INTRODUCTION TO
COMPUTING
Chapter 1: Computer Basics
• Understanding Information
Systems
• Identifying Computer Parts
• Understanding Software Types
• Computer System Components
• How the Computers Communicate
1.1 Information
Systems
•An information system is a complete interconnected
environment in which raw data—quantifiable facts
and figures—is turned into useful information. An
information system includes the following parts:
people, hardware, software, procedures, and data
5 Components of Information
Systems
1.2 Identifying Computing Parts
PERSONAL
COMPUTERS
designed for only one.
DESKTOP PC
A computer designed to be used at a
desk, and seldom moved. This type of
computer consists of a large metal box
called a system unit that contains most of
the essential
components, with a separate monitor,
keyboard, and mouse that all plug into
the system unit
TABLET PC NOTEBOOK PC
A portable computer that consists of a A portable computer designed to fold up like
touch-sensitive display screen mounted on a a notebook for carrying. The cover opens up
tablet- to reveal a built-in screen, keyboard, and
size Plastic frame with a small computer pointing device, which substitutes for a
inside. mouse.
SMARTPHONE
A mobile phone that can run computer
applications and has Internet access
capability
MULTI-USER
COMPUTERS
Multi-user computers are designed to serve groups of people, from a small
office to a huge international enterprise.
SERVER
A computer dedicated to serving and supporting a network, a group of network users,
and/or their information needs. Many networks employ servers to provide a centrally
accessible storage space for data, and share common devices like printers and
scanners. A small network server may look similar to a desktop PC, but may have a
different operating system, such as Windows Server or Linux. A large server that
manages a wide-ranging network may look similar to a mainframe. A group of servers
located together in a single room or facility is called a server farm, or server cluster
MAINFRAME
A large and powerful computer capable of
processing and storing large amounts of
business data. For example, a mainframe
might collect all the sales data from
hundreds of cash registers in a large
department store and make it available to
executives.
SUPERCOMPUTE
R A supercomputer is the largest and most
powerful type of computer available, occupying
large rooms and even entire floors of a building.
Supercomputers are often employed in fields
such as cryptanalysis (code breaking), molecular
modeling, weather forecasting, and climate
mapping. Supercomputers typically are used in
high-tech academic, governmental, and
scientific research facilities.
1.3 Understanding Software
Types
SOFTWARE
tells the hardware what to do, but different kinds of software accomplish
that at different levels.
SOFTWARE CATEGORIES;
• BIOS
• Operating System
• Utility Software
• Application Software
BIOS
The most basic software is the Basic Input Output System (BIOS). This
software is stored on a read-only chip on the motherboard so that it
doesn’t accidentally get changed or corrupted.
OPERATING
SYSTEM
The operating system (OS) manages all the computer’s activities after
startup. The operating system serves several purposes:
• It provides the user interface that humans use to communicate
commands and receive feedback.
• It runs applications, and enables humans to interact with them.
• It controls and manages the file storage system.
• It communicates with the hardware, instructing it to take action to
accomplish tasks. For example, the OS tells the printer to print a
document, and tells the monitor what image to display.
POPULAR OPERATING
• Windows OS
SYSTEMS
• macOS
• Linux
• Unix
• Android
• iOS
Each operating system has its own unique set of features, benefits, and
drawbacks, so it pays to learn as much as you can about the operating
systems available and choose a computer that will run the operating
system that best fits your needs.
UTILITY
assist with a wide range of system maintenance and security functions,
SOFTWARE
such as checking storage disks for errors, blocking security and privacy
threats, and backing up important files.
EXAMPLES OF UTILITY SOFTWARE
• Antivirus Software
• Disk Cleanup Tools
• Backup software
• File Compression Tools
APPLICATION
SOFTWARE
is software that is designed to do something
productive or fun, something of interest to a human
user. The OS keeps the computer running, but the
applications give people a reason to use the computer.
