M1 - Computer Introduction Basic Points.ppt

Definition of Computer
A device that computes,
especially a programmable
electronic machine that
performs high-speed
mathematical or logical
operations or that
assembles, stores,
correlates, or otherwise
processes information.

Look at this picture of a
computer from a
Computer Lab.
A computer is made up
of many parts.

Types of Computers
 Supercomputers...are used to process very large
amounts of information including processing
information to predict hurricanes, satellite
images and navigation, and process military war
scenarios.
 Mainframes...are used by government and
businesses to process very large amounts of
information.
 Mini-Computers...are similar to
mainframes...they are used by business and
government to process large amounts of
information.
 Personal Computers (PC)…

Types of Computers
 Personal Computers (Continued)
Personal Computers...also known
as PC’s...are smaller and less
powerful than the others. They
are used in homes, schools, and
small businesses.

Types of Computers
There are 3 main types of PCs
 Desktop
 Portable (Notebook/Laptop)
When portable (notebook/laptop) computers
were first created they were HUGE. They
weighed around 100 lbs., and were carried
in a large luggage suitcase. The creators
of the portable (notebook/laptop) computer
dreamed that one day it would be the size a
notebook or pocket dictionary. With
today’s technology, we have been able to
accomplish this goal and more..
 Hand-Held

Networks
 A network is a group of computers that share
information and hardware.
 The computers are connected together using
copper phone wires, fiber optic cables, or
radio waves.
 Our computers are on a network here at
school...Look under the table and see the blue
wires that connect your computer to the
network.
 The internet is many networks around the world
that are all connected together to make 1 huge
network.

Computers Have Two Main Parts
 There are two basic parts that make
up a computer...
1-Hardware 2-Software

What is Computer
Hardware?
 Computer Hardware is
the physical part of
the computer system,
the machinery and
equipment.
 Parts of the computer
“you can see”

Hardware
 Hardware is basically anything that
you can touch with your fingers.
Computer Case
CPU (central processing unit...Pentium chip)
Monitor
Keyboard & Mouse
Disk Drive, Zip Drive, CD-ROM, DVD,
Hard Drive
Memory (RAM)
Speakers
Printer

Hardware (Continued)
 There are three
types/categories
of hardware
1. Input Devices
2. Output Devices
3. Storage Devices

Input Devices
 Input basically means getting data
into the computer to be processed.
Keyboard, Mouse,
Trackball, Touch Pad
Light Pen, Laser Scanner,
Pointing Stick
Touch Screen,
Bar Code Reader, Scanner
Microphone, Joystick

Output Devices
 Output basically means getting data
out of the computer.
Monitor
Printer
Speakers
Headphones
Modem
Fax

Storage Devices
 Storage devices are both input and
output devices in one. A storage
device is a place to keep data
that has been processed so that it
can be retrieved at a later time
to be used again.
Hard Disk
Floppy Disk
CD’s, DVD’s
Magnetic Tape
Flash Memory, Jump Drive

Computer Input Devices
 Computer Devices that input
information in the computer
Examples
 Key Board
 Mouse
 Scanner
 Digital Camera

Computer Output Devices
 Computer Devices that output
information from the computer.
Examples
 Monitor
 Printer

The Monitor
The monitor looks
like a TV and lets
lets you see your
work and your
files.

The CPU
CPU stands for
“Central Processing
Unit”. They contain
the brains of the
computer. They can
be desktop models
that the monitor sits
on top of, or tower
models that stand up
tall.

Examples of Computer
Hardware
Keyboard:
This device is used to type
information into the computer and
contains the numbers 0-9.

Mouse:
a small device, which you move
across the top of the desk to move
the pointer or cursor on the
screen.
Examples of Computer Hardware

Floppy Disk Drive
The CPU has places to insert disks. One
kind of disk drive is a floppy disk drive.
A floppy disk drive reads information
from a very thin, floppy disk inside a hard
plastic case. Floppy disks can hold up to
1.44 megabytes of information.

CD-ROM Disk Drive
CD-ROM stands for Compact
Disk-Read Only Memory. They
are flat, shiny disks that store
information. Most new
computers have CD-RW drives.
CD-RW stands for Compact
Disk-ReWrite. This type of
disk allows you to write
information to it, as well as
read from it. Most can hold up
to 700 megabytes of
information.

