Man is still the most extraordinary computer of all.

JOHN F. KENNEDY, speech, May 21, 1963

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A special machine that performs task, such as calculations, data processing

and handling, electronic communication etc. under the control of a set of

instructions called a program.

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Programs usually reside within the computer and are retrieved and processed

by the computers electronic system.

When a computer is turned on it searches for instructions in its memory. These

instructions tells the computer how to start up and process a specific task.

Usually, one of the first sets of these instructions is a special program called

the Operating System which is the software that makes the computer work.

It prompts the user (or other machines) for input and commands, reports the

results of these commands and other operations, stores and manages data,

and controls the sequence of the software and hardware actions.

When a user request that a program run, the operating system loads the

program in the computers memory and runs the program

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Instruction Cycle

Information from an input device or from the computers memory is

communicated via the bus to the central processing unit (CPU) – the part of

the computer that translates command and runs the program.

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Computer Bus is an electrical pathway through which the processor communicates with the internal and external devices attached to the computer. Bus transfers the data between the computer subsystems and between the computers and sends the instructions and commands to and from the processor the different devices. It connects all internal computer components to the main memory and the central processing unit (CPU).

Data Bus

It carries the data between the different components of the computer.

Address Bus

It selects the route that has to be followed by the data bus to transfer the data.

Control Bus

It decides that whether the data should be written or read from the data bus.

Expansion Bus

It is used to connect the computer’s peripheral devices such as printer, modem and scanner with the processor.

Similarly several different types of the buses are being used on the Apple Macintosh computer. In the newer Apple Macintosh systems, the Nubus has been replaced by the PCI.

Buses can be parallel and serial. Today, most of the computers have internal and external buses to connect the internal and external devices to the main memory and CPU. Depending on the type of the bus and computer the bus’s operation can be unidirectional or bidirectional.

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Computer Bus. N.D. Date Retrieved: July 5, 2011. URL:

http://www.theitlibrary.com/Hardware/bus.html

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The CPU is a microprocessor chip- that is, a single piece of silicon containing

millions of tiny, microscopically wired electrical components.

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Registers can be thought of as the CPU’s tiny scratch pad, temporarily storing

instructions or data.

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Program counter keeps track of which program instruction comes next by

maintaining the memory location of the next program instruction

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A computer can do billions of actions per second. Failures are usually due to

human error, one way or another. A computer can keep huge amounts of data.

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Computer exist in a wide range of sizes and power. These computers are

typically preprogrammed for a specific task, such as tuning to a particular

television frequency, delivering doses of a medicine, or keeping accurate time.

They are generally “hard-wired” – their programs are represented as circuits

that cannot be programmed.

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They hyave large amounts of internal memory to store hundreds of programs

and documents.

Laptop and notebook synonymous. More compact and have flat, lighweight

LCD’s

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Found in scientific, industrial, and business environments – especially financial

ones, suchy as stock exchange – that require complex and fast computations

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Trading floor of the Frankfurt stock exchange of the Deutsche Boerse AG in

Frankfurt/Main,Hesse,Germany,Europe.N.D. Date Retrieved: July 5, 2011.

URL: http://www.inmagine.com/imagebrokerrm-231/ptg01300431-photo

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They control businesses and industrial facilities and are used for scientific

research. The most powerful mainframe computers, called supercomputers,

process complex and time-consuming calculations, such as those used to

create weather predictions.

Large businesses, scientific institutions and the military use them.

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Returning Fire in Cyber Space; Oh They’ll Hear You Alright. April 27,

2010. Date Retrieved: July 5, 2010. URL:

http://defensetech.org/2010/04/27/returning-fire-in-cyber-space-oh-theyll-

hear-you-alright/

University of Maryland

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CPU – the microprocessor “brain” of the computer system is called the central processing unit. Everything a computer does is overseen by the CPU.

Memory – This is very fast storage to hold data. It has to fast because it connects directly to the microprocessor.

RAM – used to temporarily store information that the computer is currently working with

Read-only memory (ROM) – a permanent type of memory storage used by the computer for important data that does not change

Basic input/output system (BIOS) – a type of ROM that is used by the computer to establish basic communication when the computer is first turned on.

Caching – the storing of frequently used data in extremely fast RAM that connects directly to the CPU.

Virtual Memory – space on hard disk used to temporarily store data and swap

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it in and out of RAM as needed.

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This is the main circuit board that all of the other internal components connect

to. The CPU and memory are usually on the motherboard. Other systems may

be found directly on the motherboard or connected to it through a secondary

connection.

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Power supply – an electrical transformer that regulates the electricity used by

the computer.

