Module 1: Information Technology Basic Overview

Computer types and software applications

A brief overview of the Internet Information Technology Terminology Digital Base Systems Introductions to analog and digital

Getting Started in IT

Computer Systems and Programs

A computer system consists of
Hardware Software

Hardware is the physical equipment

Case, floppy disk drives, keyboards Main-board, RAM, CD-Rom drives,

Software is the programs used to operate the computer system.

Computer Systems and Programs

Two types of software
Operating systems Applications

Applications are programs to perform a specific function for

User Another application program For example: Word, Excel, Web browsers,

Computer Systems and Programs An operating system (OS)

File and folder management Management of applications Support for built-in utility programs Control to the computer hardware

Computer Systems and Programs Firmware is a program

Embedded in a silicon chip Outdated if any change to either the hardware or software Older firmware lead to device failure, system failure or data loss
The only solution is to replace it

Flash-able

Computer Types
Mainframes are powerful machines The mainframe model consists of
Centralized-computers Dumb terminals

Terminals consists of
A monitor, keyboard A communication port

Computer Types
A mainframe environment
A single computer or group of computers Centrally managed and maintained

Advantages
Scalability Centralized management Centralized backup Low cost desktop devices High level of security

Computer Types
Disadvantages
Character-based applications Lack of OS standards and interoperability Expensive maintenance, set-up cost A single point of failure Potential for a bottleneck

Computer Types
A personal computer (PC) is a standalone device. Graphical User Interface (GUI) employs a graphics display to represent programs executed by the computer An example is the Windows desktop. Icons are small pictures to represent different programs

Computer Types
Advantages
Standardized hardware Standardized, highly interoperable OS GUI Distributed computing User flexibility High-productivity applications

Disadvantages
No centralized backup No centralized management Physical, data access, and virus security risks be greater

Connecting computer systems

Network
a group of computers connected to share resources. allows users to share printer, files,

Connecting computer systems

Internet is the ultimate network connecting millions of smaller networks Most connections are made by cable Cable can carry voice, data, or both Homes can connect to Internet through modems with the speed of 56Kbps Faster connections to the Internet
Digital subscriber line (DSL), cable, T1, E1,

Birth of the Internet

1968: ARPANET project began 1970s: The Growth Begins 1980s: More is Better
1982: The term Internet used for the first time 1983: TCP/IP becomes the universal language of the Internet 1984: DNS was introduced

Birth of the Internet

1990s: The Net Becomes Big Business
1990: ARPANET becomes the Internet 1991: The World Wide Web is born 1996: The Internet covers the globe. The number of Internet hosts exceeds 10 million

2005: The number of Internet hosts exceeds 350 million

Windows Desktop Environment

Starting, shutting down, and restarting Microsoft Windows

The basic functions of a computer include
turning the computer on restarting the computer shutting down the system

Turning on the PC

The startup process of a PC is referred to as booting the system Turning on the PC using the power button referred to as a cold boot At the end of this process, Windows OS desktop will be displayed

Starting, shutting down, and restarting Microsoft Windows

Shutting down a computer
Click Start button -> select Shut Down Or press Ctrl-Alt-Delete -> click Shut Down Not to power off the computer with the power switch

Restarting the PC
Referred to as a warm boot By pressing the reset button Or press Ctrl-Alt-Delete -> click Restart

Windows Explorer
The Windows Explorer provides the ability to create, copy, move, and delete files and folders Explorer displays
the hierarchy of folders stored on the hard disk or other storage device in the left window the folders contents in the right window

Two or more instances of Explorer can be launched to drag and drop between them

Windows Explorer
Explorer can be accessed
In Windows 9x, by choosing Start -> Programs -> Windows Explorer
In Windows 2000, XP and 2003, choose Start > Programs -> Accessories -> Windows Explorer Right-click on Start and then select Explorer

The Desktop
The main display screen in Windows

An icon is
an image that represents an application or a capability selectable as a shortcut to a program or file on the computer desktop non-selectable as in a company logo on a web page

Some of the icons on the desktop, such as

My Computer, My Network Places, Recycle Bin, or My Documents are shortcuts to those directories Microsoft Word, Excel, or Yahoo! Messenger are shortcuts to those applications

The Desktop
The My Computer icon gives access to all the installed drives My Documents is a shortcut to personal or frequently accessed files My Network Places allows the users to see neighboring computers in a networked environment

The Desktop
The taskbar
located at the bottom of the desktop contains the Start button, quick launch buttons, and the system tray.

