Transcript Computer Basics

Computer Basics
First Things First!
Learning Objectives
What is your digital profile?
Become an Educated Consumer
How do our computers operate?
Purpose of your computer’s CPU, RAM, and
hard drive
• Bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, and
gigabytes
•
•
•
•
1-2
Computer Basics
What is your digital profile?
•The average US Consumer Household Will Own 5-10 WebEnabled Consumer Electronic Devices by 2014
*IN-STAT CORPORATE FACT SHEET — March 2011 www.in-stat.com
•Currently own on average 26 digital devices.
Device
Brand
Model
Serial Number
iPhone
4
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Canon
Powershot
A2200
XXXXXXXXXXXX
1-3
Other Examples of Digital Devices
What is the Point?
Learning about Digital Technologies
•Is not just about electronics, computers, and
mobile devices
•It’s about the modern lifestyle
•It will help you comprehend many issues related
to privacy, security, freedom of speech and
intellectual property.
•It will help you become an Educated Consumer
1-5
Let’s Get Started
• The Operating System
• The Central Processing Unit
• Memory and Storage
1-6
The Operating System
• Translator
• Starts when the computer is turned on
• The OS is needed to run application
programs (e.g. Microsoft Word)
• Examples:
– Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7
– Apple Macintosh OS X
– Linux
1-7
The Central Processing Unit
• CPU has three characteristics:
– Clock speed
• The number of instructions the CPU can execute in an
amount of time (GHz)
– Instruction set
• The collection of operations that the CPU can execute
– Word size (a.k.a. data width)
• The more data that the CPU can potentially manipulate at
one time, the faster the CPU.
• Dual-core CPU – improved performance
1-8
Memory and Storage
• Random Access Memory (RAM)
• Long-term storage
1-9
Memory and Storage
• Random Access Memory (RAM)
– Fast memory
– Volatile : short-term
– Each program requires some RAM
• L1 Cache
– Stores portions of RAM onboard CPU
1-10
Memory and Storage
• Long-term storage
– Hardware stores: Software, files you create,
data files
– The information remains when the computer is
turned off
• Examples:
– Hard drive
– CD-ROM / CD-RW
– Flash Drive
1-11
Units of Memory
• A file is a collection of data
• Each file has a name
• What we see and hear online is comprised of
files
• The larger the file, the more time needed
–
–
–
–
–
Smallest unit of data is the bit: 1 or 0
A byte is 8 bits
Kilobytes (K): 1024 bytes
Megabytes (MB): 1024 kilobytes
Gigabytes (GB): 1024 megabytes
1-12
Units of Memory
1-13
Units of Memory
1-14
Check your system PC’s
Check your Mac’s
In-Class Exercise
• Complete your In-Class Exercise 1