components+of+computer+system

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d) Identify the main components of a multi purpose computer: CPU, harddrive, input/output devices, storage devices======

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e) identify operating systems, including Graphic User Interface (GUI), command line interface======

=Table of Contents=
 * ===Notes===
 * Memory Notes
 * ROM
 * RAM
 * Back up
 * Definitions of hardwares (Table)
 * User interfaces
 * ===Assignments===
 * Poster of USB
 * Personalise a computer under €2500
 * ===Homework===
 * Computer hardware questions (16/9/2010)
 * Components of a computer system worksheet[9/20/2010]
 * Specs for home PC

*Memory units*
・Memorys are measured in bytes. 1 Byte = __ 1 letter in MS word __ 1 Kilobyte (Kb) = 1000 bytes1 Mega(Mb) = 1000 Kb1 Giga(Gb) = 1000 Mb 1 Tera(Tb) = 1000Gb

*ROM* (read only memory)
When a computer is made basic operating instructions are put on a ROM chip These control how the computer turns on. They can read but not changed and are available even after the computer is turned off.

*RAM* (Random Access Memory)
The RAM chip is inside the computer holds its operating instructions and allows programs to work. e.g. MS Word. The more RAM a computer has, the faster the programs can be used. PCs today come with 512 Mb or 1Gb of RAM. When you work with big files e.g. editing pictures or films you need a lot of RAM. All data held in RAM is lost when the computer is turned off.

Storing data internally Data is stored on the hard drive. Hard drives can be 1-1000Gb large.

Back up means to save copy of your important files.
Why do you back up a data?? to save and to be able to find the important files when the computer has problem or when you lose it. Where could you back up:1 a word document ?? In a pen drive or a floppy disk. 2 All the information on a schoool network?? In an external hard drive

It holds the operating instructions for the computer, its programs and data. Advantage- the computer can access data held in RAM immediately.interprets drawing instructions sent by the CPU, processes them via a dedicated graphics processor and writes the resulting frame data to the frame buffer. || Basic input/output instruction when a computer is made. Instruction can be read but not changed. || Allows a computer in which it is installed to connect to any kind of network (internet, computer network, etc…) || Brain of the computer. This processes all of the information and instructions used by a computer. ||
 * Hardwere definition***
 * **ITEM** || **DEFINITION** ||
 * HDD || Permanent storage device for files (40Gb to 2Tb) ||
 * RAM || (Random Access Memory)
 * ROM || (Read-Only Memory)
 * NIC || (Network Interface Card)
 * GRAPHICS CARD || An expansion card that interprets drawing instructions sent by the CPU, processes them via a dedicated graphics processor and writes the resulting frame data to the frame buffer. Also called video adapter. ||
 * CPU || (Central processing unit)
 * MODEM || A modem that uses part of the capacity of the local cable system to transmit data rather than TV channels to the home. (A communications device that can be either internal or external to your computer. It allows one computer to connect another computer and transfer data over telephone lines.) ||
 * 1/0 PORTS || These input/output ports enable data to be transferred to printers, scanners or any other peripheral connected to the computer. ||
 * MOTHER BOARD || Main circuit boards which all the chips are placed. ||

>> == == >> >>  The system that **people** use to **interact** with a **computer** (to give it commands, to see the results of those commands, etc.) is known as the **user interface**. >> >> There are two that you need to be aware of:
 * ======*User interfaces* ======
 * Graphical User Interface (GUI)
 * Command-Line Interface (CLI)

Graphical User Interface (GUI) A GUI is an interface built around visual (graphical) things:GUIs are quite **easy to use** due to the visual nature of the interface – the user has lots of visual clues as to what things do. Windows XP is an example of an operating system with a GUI.
 * [[image:bilde_slaidam.png]]
 * **Windows** are regions of the screen used to display information
 * **Icons** are small pictures that are used to represent folders, software, etc.
 * **Menus** are lists of options the user can select from
 * A **pointer** is an arrow that can be moved around the screen and is used to select things

 However, to display all of the nice graphics required by a GUI takes a lot of computing power so quite a **powerful** computer is needed.

//A GUI is sometimes called a WIMP interface:////**W**indows, **I**cons, **M**enus, **P**ointer// Command Line Interface (CLI) Many years ago when computers were **not very powerful** they could not display the colourful graphics required for a GUI. The only interface available to most computer uses was the ‘command line’. The user would see nothing but a black screen. They would have to **type a command** to make anything happen.

 e.g. To copy a text file called NOTES from a floppy disc to the hard drive the user would have to type:

> COPY A:\NOTES.TXT C:\ media type="custom" key="5239321"

===The user would have to learn a whole set of strange commands so that they could make use of the computer system. Plus it was not very interesting look at – no visual clues to tell you what to do next. This meant computers used to be quite **difficult to use**, so this type of interface is only really suitable for **expert users**.  //Command-line interfaces are still used today on many servers.// //These computers need to use all of their computing power running networks, etc. so they do not use GUIs.// ===

media type="custom" key="5239321"

Memory is measured in bytes.
1 byte = 1 letter in MS word 1 Kilobyte (Kb) = 1000 bytes 1 Megabyte (Mb) = 1000 Kb 1 Gigabyte (Gb) = 1000 Mb 1 terabyte (Tb) = 1000 Gb

ROM (Read Only Memory) When a computer is made basic operating instructions are put on a ROM chip. These control how the computer turns on. They can be read but not changed and are available even after the computer is turned off.