CATEGORIES OF APPLICATION SOFTWARE
• Productivity Software
• Web browser
• Media Players
• Graphic Design Software
• Communication Tools
• Mobile Apps
1.4 Computer System
Components
EVERY COMPUTER SYSTEM IS MADE UP OF MULTIPLE ELECTRONIC
COMPONENTS. THESE COMPONENTS FALL INTO FOUR BROAD
CATEGORIES THAT SERVE DIFFERENT PURPOSES IN THE INFORMATION
PROCESSING CYCLE;
1. INPUT
2. PROCESS
3. OUTPUT
4. STORAGE
How data is represented on
a computer?
BINARY CODE
all types of data
BIT
smallest unit of data
BYTES
consist of 8 bits
The motherboard is the large circuit
board inside the computer that
everything else plugs into. The key
components located on the
motherboard are the processor (also
called the Central Processing Unit, or
CPU) and the memory (also called
Random Access Memory, or RAM). To
support these components, the
motherboard has electrically conductive
pathways called buses that carry the
data from place to place, and a chipset,
which is a controller that directs the bus
traffic.
1.5 How Computers
Communicate
EARLY COMPUTERS DID NOT COMMUNICATE EASILY WITH ONE
ANOTHER. DATA WAS TYPICALLY CARRIED BETWEEN COMPUTERS ON
FLOPPY DISKS AND OTHER LOW-CAPACITY REMOVABLE DISKS, OR
USING SLOW DIAL-UP MODEMS. NETWORK CONNECTIONS WERE
DIFFICULT TO SET UP AND TRANSFERRED DATA VERY SLOWLY.
NOWADAYS, HOWEVER, COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY HAS
ADVANCED GREATLY, AND THERE ARE MANY CHOICES FOR MAKING
COMPUTERS CONNECT TO ONE ANOTHER.
TELEGRAPH TELEPHONE TYPEWRITER
RADIO AND TELEVISION FAX MACHINE
Today, computers and the internet are integral to modern
communication. They enable instant messaging, video conferencing, and
the sharing of information across vast distances. The evolution of
communication technologies has accelerated in recent years, with the
introduction of smartphones, wearable devices, and emerging
technologies like virtual reality
ETHERNET
NETWORKING
Ethernet networks can be either wired or wireless (or a combination of the
two), but the term Ethernet is most often applied to the wired kind of
connection. Most PCs have a network adapter, which provides network
connectivity services and a port into which you can plug an Ethernet cable.
The most common kind of Ethernet cable uses twisted pairs of copper
wiring and an RJ-45 connector, which is like a telephone connector except
slightly wider.
WIRELESS ETHERNET
Wireless Ethernet is more often called Wi-Fi, or 802.11. That number refers
to the standard number assigned to it by the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE, pronounced “eye-triple-ee”).
ROUTER
In a small network, such as in a home or small business, one end of an
Ethernet cable plugs into the computer, and the other end plugs into a
controller boX called a router that manages the network traffic between the
connected devices.
BROADBAND
high-speed internet access that allows for the transmission od a wide range
of data types.
SWITCHES
hardware devices that connects devices on a computer network by using
packet switching to receive and forward data.
PEER-TO-PEER
let computer share things directly without a central controller.
BLUETOOTH
NETWORKING
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless alternative to wireless Ethernet ( Wi-Fi),
used primarily to connect wireless devices directly to specific computers.
Bluetooth’s limited range (10 meters) makes it impractical as a replacement
for Wi-Fi, but it provides an easy and economical way for one device to
connect with another within a limited space without Ethernet hardware.
THE INTERNET
The Internet is a global network of interconnected computers and devices
that communicate with each other using standardized protocols, primarily
the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP). It serves as a "network of networks,"
linking various types of networks—private, public, academic, business, and
government—across the globe.
INTERNET SERVICE
PROVIDER
The Internet is a global network of interconnected computers and devices
that communicate with each other using standardized protocols, primarily
the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP). It serves as a "network of networks,"
linking various types of networks—private, public, academic, business, and
government—across the globe.
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