Chart of Topics
Essential Question: What are the parts of
the computer? How do I maintain my computer?
NTES Standard:
1. Basic Operations and
Concepts
1)
Students discuss common hardware
and software problems and identify strategies for troubleshooting
and solving minor hardware and software problems.
1) Students recognize hardware and software
components used to provide access to network resources and know how
common peripherals (e.g., scanners, digital cameras, and video
projectors) are accessed, controlled, connected, and used effectively
and efficiently.
Matching Activity
Please
match the numbers on the picture to the words in the word bank below!
|
KEYBOARD |
MONITOR CONTROL
BUTTONS |
| CPU ON/OFF CONTROL
BUTTON |
CD/DVD OPEN/CLOSE
BUTTON |
|
WORKBOOK |
CD/DVD DRIVE |
| OPTICAL MOUSE |
MONITOR ON/OFF
BUTTON |
| CPU |
MONITOR |
Computer
hardware is the physical part of a
computer,(not to be confused with
software which is not physical) including the digital circuitry, as
distinguished from the computer software that executes within the
hardware. The hardware of a computer is infrequently changed, in
comparison with software and data, which are "soft" in the sense that
they are readily created, modified or erased on the computer. Firmware
is a special type of software that rarely, if ever, needs to be changed
and so is stored on hardware devices such as read-only memory (ROM)
where it is not readily changed (and is therefore "firm" rather than
just "soft").
Most computer hardware
is not seen by normal users. It is in embedded systems in automobiles,
microwave ovens, electrocardiograph machines, compact disc players, and
other devices. Personal computers, the computer hardware familiar to
most people, form only a small minority of computers (about 0.2% of all
new computers produced in 2003).
Internal Hardware
A typical Personal
computer consists of a case or chassis in desktop or tower shape and the
following parts:
- Motherboard
or system board with slots for expansion cards and holding parts
- Central
processing unit (CPU)
- Computer
fan - used to cool down the CPU
- Random
Access Memory (RAM) - for program execution and short term
data storage, so the computer does not have to take the time to
access the hard drive to find the file(s) it requires. More RAM
will normally contribute to a faster PC. RAM is almost always
removable as it sits in slots in the motherboard, attached with
small clips. The RAM slots are normally located next to the CPU
socket.
- Basic
Input-Output System (BIOS) or Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI)
in some newer computers
- Buses
- Power supply
- a case that holds a transformer, voltage control, and (usually) a
cooling fan
- Storage
controllers of IDE, SATA, SCSI or other type, that control hard
disk, floppy disk, CD-ROM and other drives; the controllers sit
directly on the motherboard (on-board) or on expansion cards
- Video display
controller that produces the output for the computer display.
This will either be built into the motherboard or attached in its
own separate slot (PCI, PCI-E or AGP), requiring a Graphics Card.
- Computer bus
controllers (parallel, serial, USB, FireWire) to connect the
computer to external peripheral devices such as printers or scanners
- Some type of a
removable media writer:
- CD -
the most common type of removable media, cheap but fragile.
- DVD
- DVD-ROM
Drive
- DVD Writer
- DVD-RAM
Drive
- BD
- Floppy disk
- Zip drive
- USB flash
drive AKA a Pen Drive, memory stick
- Tape drive
- mainly for backup and long-term storage
- Internal
storage - keeps data inside the computer for later use.
- Hard disk
- for medium-term storage of data.
- Disk array
controller
- Sound card
- translates signals from the system board into analog voltage
levels, and has terminals to plug in speakers.
- Networking
- to connect the computer to the Internet and/or other computers
- Modem -
for dial-up connections
- Network
card - for DSL/Cable internet, and/or connecting to other
computers.
External
Hardware- Peripherals
Other peripherals-
In addition, hardware can include external components of a computer
system. The following are either standard or very common.
- Input or Input
devices
- Text input devices
- Pointing devices
- Gaming devices
- Joystick
- Gamepad
- Game
controller
- Image, Video input
devices
- Audio input
devices
- Output or Output
devices
- Image, Video
output devices
- Printer
Peripheral device that produces a hard copy. (Inkjet, Laser)
- Monitor
Device that takes signals and displays them. (CRT, LCD)
- Audio output
devices
-
Speakers A device that converts analog audio signals
into the equivalent air vibrations in order to make audible
sound.
- Headset
A device similar in functionality to computer speakers used
mainly to not disturb others nearby.
Main Types of
Software
Practical computer
systems divide software into three major classes: system software,
programming software and application software, although the distinction
is arbitrary, and often blurred.
- System
software
helps run the computer hardware and computer system.
It includes operating systems, device drivers, diagnostic tools,
servers, windowing systems, utilities and more. The purpose of
systems software is to insulate the applications programmer as much
as possible from the details of the particular computer complex
being used, especially memory and other hardware features, and such
accessory devices as communications, printers, readers, displays,
keyboards, etc.
-
Programming software
usually provides tools to assist a programmer in
writing computer programs and software using different programming
languages in a more convenient way. The tools include text editors,
compilers, interpreters, linkers, debuggers, and so on. An
Integrated development environment (IDE) merges those tools into a
software bundle, and a programmer may not need to type multiple
commands for compiling, interpreter, debugging, tracing, and etc.,
because the IDE usually has an advanced
graphical user interface,
or GUI.
-
Application software
allows end users to accomplish one or more specific
(non-computer related) tasks. Typical applications include
industrial automation, business software, educational software,
medical software, databases, and computer games. Businesses are
probably the biggest users of application software, but almost every
field of human activity now uses some form of application software.
It is used to automate all sorts of functions.
Operations
Computer software
has to be "loaded" into the
computer's storage (such as a
hard drive,
memory, or RAM).
Once the software is loaded, the computer is able to execute the
software. Computers operate by executing the computer program.
This involves passing instructions from the application software,
through the system software, to the hardware which ultimately receives
the instruction as machine code. Each instruction causes the computer to
carry out an operation -- moving data, carrying out a computation, or
altering the control flow
of instructions.
Software Licenses
Software license gives
the user the right to use the software in the licensed environment, some
software comes with the license when purchased off the shelf, or OEM
license when bundled with hardware. Software can also be in the form of
freeware or shareware.
Being a new part of
society, the idea of what rights users of software should have is not
very developed. Some, such as the free software community, believe that
software users should be free to modify and redistribute the software
they use. They argue that these rights are necessary so that each
individual can control their computer, and so that everyone can
cooperate, if they choose, to work together as a community and control
the direction that software progresses in. Others believe that software
authors should have the power to say what rights the user will get.The
former philosophy is somewhat derived from the "hacker ethic" that wwas
common in the 60s and 70s.
DMS Comp App Home ~
MSD Decatur Home Page ~
Decatur Middle
School Home Page
Ann Zinyemba
Decatur Middle School
Computer Applications
5108 S. High School Rd.
Indianapolis, Indiana 46224
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