Computer Applications

Understanding Essential Computer

Concepts
 Essential Computer Concepts

1. Recognize You Live and Work in the Digital World

2. Distinguish Types of Computers
3. Identify Computer System Components
4. Compare Types of Memory
5. Summarize Types of Storage Media
6. Differentiate Between Input Devices
7. Explain Output Devices
8. Describe Data Communications
9. Define Types of Networks
10. Assess Security Threats
11. Understand System Software
12. Describe Types of Application Software
 Essential Computer Concepts

Search for information

Google, Yahoo!, or Bing
Communicate with others
Email , Videoconferencing
Telecommuting
Cloud computing
Microsoft SkyDrive and Dropbox
 Essential Computer Concepts

Personal computers (PCs)

Desktop computers
Laptop computers
Notebook computers
Subnotebook / ultraportable computers / netbooks
Tablets
Handheld computers
Smartphones
MP3 players
Mainframe
computers and
supercomputers
 Essential Computer Concepts

Computer system includes

Hardware
Software
Programs
 Essential Computer Concepts

Architecture /configuration
The design and construction of a
computer \
Specifications
The technical details about hardware
Data
The numbers, words, figures, sounds, and graphics
etc.
Processing
Modifying/ analyzing data
 Essential Computer Concepts

Processing tasks occur on the Motherboard (Circuit board)

 Essential Computer Concepts

Input
The data or set of instructions given to computer
Input devices
Issue commands how to process data (e.g
keyboard)
Output
The result of the computer
processing Stored inside or on
external devices
Output devices
e.g a monitor or printer
Peripheral devices
Essential Computer Concepts
Essential Computer Concepts
 Essential Computer Concepts

Random access memory (RAM)

Holds information only while the computer is on.
Volatile memory or temporary memory
Memory capacity measure in GB
Cache memory/ RAM cache/ CPU cache
stores frequently accessed and recently accessed data and
commands
Virtual memory
is space on the computer’s storage devices that simulates
additional RAM.
 Essential Computer Concepts

Read-only memory (ROM)/ firmware

• stores the BIOS (basic input/output system)
• nonvolatile memory or permanent memory
• can be reprogrammed via firmware update
Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)
• stores the date, time, and system parameters
• Semi-permanent memory…
• Rechargeable battery powers CMOS
 Essential Computer Concepts

Magnetic storage devices

common type hard disk drive (HDD)
/hard disk / hard drive
Optical storage devices
CD (compact disc) 700 MB of data
DVD between 4.7 and 15.9 GB of data
Blu-ray discs 25 GB of data per layer
Flash memory (solid state storage)
Flash memory cards
USB flash drive/ USB drive / flash
drive
Solid-state drive (SSD)
 Essential Computer Concepts

Keyboard
Pointing device
Pointer
Mouse
Scroll wheel
Touch pad/ track pad
Touch screen
Microphone
Voice-recognition software
Scanner
 Essential Computer Concepts

1. Monitor, the display or simply the screen

• Fluorescent backlight (old one)
• LED (light emitting diode)
• LCD (liquid crystal display)
Screen size …diagonally measure
Display resolution is the number of pixels (small dots)
…width x height … common range from 640 x 480
to 2560 x 1440
Graphics card/ video display adapter/ video card / built-in
graphics processor or graphics card)
 Essential Computer Concepts

2. Printer produces a paper copy, known as a hard copy

Print quality is measured by the number of dots per inch (dpi).
Speed of a printer ….pages per minute (ppm)
Laser printers
Inkjet printers

3. Speakers (and headphones)

 Essential Computer Concepts

Sender …channel…receiver

Protocols
the rules that establish an orderly transfer of data between the
sender and the receiver.

A device driver, or driver

handles the transmission protocols

Data bus
The path along which data travels between the microprocessor, RAM,
and peripherals
 Essential Computer Concepts

• Expansion slots/slots
• Controller card or
Expansion card or Interface
card

• Expansion port

• Cable

• Different types of ports

Essential Computer Concepts
 Essential Computer Concepts

USB (Universal Serial Bus) port

USB connector,
Ethernet port
Local area network (LAN)
Modem (modulator-
demodulator)

HDMI (high-definition
multimedia interface)

DVI (digital video interface)

VGA (video graphics array)

..analog
 Essential Computer Concepts

Define types of Networks

Network interface card (NIC)

Creates a communications channel between the computer and the network

Router
Device that controls traffic between network components

Network software
establishing the communications protocol
 Essential Computer Concepts

Define types of Networks

• Servers ….the central storage location

• The clients ….dependent computers
• Client/server network
• Peer-to-peer (P2P) Network e.g Skype
• Stand-alone compute ….Node. …….. Workstation
• Local Area Network (LAN)
• Wide area network (WAN)
• Wireless local area network (WLAN) …wireless fidelity
• Personal area network (PAN)
• Infrared technology
• Bluetooth
 Essential Computer Concepts

Assess Security threats

1. Malware
any program designed to cause harm or transmit
information without the permission of the computer owner.
2. Viruses
harmful programs, which instruct your computer to perform
destructive activities, such as erasing a disk drive etc.
1. Antivirus software /virus protection software
3. Spyware
secretly gathers information from your computer and then
sends
this data to the company or person that created it.
1. Anti-spyware software
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Assess Security threats

4. Firewall
prevents other computers on the internet from accessing
your computer and prevents programs on it from accessing
the Internet without your permission.

5. A hardware firewall
Routers come with built-in firewalls.

6. Software firewalls
are installed directly on your computer, track all incoming and
outgoing traffic.
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Assess Security threats

A spoofed (/spuːf/ ) site is a website that’s been set up to look exactly

like another website, with the intention of convincing customers
to enter their personal information.
Phishing
sending email to (potential) customers of a legitimate
website encouraging them to click a link in the email.
When clicked, a spoofed site open where the user is asked
to provide personal information
A DNS server
Pharming break into a DNS server and redirect any attempts
to
access a particular website to the criminal’s spoofed site
 Essential Computer Concepts

Understand Systems Software

System Software allocates system resources, manages storage space,

maintains security, and detects equipment failure.

Utility Software helps analyze, optimize, configure, and maintain a computer.

Computer Programming Languages allow a programmer to write

instructions, or code, that a computer can understand. C,
C++
 Essential Computer Concepts

Relationships between system software and other system components

 Essential Computer Concepts

Describe types of Application Software

• Application Software
• Document production software
• Spreadsheet software
• Database management software
• Presentation software
• Multimedia authoring software e.g. Microsoft Paint
• Information management software
• Website creation and management software