Computers Are Your Future

Twelfth Edition

Chapter 1: Computers and You

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 Computers and You

2
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 Objectives
• Define the word computer and name the
four basic operations that a computer
performs.
• Describe the two main components of a
computer system: hardware and
software.

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 Objectives
• Provide examples of hardware devices
that handle input, processing, output,
and storage tasks.
• Give an example of the information
processing cycle in action.
• Discuss the two major categories and the
various types of computers.

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 Objectives
• Explain the advantages and
disadvantages of computer use.
• Recognize the ethical and societal
impacts of computer usage.
• Discuss how computers affect
employment.
• List ways to be a responsible computer
user.

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 Computers: Yesterday,
Today, and Tomorrow
• Computers
o Integral to our daily lives
o Millions use computers daily.
• Applications
o Word processors
o Internet
o Online banking
o Online classes
o GPS systems
o ATM machines
o Mobile phones
o Weather prediction
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 Computers: Yesterday,
Today, and Tomorrow
• Computers (con’t.)
o Used at:
• Home
• Work
• School
o Embedded into:
• Cars
• Phones
• Cameras

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 Computers: Yesterday,
Today, and Tomorrow
• Before computers
o There were
• No telephone answering machines
• No handheld calculators
• No fax machines
• No personal computers
o People
• Wrote letters by hand or with a typewriter
• Kept track of data and numbers in ledgers
• Communicated in person or over the telephone

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Computer Fundamentals
• Computer—device that performs
the information-processing cycle
• Information-processing cycle
o Consists of four basic operations:
• Input
• Processing
• Output
• Storage

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Computer Fundamentals

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Computer Fundamentals
• Input
o First operation of the information-processing
cycle, enables the computer to accept data
o Data
• Facts that are raw and unorganized
• Entered into the computer for processing
through the use of input devices such as a
keyboard or mouse

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Computer Fundamentals
• Processing
o Second operation of the information-processing
cycle, converts data into information
o Information refers to consolidated, organized,
processed data.
o The central processing unit (CPU) processes data
into information.
o Random access memory (RAM) temporarily stores
programs and data needed by the CPU.

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Computer Fundamentals
• Output
o Third operation of the information-processing
cycle, requires output devices, such as monitors
and printers to display results for people to see
or hear

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Computer Fundamentals

• Storage
o Fourth operation of the information-processing
cycle, holds programs, software, and data that
the computer system uses
o Storage devices
• Hard drives, CD and DVD drives, and media
card readers—used with USB drives and flash
memory cards

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Computer Fundamentals

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Computer Fundamentals
• Communications
o High-speed movement of data or information
• Communication device
o Hardware component that moves data in and out of a
computer
• Network
o Connects two or more computers to share
input/output devices and other resources through the
use of a network interface card

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Computer Fundamentals

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Computer Fundamentals

• Computer system—group of
associated components that work
together
o Hardware
o Software

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Computer Fundamentals

• Hardware
o Physical parts of the computer
o Includes such components as the system unit,
monitor, keyboard, and printer
o Peripheral devices and integrated peripherals

• Motherboard
o Circuit board that connects the central
processing unit(s) to the other system
components
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Computer Fundamentals

• System unit
o Base unit of the computer—made up of
the plastic or metal enclosure, the
motherboard, and the integrated
peripherals including power supply,
cooling fans, internal harddrive, CD/DVD
drive

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Computer Fundamentals
• Software
o Intangible parts of the computer

o Collection of programs that directs the operations of

the computer to reach the desired end

o Consist of System Software and Application Software

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 Types of Computers

• Computers can be separated

into two main types:
o Individual—designed for one user at a time
o Organization—designed to be used by many
people at the same time

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Computer Fundamentals

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 Types of Computers
• Individual computers
o Personal computers (PCs)—either Mac (Apple’s
Macintosh) systems or IBM-compatible systems
o Desktop computers—designed for home or office use,
now include all-in-one computers that combine the system
unit and the monitor
o Portable computers include notebooks, subnotebooks,
and table PCs
• Notebooks—small enough for easy computer mobility
• Subnotebooks—run full desktop operating systems but
have fewer components than notebooks, weigh less,
are smaller
• Tablet PCs—input data with a keyboard or mouse; can
write on the monitor with a special pen or stylus

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 Types of Computers
• Individual computers (con’t.)
o Wireless devices—handheld computers, netbooks,
personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, e-
books
• Netbooks—small, inexpensive notebooks
designed primarily for wireless Web browsing and
e-mail
• Smartphones—combine the capabilities of
handheld computers, such as PDAs, and mobile
phones

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 Types of Computers

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 Types of Computers
• Organization computers
o Professional workstations—intended for
technical applications that need powerful processing
and output
o Servers—enable users connected to a computer
network to have access to the network’s programs,
hardware, and data
o Clients—include the user computers connected to
the network
o Client/server network—includes the use of client
computers with centralized servers
27
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 Types of Computers
• Organization computers (con’d.)
o Minicomputers (midrange servers)—designed
to meet the needs of smaller companies or
businesses
o Mainframes—very large processing jobs to meet
the needs of large companies or agencies of the
government
o Supercomputers—able to perform extremely high-
speed processing and show underlying patterns

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 Types of Computers

SERVER

MAINFRAMES

SUPER COMPUTERS

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 Summary

• Define the word computer and name

the four basic operations that a
computer performs.
• Describe the two main components of
a computer system: hardware and
software.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 30

 Summary

• Provide examples of hardware devices

that handle input, processing, output,
and storage tasks.
• Give an example of the information
processing cycle in action.
• Discuss the two major categories and
the various types of computers.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 31

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permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Publishing as Prentice Hall

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