1. Chapter 1 The Amazing Computer
Peter Norton’s Introduction to Computers
Chapter 1
The Amazing Computer
WOW!

2. Learning Objectives:
List at least five professions in which computers are routinely used, and describe at least on of the ways computers have affected the work of people in those professions.
List the four parts of a computer system.
Identify four kinds of computer hardware.
List the two major categories of software and explain the purpose of each.
List the four most common types of computers available today and describe what kind of job each does best.

3. Computer - an electronic device used to process data.
abcde

4. Computer System: Hardware - physical parts of the computer
Software - instructions to the computer
Data - raw facts the computer can manipulate
People - also known as users

6. Computer Hardware - any part of the computer you can touch.
Processor
Memory
Input and Output Devices
Storage Devices

7. Some types of hardware devices.
Output
Processor
Memory
Input and
output
Storage
Input

8. Software - electronic instructions to the computer
Software - electronic instructions to the computer. Also referred to as a “program.”
Two types:
System Software
Application Software

9. System Software: Operating Systems Disk Utilities Windows 95
OS/2
Disk Utilities

10. Application Software:
Word Processing
Spreadsheets
Graphics
Databases
Entertainment
Educational
Communications
Presentation

11. Application software and system software
work together to provide useful output.

12. Software brings a computer to life.

13. Types of Computers: Supercomputer Mainframe Minicomputer Microcomputer
Mainframe computer

14. Microcomputer
Supercomputer
Minicomputer

15. Who Uses Computers? Military Doctors Educators Engineers Architects
Musicians
Filmmakers
Attorneys
Bankers
Architects

16. A medical team using “robodoc” to assist in surgery.

17. Musicians can use MIDI technology to compose and edit their work.

18. Learning Objectives: Chapter 1 Review
List at least five professions in which computers are routinely used, and describe at least on of the ways computers have affected the work of people in those professions.
List the four parts of a computer system.
Identify four kinds of computer hardware.
List the two major categories of software and explain the purpose of each.
List the four most common types of computers available today and describe what kind of job each does best.

19. Chapter 2 Processing Data Peter Norton’s Introduction to Computers
Useful
output
Data

20. Learning Objectives:
Identify the main difference between data and information.
List two reasons why computers use the binary number system.
List the two main parts of the CPU and explain how they work together to process data.
Name three differences between RAM and ROM.
List three hardware features that affect processing speed.
Name the two best-known families of CPUs and list their differences.

21. Data - raw facts
Information - meaningful data
(useful output)

22. Decimal Numbers - Base 10 Notation Binary Numbers Number Systems:

23. Bit = binary digit - Smallest unit of data Byte = 8 bits
Bits and Bytes:
Bit = binary digit - Smallest unit of data
Byte = 8 bits

24. On-off circuits are simple and are not prone to errors.
Computers represent data with electrical switches.
= 1
On-off circuits are simple
and are not prone to errors.
= 0
One byte is made up of 8 bits.
(binary = decimal 72)
(ASCII = the letter “H”)

25. Computer parts communicate using binary numbers.
The greater the number of bits moved at
one time, the faster the processing speed.

26. - (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code)
Text Codes:
EBCDIC “EB-si-dic”
- (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code)
ASCII “As-key”
- (American Standard Code for Information Interchange)
Unicode
- (Unicode Worldwide Character Standard)

27. CPU (Central Processing Unit) - the brain of the computer
Two parts:
CU (Control Unit)
ALU (Arithmetic/Logic Unit)

28. Control Unit - Controls the flow of data into and from the Central Processing Unit.

29. Arithmetic/Logic Unit - Performs Arithmetic functions and Logical operations.

30. The CU and ALU
are in the CPU.

31. RAM - Random Access Memory
Types of Memory:
ROM - Read Only Memory
(contains the basic input output system or BIOS)
RAM - Random Access Memory
(user programs and data go here)

32. The ROM is nonvolatile because it will not
lose its contents when powered down.
RAM plugs into sockets on the motherboard.

