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    UCI 101-Foundations of Information Technology-Part-1 PDF

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    Hezzy Mwebi
    Information is data that has been processed in a way that makes it meaningful, understandable, and useful. A computer is a general purpose device that processes and stores information by accepting inputs, processing them, and producing outputs. It is made up of both hardware and software components that work together to perform these functions.

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    UCI 101-Foundations of Information Technology-Part-1 PDF

    Uploaded by

    Hezzy Mwebi
    617 views26 pages
    Information is data that has been processed in a way that makes it meaningful, understandable, and useful. A computer is a general purpose device that processes and stores information by accepting inputs, processing them, and producing outputs. It is made up of both hardware and software components that work together to perform these functions.

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    UCI 101-Foundations of Information Technology-Part-1.pdf

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    Information is data that has been processed in a way that makes it meaningful, understandable, and useful. A computer is a general purpose device that processes and stores information by accepting inputs, processing them, and producing outputs. It is made up of both hardware and software components that work together to perform these functions.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    617 views26 pages

    UCI 101-Foundations of Information Technology-Part-1 PDF

    Uploaded by

    Hezzy Mwebi
    Information is data that has been processed in a way that makes it meaningful, understandable, and useful. A computer is a general purpose device that processes and stores information by accepting inputs, processing them, and producing outputs. It is made up of both hardware and software components that work together to perform these functions.

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    You are on page 1of 26

    The Basics – What is Information?

    • Information is data processed for some purpose


    • Information can only be considered to be 'real'
    Info if it meets certain criteria i.e.
    • 1. it must be communicated to the recipient
    • 2. it must be in a language that is understood
    • 3. it must be in a suitable form
    • 4. it must be relevant for achieving some
    purpose
    Information -
    z is
    any form of communication
    that provides understandable
    and useful knowledge for the
    person receiving it.
    What Is A Computer?

    zA computer is a general purpose,


    programmable device that is used
    for the production and processing of
    information
    z capable of calculating and storing
    results
    What do we mean by general
    purpose?
    z Most devices can be described by their function e.g
    Washing Machine, DVD Player
    z Computers, however, can be used for almost any
    purpose:
    - typewriter
    - video editor
    - accounts tracker
    - database / address book
    - DVD / CD Player
    - and many others…
    Computers Are Programmable

    z Computers repond to instructions in the form of


    programs
    z Programs are written in order to make
    computers behave in specific ways i.e. word
    processor, systems control
    z Programs are stored in the Computer memory
    How computers process information

    z Computers accept inputs ( i.e. data)


    z The input is translated into binary numbers and
    ‘processed’
    z The process produces output (i.e information)
    z This sequence can repeat endlessly: outputs
    can be inputs!
    z Illustrating this - the ‘Black Box’ model
    Processing - the ‘Black Box’ model

    z We can think of a computer as a ‘black


    box’ :

    input process output

    3+5
    8
    Components of a Computer System

    z Computer Systems are made up of:


    z Hardware – the physical parts
    z Software - the instructions or programs that
    control the hardware
    z The Human Being – the brains behind the
    whole system!
    Types Of Computer

    z Mainframe Computer
    z Minicomputer
    z Personal Computer (Microcomputer / Desktop)
    z Laptop
    z Network Computer / Server
    – Uses two types of terminal: “Dumb” and “Intelligent”
    Computer Organisation – the Von
    Neumann model

    z Most Computers are based on a model


    proposed by John Von Neumann in 1946
    z The ‘logical’ units of this model are:
    – Stored program
    – Central Processing Unit: fetches and executes the
    program instructions sequentially
    – Memory
    – Input and Output devices
    Computer Hardware components

    z A typical PC System is made up of:


    – System Unit
    – Keyboard
    – Monitor (VDU)
    – Mouse
    – Printer
    – Modem
    – Multimedia Devices
    Hardware – The System Unit

    z The central component of the system


    z Houses:
    – The Processor: corresponds to the CPU
    – Memory: RAM and ROM
    – Storage: Hard Disk, Removable Storage devices
    The Processor (CPU)

    z Types include Intel Pentium series, Celerion,


    AMD Athlon
    z Chip at the heart of the computer- does the
    calculations
    z Speed is very important – measured in
    megahertz (MHz): the faster the processor the
    more calculations performed per second.
    Memory

    z A computer must be able to store its calculations


    and programs
    z Two types of memory: “Volatile” and permanent.
    z Measured in bytes
    z One byte = eight bits
    Random Access Memory (RAM)

    z Used by the Computer as the working area


    z Holds the working program, the data being
    processed and the interim results
    z Volatile - contents are erased if power is cut
    z Can be accessed randomly: can get any piece
    of data directly.
    z Faster than perminant storage
    z Not to be confused with ROM (Read-Only
    Memory)
    Storage - Hard Disk

    z Permanent Memory - records and stores all


    programs and data / information magnetically
    z Larger than RAM - average 12 - 120GB
    z Slower - involves mechanical movement
    (read/write head, revolving disk)
    Other types of Storage

    z Floppy Disks
    z CD/DVD ROM
    z Zip Drive
    z Magnetic Tape
    Input Devices

    z Keyboard
    z Mouse: used in conjunction with the GUI
    (Graphical User Interface), point and click
    z Other types of Input Devices:
    – Trackballs
    – Light Pens
    – Touch Screens
    – Tablets
    Output Devices

    z Monitor: also known as the Visual Display Unit


    (VDU)
    z Printers
    – Laser Printer
    – Inkjet Printer
    – Impact
    Software

    z Generic name of all programs


    z Made up of code interpreted by the hardware
    z Written in programming languages - Java, C,
    C++, Perl
    z Two kinds of Software:
    – System
    – Application
    System Software

    z Concerned with the computer itself: devices,


    file and storage management, error correction
    z Main piece of SS: Operating System (OS)
    z OS: the driving program of the computer
    – communicates between all programs and the
    hardware
    – controls timing and sequence of events
    – manages data to ensure security and integrity
    – Examples: Windows, Mac OS, Unix
    Applications Software

    z Concerned with the world outside the computer


    z Gives the computer its general purpose nature
    z Used for the things you want the computer to
    do
    z Common Examples - Word, Excel, Internet
    Explorer
    z Applications can be more specialised: e.g.
    Architecture package
    How Software is made

    z Involves a cycle of research, analysis,


    development and testing
    z Systems Analysts - study the business
    processes and designs the software
    z Programmers - develops the software
    Problems with Software

    z Software is complex
    z Difficult to test comprehensivly
    z Can have bugs: these can be trivial or major
    z Symptoms of bugs
    – hanging
    – crashes
    The Graphical User Interface (GUI)

    z Represents all the program / computer


    resources as icons
    z Workspace represented graphically - creates
    ‘virtual’ documents
    z More usable: led to wider use of computers
    z Adds to the unique nature of the computer as
    both a tool and a medium
    Do’s and Don’t’s

    z DO z DON’T
    z give the computer room z block air vents
    to breathe z eat or drink while using
    z keep it in a dry place the computer
    z dust free z expose to extremes of
    z shut down properly temperature
    z keep removable storage z just switch off
    away from the screen z move while the computer
    is in operation

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