New Perspectives on

Essential Computer Concepts

Fundamentals of Computer Applications

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 Course Objectives
At the end of the course, you will understand:
• The components of a • Hardware and
computer system software used to
• The different types establish a network
of computers connection
• Microcomputer • Internet, e-mail, and
hardware and its World Wide Web
functions • System software
• Data representation • Popular application
and the ASCII code software
• Peripheral devices

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 What is a Computer?

A computer is a
device that:
• Accepts input
• Processes data
• Stores data
• Produces output

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 What is a Computer?
A Computer System is
made up of:
• Hardware - the physical
components
• Software - the programs or
lists of instructions
• Peripherals - the additional
components
• Peopleware - the person
who uses the computers

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What is a Computer?
Architecture or
configuration is
the design of the
computer.
As in, what does the
computer consist of?

Specification is the
technical detail about
each component.
As in, how big is the
monitor?

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How a Computer Works

The hardware,
software, and
you work
together to
complete
assigned tasks.

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 How a Computer Works
The data you type
into the computer
is called input.

The result of the

computer
processing your
input is called
output.

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 Types of Computers
The categories of computers
are:
• Personal or microcomputers
– Desktop
– Notebook or Laptop
• Hand-help or PDAs
• Mainframes
• Supercomputers

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Types of Computers

Personal computers are used

for general computing tasks and fit
the needs of most users
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 Types of Computers

Hand-held computers fit in the

palm of your hand and run on
batteries.

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 Types of Computers
Mainframes are
used by companies
to provide
centralized storage,
processing, and
management for
large amounts of
data.

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 Types of Computers

Supercomputers are the largest and

fastest of computers, and can
process an enormous volume of data.
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Computer Hardware
Computer hardware
includes:
• Input devices
• Output devices
• Processing hardware
• Storage devices and media
• Network Devices

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 Computer Hardware
Some input devices A
w
are: i
r
• Keyboard e
l
• Mouse e
s
• Wireless pointer s
m
• Touch pad o
u
• Track ball s
e

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 Computer Hardware
Output devices are:
Monitors and Printers are
common output devices.

CRT monitors and LCD

(or flat panel display)
monitors are two types
of monitors.

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 Computer Hardware
Factors that
influence a
monitor’s
quality are:
• Screen Size

• Resolution

• Dot Pitch

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Types of Printers include:
Laser
A printer that produces very high-quality
print. One of the chief characteristics of laser
printers is their resolution –(how many dots
per inch - dpi) they lay down. The available
resolutions range from 300 dpi at the low end
to 1,200 dpi at the high end.

Ink Jet
A type of printer that works by
spraying ionized ink at a sheet of
paper. Magnetized plates in the ink's
path direct the ink onto the paper in
the desired shapes.
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Types of Printers include:
Dot Matrix
A type of printer that produces characters
and illustrations by striking pins against
an ink ribbon to print closely spaced dots
in the appropriate shape. Dot-matrix
printers are relatively expensive and do
not produce high-quality output

Multifunction-
All in One
A multifunction printer that
prints, faxes, copies and scans.
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 Computer Hardware
• Multimedia devices
are peripheral devices
that include text,
graphics, sound,
animation, and video.

• Speakers and sound

cards are common
multimedia output
devices

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 Computer Hardware
• The most important
computer function is
data processing.

• Processing hardware
is used to process
data.

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 Processing Hardware
• Computers interpret
every signal as “on” or
“off.”

• 1 (“on”) and 0 (“off”)

are referred to as bits.

• Eight bits is a byte.

Each byte represents a
unique character.

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 Data Representation
Storage and memory
capacity is the
amount of data the
storage device can
handle.

• Kilobyte (KB) is about

one thousand bytes
• Megabyte (MB) is about
one million bytes
• Gigabyte (GB) is about
one billion bytes

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 Processing Hardware
• The two most
important
components of
personal computers
hardware are the
microprocessor and
memory.
• These two factors
directly affect the
computer’s price and
performance.
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 The Microprocessor
• The microprocessor is an
integrated circuit or chip on
the main circuit board
inside the computer.

• Its speed is determined

by:
– Clock speed
– Word size
– Cache size

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 Memory
Computer memory is a set
of storage locations of
the main circuit board.
There are four types of
memory:
• Random access memory
(RAM)
• Virtual memory
• Read-only memory
• Complementary metal oxide
semiconductor memory
(CMOS)
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 Memory
RAM is temporary
memory that is
constantly changing
while the computer is
on.

Virtual memory is extra

memory that simulates
RAM if more is needed.

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 Memory
Read-only memory
(ROM) is the
permanent storage
location for a set of
instructions the
computer uses.

CMOS memory is semi-

permanent information
about where essential
software is stored.

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 Memory

A storage device receives data from

RAM and writes it on a storage
medium. Later, it can be read and
sent back to RAM.
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 Storage Devices
Data is stored as files.

Executable files tell

computers how to
perform specific
tasks.

Data files are created

by the user, usually
with software.

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 Storage Devices
Files are kept on storage devices.
These are:
• Magnetic storage devices - referring to the storage
of data on a magnetized medium. Magnetic
storage uses different patterns of magnetization
in a magnetizable material to store data and is a
form of non-volatile memory. The information is
accessed using one or more read/write heads.
• Optical storage devices - referring to the storage
of data on an optically readable medium. Data is
recorded by making marks in a pattern that can
be read back with the aid of light. A common
modern technique used by computers involves a
tiny beam of laser light precisely focused on a
spinning disc.
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 Storage Devices
Some common
magnetic storage
A floppy disk

devices are:
• Floppy disks
• Hard disk drives
• Tape drives
• Zip drives

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 Storage Devices
Some common
optical storage
devices are:
• CD-ROM drives
• DVD drives
• CD-R drives
• CD-RW drives

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 Storage Devices
CD-ROMs are for “read-only”
access.

CD-R drives allow you to record

data on a CD-R disk.

CD-RW drives allow you to write

data on a CD-RW disk and access
and modify data.

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 Data Communications

Data
Communications
is the transmission of
text, numeric, voice,
or video data from one
computer to another.

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 Data Communications
The four essential
components of
data communi-
cations are:
– Sender
– Channel
– Receiver
– Protocols

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Data Communications
A sender is the
computer that
originates the
message.

The message is
sent over a
channel, such as
a telephone.

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 Data Communications
The receiver is the
computer at the
message’s
destination.
Protocols are the rules
that establish the
transfer of data
between sender and
receiver.

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 Data Bus
The data bus is the
communication
between
microprocessor,
RAM, and the
peripherals.

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 Data Bus
An external peripheral device
has a port or cable that
connects it to the computer.

Each port connects to a

controller card, which plugs
into expansion slots.

The transmission protocol is

handled by a device driver.

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 Data Bus
Microcomputers have
several types of ports:
• Parallel
• Serial
• Small computer system
interface (SCSI)
• Musical instrument digital
interface (MIDI)
• Universal serial bus (USB)

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 Data Bus
A parallel port transmits data eight
bits at a time, and is often used to
connect a nearby printer.

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 Data Bus
A serial port
transmits data
one bit at a
time, and often
connects a
mouse,
keyboard, or
modem.

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 Data Bus
A SCSI connection can allow
many devices to use the same
port, and are popular on Macs
and notebooks.

MIDI cards are used to record

and play back musical data.

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Data Bus

Computer
expansion
ports

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 Data Bus
USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports
replace numerous connectors with
one plug and port combination.
The device you install must have a
USB connector.

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