DVD Drive/Burner
The newest computers come with the
option of a DVD drive. A DVD (Digital
Video Disc) looks just like a CD, but holds
much more information! They can store 4.7
gigabytes of data!

Flash Drive
A Flash Drive is a
relatively new storage
device. It’s like a mini,
portable hard drive!
You plug it into the
USB (Universal Serial
Bus) port on the front
of newer computers
and you can save to it!

What is Computer Software?
 Computer Software are programs that
tell the computer what to do.
Examples
 Microsoft Word-word processing
program
 Microsoft PowerPoint-presentation
program
 Microsoft Excel-work book program
used to track, calculate, and
analyze numeric data

How Do Computers Work?
 Input--This is where information is entered
into a computer. Some common input devices
include the keyboard, mouse and scanner.
 Output--This is the information that comes
out of a computer after it has been
processed. The information comes out on
output devices such as a printer or
computer monitor.
 Processing--This is when the information is
handled by the computer’s brain, known as
the CPU (Central Processing Unit).

The Keyboard
The keyboard is probably
the most used input
device. It operates a lot
like a typewriter, but has
many additional keys that
let it do special things a
typewriter can’t.

Special Keyboard Keys
The flashing light on the
computer screen is called the
cursor. This cursor can be
moved up and down or left and
right by pressing the 4 keys
that have arrows on them.
These arrow keys are called
cursor keys.

Shift Key
When this key is pressed at the same
time you press a letter key, a capital
letter appears on your screen. When
it is held down when you press a key
with a symbol and number, the top
symbol appears on the computer
screen. There are two shift keys on
your keyboard.

The Backspace Key
When this key is pressed, the
cursor moves back one space to the
left on your computer screen. This
key is very helpful when you press
the wrong letter or number. You
can erase your mistakes!

The Caps Lock Key
When you press this key, a small light on the
keyboard comes on. Whenever this light is
on, any letter key you press will result in a
capital of that letter appearing on the
screen. Pressing the CAPS LOCK key a
second time turns it off.

The Space Bar
This is the long bar located at the
bottom of the keyboard. Every time
you press this bar, the cursor moves
one space to the right on the
computer screen.

The Enter Key
When you write a letter or a story
pressing the Enter Key makes the cursor
jump down to the next line. This is a
very helpful key to use when you want to
start a new paragraph or you’re typing
your spelling list.

The Function Keys
Most computer keyboards have between 10
and 12 function keys. These keys are
usually located at the top of the keyboard
and give the computer user fast ways to
give the computer special instructions.
For example, pressing F1 when using a
Windows program will allow the user
access to the Help screen.

The Numeric Keypad Keys
On the right side of the keyboard there is
a set of keys grouped together in a
square. These keys have two functions.
When the number lock key is pressed,
these keys offer a quick and easy way of
entering numbers into the computer.
When the number lock key isn’t pressed,
these keys control the movement of the
cursor.

Text Editing Keys
Located next to the numeric keypad, there
are six text editing keys. These keys are
designed to be used in Word Processing
programs. They allow you to move quickly
around a screen when you are writing a
letter or story. They are very useful when
you want to fix a spelling mistake, add a
sentence to your work, or just move to
another page.

The Mouse
Nope, it’s not a rodent! It’s another input
device. It’s called a mouse because of it’s
shape and the way the cable attaching it to
the computer looks a bit like a tail. There
are two kinds of mice. Some use a roller ball
that allows the mouse to roll around a flat
surface. When you do that and look up at
the screen, you’ll see a small moving arrow.
This arrow is called the pointer.

A laser mouse doesn’t have a roller ball. It
uses a laser light that makes the pointer
move. Laser mice don’t have to have their
insides cleaned!

Scanner
A scanner is a very useful
input device. You can
place a page of writing or
pictures in the scanner
and it will send the
information to your
computer. There they can
be changed, saved into a
computer file, or printed.

