09-01-2012, 09:45 AM
Introduction to computers
computer fundamentals
01-10-2012, 04:05 PM
Computer Fundamentals
Computer-Fundamentals.pdf (Size: 1.17 MB / Downloads: 329) HARDWARE: “WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW TO BUY A COMPUTER?” What is a computer? I guess the easiest way I can explain it is as a little machine that follows very specific instructions over and over. A computer cannot learn and, unless told to do so, won’t respond to anything. Think of it as a very dumb dog that you have to teach to catch a ball every day and every time you want to play.1 Computers do very complex math. Mind you, it is always related to the basics: add, subtract, multiply and divide. But as anyone who has had algebra and calculus will tell you: if you do enough of these basics, you can get approximations of more sophisticated math that are pretty close to reality. Computers do this math very quickly. Often these calculations are done in millions per second. Imagine multiplying 10 million pairs of multi-digit numbers per second. I have a hard enough time myself doing a 3-digit multiplication in less than a minute. Computers can store a vast amount of information and retrieve it at extraordinary speeds. When everything works correctly, this data is as fresh and unblemished by time as when it was first stored. It can record information about everything (given it has sufficient storage capacity). While this may not seem to be a great achievement, think about this: when you last went to the store, how much did you pay for each item you bought? Computers can store this kind of information a lot better than we can recall it. Also, one of those CD-ROMs that we see so frequently can store the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica along with photos. (Please note that if you buy their CD-ROM set, it has more than just text and photos. So, the set has several CD-ROMs.) PERSONAL COMPUTER HISTORY In order to properly understand and appreciate the progress we have made and to anticipate the continued evolution of the industry, let's look at the progress of the computer. What precisely is a computer? Machines that helped people do computation have been around for almost 150 years (Brigham Young invented a device to calculate the number of miles a wagon traveled by counting the number of wheel rotations). There have been all types of machines built to compute or measure various things (there’s even one that will compute a logarithm). Most of these machines are “analog” or value-based. So they can represent any value between zero to one equally as well as zero to a million. An example of an analog device is the odometer on your car (please note that these may not be true analog, but the concept still holds). Whether you move the car one inch vs. one thousand miles, it makes little difference—your car still retains the distance, thus further depreciating it’s value. There was another type of machine which used a magnet-powered switch which would close the switch when the electromagnet was turned on (this kind of switch is a “relay”). Telegraph used crude relays. The advantage of using switches (either “on” or “off”— called “digital”), the results would always be predictable (the value will always be zero or one). Analog devices always have to be tuned (just try to put a different sized tire on your car). The problem with relays is the power required and delay experienced was too great to make them into a computational device. Early computers went a different route by using electron (or vacuum) tubes. MICROPROCESSOR REVOLUTION/EVOLUTION The microprocessor, from the onset of personal computers, has been the driving force of hardware and software technology. There a couple primary claims to the first microprocessor, but the concept of placing all the computing power on a single literally was revolutionary. In fact, many of the first microprocessors (as old as 25 years!) are still being manufactured and used as simple control units in various appliances and machines. As the processor became more powerful, the supporting hardware and software became more powerful and complex. Simply, a processor takes commands from memory and does things with them. Think of it like your math teacher telling you each step to solve a problem. These steps are repeated over and over—the computer does not learn, rather has to follow each command issued to it the same as the day before. Here we need to clarify a few things: processor families and clock speeds. DIFFICULT UPGRADES (ADVANCED) The next level of difficulty requires opening the computer. What is more difficult is 1) being careful that nothing gets “fried”, 2) configuring the new card, and 3) sometimes rearranging other cards' positions and/or configuration. Anytime you need to open your computer and move around or add cards or memory, be very, very careful. It takes very little effort to “burn” with static electricity the component you’re touching. Start by unplugging the computer. If you have any apprehension, hire someone to reconfigure your computer. Windows 95 has made some of this easier with “Plug & Play”. With Plug & Play compatible cards (which most are not), you simply should be able to plug in the card and let Windows 95 decide how to configure it. Unfortunately, you can’t always count on this. However, if the hardware is configured correctly, Windows 95 will automatically detect (unlike adding an external printer, modem or monitor) and reconfigure itself. Some of the things you can add are: scanner, internal modem, new VGA card, RAM, “Overdrive” CPU, I/O cards, and CD-ROM drive. Adding RAM or adding an Overdrive CPU requires no additional configuration. Likewise, replacing (you can't have more than one) the VGA card is as simple as 1) unplugging the monitor and computer (both the cable between the computer and monitor and their power), 2) opening the computer, 3) removing the old VGA card, 4) plugging in the new, 5) closing the computer housing, and 6) plugging in the computer and monitor.
24-10-2012, 11:16 AM
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