Transcript Hardware Lesson 1

Hardware Lesson 1
Understanding Computers
What is a Computer?
• “A computer is an electronic device
(hardware), operating under the control of
instructions (software) stored in its own
memory, than can accept data (input),
process the data according to specified
rules (process), produce results (output),
and store the results (storage) for future
use” MS Office 2007, Shelly Cashman
OR
• A machine that uses instructions to do jobs.
What is a computer?
• An electronic device that inputs, processes
and stores information
Types of computers:
• Personal computer (PC)
– Desktop
– Laptop
– One person at a time
• Mainframe
– Use dumb terminals
– Many people at the same time
• Supercomputer
– Customized
– Large and very expensive
Using computers:
• Personal Computers
– In school
– At home
– In business
• Mainframes
– Businesses
– Banks
• Supercomputers
– Weather, NASA, international banks
research
Review Questions:
1. What is a computer?
It’s a ______________
that uses
machine
_____________
to do _________.
jobs
instructions
2. How is a PC different from a mainframe?
How are they alike?
3. In what ways do computers play a part in
your everyday life?
4 functions of a computer
• Input: Entering data, graphics, etc.
– Keyboard and mouse, Scanner, Microphone
• Process: What the CPU does, including
calculations and drawing images for output
• Storage: Save files (remember, they must
have a NAME)
• Output: Includes what you see on the screen
and what comes out through a printer, speakers,
etc.
– Speakers, Monitor, Printer
Computers include …
• Hardware
• Software
– Application software
– Utility software
– System software
• Memory (for another lesson)
• Storage (for another lesson)
Hardware
• Is anything you can touch.
– Computer
– Monitor
– Mouse and Keyboard
– Other parts and components
Parts of a Computer:
•
•
•
•
CPU (Central Processing Unit) or Processor
Memory: holds your open files
Storage: Hard disk drive, portable disks
Input Devices: Keyboard and Mouse,
Microphone, Scanner
• Output Devices:
Printer, Monitor,
Speakers
Software:
• Application Software (create and modify
documents): Word, Excel, Photoshop, Games,
Windows Movie Maker
• Utility Software (other software): WinZip,
Windows Media Player, Internet Browsers
(Internet Explorer, Netscape), antivirus or
spyware, etc.
• System Software (controls hardware) =
Operating Systems
– Microsoft Dos, Windows
– Apple OS
– Unix, Linux
Review Questions
• Finish answering the questions on the
review sheet.
• We’ll go over them when everyone is
finished.
Hardware Lesson 1
Understanding Computers