ITC 100

Computer

A programmable, electronic device that accepts data, performs operations on that data, and stores the data.

Input

Entering data into the computer.

Processing

Performing operations on the data.

Output

Presenting the results.

Storage

Saving data, programs, or output for future use.

Communications

Sending or receiving data.

Data

Raw, unorganized facts.

Information

Data that has been processed into a meaningful form.

Information Processing

Converting data into information.

Generations

The history of computers is often referred to in terms of generations, each characterized by a major technological development.

First-generation computers

Enormous and powered by vacuum tubes.

Precomputers and early computers (beforeapprox. 1946)

Abacus, slide rule, mechanical calculator, Punch Card Tabulating Machine and Sorter

Second-generation computers

Used transistors and were smaller, more powerful, cheaper, more energy-efficient, and more reliable.

Fifth-generation computers

Computers in the future that may be based on artificial intelligence (AI), use voice and touch input, and utilize nanotechnology.

Hardware

The physical parts of a computer, including internal hardware and external hardware

Internal hardware

located inside the main box (system unit)

External hardware

Located outside the system unit, Connect to the computer via a wired or wireless

Input Devices

Devices used to input data into the computer, such as keyboards, mice, scanners, cameras, microphones, touch pads, touch screens, and fingerprint readers.

Example of Input Devices

keyboards, mice, scanners, cameras, microphones, touch pads, touch screens, and fingerprint readers.

Processing Devices

Devices that perform calculations and control the computer's operation, including the central processing unit (CPU) and memory.

Output Devices

Devices that present results to the user, such as monitors, printers, speakers, and projectors.

Example of Output Diveces

monitors, printers, speakers, and projectors.

Storage Devices

Devices used to store data on or access data from storage media, such as hard drives, CD/DVD discs and drives, and USB flash drives.

Communications Devices

Devices that allow users to communicate with others and electronically access remote information, such as modems, network adapters, and routers.

Software

The programs or instructions used to tell the computer hardware what to do.

System Software

The operating system that starts up the computer, controls its operation, and allows users to interact with the computer via a graphical user interface (GUI).

Example of System Software

Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android

Application Software

Software that performs specific tasks or applications, such as word processing programs, multimedia programs, web browsers, and email programs.

Computer Users

People who use a computer to obtain information.

Programmers

Write programs computers use

Systems analysts

Design computer systems

Embedded Computers

Computers that are embedded into a product and designed to perform specific tasks or functions for that product.

Mobile Devices

Very small devices with built-in computing or internet capability, such as smartphones, handheld gaming devices, portable digital media players, and media tablets.

Personal Computers (PCs)

Small computers designed to be used by one person at a time, available in different sizes and shapes, including desktop computers and portable computers like notebooks and tablets.

Portable Computers

Designed to be carried around easily

Servers

Medium-sized computers used to host programs and data for a small network, often referred to as minicomputers.

Thin Client

Designed to utilize a network for much of its processing

Internet Appliance

Specialized network computer designed for Internet access

Mainframe Computers

Powerful computers used by large organizations to manage large amounts of centralized data, usually located in climate-controlled data centers and connected to the rest of the company computers via a network.

Mainframe Computers

Computers used to perform large processing tasks for businesses.

Supercomputers

The fastest, most expensive, and most powerful type of computer that generally runs one program at a time.

Computer Network

A collection of hardware and other devices that are connected together, allowing users to share hardware, software, and data and communicate with each other.

Internet

The largest and most well-known computer network in the world, where individuals connect using an Internet service provider (ISP).

World Wide Web

A vast collection of web pages available through the Internet, accessed using a web browser and containing a wide variety of information.

IP Address

A numeric address that identifies computers on the Internet.

Domain Name

Corresponds to an IP address and identifies the type of organization or its location.

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

Uniquely identifies a web page, including the protocol, web server, folder names, and filename.

Protocols:

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http://) is typically used to

display Web pages (https:// is used for secure Web pages)

E-mail Address

Consists of a username, the @ symbol, and the domain name for the computer handling the person's e-mail.

Web Browser

Software used to display web pages.

Search Site

Helps locate information on the web by searching using keywords.

Reference sites

Look up addresses, telephone numbers, ZIP codes, maps, etc

E-mail

Electronic messages exchanged between computers on a network, one of the most widely used Internet applications.

Computer-Oriented Society

The impact of technology on daily life, including benefits such as safer products, improved medical diagnoses, and faster communication, as well as risks such as stress, spam, viruses, and privacy concerns.

Netiquette

The etiquette and guidelines for polite and considerate online communication, including refraining from offensive remarks and using acronyms and emoticons.

Netiquette

Guidelines for proper behavior and communication online.

Shouting

Typing in all capital letters in an email or online post.

Spam

Sending unwanted or unsolicited messages, often in bulk.

Anonymity Factor

The ability to remain anonymous online, which can be both liberating and abused.

Information Integrity

Using common sense to evaluate the accuracy of online content and checking reliable sources.

URL

Uniform Resource Locator, the address of a webpage.

IP address

Internet Protocol address, a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network.

Domain name

The part of an email address after the "@" symbol, indicating the organization or website associated with the email.

Computer Networks

Interconnected computers that allow communication and sharing of resources.

Internet

A global network of interconnected computer networks.

ENIAC

Electronic Numerical Integrated and Computer

UNIVAC

Universal Automatic Computer

Computers and Society

The impact and influence of computers on individuals and society as a whole.

Coding Systems

Used to represent data and programs in a manner

understood by the computer

Digital Computers

Can only understand two states, off and on
(0 and 1)

Digital Data Representation

The process of representing data in digital form so it can be understood by a computer

Bit

The smallest unit of data that a binary computer can recognize (a single 1 or 0)

Byte

Byte terminology used to express the size of documents and other files, programs, etc.

KB

kilobyte

MB

megabyte

GB

gigabyte

Numbering system

A way of representing numbers

Decimal numbering system

Uses 10 symbols (0 - 9)

Binary numbering system

Uses only two symbols (1 and 0) to represent all possible numbers

ASCI

(American Standard Code for Information Interchange

ASCII

Coding system traditionally used with personal computers

EBCDIC

(Extended Binary-Coded Decimal Interchange Code

Unicode

Newer code (32 bits per character is common. Universal coding standard designed to represent text-based data written in any ancient or modern language

Graphics Data

still images such as photos or drawings

Bitmapped images

Image made of up of a grid of small dots called pixels

Audio Data

Must be in digital form in order to be stored on or processed by a computer

Video Data

Displayed using a collection of frames, each frame contains

a still image

Machine language

Binary-based language for representing computer programs the computer can execute directly

System Unit

The main case of a computer. Houses the processing hardware for a computer

Computer Chip

Very small pieces of silicon or other semi-conducting material onto which integrated circuits are embedded

Circuit Board

A thin board containing computer chips and other electronic components

System Board

The main circuit board inside the system unit to which all devices must connect

Power Supply

Connects to the motherboard to deliver electricity (personal computer)

Drive Bays

Rectangular metal racks inside the system unit that house storage devices

The CPU (Central Processing Unit)

Circuitry and components packaged together and connected directly to the motherboard. Does the vast majority of processing for a computer

Dual-core CPU

Contains the processing components (cores) of two separate processors on a single CPU

Quad-core CPU

CPU that Contains four cores

GPU (graphics processing unit)

Takes

care of the processing needed to display images (including still images, animations) on the screen

Word Size

The amount of data that a CPU can manipulate at one time

Cache Memory

Special group of very fast memory chips located on or close to the CPU