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2440:105 Intro to Computers and Appl.

Software The University of Akron Study Guide #1 (Intro to Computers, Windows, Internet) Summit College

Dept of Business Technology Computer Information Systems

Computer Concepts
Basic Computer Concepts A computer is a machine that performs the following four basic operations known as the information processing cycle (input, processing, storage, output). o Input the computer gathers data from users o Processing data is converted into information o Storage data or information is stored for future use o Output data or information is retrieved from the computer Types of Computers The four basic types of computers are supercomputers, mainframes, minicomputers, and microcomputers. o Supercomputers fastest, most expensive, large and powerful computers for specialized tasks such as mathematical calculations, weather tracking, satellite monitoring, etc o Mainframe large computers that multitask and often found in business and colleges o Minicomputers may be used in medium-sized businesses with smaller data storage requirements o Microcomputers the smallest category of computers that range in size from servers to handheld devices Some of the most common types of microcomputers include desktops, laptop/notebook, personal digital assistants (PDAs). Components of an Information System The six basic components of a computer information system are hardware, software, procedures, data, people, and network. o Hardware consists of the equipment controlled by the software. Types of hardware devices (peripherals) include input devices, system unit, storage devices, and output devices. Input Devices the devices used to enter data into the computer for processing. E.g., keyboard, mouse, scanner, digital camera, video camera, etc System Unit holds the processing hardware, electrical power supply, disk drives, circuit cards, ports for connecting other hardware and motherboard (system board). The system unit has two important parts: processor and memory. Processor/Microprocessor /Central Processing Unit (CPU) the brain of the computer that controls all the commands and tasks of the computer o CPUs are measured by the speed at which they are capable of processing data (measured in megahertz (MHz) in millions, gigahertz (GHz) in billions, terahertz in trillions, etc) o The CPU has two main parts: control unit and arithmetic/logic unit. Control Unit obtains instructions from the memory and interprets these instructions and executes them Arithmetic-Logic Unit (ALU) performs the arithmetic and logical operations for the computer Memory holds data, instructions and information. Two basic types of memory include RAM and ROM. o Random Access Memory (RAM) the volatile part of memory that stores information temporarily o Read-Only Memory (ROM) the nonvolatile part of memory on which instructions have been prerecorded to help start the computer and perform other tasks o Memory is measured by size in bytes, kilobytes (thousands of bytes), megabytes (millions of bytes), and gigabytes (billions of bytes), terabytes (trillions of bytes), etc. Byte represents a single character and consists of 8 bits

151148455.doc

Enoch E. Damson

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2440:105 Intro to Computers and Appl. Software The University of Akron Study Guide #1 (Intro to Computers, Windows, Internet) Summit College

Dept of Business Technology Computer Information Systems

o o o

Bit the smallest unit of information in computers that is made up of 0s and 1s Storage Devices used to store data and information permanently. Data is generally stored using one of the following forms: magnetic, optical, flash memory. Magnetic storage uses sectors that divide tracks to store data o E.g. hard disks, tapes, floppy disks, zip disks Optical storage also uses tracks and sectors but data is saved using a laser beam o E.g. Compact discs (CDs), digital video discs (DVDs) Flash memory uses solid-state technology which is completely electronic and has no moving mechanical parts o E.g. Flash drives (memory sticks), cards used in digital cameras etc Storage devices are also measured by size in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes, etc. Output Devices the devices used to display and print processed data (information). E.g., monitor printer, etc. Monitors output soft copy and their resolution identifies the number of pixels (picture elements) per square inch that appear on a screen Printers output hard copy and their resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi) Software (program) a set of instructions that direct the computer to accomplish certain tasks The two major categories of software are: system software and application software. System Software enables the application software to interact with the computer hardware. There are 4 types of system software: operation systems, utility software, device drivers, and programming languages. Application Software end-user software that performs useful tasks such as word processing, desktop publishing, etc. Kinds of application software include: word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation and communication software. Procedures rules or guidelines for people to follow when using software, hardware, and data Data the raw facts entered into the computer system for processing to produce information Networks two or more computers connected in some way to share hardware, software programs, data and other resources Each object (computer, printer, etc) connected to a network is known as a node Networks fall into two categories: local area networks, wide area networks. Local area network (LAN) link computers within a small geographic area like a building or group of buildings Wide area network (WAN) link computers separated by a few miles or even thousands of miles Network Topology (Topography) how computers and other devices are arranged and connected. The most common topographic layouts include: bus, ring, star, and wireless networks.

