1. History and Terminology
Computer Technology
History and Terminology

2. The Computer
Hardware:  Parts of the computer that you can see or touch, such as the monitor or keyboard.
Peripheral:  Any piece of hardware attached to a computer, such as a printer or scanner.
Input Device:  Hardware that allows you to communicate with the computer, such as a keyboard or mouse.

3. Output Device:  Hardware that allows the computer to communicate with you, such as a printer or speakers.
Software:  A set of electronic instructions that tells a computer what to do.  Anything that can be stored electronically is software.
Application Software:  Allows the user to accomplish specific tasks.  Examples of this type of software are Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.

4. Operating System Software:  This software controls the overall activity of a computer.  Examples of this type of software include Windows 95, Windows NT, and Windows 7.
Storage Device:  These devices hold information that the computer uses to perform specific tasks.  Examples of these devices are a hard drive, floppy disk, and CD-ROM.
Bytes:  These measure the amount of information a device can store.

5. Inside the Computer
CPU (Central Processing Unit):  The main component that makes your computer operate is the computer chip which is housed in the CPU.  This processor is the component that performs virtually all of the computations and controls the behavior of most devices.
Motherboard:  The main circuit board of a computer.  All electrical components plug into the motherboard.
Expansion Slot:  A socket on the motherboard where you plug in the expansion card.

6. Expansion Card:  Lets a user add new features to the computer.
Chips:  Tiny slices of silicon which store electronic circuits.  Each chip is covered with millions of circuits.
Power Supply:  This device changes normal electricity into electricity the computer can use to generate information.

7. Megahertz:  The millions of cycles that the electric circuitry goes through while operating your computer.
RAM (Random Access Memory):  This is a temporary storage device that relies on power being supplied to retain information.  Once the power is turned off all information is lost.  The size of RAM is measured in Megabytes.
Hard Drive:  The device that reads and writes data on a hard disk.  The hard drive is mounted permanently inside the computer.  The hard drive holds the operating system, programs, and documents.  The hard drive stores many more times the amount of information that can be stored on a floppy.

8. Floppy Drive: Stores and retrieves information on floppy disks
Floppy Drive:  Stores and retrieves information on floppy disks.  The floppy disk consists of a plastic casing enclosed in a  thin piece of plastic.  The plastic has a coding of magnetic particles on it, onto which the information is written in magnetic code. 
Zip Drive:  A high capacity floppy drive.  It is used to store large files and can hold more information on one zip disk that over 100 floppy disks. 
CD-ROM Drive (Compact Disk Read Only Memory):  This is an optical drive that reads information stored on a CD.
Drive Bay:  A space inside the computer case where a hard drive, floppy drive, zip drive, and CD-ROM drive are located.

9. Input Devices
Mouse:  An input device that lets you select and move items on your screen.  The left button will select objects.  The right button will bring up a special menu with various options to select.
Trackball:  Upside-down mouse that remains stationary on your desk.  You roll the ball with your fingers or palm to move the pointer on the screen.
Keyboard:  Hardware device which allows you to input information into your computer.

10. Joystick:  Device that lets the user control the movement of objects in many computer games quickly and accurately.  
Touch Pad:  A surface that is sensitive to pressure and motion.  When you move your fingertips across the pad, the pointer on the screen moves in the same direction.
Microphone:  Lets the user record speech and sound into the computer.

11. Scanner:  A device used for converting pictures, photographs, and paper documents to a digital form suitable for storing on your computer.

12. Output Devices
Monitor:  Device that displays information from the computer in the form of windows, icons, images, and text.   
Printer:  A device that produces a paper copy of the information displayed on the monitor.
Speakers:  Device that lets you have a conversation with others, listen to music, or hear sounds generated from the computer.
Modem:  A device that exchanges information via phone lines, ISDN lines, or cable to connect with the internet or fax machines.

13. Computer Crime
Viruses:  A program that disrupts the normal operation of a computer and causes problems to the computer.
Firewall:  Designed to protect a private computer network from unauthorized access.

14. Hacker:  A person that accesses electronic information without permission in order to cause harm by creating a virus or worm.
Bug:  A mistake in a program or system that may cause the computer to malfunction.
Software Piracy:  The unauthorized copying of software.

15. Types of Networks
Network:  A group of connected computers that allows people to share information and equipment.
LAN (Local Area Network):  It is a network that connects computers within a small geographic area, such as a school building.
WAN (Wide Area Network): It is a network that connects computers across a large area, such as a city or country.  A WAN network can transfer information by telephone line, microwave, or satellite.

16. Client/Server:  People who use this network store their files on a central computer.  Everyone connected to the network can access the files stored on the central computer.
  A convenient way for users to exchange information or data by means of the internet.

17. The Internet
World Wide Web:  A huge collection of documents stores on computers all over the world.
Web Page:  A document on the web that was created to share information by means of text, pictures, sound, or video.
Website:  A collection of WebPages maintained by someone.

18. Home Page:  The page that appears each time you start your web browser.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator):  The address of each web site.
Hypertext:  Documents that contain highlighted text that when clicked will connect to other pages on the web.

19. Computer History
Charles Babbage is known as the "Father of Computing" for his contributions to the basic design of the computer.  He began the design of the computer in However, due to the limited availability of parts the machine could not be produced.

20. Ada Augusta, possibly the first computer programmer,worked with Charles Babbage to create programs for the Difference Engine. These programs were created by punching holes into a card to create specific sequences.

21. The ENIAC was the first successful electronic digital computer.

22. The IBM 360 was a revolutionary advanced computer system
The IBM 360 was a revolutionary advanced computer system. It enabled a family of computers to cover a wide range of tasks.

23. The LGP30 was built by Litton General Precision in the mid 1950's
The LGP30 was built by Litton General Precision in the mid 1950's.  It was implemented with vacuum tubes and contained a drum memory system.  

24. The PDP-6 was the first 36-bit computer.

25. The PDP-8 was the world's first minicomputer
The PDP-8 was the world's first minicomputer.  It was priced at the amazingly low price of $20,   The size and design made the computer extremely expensive.

26. A miniature electronic system, know as the Large Scale Integration System, was created in the 1970's.  The LSI was able to do the work of 15,000 transistors and brought about the microcomputer of today.