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This is large capacity permanent storage used to hold infomration such as

programs and documents

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Operating System – this is the basic software that allows the user to interface

with the computer

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The most common way to connect additional components to the computer,

PCI uses a series of slots on the motherboard that PCI cards plug into

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Pronounced scuzzy, the small computer system interface is a method of

adding additional devices, such as hard drives or scanners to the computer

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Accelerated Graphics Port is a very high speed connection used by the

graphics card to interface with the computer.

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This is used by the computer to record and play audio by converting analog

sound into digital information and back again

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Graphics Card – this translates image data from the computer into a format

that can be displayed by the monitor.

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Digital (all modern computers) or analog.

Digital: computers that manipulate binary numbers (0s or 1s), which represent

switches that are turned on or off by electrical current. A bit can have the value

0 or the value 1 but nothing on between 0 and 1.

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Both 0 and 1 can be represented by analog computers, but so can 0.5, 1.5, or

a number like. 3.14

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A desk lamp can serve as an example of the difference between analog and

digital.

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If a dimmer replaces the on / off switch, then the lamp is analog, because the

amount of light can vary continously from on to off and all intensities in

between.

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Analog computer systems were the first type to be produced.

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Most modern computers, however, are digital machines whose components

have a finite number of states - for example, the 0 or 1, or on off bits. These

bits can be combined to denote infomration such as numbers, letters,

graphics, sound and program.

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The hardware are the parts of computer itself including the CPU and related

microchips and micro-circuitry, keyboard, monitors, case and drives (floppy,

hard, CD, DVD, optical, tape, etc). Other extra parts called peripheral

components or devices include mouse, printers, scanners, etc. Together they

are often reffered to as a personal computers or PCs.

CPU

Keyboard

Disk Drives

Mouse

Monitors

Printers Modem

Scanners Digital Cameras

Case

Cards

Cables

Memory

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Compuyters for personal use come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny PDA's

(Personal Digital Assistant) to PC (Personal Computer) towers.

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The term actually refers to a compuyters function rather than to a specific knid

of computer. A server runs a network computers. It handles the sharing of

equipment like printers and the communicattion between computers on the

network. The computer must be more powerful than desktop.

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The mainframe is the workhorse of the business world. A main frame is the

heart of a network of computers or terminals which allows hundred of people

to work at the same time on the same data. It requires a special environment

cold and dry.

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The supercomputer is the top in power and expense. These are used for jobs

that take massive amounts of calculating, like weather forecasting, engineering

design and tetsing, serious decryption, economic forecasting, etc.

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Processing

is the special ability of the computer

People also process data

MAchines have to think the hard way. They do one thing at a time, one step

nat a time. Complex procedures must be broken down into very simple steps.

People, on the other hand, are better at recognizing patterns than ther are at

single facts and step-by-step procedures. Example faces are very complex

structures but you can identify thousands of faces.

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Major word processors include Microsofty Word, WordPerfect, and Lotus

WordPro

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Database - a collection of data that you want to manage, rearrange, and add

to later. With a database you could sort the data by name or city or postal code

or by any individual item of information recorded. You can create reports that

show just the data you are unterested in.

Both spreadsheets and databases can be used to handle much the same

information, but each is optimized to handle a different type most efficiently.

The larger the numebr of record, the more important the differences are.

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Both spreadsheets and databases can be used to handle much the same information, but each is optimized to handle a different type most efficiently. The larger the numebr of record, the more important the differences are.

Flat database - contains files which contain records which contain fields.

Relational Database - contains tables whichy are linked together.

Types of Databases

Flat Database - the earliest and the simplest databases are flat databases.

A text database - is a plain text file where the fields are separated by a particular character like a vertical bar (|) or a comma (,) or a semi-colon (;).

is hard to read in this raw form.

A spreadsheet can work as a flat databse. Each field is in a separate column and each row is a single record.

Relational Database

Microsoft Access and Oracle and other relational databses are more advanced and more efficient. This kind os database uses a set of tables which are linked together. Using a well-designed relational database can greatly reduce the amount of data you must enter each time you add a record. For large numbers of records, a relational database can search through the records faster.

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Query - can filter your record to show just the ones that meet certain criteria or

to arrange them in a particular order.

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Paint - Programs works with pictures on a pixel-by-pixel basis, where a pixel is

the smallest dot on the screen. Such programs handle photographs and most

clipart. MS paint is this type of program.

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Programs, on the other hand, define images in terms of vectors, that is,

equations that describe geometric shapes. The user doesnt have to do the

math! Drawing objects in MS Office are vector images.

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A presentation progra, also known as presentation graphics, links together a

sequence of slides containing text and graphics. A slide show might be used

for sales presenattion or for training or to enhance any kind of speech.

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FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

An FTP program manages the moving of files between computers. When you

download a file over the internet, you are using an FTP program. Programs

like word processors and HTML editors that can upload files to websites

include this ability wihtout haviing to use another program.

