 4 most important things in your cpu? • How many megahertz are in a gigahertz? • 1.33 ghz is how many megahertz? • 3200 MHz is how many Gigahertz? • What would be a fast speed for a processor? • What would be a fast speed for a motherboard?

12. Quick Questions with answers • What are the 2 parts to any computer system? Hardware & Software • What are the 3 categories of hardware? CPU, Input & Output • What are the 4 most important things in your CPU? Motherboard, Processor, RAM, & Hard Drive • How many megahertz are in a Gigahertz? 1000 (actully, 1024 to be exact) • 1.33 ghz is how many Megahertz? 1330 mhz • 3200 MHz is how many Gigahertz? 3.2 Ghz • What would be a fast speed for a processor today? 3 to 4 ghz • What would be a fast speed for a motherboard? 1800 MHz

13. RAM • RAM stands for Random Access Memory, and is temporary. • When you load a program, it loads into the RAM. • This is measured in Bytes. See next page for a chart on these measurements. • Some programs need more RAM than others to run: • Video creation & Gaming have high use of RAM • Typing, listening to music & using the internet are light RAM uses • For more information: RAM

14. Ram images RAM cards are inserted into the DIMM Slots on a Motherboard Check out this RAM Video: RAM Video

15. Hard Drive • This is a permanent place to store your programs and files; Is where your files are saved. Acts like a file cabinet. • Measured, like RAM, in bytes: • 1000 bytes = 1 kilobyte (Kb) • 1000 KB = 1 megabyte (mb) • 1000 mb = 1 gigabyte (gb) • 1000 gb = 1 terabyte (tb) • Typical song file = 5 mb • Typical movie file = from 500mb for today’s compressed HD files, to over 14gb for one hour of AVI files. • For more information: Data SizesHard Drive

16. Hard Drive The Hard Drive is connected to the motherboard using ribbon-type cables.

17. A look in the case: RAM

18. Input devices • An input device sends a signal to the processor to be processed. • Keyboard, • mouse, • modem, • router, • flash drive, • CD/DVD ROM or RW, • Camera, • camcorder, • smartphone, • mp3 player, • microphone, • scanner, • touch screen monitor….

19. output devices • An output device sends a signal from the processor to be used by the user. • Monitor, printer, speakers/headphones, flash drives, projectors, camera, camcorder, modem, routers, CD/DVD RW and more. • Dedicated VIDEO CARDS – needed to run today’s video games, to edit images, video and 3D graphics & animations. • Intel dedicated graphics • ATI graphics cards ($$$) • NVidia graphics cards ($$$)

20. Hardware Overview

21. Harware Overview con’t.

22. software • Is generally divided into 2 categories: • Operating software • Application software • Information Link: Software

23. Operating software • Operates the computer: start (boot), make folders, printing, installing software • Operating System: It is your INTERFACE! • Windows (Servers, Workstations, PC’s & Windows smartphones) • Macintosh (Servers, Apple & IPhone) • Linux (Open Source operating system) • Android (Google-based operating system; mainly for smartphones and tablets) • Unix – (Large supercomputers & mainframes) • Drivers • Programs installed with hard drives, input and output devices to help the operating system communicate with these devices. • Link for more info: Operating systems • See Drivers, operating systems & user interface

24. Application software • Programs that help you do a task: • Play a game, type a letter, make a video, go on the internet, listen to music, etc. Top Categories (with examples): • Word-processing (Microsoft Word, Open Office, Google Docs, WordPad & Notepad) • Spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel, Open Office Calc, Google Spreadsheet) • Presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint, Open Office Impress, Google’s Presentation, Prezi) • Database (Access, Base (Google Docs doesn’t have this tool)) • Games (solitaire, Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, Candy Crush, Angry Birds) • Browsers (Explorer, Chrome, Firefox) • Educational (Mavis Beacon, Carmen Sandiego) • Desktop publishing (Microsoft Publisher, Adobe PageMaker) • Image Editing (Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Pixlr) • Video editing (Adobe Premiere, Apple Final Cut, IMovie, Windows Moviemaker) • Audio Playback (Windows Media player, Real player, QuickTime, Win Amp) • Audio Editing (Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, Audacity, FileLab) • Animation (Adobe After Effects, Windows Wax, I Motion, Fusion) • 3D Graphics (Blender, 3D Max, Maya, Cinema 4D) • Malware – bad for your computer!

25. Application software • General Categories • Installed programs – can be either Proprietary (closed source code with cost/sometimes free) or Open Source (open code and free/sometimes cost) • Web Applications – also know as online tools and/or cloud applications. • These usually ‘run’ inside of your web browser • Widgets – small programs with a specific task like: • Screen clocks, stock market tickers, weather, etc. • Link for more info: Application Software • See Applications Software, Web applications, Widgets.

26. Application software • System Requirements

27. Malware • Malicious software that disrupts or denies operations of your computer and leads to a loss of privacy and poor computer performance. • Viruses & Worms – unfriendly program that starts in one program and spreads to others • Trojans – Seemingly friendly program with unknown unfriendly programs running ‘behind’ it • Spyware – gathers info on user without their knowledge • Loggers – unfriendly programs that track a users keystrokes, usually to steal passwords • Adware – unfriendly program that displays as a pop-up when online and often comes with spyware attached. Don’t click on them! • Link for more info: Malware