GENARAL OF THE COMPUTING

 Computers Are Programmable
􀁺 Computers repond to instructions in the form of
programs
􀁺 Programs are written in order to make
computers behave in specific ways i.e. word
processor, systems control
􀁺 Programs are stored in the Computer memory
Components of a Computer System
􀁺 Computer Systems are made up of:
􀁺 Hardware – the physical parts
􀁺 Software - the instructions or programs that
control the hardware
􀁺 The Human Being – the brains behind the
whole system!Computer Hardware components
􀁺 A typical PC System is made up of:
– System Unit
– Keyboard
– Monitor (VDU)
– Mouse
– Printer
– Modem
– Multimedia Devices
The Processor (CPU)
􀁺 Types include Intel Pentium series, Celerion,
AMD Athlon
􀁺 Chip at the heart of the computer- does the
calculations
􀁺 Speed is very important – measured in
megahertz (MHz): the faster the processor the
more calculations performed per second
Random Access Memory (RAM)
􀁺 Used by the Computer as the working area
􀁺 Holds the working program, the data being
processed and the interim results
􀁺 Volatile - contents are erased if power is cut
􀁺 Can be accessed randomly: can get any piece
of data directly.
􀁺 Faster than perminant storage
􀁺 Not to be confused with ROM (Read-Only
Memory)
Other types of Storage
􀁺 Floppy Disks
􀁺 CD/DVD ROM
􀁺 Zip Drive
􀁺 Magnetic Tape
Input Devices
􀁺 Keyboard
􀁺 Mouse: used in conjunction with the GUI
(Graphical User Interface), point and click
􀁺 Other types of Input Devices:
– Trackballs
– Light Pens
– Touch Screens
– Tablets
Software
􀁺 Generic name of all programs
􀁺 Made up of code interpreted by the hardware
􀁺 Written in programming languages - Java, C,
C++, Perl
􀁺 Two kinds of Software:
– System
– Application
Applications Software
􀁺 Concerned with the world outside the computer
􀁺 Gives the computer its general purpose nature
􀁺 Used for the things you want the computer to
do
􀁺 Common Examples - Word, Excel, Internet
Explorer
􀁺 Applications can be more specialised: e.g.
Architecture package
Problems with Software
􀁺 Software is complex
􀁺 Difficult to test comprehensivly
􀁺 Can have bugs: these can be trivial or major
􀁺 Symptoms of bugs
– hanging
– crashes
Do’s and Don’t’s
􀁺 DO
􀁺 give the computer room
to breathe
􀁺 keep it in a dry place
􀁺 dust free
􀁺 shut down properly
􀁺 keep removable storage
away from the screen
􀁺 DON’T
􀁺 block air vents
􀁺 eat or drink while using
the computer
􀁺 expose to extremes of
temperature
􀁺 just switch off
􀁺 move while the computer
is in operation