Output Devices
 Printers
 Soundboard
 Audio Speakers

Printers
One output device is a printer. Once a
computer user has created something on
the computer, such as a story, he can
send it to the printer. The printer
prints exactly what’s on the screen.

Two Common Types of Printers
An inkjet printer usually prints in
color. It prints by squirting out
small dots of ink onto the paper.
A laser printer uses a laser beam to
create an image that is transferred
to paper. It uses toner and a drum.
The ink is powder.

Soundboards
A soundboard is an
electronic circuit board,
located inside the
computer, that can
produce music and high
quality sounds. If you
play video games and
multimedia programs on
your computer, you’ll
need a soundboard!

Speakers
Speakers can be connected to your
computer so you can hear very realistic
sound effects and wonderful music. Some
computer monitors come with built in
speakers.

Computer Processing
Once information has been sent to a
computer by one of the input devices
it’s processed. The computer uses it’s
brain to process the information. The
computer’s brain is called the CPU, or
Central Processing Unit.

The CPU is also
called the
microprocessor. The
word “micro” means
small. Since the CPU
is located on a small
computer chip about
1 inch square, that
makes sense!

Random Access Memory
When a computer
processes information, it
uses software programs.
Each program requires a
certain amount of
electronic memory, or
RAM (Random Access
Memory) to run correctly.

RAM is temporary memory. The computer
holds information in this memory and gets
it when it needs it.
If a computer has more RAM, it can solve
problems and process information faster!
If you’re updating your computer, more
RAM is a great thing to add!

Read-Only Memory
A second kind of computer memory is
ROM, which stands for Read-Only
Memory. This memory is permanent.
The information there was put there
when the computer was made. The
computer needs the information in it’s
ROM memory in order to function.

What are all those parts inside my
computer and what do they do???

Computer Hardware
 Hard Drive
 Motherboard
 Sound Card and Video Card
 Memory Card
 Power Supply
 NIC Card
 BIOS

Hard Disk Drive
The Hard Disk Drive is a magnetic storage
device. All the computer programs and files
you create and save are located there. This is
permanent storage (at least until you uninstall
software or delete a file). The hard drive is
normally signified by the drive letter “C”.
Today’s hard drives can store a HUGE amount
of information. A new computer might have a
hard drive that will hold 250 GB’s!

Inside the Hard Disk Drive
case you’ll find circular disks
that are made of steel. On
the disks, there are many
tracks, or cylinders. An
electronic reading device
called the head passes back
and forth over the
cylinders, reading
information from the disk or
writing to it.

Hard Disk Drives use
Magnetic Recording
Techniques. The magnetic
medium can be easily
erased and rewritten and
will “remember” the
magnetic flux patterns
stored on it for many
years!

Hard Disk Drives can spin at 7200 or more
rpm’s (Revolutions Per Minute). That means in
one minute, the hard drive spins around more
than 7200 times!

Your computer couldn’t work without the
motherboard. It ties everything together! It
allows every part of your computer to receive
power and communicate with each other.
Everything that runs the computer or enhances
it’s performance is either part of the
motherboard or plugs into one of it’s expansion
slots or ports.

Sound and Video Cards
Sound and Video Cards are Output
Devices. They contain special
circuits that allow your computer to
play sounds and display graphics on
your monitor.

Memory Card
RAM cards will remember what you tell them and
can even change to remember new information.
But, when the computer is turned off, it forgets
everything you did! That’s why you always save
your work!
ROM is good at remembering, but cannot change
it’s mind. It holds the information that was built
into it!
Remember RAM (Random Access Memory)
and ROM (Read-Only Memory)?

Power Supply
If there is any one component that is absolutely
vital to the operation of a computer, it is the
power supply! Without it, a computer is just a
box full of plastic and metal. The power supply
converts the alternating current (AC) line from
your home or school to the direct current (DC)
needed by the computer.

You can see the power
supply from the back
of your computer
because of the power
cord and the cooling
fan.
Computers put out a
LOT of heat and need
the fan to keep them
from overheating.

Network Interface Card
A NIC card (Network
Interface Card) allows
your computer to talk to
other computers! A
cable called Cat5 is
plugged into the NIC
card and your computer
can then be attached to
a network and be on the
internet!

