Intro to Windows Operating System

Instructor: Santiago Loayza

WHAT IS A COMPUTER?
A computer is an electronic device with the ability of processing information.
It allows you to manipulate, retrieve, store, and/or edit all types of data*.
For example, you can browse the internet, send emails, create documents and save
them as files in your computer.
You can also move files to different locations within the operating system or even to
external storage devices such as a hard drive, CD/DVD, or USB memory.
Computers give you the power to manipulate the information anyway you want it.
All computers consist of two parts hardware and software.

WHAT IS DATA?
In general, data is any set of character/s (a character is a single visual object used to
represent text, numbers, or symbols.)that has been gathered and translated for some
purpose, usually analysis. It can be any character, including text and numbers, pictures,
sound, or video.

WHAT IS HARDWARE?
Hardware includes all the physical components of a computer such as the keyboard,
mouse, monitor, computer case. The parts inside of the case such as the mother board,
video card, sound card, system memory (RAM), power supply, USB memory card, DVD
player, hard drive, and any other internal peripheral* that may go inside the computer
case. Also external peripherals like speakers, external hard drive, printers, etc. All of
these are examples of hardware.

WHAT IS A COMPUTER PERIPHERAL?

A computer peripheral is any external device that provides input and output for the
computer. For example, a keyboard and mouse are input peripherals, while a monitor
and printer are output peripherals. Computer peripherals, or peripheral devices, are
sometimes called "I/O devices" because they provide input and output for the computer.
Some peripherals, such as external hard drives, provide both input and output for the
computer.

WHAT IS SOFTWARE?
Software is the bridge that connects and communicates with the hardware. It consists of
any set of instructions that tells the computer what to do. The mouse pointer for
example, the arrow that you see on the screen, moves because of the set of instructions
given by the Operating system (the software) to communicate with the mouse (the
hardware) when it’s connected to the computer.

DESKTOP
The main screen that you see when you turn your computer on is called the desktop.
Here is where you can change and customize the look and feel of your computer to have
it the way you want it. You can also add shortcuts to programs and files for easy and
quick access.

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ICONS
An icon is a small graphical representation of a program or file. When you double-
click an icon, the associated file or program will be opened. For example, if you were to
double-click on the My Computer icon, it would open Windows Explorer.
TASK BAR
The taskbar, located at the bottom of the screen, is also part of it. Here is where you
can see all of the programs, files, and/or folders that are opened. You can also add
shortcuts on the task bar for quick access. This is known as quick launch because you
only need to click on them once to open them as oppose to a regular icon which you
have to double click to open them.
START MENU
If you left click on the start menu (bottom left corner), it will open a list of sub-menus
that you can access depending on what you want or need to open. From there you go to
the all programs menu, and you will see a list of all the programs that you have installed
in your computer.
PROCESSOR / CPU
The processor also known as the CPU (short for Central Processing Unit) controls the
execution of all programs. The processor can be thought of as the brain of the computer
because every command goes to the processor and then the processor executes the
task. Every time you open up a program, use the keyboard, or even click a button in
your mouse, you send instructions for the processor to carry out. The processor speed is
measured in hertz. A hertz is a unit of frequency; one complete cycle per second is a
hertz.
HARD DRIVE
Like the memory, the hard drive or hard disk is also measured in bytes although it is
meant for a much bigger purpose since it is not a Random Access Memory. The hard
drive is meant for storage and is the one device that will house all the software that is
installed including the operating system. In other words, every piece of software that
you see in a computer is installed and stored in the hard drive.
SYSTEM MEMORY / RAM
The system memory also known as RAM (short for Random Access Memory) has the
function to hold data that is being currently used by an application or software running
on the operating system. Because it is random access memory, once the application or
software is closed, the resources borrowed from the RAM will go back to it and thus the
name RAM. The memory is measured in bytes. Example: 512 MB (Mega Bytes), or 1 GB
(Gigabyte).

USB FLASH DRIVE-MEMORY CARD

A small, portable flash memory card that plugs into a computers USB port and functions
as a portable hard drive. USB flash drives are touted as being easy-to-use as they are
small enough to be carried in a pocket and can plug into any computer with a USB drive.
USB flash drives have less storage capacity than an external hard drive, but they are
smaller and more durable because they do not contain any internal moving parts.
USB flash drives also are called thumb drives, jump drives, pen drives, key drives,
tokens, or simply USB drives.