33. Adding RAM often increases system performance.

34. The CPU can read RAM much faster than it can the hard disk.

35. CPU Manufacturers:
Intel
Motorola
AMD
Cyrix

36. CPU Models:
Pentium
Penium Pro 1995
Pentium II

37. the clock, the faster the
The Pentium II has 7.5 million
transistors, more than double
the number included on the
original Pentium chip. It
can operate from 233 MHz to
400 MHz and beyond.
About MHz: the faster
the clock, the faster the
processing speed.
(1 MHz = 1 million clock
cycles per second)

38. Learning Objectives: Chapter 2 Review
Identify the main difference between data and information.
List two reasons why computers use the binary number system.
List the two main parts of the CPU and explain how they work together to process data.
Name three differences between RAM and ROM.
List three hardware features that affect processing speed.
Name the two best-known families of CPUs and list their differences.

39. Interacting with Your Computer
Peter Norton’s Introduction to Computers
Chapter 3
Interacting with Your Computer

40. Learning Objectives:
List at least three common input and output devices.
Name the processes a video monitor uses to displays images.
Name the components of a mouse and list the common techniques used to maintain a mouse.
Name three types of printers and list the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Explain how input and output devices communicate with the other parts of the computer.

41. Input Devices: Keyboard Mouse Trackball Trackpad Pen Touch Screen
Bar Code Reader
Image Scanner
Microphone
Video

42. When it gets sluggish, turn it over and remove the cover plate.
Right
click
The mouse is a fairly
intuitive input device.
Left
click
When it gets sluggish, turn it
over and remove the cover plate.
Carefully clean the ball and rollers.

43. Parts of a Keyboard: Alphanumeric Keys Modifier Keys Numeric Keypad
Function Keys
Cursor-movement Keys
Escape Key
Special-purpose Keys

45. Factors Affecting Monitors:
Size
Resolution
Refresh rate
Dot pitch

46. One complete set of scan lines is called a frame.
The picture is scanned
from left to right and
from top to bottom.
Size is measured
diagonally.
One complete set of scan
lines is called a frame.
Refresh rate = number of
frames in one second
1 pixel in a color monitor
Resolution = no. of pixels
(i.e x 768)

47. Flat-Panel Monitors: LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) Passive Matrix
Active Matrix
(Notebooks use LCD displays)

48. Types of Printers: Ink Jet Laser Dot-Matrix Thermal-Wax Dye-Sub Fiery
IRIS
Plotter

49. Ink jets are popular because of their
relatively low cost and color capability.

50. Laser printers are faster and capable of high resolution.
Heat roller bonds
toner to paper
Toner transferred
from drum to paper
Laser transfers
image to drum
Rotating
mirror
Laser beam
Paper is given a
static charge

51. Printer Criteria:
Image Quality
Speed
Initial Cost
Cost of Operation

52. Types of Interfaces:
Serial
Parallel
Centronics
SCSI

53. Serial data transmission is relatively slow!
UART
Receiver
RS232
Driver
Start bit
Stop Bit
Bit 6
Bit 3
Bit 1
Bit 2
Bit 4
Bit 7
Bit 0
Bit 5
To modem
Transmitter
Serial data transmission
is relatively slow!
Control
The serial ports transfer data one bit at a time.

54. The parallel port transfers data one byte at a time.
PIA
Receiver
Drivers
To printer
Transmitter
Control
The parallel port transfers data one byte at a time.

55. A SCSI card can be plugged into an expansion slot. SCSI
devices can be daisychained.

56. Learning Objectives: Chapter 3 Review
List at least three common input and output devices.
Name the processes a video monitor uses to displays images.
Name the components of a mouse and list the common techniques used to maintain a mouse.
Name three types of printers and list the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Explain how input and output devices communicate with the other parts of the computer.

57. Storing Information in a Computer
Peter Norton’s Introduction to Computers
Chapter 4
Storing Information in a Computer

58. Learning Objectives: List four common types of storage devices.
Name three common uses of floppy disks.
Name the four data disk areas on floppy and hard disks.
List three ways tape drives differ from disk drives.
Identify four types of optical storage devices.
Name and describe the four main disk drive interface standards.