BIOS CHIP
A BIOS chip (Basic Input
Output System) is a very
important computer
component. In simple
terms, the BIOS chip
wakes up the computer
when you turn it on and
reminds it what parts it
has and what they do!

Bytes, Kilobytes,
Megabytes and Gigabytes
 Byte 8 Bits=1 byte
 KB Kilobyte=1,000 bytes
 MB Megabyte=1,000,000
(1 million) bytes
 GB Gigabyte=1,000,000,000
(1 billion) bytes

I’ve heard those words,
but what’s a Byte??
All the information that
moves through your
computer is based on 2
commands.
That’s all, just two. The two
commands are ON and OFF.
They are symbolized by 1’s
and 0’s.

That’s right! The only information your
computer can understand is ON (1) and
OFF (0)!
The millions of combinations of those
two commands given in series are what
makes your computer work.

The memory chips in
your computer are
divided into thousands
of tiny compartments
called bits.
Each and every bit has
an electronic switch, or
gate. ON means the
gate is open and letting
electricity through.

Remember, the computer reads ON
or open bits or switches as the
number 1. Closed switches are OFF
because electricity can’t get through.
The computer reads OFF bits or
switches as 0.

It is by grouping these bits together to
form 1/0 commands that data is formed.
Remember bytes? Eight bits are grouped
together to form one byte.
In that group of 8, there are 256 possible
combinations of 1/0. Wow!!
The grouping of 1/0 within a byte is called
Binary Code.
Binary Code is the language of computers.

Here is an example of Binary Code: when
you type in the letter A on your keyboard,
electrical signals are sent from the
keyboard to the CPU. The CPU turns the
signals into Binary Code. Then the
computer reads the code and sends it on to
the monitor to display the letter A. All of
that happens in an instant!

So what about Megabytes
and Gigabytes????

Megabytes and Gigabytes
One megabyte equals one million bytes.
So, a computer with 512 megabytes of
RAM (Random Access Memory) means the
computer can handle 512,000,000
(512 million) bytes of RAM.
Hard disk space is also measured in bytes.
So, a 200 GB Hard Disk Drive has
200,000,000,000 (200 billion) bytes for
storing memory!

To get an idea of how
much on/off (1/0) data
a computer can store,
imagine pressing any
key 1 billion times. How
long would it take?

You would have to press a key 5 times
a second non-stop for over 6 YEARS
to reach 1 billion keystrokes.
One billion keystrokes equals just
1 GB of memory!
Think about that the next time you
think a webpage is loading too slowly!

Just the beginning…..
We just touched on the very basics with
this presentation! There is so much more
to understanding computers. There are
books that are thousands of pages long
that explain how they work in great
detail. But now maybe you understand
them more than you did before and you’ll
want to keep learning.
Keep computing!

General Understanding of how
your computer works!
 Overview
To understand anything it helps to break it
down into it's basic components. Then you
need to know how each component works.
Finally you look at how all the components
work together to achieve the desired end
product or result.
Motherboard
It is the main circuit board inside the CPU
case. It holds the microprocessor, memory and
other crucial circuits and components that
control the operation of the Personal
Computer. Every device inside or connected to
a Personal Computer finds it's way to this
board.

 Memory
The mother board takes the input you give it like
mouse clicks, and produces output for you like
displaying or printing a file. It can't do this
without memory. The PC operating system used by the
PC is copied from storage to memory at power up.
The OS copy in memory then runs the PC. Memory is
volatile which means that when your PC is turned
off the contents of memory are lost. It is
completely blank and must reloaded each time the PC
is powered up.

Storage
Storage is non-volatile which means it retains
information even when it is powered off. It stores
programs which run the PC as well as data, which is
a digital form of everything you use like
documents, music, pictures, etc
 Input Devices

 Output Devices
When you send inputs into the PC, it
processes them and produces useful output for
you. The primary output devices are the video
display, printer and speakers.
Software
Some people want to use the power of their
computer to create works of art, others want
to create music, or play games, surf the web,
or play the stock market. Whatever you want
to do with your computer, software is the key
to doing it.
What happens when your PC is powered on?
With a simple push of a button, your computer
comes to life.