The Start button

displays the Start Menu allows access to almost every program and function on the PC

The quick launch buttons

located on the taskbar next to the Start button allow immediate access to desktop from any application, as well as access to any application quickly

The Desktop

Working with icons

Creating the Shortcuts (icons)
navigate to the program or file. Right-click it and select Create Shortcut right-click on the desktop and select New > New Shortcut or Create Shortcut. Enter the path for the program or file
Click on it and then drag it to the desired location If the icon not move, right-click on an empty space of the desktop and uncheck the Auto Arrange selection

Moving Icons

Working with icons

Selecting Multiple Icons
hold down the Ctrl key and click on all the icons to be moved drag the group of icons to the new location de-select the icons by clicking on the empty part of the desktop

Working with icons

Renaming Icons
the first way is to click once on the name under the icon. then type in a new name click on the empty part of the desktop to complete the second way is to right-click on the icon and select Rename option

Recognizing an application window

Application windows typically have a title bar, tool bar, menu bar, status bar, and scroll bar.

Recognizing an application window

Title Bar Displays the name of the document and application. Menu Bar Contains menus for manipulating the document Status Bar Shows useful information such as the page number, how to access Help feature, and so on Scroll Bar Moves the images or text through the window.

Resizing a desktop window

To resize a window
move the cursor to any corner or side of the application window a double-headed arrow will appear click and drag on the window edge to change the window size

Resizing a desktop window

There are types of arrows, pointers, cursors, and other items used to navigate around in Windows

To modify the mouse pointers, go to My Computer > Control Panel > Mouse > Pointer

Switching between windows

When more than one window is open, the user can switch between windows by pressing Alt-Tab or clicking the desired window on the taskbar

Basic Features of Windows

Viewing the basic system information of a computer

To view information about the system in Windows 2000, go to the Start menu and choose Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Information

Viewing the basic system information of a computer

A window will display the information such as the OS name and version, the system manufacturer and model, the BIOS version, and the memory,

Setting the clock rate

To adjust the date and time, double-click on the clock on the taskbar. To choose the appropriate time zone, click on the tab labeled Time Zone

Setting the clock rate

To automatically synchronize with an Internet time server, click on Internet Time tab and then click the Update Now button

Minimizing, maximizing, and exiting

Most applications in Windows have three small icons in the upper right corner of the screen used to minimize, maximize the screen, or exit the application

Minimizing, maximizing, and exiting

By clicking on the Minimize button, the application is placed on the taskbar The middle button, the Maximize or Restore button, changes depending on whether the window is opened partially or fully

Adjusting the screen display

To adjust the screen display
Right-click on empty space on the desktop and choose Properties to open the Display Properties window Or choose Settings > Control Panel > Display from the Start menu

Adjusting the screen display

The Desktop tab allows users to choose the Background for the desktop

Adjusting the screen display

The Screen Saver tab
permits the selection of a screen saver when it should activate on the desktop

Screen saver also be set up to require a password Energy savings features of the monitor are also applied in this tab

Adjusting the screen display

The Appearance tab
choose the size and color of text backgrounds for applications The Effects button allows users to choose visual effects such as fade effects, large icons,

Adjusting the screen display

The Settings tab allows users to adjust the screen area display and colors

Desktop Settings
To adjust the desktop settings
access the Display Properties window in the Settings tab, adjust the number of colors and pixels be displayed click Apply

Desktop Settings
Pixels are the tiny dots
make up the light on the screen determine the intensity of a screen image

Lower values display cartoon-like color images Higher values display more realistic color images

Adjusting Audio Volume

To access the volume control
click on the speaker icon on the taskbar or from the Sounds and Multimedia icon in the Control Panel

Start Menu Options

Run feature
another method of starting a program used instead of clicking the program shortcut icon access the Run feature by clicking on Start and choosing Run

Start Menu Options

Help feature
provides tips and instructions on how to use Windows includes an index and search function

Start Menu Options

Find or Search feature
used to locate files, folders, and network connections to other computers and peripherals

Documents or Recent Documents menu

shows a list of the most recent documents that have been accessed or created

Programs menu
lists all of the programs that are installed on the computer

Recycle Bin
Stores files, folders, graphics, and web pages from the hard disk that have been deleted The deleted items can be undeleted or restored back to their original location

