CSS NC II Module 1: Computer Parts, Peripherals, and Operating Systems

Glossary and Key Definitions

Peripheral Devices: Also known as computer peripherals, input-output devices, or input/output devices. These include any various devices used to enter information and instructions into a computer for storage or processing, and to deliver processed data.
Input Devices: Devices that send information to a computer system for processing.
Output Devices: Devices that reproduce or display the results of computer processing.
Operating Systems (OS): A set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. It is installed on the hard drive and enables hardware to communicate and operate with software.
MAC: The computer operating system designed for Apple Computer's Macintosh line of personal computers and workstations.
Linux: A Unix-like, open-source, and community-developed operating system used for computers, servers, and mainframes.
Windows: A series of operating systems developed by Microsoft.
GUI (Graphical User Interface): Pronounced "gooey." A user interface that includes graphical elements such as windows, icons, and buttons for user interaction.
CUI (Character User Interface): Also known as Command-Line User Interface. A way for users to interact with programs by issuing commands as one or more lines of text (e.g., MS-DOS and Windows Command Prompt).
Solid State Drive (SSD): A new generation of storage device using flash-based memory. It is significantly faster than traditional mechanical hard disks.
Storage Device: Hardware enabling a user to store large amounts of data in a relatively small physical space, facilitating easy information sharing.
Volatile: Derived from the Latin "volatilis" (meaning "to fly"). In computing, it describes memory content that is lost when power is interrupted or switched off.
Software: A set of programs designed to perform well-defined functions.
Hardware: The physical and tangible components of a computer that can be seen and touched, such as the system unit and mouse.

Types of Computers Based on Data Handling

Analogue Computer: Designed to process analogue data, which is continuous and cannot have discrete values. They are used when exact values are not always required (e.g., speed, temperature, pressure, current). Examples include the speedometer and mercury thermometer.
Digital Computer: Designed to perform calculations and logical operations at high speed. It accepts raw data as digits or binary numbers ( $0$ and $1$ ) and processes it with programs in memory. Examples include modern laptops, desktops, and smartphones.
Hybrid Computer: Features capabilities of both analogue and digital computers. It possesses the speed of an analogue computer and the memory/accuracy of a digital computer. It processes both continuous and discrete data by converting analogue signals into digital form.

Types of Computers Based on Size

Supercomputer: The biggest and fastest computers. They can process trillions of instructions in a second and utilize thousands of interconnected processors. They are used for scientific/engineering applications like weather forecasting, nuclear energy research, and simulations. The first supercomputer was developed by Roger Cray in $1976$ .
Mainframe Computer: Designed to support hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously. They can execute multiple processes and programs at once, making them ideal for banking and telecom sectors that process high volumes of data.
Miniframe or Minicomputer: A midsize multiprocessing computer consisting of two or more processors. It can support between $4$ and $200$ users at one time. These are used for billing, accounting, and inventory management in departments or institutes. It is smaller than a mainframe but larger than a microcomputer.
Workstation: An individual computer or group of computers used by a single user. It features a faster microprocessor, large amounts of RAM, and high-speed graphic adapters. It is intended for professional computation or serious academic work.
Microcomputer: Also known as a Personal Computer (PC). Designed for individual use, it features a microprocessor as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, storage, input, and output units.

Categories of Microcomputers

Desktop Computer: Designed for regular use at a single location on a desk or table due to its size and power requirements. Suited for home, small business, and organizational needs.
Notebook Computer or Laptop: A small, portable computer with all desktop features. It uses flat-panel technologies for a non-bulky display. Laptops generally cost more than desktops.
Netbook: Smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and cost, specifically designed for web-based applications (streaming, e-mail, web surfing).
Tablet: A wireless, portable computer with a touchscreen interface. It is smaller than a notebook but larger than a smartphone.
Handheld Computer or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA): A small computer held in the palm. It uses a pen or stylus for input instead of a keyboard. PDAs have limited memory and power but can connect to the internet via wireless connections.
Smart Phones: Mobile phones with advanced features, including high-resolution touchscreens, WiFi, and web browsing. Popular mobile operating systems include Android, Symbian, iOS, BlackBerry OS, and Windows Mobile.