Ports

A port is where all the peripheral devices connect to the computer to enable data exchange. Types of ports include: serial ports, parallel ports, universal serial bus (USB) ports, FireWire ports, and connectivity ports.

Introduction to Windows
Windows Fundamentals Operating System - set of computer instructions (computer programs) that control the allocation of computer hardware.

151148455.doc

Enoch E. Damson

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2440:105 Intro to Computers and Appl. Software The University of Akron Study Guide #1 (Intro to Computers, Windows, Internet) Summit College

Dept of Business Technology Computer Information Systems

Windows (uppercase W) an operating system (developed by Microsoft Corporation) with versions such as Windows 3.x, 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP, Vista, and 7. Interface provides the means for dialogue between the user and the computer. Graphical User Interface (GUI) uses graphics or pictures to represent commands and actions. Windows Screen Elements Desktop basic screen (GUI) from which Windows and applications are run. Consists of icons, a taskbar, a Start button, and a mouse pointer. o Icon graphical representation used to run a program. My Computer icon an icon that provides access to files and folders on the computer. Recycle bin storage area for files that have been deleted. o Taskbar A bar that contains the Start button and other buttons that will activate programs. Start button used to navigate program functions on the desktop. Quick launch toolbar an area to the right of the Start button that contains icons for commonly used programs. System tray notification area on the right side of the taskbar that keeps you informed about processes occurring in the background, and displays the time. o Mouse pointer the arrow, I-beam, or other symbol that indicates a location, on your screen. o window (lowercase w) a rectangular area on the screen that is used to display files or documents. Parts of a Window Title bar line at the top of a window that contains the name of the application and document, along with the Minimize, Maximize/Restore Down, and Close buttons. o Minimize removes a window from the screen and represent it as a button on the taskbar. o Maximize/Restore Down enables a window to take up the whole screen or takes a window back to the original size before being maximized. o Close closes a window from the screen. Menu bar a bar, directly beneath the title bar, that contains commands in words. o Menu list of associated commands available from a command in a menu bar or from a list opened by right-clicking an object (shortcut menu). Screen tip a small box containing the name of a button that pops up when you pause the mouse pointer over it. Toolbar a bar, directly beneath the menu bar, that contains command buttons with icons. Horizontal/vertical scroll bars helps to move left/right and up/down respectively to view information that extends beyond the screen. Task pane used to display commonly used tools. Status bar a bar at the bottom of a window that gives additional information about the window. Creating & Using Files/Folders Creating a new folder Creating a new file o File names must exclude the following characters \ / : * ? < > | o File extension the three-letter ending to a file that identifies the file type. E.g., Extension Type of Document .doc MS Word .xls MS Excel .mdb MS Access .ppt MS PowerPoint .txt Text Document .bmp Windows Bitmap Image .zip WinZip Compressed File

151148455.doc

Enoch E. Damson

Page 3 of 5

2440:105 Intro to Computers and Appl. Software The University of Akron Study Guide #1 (Intro to Computers, Windows, Internet) Summit College

Dept of Business Technology Computer Information Systems

Select multiple files/folders Cut/Paste files/folders Copy/Paste files/folders Move files/folders Rename files/folders Delete files/folders Finding Files/Folders Wildcards o A number of characters (*) o A single character (?) Narrowing a search