Basic Computer Quiz
1. What is Computer Hardware?
2. What is Computer Software?
3. Can you operate a Computer with out the
Computer Software?
4. How can Computer Software help your
business?
5. What are Computer Input devices?
6. What are Computer Output devices?
7. Where is the Mother Board located?
8. Name a couple of Computer Software.
9. Define Internet
10. How would the Internet help your

Answers to Basic Computer Quiz
1. Computer Hardware is the physical part
of the computer system, the machinery
and equipment. For example: Monitor,
Key Board, Printer and more.
2. Computer Software are programs that
tell the computer what to do. For
Example: Microsoft Word, Microsoft
PowerPoint and more.
3. No. You need Computer Software to
operate a computer, with out the
computer software the computer will be

Answers to Basic Computer Quiz
4. There are computer software that can help
your business, for example, Accounting software
can help you do taxes and pay roll faster than by
hand. The computer soft ware will calculate
numbers for you.
5. Input Computer Devices are computer devices
that input information into the computer for
example, the mouse, keyboard and scanner.
6. Output Computer Devices are computer devices
that output information from the computer like the
printer and the monitor.
7. Mother Board is the main circuit board inside
the CPU case. It holds the microprocessor, memory
and other crucial circuits and components that

8. Computer Software comes in many programs. Here are a
few that you might be familiar with, Microsoft Word,
for word processing documents, Microsoft PowerPoint
for creating professional graphic slide presentations
and Microsoft Access for creating database.
9. Internet: A world wide network that connects
millions of computers to share and exchange data,
business, news, opinions, and research results. The
Internet is not the same as the World Wide Web (WWW).
The World Wide Web is a service that is provided on
the Internet.
10. The internet can advertise your business and network
all over the world. This will help your marketing and
boost sales and networking for your business.

Basic Computer Terms and Definitions
CPU: This computer component has several names:
Central Processing Unit, microprocessor or processor.
This unit is the brain of the computer processes and
executes instructions in a software program. The CPU’s
primary functions include retrieving instructions from
the computer’s memory, including random access memory,
comprehending and executing instructions, and directing
the input and output activity of the computer.
Desktop: The first screen that you see when any
Windows operating system screen is up and running. One
of the main purposes of the Desktop is to make it easier
to access different application programs, files and
documents.

Basic Computer Terms and Definitions
File: Unit for storing information that may include a
word-processing document, a spreadsheet, a picture, a
graphic, musical piece, or even part of an application
program. Examples of "files" include text files which
could be a letter or report and graphic files which could
be a picture. Each file has a name because the data or
information created in a software program is saved with
a file name.
Folder: Method for organizing files that is related by
topic, by purpose, by type, by program, or even by a
project that you are working on. NOTE: When an
application program is loaded onto your computer, it will
group similar applications in a folder. As you add or
create files, you can organize them however you want.

Hyperlink:
Hyperlink: Allows you to move from one web page document to another.
Allows you to move from one web page document to another.
It can be text which is usually underlined or a graphic. When you
It can be text which is usually underlined or a graphic. When you
move your mouse over a hyperlink, the mouse cursor usually becomes a
move your mouse over a hyperlink, the mouse cursor usually becomes a
hand which indicates a hyperlink is present. Once you click on
hand which indicates a hyperlink is present. Once you click on
the link, you move to another web page document or to another place
the link, you move to another web page document or to another place
on the same web page.
on the same web page.
Icon:
Icon: A small picture that represents processing options such as
A small picture that represents processing options such as
programs, documents, and shortcuts. When you click on the icon, the
programs, documents, and shortcuts. When you click on the icon, the
file or program will open. The most easily recognized icon is the
file or program will open. The most easily recognized icon is the
Recycle Bin which is the graphic below.
Recycle Bin which is the graphic below.
Input:
Input: Commonly known as data and refers to numbers, letters, words,
Commonly known as data and refers to numbers, letters, words,
images, video, music and even sounds. Other computer input includes
images, video, music and even sounds. Other computer input includes
commands and user response. A command directs the computer to
commands and user response. A command directs the computer to
execute tasks or perform certain activities. One example of a
execute tasks or perform certain activities. One example of a
command is a command buttons OK, Cancel and Help seen on the Shut
command is a command buttons OK, Cancel and Help seen on the Shut
Down Windows dialog box.
Down Windows dialog box.
Internet:
Internet: A world wide network that connects millions of computers
A world wide network that connects millions of computers
to share and exchange data, news, opinions, and research results.
to share and exchange data, news, opinions, and research results.
The Internet is not the same as the World Wide Web (WWW). The
The Internet is not the same as the World Wide Web (WWW). The
World Wide Web is a service that is provided on the Internet.
World Wide Web is a service that is provided on the Internet.
Keyboard:
Keyboard: The keyboard is an input device that allows you to enter
The keyboard is an input device that allows you to enter
letters, numbers and symbols into your computer. The keyboard keys
letters, numbers and symbols into your computer. The keyboard keys
include the alphanumeric keys (letters and numbers), numeric keypad,
include the alphanumeric keys (letters and numbers), numeric keypad,
special function keys, mouse cursor moving keys, and status lights.
special function keys, mouse cursor moving keys, and status lights.

