Computer Basics Computer Technology
What is a Computer Information Processor Input Output Processing Storage Are physical parts like monitor, mouse, keyboard essential?
Computer History Abacus 3,000 B.C.
Computer History Jacquard Loom- 1801 First program Stored on metal cards Used in manufacturing Still used today
Computer History Charles Babbage 1792-1871 Analytical Engine- 1833 Could store numbers/ do math Programmed by metal punch cards (software ) Powered by steam, had gears and levers
Computer History What was the biggest advance that led to modern computers? Electricity Transistors Microchips Data storage
Computer History Vacuum Tubes- 1941-1956 First generation electronic computers Vacuum Tubes are glass tubes with circuits inside
Computer History UNIVAC/ ENIAC Programmed by rewiring Weighed 30 tons Contained 18,000 vacuum tubes Cost $487, 000
Computer History Grace Hopper Recipient of Computer Science s first Man of the Year Award Programmed UNIVAC
Computer History First Computer Bug Grace Hopper found a moth stuck in a relay responsible for a malfunction Called it debugging a computer What are today s computer bugs?
Computer History 1950 s Transistors replaced vacuum tubes in computers. Made computers smaller and more reliable. 1940 s 1950 s- Computer Programming Moved from rewiring to change function of a computer to applications used to solve problems. 1970 s- IBM and other manufactures had computers in most companies and universities 1980 s- Computer changed from large tool only for experts to a product for the general consumer.
The Personal Computer Apple Corporation founded in mid 1970 s. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak Bill Gates of Microsoft- developed DOS (Disk Operating System). 1981- Became Operating System for IBM PC s. Became the standard operating system. Students who graduated from high school or college before 1985 seldom had access to personal computers. End of 1980 s- many schools had computer labs
Personal Computer Hardware Hardware- Physical components CPU- Central Processing Unit- brains of the computer. Tells all parts of computer what to do. Performs calculating and logic functions.
Bits and Bytes Computers operate through on/off switches called bits. Bits are grouped into bytes. Ex: A on keyboard = 01000001. Byte is most common unit of measurement.
Software Instructions that allow a computer to run and act on the data given as input. Software = Programs Two Types Operating System Application
Operating System/ Processing Software Most important software program. Allows a computer to start up. Controls how the CPU operates and communicates. Makes computers user friendly. We use Windows Vista Graphical User Interface- allows us to use mouse and icons to use computer. We don t need to know commands or programming language. Older operating systems- DOS- had to type in commands for EVERYTHING.
Application/ Program Software Includes programs that allow you to make the computer do what you want. Ex: Word- write a letter, Dreamweaver- build a web page. Applications that run on one operating system will not run on a different operating system. Ex: Windows can t run on Unix of MacOS.
Personal Computer Memory RAM- Random Access Memory- used for active processing. Ex: When you start Excel, the computer places the program in RAM. When you open a document, it is also placed in RAM. When you save, the CPU copies the document from RAM to permanent storage (ROM). When you save and close memory is freed up. RAM holds information only when there is electricity. When machine is turned off/ loses power, whatever is in RAM is also lost.
Personal Computer Memory ROM- Read only memory ROM preserves its contents even when the computer is shut down. ROM stores programs When you open a program it moves from ROM to RAM.