Internal Parts of a Computer

Motherboard (Mobo): The foundation and biggest printed circuit board (PCB) in a computer chassis. It allocates power and allows communication between the CPU, RAM, and all other hardware components.
Power Supply: This unit powers all machine components. It usually plugs into the motherboard. On a laptop, it connects to an internal battery; on a desktop, it connects to a wall outlet.
Central Processing Unit (CPU): Referred to as the computer's "brain." It performs most processing inside the computer, acting as a powerful calculator for instructions from software and hardware.
Random Access Memory (RAM): A temporary, volatile form of memory. Data and applications are placed here when opened, but contents are lost when power is turned off.
Hard Disk Drive (HDD): Provides permanent data storage using spinning platters and a physical arm that writes data. These are slower than newer alternatives.
Solid State Drive (SSD): Uses flash memory (similar to smartphones). They are faster than traditional HDDs but generally cost more for the same capacity level. They are noiseless and consume less power.
Video Card: Also known as a display card, graphics card, or graphics adapter. Attached to the motherboard, it calculates and controls the appearance of images on the screen to enhance quality.
Optical Drives: Used for reading/writing CDs and DVDs. These allow users to install software, watch movies, or save data to blank discs.

External Computer Components and Peripherals

System Unit: Also called the "tower" or "chassis." It is the main part of a desktop containing the internal components like the motherboard and RAM.
Monitor: An output device consisting of circuitry, a screen, a power supply, and adjustment buttons. It displays video images and text.
Keyboard: A primary input device similar to a typewriter, featuring buttons for letters, numbers, symbols, and special functions.
Mouse: A handheld input device that controls a cursor in the GUI. It allows the selection of text, icons, files, and folders. Traditional versions use a small ball at the base to sense movement.
Peripherals (General): Devices connected directly to a computer that do not contribute to primary computing functions but assist user access. They are divided into input, output, and storage categories.

Specialized Input Devices

Scanner: Works like a photocopy machine to transfer information from paper to a hard disk.
Digitizer: Also known as a Graphics Tablet. It converts graphics or pictorial data into binary inputs for fine drawing and image manipulation.
Barcode Device: Used for reading data in the form of light and dark lines (barcodes) found on goods and books.
Joystick: A pointing device used to move a cursor on a monitor, featuring a stick with spherical balls at both ends to allow movement in four directions.
Microphone: Used for adding sound to presentations or mixing music.

Specialized Output Devices

Headphones: Also called earphones. They plug into the computer or speakers to allow private listening.
Projector: Reproduces images from a computer onto a large, flat, and light-colored surface like a wall or screen.
Printer: Generates a hard copy of electronic data. Types include $3D$ , AIO (all-in-one), Dot matrix, Inkjet, Laser, LED, MFP (multifunction), Plotter, and Thermal.
Braille Reader: Also called a Braille display. Converts monitor text into Braille by raising rounded pins through a flat surface, allowing blind users to read.
Plotter: Similar to a printer but used for printing vector graphics. It uses writing tools (pen, pencil, marker) to draw continuous lines instead of dots.

Storage Peripheral Devices

Floppy Disk: Also called a diskette. Used magnetic storage from the mid- $1970$ s to the start of the $21$ st century. Sizes evolved from $8$ -inch ( $203\,mm$ ) to $5.25$ -inch ( $133\,mm$ ), and finally to $3.5$ -inch ( $90\,mm$ ).
Compact Disc (CD): Optical storage using lasers. Originally used for music in the late $1980$ s, then for data. Standard capacity is $700\,MB$ .
DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD): Digital optical storage formats with higher capacity than CDs. A single-layer Blu-ray disc can store $25\,GB$ ; a dual-layer disc stores $50\,GB$ .
USB Flash Drive: Also known as a thumb drive or pendrive. It uses a integrated USB interface and flash memory. It is more durable and efficient than optical media because it has no moving parts.
Secure Digital Card (SD Card): A common rectangular memory card used in cameras and phones. One side is "chipped off" to ensure correct insertion.

