Study Sheet - Computer Concepts and History

I. What is a Computer? Essential Concepts

1. Study the questions/practice tests at the end of the chapter.
2. Major points/terms: Parts of a computer; whether they're
  • input (keyboard, mouse),
  • output (monitor, printer) or
  • processing;
3. Concepts: IBM Compatible vs. Macintosh; expansion ports on back; Peripheral; cursor; prompt; types of user interfaces: (command, menu, GUI), parts of window, how to use Help II. Computer Hardware / Architecture 1. May include pictures to identify parts, like those in the book and in the presentation.
2. Major points/terms- Recognize terms: Motherboard; CPU (a processor chip). Computer requires storage: hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, CDrom drive; DVD Drive.
3. Other terms are: expansion bus, slots, cards, ports(serial, parallel and other); Types of memory, RAM, ROM, cache, virtual memory; the Bus transports data & instruction between the processor and other parts of the computer;
4. Bits and Bytes: Computer is based on binary number system; know how to look up definitions for bit and byte. Keyboard characters are coded in a numeric code called ASCII, what's a "character"?
5. Know units of speed: megahertz or gigahertz(is speed of cpu), bits per second, bytes per second; megabytes (RAM size); Gigabytes (Hard Drive size); etc
6. Know names of makers of chips (Intel, AMD) (rather than companies that sell computers such as Gateway). Know names of chips in IBM Compatibles: a Pentium, Pentium 2, 3 and 4; Celeron; Xeon; Athlon, Duron.
7. An example of a ROM chip is the BIOS (basic input output system) chip. Also, Expansion slots are in back of a computer, and can provide "ports" in the back of the computer for additional devices. Bays are larger areas usually in the front of the system box where the disk and CD/DVD drives can fit.
3. Memory usually refers to Random Access Memory (RAM), but there are other kinds of memory, and various kinds of RAM. Know that the RAM is cleared when the computer power is turned off. Be able to look up terms related to memory (example whatis.com or webopedia.com). III. Software 1. Major points/terms: program, software, Operating System Software versus Application Software; Give examples of each.
2. Other terms: Data, Device Drivers, Utilities, types of software, Windows XP, Windows 95/98, Windows 2000/ME, Windows NT, DOS/MSDOS, Windows 3.1, Windows NT, Macintosh OS (Macintosh System), Unix, Software license, Shareware, Freeware, Public Domain;
2. Know how to do certain things from the Windows desktop: Find size of hard drive, find how much memory is on a machine, format a floppy disk, create a picture of a Wordpad file.
3. Viruses and antivirus software- How is a virus passed (floppy disks and internet downloads, often); Antivirus software will protect computers from viruses. Antivirus software: Norton (Symantec) and Mcafee.
4. Backup and the concept of making of copies in case of emergency - need to make additional copies of data in case of failure. How would you copy a file onto a diskette?
5. Installation of software on a computer; Know that the operating system and application software are stored permanently on the Hard Drive, a magnetic storage device. Know that you can buy CD drives that you can write files to.

IV. Computer Files and Data Storage

1. Major points/terms: File, program, data, executable file, storage media, storage devices, filename, file extension, extension represents the type of file, wildcard, file naming conventions, case sensitive, directory, folder, path, letters for devices ( A:, C:, D:)
2. Know how to lookup (find) a file from the Windows desktop, using a wild card.
3. Know how to find and run the Paint program and the Wordpad Program, and what the extensions are for the programs you save with these programs.
4. Know how to write a path for a file on a storage device such as a floppy disk or hard disk. V. Buying a Computer 1. Know basic concepts and how to identify data from a computer sales ad, as in the project. Know the units of size or speed that are used.
2. Be able to list basic components for a typical computer from memory. Be able to replicate Projects related to this.
3. Be familiar with the guidelines in the book.
4. Know how to look terms up in Whatis.com, Webopedia.com, Techweb.com VII. Computer History 1. Charles Babbage, a British Mathemician, designed early computers called the Difference Engine and the Analytical Engine, but he never got to build them.
2. The Eniac computer, at University of Pennsylvania, was created by Eckert & Mauchly and was one of the 1st electronic digital computers (eliminated the need for moving parts)
3. Herman Hollerith introduced punched cards to help compile the 1890 census.