IT Essentials (CompTIA A+) Ch.

3
The Visible Computer

Chapter 3

1
 Overview
• The computing process

• Computing hardware

• Computing software

• Operating system characteristics

• File structures and paths

• Tech launch points

2
 The Computing Process

• Computer: an electronic device that can

perform calculations
– Typically a personal computer (PC) runs Microsoft
Windows and is used for various tasks
• Various types of computers
– General-purpose computing devices (e.g.,Thick Client)
– Specific-purpose computers (e.g., CAD, CAM)
– Devices with computers inside (e.g., Automobiles,
Airplanes)

3
 The Computing Process

• Hardware (HW), Keyboard, expansion cards, etc…

– Physical components you can touch
• Operating systems (OS), MAC, Windows, Linux
– Controls hardware and enables user to tell the computer
what to do and provides a means for human interaction.
(e.g., Graphical user interface (GUI)
• Applications (Apps), Programs
– Allow you to do specialized tasks on a computer, basically
adding abilities to the OS. (Internet Explorer, Outlook)

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 The Computing Process

• Basic three stages of the computing process

• Get data into the computer (user)

Input • Mouse, keyboard, touch screen

• Tell hardware what to do (OS)

Processing • Central processing unit (CPU)

• Show the results (OS)

Output
• Monitor, speakers

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 The Computing Process

• Modern devices may have

additional stages
– Data storage
– Network connection

• The computing process

applies to every device.
– By understanding both the
components involved and how
they talk to each other, you can
work with any computing device.

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The Computing Process

7
 Computing Hardware

• A computer system is comprised of many

components, some internal others external.

• External hardware is known as a

peripheral.
• Monitor
• Printer Next Slide

• Mouse

8
Computing Hardware

9
Common External Ports

Display Port

S-Video

DVI-I

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Internal Hardware

11
Laptop Hardware & Features

Figure 3.15 Portable computer (a MacBook Air)

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Common Laptop Ports

Figure 3.16 Ports on a portable computer

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Computing Hardware

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 EXAM FOCUS

• 902 exam – mostly operating system tools

– Focuses on five Microsoft operating systems
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7
• Windows 8
• Windows 8.1
• Windows Phone/Mobile
– Apple coverage: Mac OS X and iOS.
– Linux distributions (or distros) and Google Android

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 Understanding Software

• Software (SW) is a set of instructions that allows

communication between devices (hardware).
• The specific SW on a device is its Firmware.
• Operating Systems (OS) provide a user interface (UI)
that allows people to communicate with hardware
devices
• Drivers interpret the instruction sets or commands
sent between the OS and hardware devices.

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 Understanding Software

Operating System (OS) -File System(s)

-Programs
-Applications

• Drivers also interpret Drivers

instructions for internal
hardware, like our video,
sound, etc…
• If you change the OS or
hardware, you’ll need to
Firmware
get the appropriate driver. • Communicates
with an OS via
a driver.
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Computing Software

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 Operating System
Characteristics
• Windows Vista/7
– Desktop – background
– Aero (or Aero Glass) – transparency at the edge of open
applications
– Start Button – click to access applications, files, tools,
folders
– Pinned programs – single left-click to launch
– Taskbar – shows running programs
– Notification area (system tray) – shows programs running
in the background

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 Operating System
Characteristics
• Windows Vista/7
– Right clicking with the
mouse opens a context
Menu
– Sidebar – houses one
or more Gadgets such
as the clock and calendar
– Vista only
Figure 3.18 Windows 7 with applications open

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 Operating System
Characteristics
• Windows 8/8.1
– Apps are arranged as tiles.
– Pinned apps display at the bottom of the screen.
– Modern User Interface (UI) is the name for the
Windows 8 interface.
– Start screen is the default Windows 8 interface.
– The desktop screen has no Start button.
• Instead, use Windows logo key on standard keyboard.

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 Operating System
Characteristics
• Windows 8/8.1

Figure 3.21 Windows 8 Start screen Figure 3.22 Windows 8 Desktop

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 Operating System
Characteristics

• Windows 8/8.1

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 Operating System
Characteristics
• Windows 8/8.1 Charms bar is a location for
tools called charms
– Revealed by placing the cursor in the top or bottom right
corner of the screen

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 Operating System
Characteristics
• Windows 10 blends traditional Desktop
experience with the Modern UI
– Retained Start menu
– Removed Charms
Bar

• Create and manages

multiple Desktops for
grouping open
applications with the
Task View button

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 Operating System
Characteristics
• Desktop – background of main screen
• Dock – frequently used applications as icons
• Mission Control button
– Brings up Mission Control
utility that allows you to
switch between open
applications and more
• Supports Spaces – multiple
Desktops

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 Operating System
Characteristics
• Linux hosts a variety of user interfaces called
desktop environments (DEs)

Figure 3.34 Multiple Desktops 27

Operating System
Characteristics

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 File Structures and Paths

• Tree pattern
– Root: drive or disc followed by folder, subfolder,
etc.
• Drives (roots) and discs have a drive letter
designation.

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 File Structures and Paths

• Windows
– Root directory – where the OS is installed
– Access folders through Windows Explorer (Vista/7) and File
Explorer (8/8.1/10)
– File extension – appears
after file name
• File association – tells OS
which application to use
with the file (registry)

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 File Structures and Paths

• Windows
– C:\Program Files (All Windows versions)
• Default location for installing programs
– Program files installed on 64-bit editions of
Windows
• C:\Program Files for 64-bit applications
• C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications

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 File Structures and Paths

• Windows
– Personal documents in subfolders of C:\Users
• C:\Users\Mike\Desktop
• C:\Users\Mike\Documents
• C:\Users\Mike\Downloads
• C:\Users\Mike\Music
• C:\Users\Mike\Pictures
• C:\Users\Mike\Videos

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 File Structures and Paths

• Mac OS X
– Finder holds the key to files and folders.
– The Mac style is different from Windows, but has
functionally similar folders.
• Linux
– Pretty much the same structure for user
organization
– Home folder rather than Users folder

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File Structures and Paths

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 The Tech Launch Points

• Windows Vista/7
– Control Panel
• Maintenance, upgrade, and configuration
– Exam assumes Classic view with large icons
• Populated by applets – specific aspects of Windows
– System Tools menu
• Commonly accessed tools such as (System Information, Disk
Defragmenter)
– Command-line interface – text commands
• Useful when graphical Windows does not work

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 The Tech Launch Points

• Windows 8/8.1
– Control Panel
• As with previous Windows versions—the go-to source
for tech tools
• Administrative Tools
– Set up hard drives, manage devices, test system performance,
etc…
– Command Line Next Slide

36
The Tech Launch Points

37
 The Tech Launch Points

• Windows 10 Control Panel

– Settings App
– Collection of utilities, apps, and tools in one handy place

Figure 3.52 Windows Settings app 38

 The Tech Launch Points

• Mac OS X
– System Preferences
• Access to almost all administrative settings
– Utilities folder
• Located in the Applications folder

Figure 3.54 Accessing System Preferences

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 The Tech Launch Points

• Linux
– Terminal – command line
– Unity (default for Ubuntu desktop)
• System Settings
– Gnome 3 (default for Fedora Workstation, Red Hat
Enterprise Linux)
• All Settings application
– KDE Plasma Desktop (default for OpenSUSE, Kubuntu)
• Kickoff menu – looks and works like Windows 7 Start menu

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The Tech Launch Points

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 Summary

• The computing process

• Computing hardware

• Computing software

• Operating system characteristics

• File structures and paths

• Tech launch points

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