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TERMS & ARCHITECTURE

 

WHAT IS THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ELECTRONIC AND DIGITAL AGE?

- ANALOG INFORMATION

- DIGITAL INFORMATION

 

What is a BIT?

Short term for BINARY DIGIT (0 1) ­

1. Data in a form of binary digits (binary numbers). Represented as electrical "on-off" signals and can be stored in the computerıs memory. Electrical devices have two states on/off so binary is well suited for computers. 1 = on (open), 0 = off (closed).

2. This is following human neuron synapses of "all or nothing" character.

3. Decimal Numbering System is known as BASE 10 (because we use 10 digits, 0-9), Binary Numbering System is known as BASE 2 (because we use 2 digits ­ 0,1).

 

BINARY DIGIT UNITS:

8 BITS = 1 BYTE

1 BYTE of information can be expressed in 1 data, character, pixel, color, dot, letter.

(ex: 0100 0001 = A)

 

1000 BYTE = 1 KILOBYTE (KB)

1000 KILOBYTE = 1 MEGABYTE (MB)

1000 MEGABYTE = 1 GIGABYTE

1000 GIGABYTE = TERABYTE

 

QUESTION: Our computers have 40 GB space, how many bits is that?

ANSWER: 320 000 000 000 BITS of INFORMATION

 

ANALOG Physical ­ DIGITAL Virtual

- What is Physical Material / Space?

- What is Virtual Material / Space?

 

THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE COMPUTER & BASIC COMPUTER TERMINOLOGIES

What is Hardware?

What is Software?

 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF HARDWARE & PLATFORM:

PC: Personal Computers uses PC PLATFORM, DOS or WINDOWS

MAC: Short version for Macintosh uses MACINTOSH PLATFORM, MAC OS or MAC X (UNIX)

 

What is I/O?: I/O = Input / Output, I/O board = a circuit board that manages incoming and outgoing data between the computer and peripherals. The term I/O is used to describe any program, operation or device that transfers data to or from a computer and to or from a peripheral device. Every transfer is an output from one device and an input into another. Devices such as keyboards and mouses are input-only devices while devices such as printers are output-only. A writable CD-ROM is both an input and an output device. I/O port = a port or connection that passes data between computer and peripherals. Uses VGA (scuzzy) or USB cables today.

 

What is the CPU?: Central Processing Unit ­ The brain of the computer - Controls all other computer functions. The part of computer that does the arithmetic and logical operations are performed and instructions are decoded and executed. CPU controls the operation of the computer. CPU is carried in a single chip ­ the microprocessor which is an intergrated circuit. Computers used to be made of vacuum tubes but Steve Jobs used Intelıs microprocessor made of Silicon Chips for his computers. Sends information to other components of the computer such as RAM through BUS.

 

THE ARCHITECTURE OF CPU:

What is a BUS?: a group of parallel wires that carry control signals and data between different computer components. You can think of a bus as a highway on which data travels within a computer. All buses consist of two parts -- an address bus and a data bus. The data bus transfers actual data whereas the address bus transfers information about where the data should go.

What is MEGA HERTZ: Measurement of computer processing speeds (1 million cycles per second ­ relates to electrical transmission) Every bus has a clock speed measured in MHz. A fast bus allows data to be transferred faster, which makes applications run faster. Nearly all PCs made today include a local bus for data that requires especially fast transfer speeds, such as video data. The local bus is a high-speed pathway that connects directly to the processor.

 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOFTWARE:

- System Software: Operating System, vary depending on which computer you use (PC vs MAC).

- Utility Software: extension of OS (Printer SW, Burner SW, Internet Utility SW)

- Application Software: Canned Software (PhotoshopŠ) & Programmable Software (Scripting is used for scripting a preprogrammed language such as lingo in director, java in web design)

- OS: Operating System ­ the program that controls a computer and makes it possible for users to enter and run programs. OS boots the computer like turning on the ignition with with a key to a car.

Different OS = MS DOS, MICROSOFT WINDOWS, MAC OS version 9.0or MAC X (10), UNIX (an easy to use OS that allows to have many users at the same time ­ originally developed by AT&T and can run on all types of computers.

 

What is PLATFORM?: another way of stating different OS system or difference of IBM versus MAC format, Unix

What is Programming? A program made with programming language used to give instructions to computers C, C+, Fortran, Basic, Colbol, Prolog

 

STORAGE: THE CAPABILITY TO STORE INFORMATION

What is computer MEMORY? : the space in computers where information is stored while being worked on. Made up of CAPACITORS that contains the memory.

What are CAPACITORS?: Millions of capacitors can fit on a chip the size of a dime. When charged, capacitors state is 1 or ON, when it is not charged, capacitors state is 0 or OFF.

What are MEMORY CELLS & ADDRESS?: Information is stored in Memory CELLS where each cell contains 8 bits (1 Byte). Each cells are numbered and is known as CELL ADDRESS.

What is HARD DRIVE?: known also as disk drive.

HARD DISKS that are internal (inside the computer) ­ stores data in aluminum disks coated with iron oxide. It has greater memory capacity than diskettes (external). You store Folders and Files in HD and read them.

What is EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE?: Sccuzi external HD, Floppy Drives (A), Zip drives, CD-ROM/ CD W / CD RW drives are all different systems of storage space.

 

Two types of Memory = ROM & RAM

What is ROM?: Read Only Memory - you can only read the information. OS partially runs on ROM. You can read instruction out of ROM but cannot store new data (CD-ROM)

What is RAM: MAIN MEMORY ­ Random Access Memory Memory that indicates the capacity of speed and amount of information worked on in a computer. RAM = 0 every time you reboot. So Memory must be saved after using RAM (RAM also refers to Speed, so does HD space). SECONDARY STORAGE: Main Memory, CD, disks, floppy, zipsŠ

VIRTUAL MEMORY: a way of extending computerıs memory by using a disk file that simulate additional memory space. Should be turned on for realtime, animmation, muti-media productions to avoid computer freezing (stops working).

CACHE MEMORY: a place where data can be stored to avoid having to read the data from a slower device such as a disk. Cache memory is a secondary storage area located between RAM and CPU, frequently used parts of RAM so that they can read without accessing the disk. Cache memory provides high ­ speed memory.

 

What is GUI?:Graphical User Interface ­ a way to communicate with computer by using keyboard or mouse. Before computers were text based like MS DOS, GUI is graphics based. (XEROX first made GUI in 70ıs as was used by Macintosh until MS Windows 3.0 in 1990 that let to GUI on IBM PC.

What is DESKTOP?: The whole computer screen that is your workspace. Information on diskdrives, folders, files has hierarcy and stays on desktop even when computer is shut off. They are represented as ICONS. HD>Folders> Files>information in files made of bits.

What is a WINDOW?: MS Windows ­ user friendly (GUI) from DOS (everything in a metaphor of window screens ­ files are shown in windows. Windows have scroll bar, title, close icon, resize iconŠ

What are FILES and FOLDERS? A file is a block of information stored as a file , stored on different storage areas. A FOLDER is either a directory or subdirectory that can hold files and program icons. Folders are used to catagorize files and other subfolders (subdirectories) by name, date, kind.

OUR COMPUTER: GOTO Apple Icon on Desktop > About this MAC > more info