Files and Folders: Think of a computer folder as being
similar to a filing cabinet folder, whereas a
computer file is similar to the pieces of paper that
are placed in the folders.
Graphic User Interface (GUI): Combines text and
graphics to make software easier to use. Graphical
User Interface features include icons, windows,
menus, and buttons.
Hard Copy: Usually refers to a printout on paper.
Hard Drive: The purpose of the hard drive is to store
information. This device that allows the computer to
permanently retain and store data like the operating
system, programs and information data. The hard
drive holds more data than a diskette and accesses
information faster than on diskettes. Storage refers
to the capability of storing things, and as for the
computer, it is information.
Hardware: Refers to any component of the computer
system that you can like the monitor, keyboard,
mouse, printer, computer unit, scanner, speakers and
even the components inside of the computer unit if
you opened the box up.

Menu: List of options that may be commands or other options from which
you can choose from. The following illustration is the File Menu Bar
command menu list.
Mouse: Besides a keyboard, a mouse is the most common input device for a
computer. The mouse is a small, palm-sized input device that you move
across a flat surface, such as a desktop, to control the movement of
the pointer on the screen. Technically, there are many operations that
are much easier to perform with a mouse than a keyboard because you
can just point and click to select an item on a screen or choose an
item from a list of options.
Mouse Commands: Before examining the various commands, you must
understand how to execute each mouse command. The mouse commands
include move, point, click, deselect, double-click, drag, and right-
click.
My Computer: An icon that opens into a folder of icons for all of the
resources on the computer like the hard drive and printer.
Operating System: Software that acts as an interface between you, the
application software (like word processing or accessing the Internet),
and the computer components. This includes interpreting and carrying
out basic instructions that operate a computer like recognizing
information from the keyboard and mouse, sending information to the
monitor, printer, or speakers and scanners, storing information to the
hard drive and removable drives. Common operating systems include
Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME, and MAC OS.

RAM:
RAM: This is an acronym for Random Access Memory.
This is an acronym for Random Access Memory.
This memory is a work area or a temporary
This memory is a work area or a temporary
storage
storage space where the computer places
space where the computer places
program information so that it can execute the
program information so that it can execute the
program instructions and information. When the
program instructions and information. When the
program or file is closed, the data or programs
program or file is closed, the data or programs
are removed from RAM. The amount of RAM you
are removed from RAM. The amount of RAM you
have on your computer is crucial in determining
have on your computer is crucial in determining
how many programs can be opened (running) and
how many programs can be opened (running) and
how much data is available for each program.
how much data is available for each program.
RAM is available in MB or megabytes.
RAM is available in MB or megabytes. An example
An example
is 256MB of RAM.
is 256MB of RAM.
Select:
Select: A single left mouse click to select a file
A single left mouse click to select a file
or folder icon.
or folder icon.
Software:
Software: Instructions that provide the computer
Instructions that provide the computer
with step-by-step actions that need to be
with step-by-step actions that need to be
executed to complete a specific task. A
executed to complete a specific task. A
computer will not function with software.
computer will not function with software.

M1 - Computer Introduction Basic Points.ppt

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