Overview of Software Applications

Word Processors
A word processor is an application
creates, edits, stores, and prints documents insert or delete text, define margins, copy, cut, and paste Examples are Corel WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, and Lotus

Spreadsheets
In a spreadsheet, numerical data is stored in cells that are arranged on a grid The data in a cell could be a number, text, or calculation Examples are Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3

Databases
A database is an organized collection of data that can be easily accessed, managed, and updated PC databases are divided into two distinct categories
flat-file relational

Examples are Microsoft Access, MS SQL, and Oracle Database

Presentation Applications
Permit the organization, design, and delivery of presentations in the form of slide shows and reports Microsoft PowerPoint is a prominent presentation application

Web browser and E-mail

A web browser is an application used to locate and display pages from the World Wide Web (WWW)

Examples are Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera,

Electronic mail (e-mail) is the exchange of computer-stored messages by network communication

Math for a Digital Age

Measurement-related terminology
bit
smallest unit of data in a computer the value of either one or zero the binary format processed by computers

byte
a unit of measure used to describe the size of a data file, the amount of space on the storage medium, one byte consists of eight bits of data

nibble
half a byte or four bits

Measurement-related terminology
kilobyte (KB)
1024, or approximately 1000, bytes

kilobytes per second (kBps)

a measurement of the amount of data transferred over a connection approximately 1,000 bytes per second

kilobit (Kb)
1024, or approximately 1000, bits

kilobits per second (kbps)

a data transfer rate of approximately 1,000 bits per second

Measurement-related terminology
megabyte (MB)
1,048,576 bytes, or approximately 1,000,000 bytes

megabytes per second (MBps)

a data transfer rate of approximately 1,000,000 bytes or 106 kilobytes per second

megabits per second (Mbps)

data transfer rate of approximately 1,000,000 bits or 106 kilobits per second

Measurement-related terminology
hertz (Hz)
a unit of frequency measurement synonymous with cycles per second used to describe the speed of a computer microprocessor

megahertz (MHz)
one million cycles per second a common measurement of the speed of a processing chip

gigahertz (GHz)
one billion cycles per second a common measurement of the speed of a processing chip

Analog and digital systems

The variables that characterize an analog system may have an infinite number of values

The variables that characterize digital systems only occupy a fixed number of discrete values

Boolean logic gates

There are three primary logic functions
AND gate If either input is off, the output is off OR gate If either input is on, the output is on NOT gate If the input is on, the output is off. The same is true of the opposite

NOR gate a combination of the OR and NOT gates. If either input is on, the output is off

Boolean logic gates

Boolean logic gates

Decimal and binary number systems

The decimal number system uses ten digits including 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 The binary number system uses two digits 0 and 1
Ex, 1000101001101111

Decimal and binary number systems

In Base 10, powers of ten are used
For example, 23605 in Base 10 means 2 x 10,000 + 3 x 1000 + 6 x 100 + 0 x 10 + 5 x 1

Note that 100 = 1, 101= 10, 102= 100, 103= 1000, and 104 = 10,000

Decimal and binary number systems

Binary numbers are converted into decimal numbers by using the same method as with powers of 2 Ex, 100100012 = 1 x 128 + 0 x 64 + 0 x 32 + 1 x 16 + 0 x 8 + 0 x 4 + 0 x 2 + 1 x 1 = 128 + 16 + 1 = 145

Decimal to binary conversions

To convert a decimal number to binary, first find the largest power of 2 that will "fit" into the decimal number For example, convert the decimal number 35 into binary

The hexadecimal number system

The Base 16, or hexadecimal, number system used frequently with computers to represent binary numbers in a more readable form To express hexadecimal output is using "0x" in front of the hexadecimal number

For example, 0x1234 means 1234 in Base 16

Base 16 uses 16 characters to express numerical quantities These characters are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, and F

Binary to hexadecimal conversion

To convert a binary number to hexadecimal
divide the number into groups of four bits, starting from the right convert each group of four bits into hexadecimal

Hexadecimal to binary conversion

To convert a hexadecimal number to binary
convert each individual hexadecimal digit to binary string together the solution

Converting to any base

From decimal to binary
General rule: divide and write remainder from right to left Why this works
remainder gives bit 0
odd numbers have a 1 in bit 0 dividing by 2 does a shift right

For example, convert 1810 to binary

Converting to any base

18 18 0 2 9 8 1

2 4 4 0

2 2 2

2 1 0 1

2 0

Stop

1810 = 100102

This rule works in converting decimal to any base