Chapter 1

What is computer fluency?

The knowledge possessed by people who are able to navigate the digital world successfully

NOT THIS

What is a computer?

A machine that, under a program’s direction, performs four basic operations: input, processing, output, and storage

What is a program?

A list of instructions that tells a computer how to perform the four basic operations

What is input?

Data entered into the computer system for processing

Electrical impulses representing words, numbers, images, or sounds

What is processing?

Performing arithmetic or comparison (logical) operations on the data

4 + 16 = 20

728 > 546

Arithmetic

Logic

What is output?

Showing the results of the processing operation in a way people can understand

What is storage?

Saving the data or output so that it can be used again later

What are the computer’s physical components?

HARDWARE Input devices- Enable users to put data into the

computer for processing

Processing circuitry- Components located in the system’s case that transform data into information Output devices- Peripherals that show the

results of processing

Storage devices- Used to hold all the programs and data that the computer uses

Communication Devices- Used to move data between computers

What are input devices?

Keyboard

Mouse- pointing device

Microphone- speech-recognition

What are processing devices?

Motherboard

Central Processing Unit- CPU

Random Access

Memory- RAM

Expansion card

What are output devices?

MonitorPrinter

Speakers

What are storage devices ?Hard Drive

Floppy Disk Drive

Zip DriveCD / DVD Drive

Jazz Drive

Tape Drive

Micro Drive

What are communications devices ?

ModemNetwork Interface Card- NIC

What are the different types of computers?

Desktop- PC, Microcomputer

Notebook- Laptop

Workstation

Personal Digital Assistant- PDA, Handheld, Pocket PC

Supercomputer

Mainframe

Minicomputer

Server

What is software?

Programs that give the computer’s hardware its step-by-step instructions

What are the different types of software?

System software- All programs that help the computer function properly

Application software- All the programs you use to perform a task such as writing a letter or browsing the World Wide Web

System software Application software

What is an operating system?

System software that . . .

Coordinates the various functions of the computer’s hardware

Provide support for running application software

Provide utility programs for optimizing computer performance

What are the types of operating systems?

Command-line interface- Users type instructions at the keyboard, one line at a time. Examples MS-DOS, PC DOS, UNIX

Graphical user interface (GUI)- Users choose items from menus by using a pointing device to click on icons which represent resources and commands. Examples Windows, Mac OS

Command-line interface

Graphical user interface (GUI)-

What is a software suite?

A collection of full featured standalone programs that usually share a common command structure and have similar interfaces

MS WORD MS EXCEL MS POWERPOINT

MS ACCESSMS FRONT PAGE

What is the internet?

A world-spanning computer network

What are internet services? Standards and software that make internet

resources, such as Web pages, files and electronic mail available to users

Electronic mail- (e-mail)World Wide Web- (WWW)

File Transfer Protocol- (FTP)

Instant messaging

Electronic commerce- (e-commerce)

The

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