RAM (Random Access Memory) The RAM chip inside the computer holds its operating instructions and allows programs to work e.g. MS Word. The more RAM a computer has, the faster the programs can be used. PCs today come with 512 Mb or 1Gb of RAM. When you work with big files e.g. editing pictures or films you need a lot of RAM. All data held in RAM is lost when the computer is turned off.

Storing data internally Data is stored on the hard drive. Hard drives can be 1-1000Gb large.

//SOFTWARE and SERVICES// (€2494)


 * **PROCESSOR ** || Intel® Core™ i7 960 Quad Core Processor (3.2GHz, 8MB Cache) ||
 * **OPERATING SYSTEM ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt;">Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">VIDEO CARD ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt;">Dual 1GB GDDR5 ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 CrossfireX™ Enabled ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">MEMORY ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt;">12GB Triple Channel 1600MHz DDR3 ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">HARD DRIVE ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt;">2TB - SATA-II, 3Gb/s, 7,200RPM, 32MB Cache HDD ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">OPTICAL DRIVE ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt;">Dual Drives: Blu-ray Disc (BD) Combo (BD-ROM; DVD/CD Burner) and DVD-ROM ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">MONITOR ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt;">21.5” Alienware AW2210 OptX™ Full HD Gaming Monitor ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">SOUND CARD ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt;">Creative Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ Xtreme Audio ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">KEYBOARD ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt;">Logitech Illuminated Keyboard ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">MOUSE ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt;">Alienware Optical Mouse, MG100 ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">WIRELESS ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt;">1525 PCIe WLAN card with 11n mini-Card & external antenna ||

<span style="color: #005fff; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Computer Hardware
Answer questions: __1. Why do you need a graphics card?__A. Because graphics card is an expansion card whose function is to generate and output images to a display. **Good!** __2. What can you do with a modem?__A. You can allow one computer to connect another computer and transfer data over telephone lines.__3. What hardware do you need to connect to network? What plugs into it?__A. NIC. The NIC chip plugs into it.__4. What is a Pentium 4? What does it do?__A. It's a type of a CPU that features the NetBurst micro-architecture. It supports from 2GB to 8GB of DDR memory. It is a family of high-performance microprocessors that succeeded Pentium III family. __5. Why is an input/ output port so called?__A. Because either input and output devices can be plugged.__6. What does a motherboard do? What colour is it and how big is it?__A. It is the main circuit board of your computer and if we ever open the computer, the biggest piece of silicon we see is the this.All of the chips are placed here. The colour is usually green and the size are 2 Gb but there many types of coloured mother boards now.__7. What unit is used to measure__a. The speed of a processor?? →　A. GHzb. The size of hard drive?? →　A. Bytes(Gb)c. The size of RAM?? → A. Bytes(Mb)

<span style="color: #005fff; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">*components of computer system* <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">1. __What is hardware and give two examples? (p8)__ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;">Hardware is the name given to the physical parts of the computer.(the parts of the computer which we can touch. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> ・ Memory・keyboard 2． __What is software and give two examples? (p8)__ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Software is the name given to computer programs that instruct the hardware how to work. ・ To write a letter on a computer, a word processing application such as Microsoft Word. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> ・database <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">3. __List the 5 categories of hardware.__ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> ・ CPU (central processing unit ) ・Memory・Storage devices・Input devices ・Output devices <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">4. __What is the main purpose of a__ a, __An operating system – give an example__ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">- A software that controls the hardware and how all other software works. Such as Windows. b, __Application software – give an example(p9)__ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> - Instructs a computer to carry out a specific task. Such as drawing, databases, spread sheet programs.<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">﻿ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">5. __What does CPU stand for?__ Central Processing Unit <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> 6. __What is the function of a CPU and what is the most common brand of processor?__<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">It is the brain of the computer and controls the rest of the computer works. Intel, Pentium 7.__What is the main piece hardware used to store data internally?__ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Storage devices – hard-disk drives 8. __What does ROM do?__ROM provides the data necessary to <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">give the important data to load the computer program and start it. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> 9. __If data is held in RAM, why is it important to save your work?__ Because the data held in RAM is lost when a computer is turned off or goes wrong. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"><span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> 10. __Write a brief definition of input and output devices and give one example of each__ Input device – Anything that can get data into a computer. → keyboard, mouse, scanner.Output device – It gets processed information out of a computer. → printer, computer screen. 11. __To back up data means to store data in another place than the hard drive so that you have an emergency copy of your data. Give three examples of devices used for secondary/ backing storage.__1. Tape device2. External hard drive 3. DVD-R, CD-R <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">12. __Windows has a ‘Graphical User Interface’ (GUI), what is a GUI? And explain the difference between a GUI and a command line interface.__GUI is provided by the Windows and Macintosh operating system. The difference between GUI and command line interface is how users can use it easily. Command line interface uses special language and is difficult to use especially for new users. On the other side, GUI are presently regarded as the user interfaces which are easiest to use.