59. Storage Media - the physical components or materials on which data is stored.

60. Storage Devices - the hardware components that write data to, and read it from, storage media.

61. Types of Storage:
Magnetic
Optical

62. Optical: the bits
are read
using light.
Magnetic: the bits
are written and read
using magnetism.

63. Magnetic Storage Devices:
Diskettes
Hard disks
Removable hard disks
Magnetic tape

64. Tape drive
Floppy drive
Hard drive

65. Optical Storage Devices:
Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM)
Write Once, Read Many (WORM)
Phase-Change Rewritable disks
Magneto-optical disks

66. CD-ROM

67. Factors that Affect Drive Performance:
Average Access Time
Data-transfer Rate

68. Average Access Time - the average time it takes a read/write head to move from one place on the recording medium to any other place on the medium.

69. Data-transfer Rate - a measure of how long it takes the device to read or write a given amount of data.

70. Head
RAM
Hard drive

71. Formatting - the process of mapping a diskette by dividing it into Tracks and Sectors.

72. Tracks - a set of magnetic concentric circles.
Sector - a pie-like slice of disk.

74. Four Areas of a Disk: The boot record The file-allocation table (FAT)
The root folder or directory
The data area

76. Drive-Interface Standards:
Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)
Enhanced Small Device Interface (ESDI)
Small Computer System Interface (SCSI)

77. Learning Objectives: Chapter 4 Review
List four common types of storage devices.
Name three common uses of floppy disks.
Name the four data disk areas on floppy and hard disks.
List three ways tape drives differ from disk drives.
Identify four types of optical storage devices.
Name and describe the four main disk drive interface standards.

78. The Operating System and the User Interface
Peter Norton’s Introduction to Computers
Chapter 5
The Operating System and the User Interface

79. Learning Objectives:
Define the terms “operating system” and “user interface.”
Name three major functions of the operating system and explain the importance of each function from the user’s perspective.
List five types of utility software and describe how each can be used to enhance the functionality of an operating system.
Define the term “multitasking” and list two ways it saves time for a user.
List three other significant operating systems, aside from DOS and Windows.

80. Operating System(OS) - provides an interface for the user, software, hardware, and file management.

81. Functions of the Operating System:
Provides the instruction to display the on-screen elements with which you interact.
Loads programs into the computer’s memory so that you can use them.
Coordinates how programs work with the CPU, RAM, keyboard, mouse, printer, and other hardware as well as with other software.
Manages the way information is stored on and retrieved from disks.

82. Operating Systems: DOS Windows 95 Windows 98 Windows NT OS/2 Warp
Mac OS
UNIX

83. DOS uses a command-line interface.

84. Windows 98 features the Active Desktop.
A single user interface allows a user to browse
the internet and the local computer resources.

85. Graphical User Interface (GUI) - (pronounced “gooey”) Uses graphics (icons) to represent commands and programs which are chosen using a mouse.

86. Icon - a graphic that represents printers, fonts, document files, folders, and so on.

87. Most people like icons because it’s easy to
understand them and remember what they do.

88. Factors When Upgrading Your Operating System:
CPU Type
Memory
Disk Space
Compatibility

89. Operating System Services:
Saves the contents of files to a disk for permanent storage.
Reads the contents of a file from disk into memory.
Sends a document to the printer and activates the printer.
Provides resources that let you copy or move data from one document to another, or from one program to another.

90. A hierarchical file system

91. Files can be managed with Windows Explorer.

92. Operating System Services:
Allocates RAM among various programs that you may have open.
Performs the seemingly simple activity of recognizing keystrokes or mouse clicks and displaying characters or graphics on the screen.

93. The operating system acts as an intermediary
between the software and the hardware.

94. O.L.E. (Object Linking and Embedding - data is copied from one type of document and embedded into another. The data that is copied retains a link with the original document.

95. Multitasking - means being able to perform two or more procedures at the same time--such as printing a multipage document, sending over the Internet, and typing a letter--all simultaneously.

96. 1 2 3 4

97. Interrupt Request (IRQ) - used by the operating system to send requests to use memory and other hardware devices attached to the computer system.

99. Operating System Utilities:
File Defragmentation
Data Compression
Backup Software
Data Recovery Software
Antivirus Utilities
Screen Savers

100. Defragmenting the hard drive can make file access faster.

101. Learning Objectives: Chapter 5 Review
Define the terms “operating system” and “user interface.”
Name three major functions of the operating system and explain the importance of each function from the user’s perspective.
List five types of utility software and describe how each can be used to enhance the functionality of an operating system.
Define the term “multitasking” and list two ways it saves time for a user.
List three other significant operating systems, aside from DOS and Windows.