Chapter

Chapter 11
Introduction
Introduction toto
Computers
Computers
 What Is a Computer?

What is a computer?
• An electronic machine,
operating under the
control of instructions
stored in its own memory
– accepts data
– manipulates the data
according to specified
rules
– produces results
– stores the results for
future use
What are data and information?

Data
Collection of raw
unprocessed
facts, figures,
and symbols

Information
Data that is
organized,
meaningful,
and useful
 What is a Computer?
Who is a user?
• Someone that
communicates
with a computer
• Someone who
uses the
information it
generates
 What are hardware and
software?

Hardware
The electric,
electronic, and Software
mechanical equipment
The series of
that makes up a
instructions that
computer
tells the hardware
how to perform
tasks
 What is a Computer?
Process
What is the Input Manipulate the
information Any data or
instructions you
input (data) to
produce output
processing enter into a (information)
cycle? computer

Output
Communication Data that has
The capability of been processed
communicating
Storage into information
with other Area in a
computers computer that
can hold data
and information
for future use
 What are common computer
hardware components?
PC camera system unit
speaker
printer
speaker

monitor

keyboard
modem
scanner
mouse

microphone
digital camera
 What is an input device?

• Any hardware component that allows a user to

enter data and instructions into a computer
microphone PC camera
keyboard

mouse
scanner

digital
camera
 What is an output device?

• Any hardware component that can convey

information to a user
monitor speakers

printer
 What is the system unit ?
• Sometimes called a
chassis
• A box-like case made CD-RW CD-ROM
from metal or plastic drive or DVD-
that protects the Zip®
ROM
drive
internal electronic disk
components of the drive floppy
computer from damage hard
disk
drive
• Circuitry in the system disk
unit usually is part of or drive
is connected to a circuit
board called the
motherboard
 What is a chip?
• An electronic device that contains many microscopic
pathways that carry electrical currents

 Usually no memory
bigger than chip
one-half inch
square
processor chip
 Packaged so it packaging
can be
attached to a
motherboard
 What is a floppy disk?

• A thin, circular,
flexible disk enclosed
in a plastic shell
• Insert and remove a
floppy disk into and
from a floppy disk
drive
• A Zip® disk is a higher
capacity disk
 What is a hard disk?

• Consists of several self-contained

circular platters that hard disk
store items electronically
• Disks are enclosed in an
airtight, sealed case,
which often is housed
inside the system unit
• Provides much greater
storage capacity than a
floppy disk
• Some hard disks are
removable

removable
hard disk
 What is a compact disc?

• A flat, round portable

medium that stores data
using microscopic pits,
which are created by a
laser light
– CD-ROM
– CD-RW
• rewriteable CD
– DVD-ROM
• tremendous storage
capacities
 What is a communications
device?
• Enables computer users to communicate and to
exchange items such as data, instructions, and
information with another computer
• Allows you to establish a connection between two
computers and transmit items over transmission
media, such as cables,
telephone lines,
or satellites

 One type is a
modem

modem
 Why Is a Computer So
Powerful?
What characteristics make a computer powerful?
Storage Speed
Reliability
Enormous amounts of Billions of
data can be stored and Dependable because operations can
components have a be carried out
made available for in a single
processing anytime it is low failure rate so
second
needed they produce
consistent results
Accuracy
Communications
If data is entered correctly
and program works properly, Two connected
the results are error-free — computers can share
garbage in, garbage out stored data, instructions,
(GIGO) accuracy of output and information
depends on accuracy of
input