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Chat

In a chat program you join a chatroom. You write messages that appear in a

window that shows all the messages being sent ib thyis chat room

Instant Messaging

A programs notifies you when your friends are online. Then you can send them

mesages, which they see immidiately.

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Email, or electronic mail, is becoming more and more popular as people learn

to communicate again with written words. It leaves a written record to refer

back to for a response or if you forget who said what.

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Project Management

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Project Management

When you have a group of people working together on a complex project, you

need a way to manage all the details. A project management program, like

Microsoft Project 200, tracks all the people, task, and deadline in a major

project.

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PIM (Personal Information Management)

Programs are a special kind of database. A pIM will normally include an

address book, a calendar to schedule actrivities and appointments, and a to-

do list where you list chores, calls to make, various things to do.

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Contact MAnager

An advanced PIM may be called a contact manager. Such a program is

optimized to make it easy to track who you have talked to or met with and what

you did or said. A contact manager automatically links a name in the address

book to names in the calendar.

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Data is the raw facts given to the computer. Programs are the set of

instructions that direct the computer. Commands are special codes or key

words that the user inputs a task, like run "accounts".

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The Keyboard

The keyboard is used to type information into the computer or input

infomration. QWERTY is the most famous. The standard keyboard has 101

keys. Ergonomically designed keyboards are designed to make typing easier.

Keyboard Symbols

Most characters from any Roman based language can be created on any

computer using the American Standard Code for Information Interchange or

ASCII. Most computers and softwrae also recognized American National

Standards Institutes (ANSI) formatting standards as well.

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Pointing Devices

Mouse

a ball underneath rolls as the mouse moves across the mouse pad. The cursor on the screen follows the motion of the mouse.

Optical Mouse

There are new mice that dont have a ball. They use a laser to sense the motion of the mouse instead.

Trackball

Instead of moving thye whole mouse around, the user rolls the trackball only, which is on the top or side.

Repeated motions of the same muscles is tiring and can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.

Glide Pad

Uses a touch sensitive pad for controlling cursor. The user slides finger across the pad and the cursor follows the finger movement.

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Game Devices

Cursor motion controlled by vertical stick (joystick) or arrow buttons (gamepad)

A joystick gives a more natural-feeling control for motion in games, especiallly those where yyou are flying a plane or spaceship.

PDA

A Personal Digital Assistant os a handheld computer also known as a palmtop computer. Currently, a typical PDA has touch screen for entering data, a memory card slot for data storage ad at least one of the following for connectivity: Bluetooth and/or WIFI.

In health care history, PDA have been shown to aid diagnosis and drug selection and some studies have concluded that their use by patients ti reecord symptoms improves the effectiveness of communication with hospitals during follow-uyp. It is a faster way that can be used by the nurses ad the health care providers to share and information resources.

Touch Screen

Make selection by just ttouching the screen.

Digitizers and Graphic Tablet

Converts drawings, photos, etc. to digital signal

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consist of a keyboard and a screen so it can be considered an input device,

especially some of the specialized types

SOme come as single units

Display Terminals

Video Display Terminals

A dumb terminal has no ability to process or store data.

An intelligent, smart, or programmable terminal can process or store on its

own, at least to a limited extent. PCs can be used as smart terminals.

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A Point-of-sale reminal (POS) is an exmaple of a special purpose terminal.

Replaced the old cash register. They can update inventory while calculating

the sale.

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Recording sounds for your computer requires special equipment

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For music the best results come from using a musical instrument.

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Camera - A Digital camera takes still photos but records the pictures on the

computer disks or memory chips. The information can be uploaded on the

internet.

Web cam – is a tiny video camera designed specially to sit on your computer.

It feeds picture directly into your computer – no tape or film to develop. Limited

as to the cable of connection. Useful for video conferencing over the internet.

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Works like a copy machine. It captures a whole page and converts it to digital

image.

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It will capture only a section of a page or a large image.

With Optional Character Recognition (OCR) software you can convert printed

documents such as newspaper article to text that can be used in your word

processor.

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Track inventory and calculate the sale at the checkout counter

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A special machine “reads” the marks.

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The CPU is the part of the computer where work gets done. In most

computers, there is one processing chip.

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The ALU can only do one thing at a time but can work very, very fast. These

are the various programs that are currently running on the computer.

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This is the part of the computer that controls the machine cycle. It takes

numerous cycles to do even a simple addition of two numbers.

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One hopes that there is always some storage space that is not in use. If space

runs out in main memory, the computer will crush, that is, stop working.

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Which can be several different things

Communications between computers can be as simple as cabling two

computers to the same printer.

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Your computer is a backup of your soul, a multi-layered, menu-driven

representation of who you are, who you care about, and how you sin.

MICHAEL MARSHALL, The Upright Man

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