Basic Concepts of Information Technology (IT)

Basic Concepts of

Objectives

• Define Computer and Identify the

Four Basic Computing Functions

• Identify the Different Types of

Computers

• Describe Hardware Devices and

Objectives

• Identify Types of Software and Their

Uses

• Describe Networks and Define

Network Terms

Define Computer and Identify the

Four Basic Computing Functions

• Benefits of becoming computer fluent

– Attractive to potential employers

– Makes you a knowledgeable consumer

• Easier to select the right computer for your needs

– Puts you in a better position to understand and use the technology of tomorrow

Define Computer and Identify the

Four Basic Computing Functions

•

Computer

data

information

• Data

– Represents a single fact or idea; can be word, number, sound, picture

• Information

Define Computer and Identify the

Four Basic Computing Functions

• Information processing cycle of a

computer

–

Input

user to add data

–

Processing

information

–

Output

from the computer

–

Storage

Identify the Different Types of

Computers

• Although computers come in a variety of

sizes and shapes, the basic components

required to complete the information

processing cycle must be present in them

all

• There are four basic types of computers:

supercomputers, mainframes,

Identify the Different Types of

Computers

• Supercomputers –

– Large, powerful computers devoted to specialized tasks

– Fastest and most expensive of all computers – Perform sophisticated mathematical

calculations, track weather patterns, monitor satellites, and perform other complex,

Identify the Different Types of

Computers

• Mainframe computers –

– Large computers often found in businesses and colleges, where thousands of people use the computer to process data

– They

Multitask

• This capability is one of the primary ways mainframes differ from supercomputers

Identify the Different Types of

Computers

• Mainframe computers –

– Stores vast amounts of data using a variety of storage devices

– Early mainframe computers were very large and required separate rooms to house them – Today’s mainframe computers are

Identify the Different Types of

Computers

• Minicomputers –

– Used in medium-sized businesses that have smaller data storage requirements than

businesses using mainframe computers – Are less common now because of the

increased capabilities of microcomputers

– Desktop computers that sit on your desktop, floor, table, or other flat surface and have a detachable keyboard, mouse, monitor and other pieces of equipment

Identify the Different Types of

Computers

• Microcomputers –

– Are the smallest of the four categories of computers and the one that most people typically use

– Range in size from servers that have a storage capability of minicomputers (and

small mainframes) to handheld devices that fit in your pocket

Identify the Different Types of

Computers

• Microcomputers – smallest type of

computers

– Desktop computers sit on your desktop, floor, table, or other flat surface and have a detachable

keyboard, mouse, monitor and other pieces of

equipment. Also called Personal Computers (PCs) – Notebook computers, also called laptops, which

are mobile

– Tablet computers, similar to notebooks but screen can be written on with a special pen called a stylus – Personal digital assistants (PDAs) or handheld

Identify the Different Types of

Computers

Understand the Terms Intelligent

and Dumb Terminal

• An intelligent terminal, for example a PC: -– Performs a lot of the processing locally

– You could use a PC, linked to a mainframe • A dumb terminal:

-– Has very limited processing capabilities itself, but allows you to connect to a large powerful computer such as a mainframe.

– When you process your data from the dumb terminal, it is the mainframe at the other end of the network

Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

•

Hardware

is the computer and any

equipment connected to it

• Hardware devices are the physical

components of the computer

• Items such as the monitor, keyboard,

mouse, and printer are also known as

peripherals

because they attach to the

computer

Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

• The computer itself is known as the

system unit

, and contains many of the

critical hardware and electrical

components

• The system unit is sometimes referred to

as the tower, box, or console

Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

• System Unit

– If you remove the cover from the system unit, you find several key components inside

– One of the most essential components is the

microprocessor chip

central processing unit (CPU)

– The CPU is located on the

motherboard

Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

• System Unit

– The CPU is the brain of the computer and is responsible for controlling all the commands and tasks the computer performs

• Two main parts – the control unit and the

arithmetic logic unit (ALU)

• The control unit is responsible for obtaining instructions from the computer’s memory, and then interprets and executes them

Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

• System Unit

– Arithmetic logic unit, or ALU, performs all the arithmetic and logic functions for the

computer

• Handles addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and also makes logical and comparison decisions

• This allows the CPU to perform tasks such as sorting data alphabetically or numerically, and

Describe Hardware Devices

and Their Uses

Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

• Motherboard/system board

– Main computer circuit board; connects all components

• CPU

– Gets data from memory and processes it

• Memory (RAM) chips

– Temporary holding area where data is stored – RAM means Random Access Memory

Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

• System Unit

– The CPU’s power is measured by the speed at which it can process data, known as the

clock speed

– Clock speed is measured in either

megahertz (MHz)

gigahertz (GHz)

Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

• System Unit

– Memory is another critical computer component found within the system unit

– Two types of memory: ROM and RAM

– ROM, or Read Only Memory, is prerecorded on a chip

• Information on a ROM chip can’t be changed, removed, or rewritten

• Nonvolatile memory -- it retains its contents even if the

computer is turned off

• ROM is used to store critical information such as the

ROM-Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

• System Unit

– The second type of memory is

RAM

– RAM acts as the computer’s short-term

memory and stores data temporarily as it is being processed

– RAM is considered to be

volatile

– The more tasks your computer performs at the same time, the more memory is used

Describe Hardware Devices and

Their Uses

• System Unit

– Installing new memory is one of the cheapest and easiest upgrades

– RAM is usually measured in

gigabytes