Functions of an Operating System

Memory Management: Tracks primary memory (which parts are used/free) and allocates it to processes.
Processor Management: Allocates and deallocates the CPU to specific processes.
Device Management: Also called the I/O controller. It manages all devices and determines which process gets a device and for how long.
File Management: Manages storage, organization, retrieval, naming, sharing, and protection of files.
Security: Prevents unauthorized access to data via passwords and other techniques.
Job Accounting: Keeps track of resources and time used by various jobs and users.
Control Over System Performance: Records delays between service requests and system responses.
Interaction with Operators: Communicates with the user via a console, acknowledging instructions and displaying results.
Error-detecting Aids: Produces dumps, traces, and error messages for debugging.
Coordination Between Software and Users: Manages compilers, interpreters, and assemblers for different users.
Networking: Manages distributed systems where processors communicate via a network without sharing memory or hardware.

Primary Operating Systems and Key Figures

Microsoft Windows: Developed by Microsoft Corporation, founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April $4$ , $1975$ . It pre-loads on most PCs and accounts for more than $80\%$ of global OS usage.
MacOS: Created by Apple for Macintosh computers. Founded by Steve Jobs. It accounts for less than $10\%$ of global usage, partly because Apple computers are more expensive.
Linux: An open-source family of operating systems modified and distributed by anyone. Created by software engineer Linus Torvalds. It accounts for less than $2\%$ of global OS usage, though most servers run on Linux due to customization ease.

Evolution of Microsoft Windows

DOS (Disk Operating System): The first OS for IBM-compatible computers. IBM sold PC-DOS, while Microsoft marketed MS-DOS.
Windows 1.0 (Nov 20, 1985): Sold for $100$ . Introduced the GUI, allowing users to point and click rather than type MS-DOS text commands.
Windows 2.0 (1987): Introduced overlapping and resizable windows, keyboard shortcuts, VGA graphics support, and the first versions of Word and Excel.
Windows 3.0 (1990): Offered $256$ color support, multitasking for DOS programs, and the game Solitaire.
Windows 3.1 (1992): Added TrueType font support and drag-and-drop icon functionality.
Windows 95 (1995): The first $32$ -bit version (previous versions were $16$ -bit). Introduced the taskbar, Start menu, long file names, plug-and-play, and Internet Explorer.
Windows 98 (1998): Integrated internet-based tools like Outlook Express and Microsoft Chat.
Windows 2000: Focused on accessibility with Sticky Keys, Microsoft Narrator, and support for multiple languages (Arabic, Japanese, Greek).
Windows ME (Millennium Edition): Introduced System Restore, a recovery feature for poorly executed software installations.
Windows XP (2001): Widely favored. Available in Home and Professional versions. Introduced $802.11x$ wireless security standards.
Windows Vista (2007): Introduced Windows Defender, DirectX $10$ , speech recognition, and DVD Maker.
Windows 7 (2009): Added multi-touch support, Internet Explorer $8$ , Aero Snap/Shake, and virtual hard disk support.
Windows 8 (2012): Features a Start screen with "Live Tiles" and support for USB $3.0$ .
Windows 10 (2015): Introduced Cortana (digital assistant), Microsoft Edge browser, and the ability to switch between tablet and desktop modes.

Questions & Discussion

Question: What operating system is the oldest? What is the newest?
Response: The oldest listed is DOS; the latest on the module list is Windows $10$ .
Question: What are the three biggest computer OS developer companies and their key figures?
Response: Microsoft (Bill Gates), Apple (Steve Jobs), and Linux (Linus Torvalds).
Question: Which OS is the most commonly used in the Philippines and why?
Response: Windows is the most common, largely because it is significantly cheaper than Apple computers running MacOS.
Question: Why is it important to have an operating system?
Response: A computer without an operating system is useless because the OS is required to run software and manage hardware.
Question: How do you know if a computer has an operating system installed?
Response: Upon turning it on, a logo (Windows, MAC, Linux) appears. Further evidence includes being able to see the desktop, navigate menus, and play music or run software.