1. Computers Today

2. “Old” vs “New” Computers
“Old” computers
Keyboard?
Monitor?
Mouse?
How did you put information in?
How did you get information out?

3. Computers for Specific Purposes
Computers can now be found in our wrist watches, cameras, televisions, DVD players, etc.
Computers monitor everything from fuel efficiency to the comfort of the passengers.
Specific purpose computers can be used for little else other than for what they are designed to accomplish.

4. General Purpose Computers
The kind of machine most people think of when they hear the term computer.
What makes them so popular is that it can perform a wide variety of tasks.
General-purpose computers can be programmed to perform many different tasks.

5. System Components
The equipment that makes up a computer is called hardware.
Each piece of hardware is involved in one of four tasks: input, output, processing, or storage

6. Input and Output All computers interact with someone or something.
In computers, this interaction is called input (getting information) and output (giving a response)

7. Sample Input Devices A keyboard A mouse A microphone
Internet Connection

8. Sample Output Devices A monitor A printer Speakers
Internet Connections

9. Processing and Storage
At the heart of the computer, the inputs are processed and stored, and output is created.
This is accomplished using a variety of devices such as microprocessor, RAM, ROM, a bus and disk drives.

10. Bus
A system of wires that connects RAM, ROM, the microprocessor, and other devices
In most computers, there are not actually individual wires, but lines etched on a circuit board and flat cables connecting devices

11. RAM An acronym from Random Access Memory
The computer’s primary storage
Where currently running programs and active data are stored
When you turn off a computer all data in RAM is lost

12. ROM An acronym for Read-Only Memory
A set of memory chips that have data permanently stored upon them
ROM chips store data and programs necessary to get the computer started

13. BIOS Basic Input/Output System on a Windows based computer
A whole set of programs in ROM used to interact with the screen, keyboard, and disks
Macintosh computers have an extensive set of programs, called the Toolbox, stored on ROM chips

14. Microprocessor
Does the computing and controls everything else that is going on in the computer.
All of the other parts of the computer support the microprocessor.

15. The Instruction Set
A microprocessor is designed to “understand” a set of commands called an instruction set.
Although there are similar instructions among different microprocessors, each model (Pentium, PowerPC, etc.) has its own instruction set.

16. The Parts of a Microprocessor
Clock – controls the speed of a microprocessor
Clock speeds are measured in megahertz (MHz)

17. Primary and Secondary Storage
Primary Storage – RAM
Data stored in RAM is lost if power is interrupted
Considered volatile storage
A relatively fast way to store and retrieve data

18. Primary and Secondary Storage
Secondary Storage – more permanent storage
Usually in the form of disks
Examples: hard disk, flash drives, CD’s, memory sticks
Video

19. Questions? What is an input device? Examples?
What is an output device? Examples?
What is a storage device? Examples?
What is ROM?
What is RAM?
What is the clockspeed of a CPU?