Unit 7. Evolution of computers Show Click play on the following audio player to listen along as you read this section. Computer Hardware Basics– any physical device or equipment used in or with a computer system (anything you can see and touch). External hardware
Internal hardware
Computer Software Basics
– it is designed to run a computer’s hardware and application software, and make the computer system available for use. It serves as the interface between hardware, application software, and the user.
– a software that controls and coordinates the computer hardware devices and runs other software and applications on a computer. It is the main part of system software and a computer will not function without it.
– a software program that is designed to control a particular hardware device that is attached to a computer.
– a type of system software that helps set up, analyze, configure, strengthen, maintain a computer and performs a very specific task (e.g. antivirus software, backup software, memory tester, screen saver, etc.). any physical device or equipment used in or with a computer system (anything you can see and touch). any hardware device that is located outside the computer. a piece of hardware device which is used to enter information to a computer for processing. a piece of hardware device that receives information from a computer. any piece of hardware device that is located inside the computer. a set of instructions or programs that tells a computer what to do or how to perform a specific task (computer software runs on hardware). a computer program that provides users with tools to accomplish a specific task. it is designed to run a computer's hardware and application software, and make the computer system available for use. It serves as the interface between hardware, application software, and the user. a software that controls and coordinates the computer hardware devices and runs other software and applications on a computer. It is the main part of system software and a computer will not function without it. a software program that is designed to control a particular hardware device that is attached to a computer. a type of system software that helps set up, analyze, configure, strengthen, maintain a computer and performs a very specific task (e.g. antivirus software, backup software, memory tester, screen saver, etc.). Every computer is composed of two basic components: hardware and software.
von-Neumann architecture of the computer[edit | edit source]Von-Neumann computer consists of two main components: memory and CPU. The rest of the computer can be viewed as input/output devices for the two main components. This concept has not yet been overcome and even the latest computers still come from von-Neumann architecture. Application Software[edit | edit source]An application software is a computer program designed to perform a group of coordinated functions, tasks, or activities. Examples of an application include a word processor, a spreadsheet, an accounting application, a web browser, a media player or a console game[1]. Applications may be connected with the computer and its system software or may be published separately, and may be coded as proprietary or open-source. Operating System[edit | edit source]Operating system is defined as a system software that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs. All cpplication softwareomputer programs require an operating system to function. Operating system controls computer's hardware, run the computer's programs and organizes files. CPU[edit | edit source]Central processing unit. Unit that bring the instruction from memory to be executed and decodes. Storing device[edit | edit source]Any hardware that can hold information, temporarily or permanently. We distinguish two types of storage: a primary storage device (RAM), and a secondary storage device (hard drive). Secondary storage can be removable, internal, or external storage. Examples of permanent computer storage: 1. Magnetic storage devices: hard drive, floppy diskette etc. 2. Optical: blu-ray disc, CD-rom disc etc. 3. Flash memory devices: memory card, memory stick, SSD RAM[edit | edit source]It stands for random access memory, it keeps the data and general purpose program that the compter is executing at the moment. RAM is not permanent, its contain can be changed and it is erased when the computer is off. Motherboard[edit | edit source]It is the physical arrangement in a computer that contains the computer's basic circuitry and components. It has a socket for the CPU, RAM and expansion part (sound cards, graphic cards ETC) and also connects together the CPU, memory, hard drives, optical drives, video card and more. Bits and bytes[edit | edit source]Bit is the smallest storage unit in the computer. A bit can store just 0 or 1, which is called binary, and therefore can be stored by physical devices or systems that has two separate states. For example 2 positions, or states of an electrical switch, the two states being ‘on‘ and ‘off‘. A bit can also be described as true/ false, no/ yes etc. Notice that a bit has only two coding options, or 2 values. One bit is too small to be used, and thus computers use a larger storage unit called bytes. Bytes- are made of bits. 8 bits are used to create 1 byte. Notice that a Byte has 28 coding options, 256 values. RAM, hard drives and flash drives, are all types of storages measured by Bytes. Other storage units:
Data[edit | edit source]is any set of characters that has been gathered and translated for some purpose, usually analysis. It can be any character, including text and numbers, pictures, sound, or video. If data is not put into context, it doesn't do anything to a human or computer. Within a computer's storage, data is a collection of numbers represented as bytes that are in turn composed of bits. Information[edit | edit source]a meaning change data into information. For instance letter A, is only a data for an illiterate person but an information for someone who can read. Knowledge[edit | edit source]is a familiarity, awareness or understanding of someone or something, such as facts, information, descriptions or skills, which is acquired through experience or education by perceiving, discovering, or learning. Knowledge can refer to a theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. Algorithm[edit | edit source]is a procedure or formula for solving a problem, based on conducting a sequence of specified actions. A computer program can be viewed as an elaborate algorithm. In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm usually means a small procedure that solves a recurrent problem. References[edit | edit source]1. "Application software". PC Magazine. Ziff Davis. external links[edit | edit source]http://www.computerhope.com http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/algorithm http://www.merriam-webster.com https://web.stanford.edu/class/cs101/bits-bytes.html |