The Internet, World Wide Web, & Web Browsing


Basic Internet Terminologies Internet (the Net) a large collection of computers all over the world that are connected to one another. A network of networks. Tools and resources used on the Internet (the NET) include: o World Wide Web (the Web) used to organize resources on the Internet for easy access. o Electronic Mail (E-mail) used to communicate electronically with people all over the world. o Instant Messaging (IM) allows direct, live communication. o Social Networking connects people and organizations to share common interests or activities. o Web log (Blog) contains personal logs or journal entries posted on the Web. o Search Engines helps to locate information on the Web and the Internet. o Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) buying and selling of goods over the Internet. o Cloud Computing uses the Internet to shift computer activities of individuals or organizations to the Internet. ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) the first internetworking project funded by the US government for the military to allow computers to communicate reliably over long distances. Fathers of the Internet Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn were primarily responsible for developing communication protocols or standards (TCP/IP) still in use on the Internet today. o TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) rules that networked computers use to establish and break connections. o IP (Internet Protocol) rules for routing individual data packets (small chunks of data). Internet Protocol (IP) addresses sets of four numbers separated by dots (e.g., 123.45.245.91) which are the means by which computers on the Internet identify each other. Internet Connections means to connect computers to the Internet. They include: o Dial-up connection uses standard telephone lines to connect to the Internet. o Broadband connections uses cable, satellite, and DSL for faster connections to the Internet. DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) uses standard telephone lines for faster internet connections. Cable uses a televisions cable service provider to connect to the Internet. Satellite uses a satellite dish to connect to the Internet. Internet Service Provider national, regional, or local companies that connect individuals, groups, and other companies to the Internet. Web browsers software that allows locating, viewing, and navigating the Web. E.g., Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Mozilla Firefox, etc. Web site a location on the Web. Web page (Home page) the main page of a Web site. Uniform Resource Locator (URL) a Web sites address. Parts of a URL include: protocol, domain name (server, business name, domain type), and path (folder, file). E.g., http://www.uakron.edu/courses/icas.html o Protocol standard used to communicate on the web. E.g., http, ftp, etc

151148455.doc

Enoch E. Damson

Page 4 of 5

2440:105 Intro to Computers and Appl. Software The University of Akron Study Guide #1 (Intro to Computers, Windows, Internet) Summit College

Dept of Business Technology Computer Information Systems

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) allows text transfers on the Web. The default protocol used on the Web. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) allows file transfers on the Web. o Domain name name assigned to a Web site. Includes the server name, business name and domain type. E.g., www.uakron.edu o Path path within a Web site that contains the folder name and file name. E.g., /courses/icas.html Hyperlink (Link) text, graphics, or other elements that connect to additional data on the Web. HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) a computer language that marks text with a set of tags.

Email
Basic Email Concepts Electronic mail (E-mail) used to communicate electronically with people all over the world. o Client-based e-mail dependent on an e-mail account provided by and ISP and using client software like MS Outlook or Netscape Mail for configuration. o Web-based e-mail uses the Internet as the client to help access e-mail account from any computer with access to the Web. No special client software needed. E-mail server processes and delivers incoming and outgoing e-mail. Functions as the postal carrier. Viruses malicious codes or programs that are usually installed on your computer without your knowledge Worms similar to viruses that spread across computers by borrowing into email address without any human interaction Trojan horses usually come with free installed software like screensavers to cause problems similar to viruses and worms Spyware designed to capture personal and confidential information on your computer to send it elsewhere o Adware spyware that tracks users Internet browsing to install malicious cookies on computers Cookie small text file with information to identify users on a Web site o Key loggers spyware that records every keystroke on a computer to capture all sorts of confidential information like passwords, credit card numbers, etc Spam unwanted or junk e-mail sent by companies that finds e-mails from either a purchased list or software that looks for e-mail addresses on the Internet. Internet hoaxes contain untrue information and chain e-mail letters. Phishing lures users into revealing personal information that could lead to identify theft.

151148455.doc

Enoch E. Damson

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