1. Chapter 6 Understanding and Assessing Hardware: Evaluating Your System
By Nina Bergeron

2. How to Pick a Computing Device
Now, the first part of the section focuses on the way to choose what type of device you should be using.
Nina Bergeron

3. when Moore's Law states that computer tech changes fast
This is because all the tech is constantly changing and improving
Moore was a cofounder of Intel, that computer chip company, and he specualted that the pace of change for computer tech is that every two years, the CPU compacity will double. This has been true for 45 years (by the time the book was published). 
Nina Bergeron

4. User Types Casual User Power User Mobile User
Uses the computer primarily for Internet Access
Uses some software applications locally, like Microsoft Office
Uses videos and software but does not create them
Needs fast, powerful processing
Needs fast storage and lots of it
Creates videos and software programs
Needs a lightweight device
Need a long battery device
Is happy to sacrifice some capabilities for less weight
Every person has their own needs when using a computer. For most of us, we qualify as Casual users or mobile users. Casual users just use the computer for fun and work. Mobile users are people who need to bring a computer with them to use them for work, and sometimes fun. These are best seen by Incarnate students. We are mobile users in that we all need laptops or similar devices for school. We are casual users in that we are mostly on the internet. Power users are people like a programmer or YouTuber. YouTubers have to edit, store, and upload videos with good quality quickly, and thus need bigger and faster computers than what we would need. 
Nina Bergeron

5. which Tablets Ultrabooks Netbooks Tablet PCs Laptops Desktops
User type factors in when deciding what type of device your gonna get. Mobile users are best suited for tables, ultrabooks, netbooks, tablet pcs, and laptops. Which for that category depends on how mobile you need to be. But hold on again, examples of each. Tablets refers to iPads and the like, ultrabooks are things like the MacBook air, netbooks like the chromebook, tablet PCs are laptops with touchscreen and a full keyboard, and laptops are laptops. Casual users can use any of these types. And then, the almighty desktop. These things are not mobile. But they have the best processing speeds and best visual screens, along with the best reliability. You can’t exactly loose a desktop somewhere like you could a laptop, now can you? The big thing to pull away is that mobility trades computing power and reliability.
Nina Bergeron

6. Getting to know your System
So now we get into the bits and bobs that make up your system. Or, really, we focus on how the CPU works, and what it does, because that’s what the test focuses in on for my section. I do recommend checking out the chapter if you want to learn why audio playback changes by system, or why some systems don’t have dvd ports.
Nina Bergeron

7. Basic Info Central Processing Unit (CPU) CPUs differ in: *
Responsible for processing instructions, performing calculations, and managing data flow
Made of the control unit and the arithmetic logic unit 
Most popular: Intel Core i7, i5, i3
Found in SYSTEM PROPERTIES
CPUs differ in:
Clock speed
Cores
Cache memory
But here we are, the CPU, also known as the central processing unit, does pretty much everything. It gives instructions, does math, and manages data flow. It does this with the control unit and the arithmetic logic unit. (HINT HINT THIS IS A QUESTION). The control unit coordinates the activities of the components, and the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) does the math and logic questions. And by logic questions I mean like less than or equal to questions. You can find your systems’s info in the system properties. There it will tell you your processor, operating system, and some other fun things. So now the question is, why are CPUs different? Why are there different types? That has to do with the factors of the CPU, which comes up later.
Nina Bergeron

8. Machine Cycle Fetches data or instruction from RAM*
Fetches data or instruction from RAM
Decodes instruction so computer can understand
Executes instruction
Stores result to RAM
Repeat
First, however, let me explain the MACHINE CYCLE. It’s a simple 5 step process that the CPU does every time it completes a new instruction. First, it fetches the data or instruction from the RAM. Then it decodes it into something the computer can read. Then it does thing, executes the instruction. Finally, it store the result within the RAM, and gets the next instruction, repeating the cycle. You may have noticed this is one of your questions.
Nina Bergeron

9. CPU Factors
And so I bring back up the question, why are CPU’s different? They all do the same thing. But here’s why.
Nina Bergeron

10. Clock Speed Instructions per second Measured in gigahertz (GHz)
Overclocking
Gigahertz is billions of steps per second. Clock speeds btwn 2.1 and 4.
Nina Bergeron

11. Cores Contain the parts for processing
Multiple cores means multitasking
Hyperthreading-a new set of instructions begins before the previous has finished
Cores are the part of the CPU that does the processing. Multiple cores means you can process multiple things. A good example of what multiple cores allows is writing a paper while playing music. Your computer has to process the commands for typing while processing the commands to play the music. So basically, multiple cores lets you multitask.
Another thing that makes processing even faster is when they created cores that know how to hyperthread. This means they start the next instructions while the current program is running. Most systems run quadcore systems. Now I know this all sounds like complete gibberish, as how cores work is kinda hard to visualize. But never fear! Because the next slide has a little animation I made to show how processing cores work.
Nina Bergeron

12.
Each different color dot is a different program. Quad core has four dots appearing at once because the four cores each have their own command. Hyperthreading just shows the idea of how it works, alternating dots for alternating commands. Quad with Hyperthreading shows how the combination allows us to do so much on our computers at the same time.
Nina Bergeron

13. Cache Memory
A form of RAM that gets data to the CPU faster than the RAM
Three different levels
Finally, the Cache memory. The best way to put this is that you have your big RAM on your computer, where all of the stuff you are currently using is. Then you’ve got these little pockets of RAM, aka cache memory, that bring the RAM closer to the CPU for faster processing. There are three different levels of Cache Memory, the difference being the distance form the CPU and the size. 1 is in the CPU, 2 is near, and 3 is bigger than 2.
Nina Bergeron

14. CPU Benchmarks
Measurements used to compare performance between processors
Generated by running software meant to push the CPU’s, or the entire computer’s, limits
CPU benchmarks are the measurements to compare a CPU to another. This is ultimately how you tell an i3 from an i7. Oh, and as a refresher, i3 and i7 are different CPU types by intel. Speaking of Intel, remember that Moore guy I mentioned in the first slide. How he said that CPUs double in power every two years? Think about how crazy that is. These bench marks double every two years. The CPUs core power doubles, the cache memory doubles, and the clock speed doubles. Technology is pretty amazing, right?
Nina Bergeron

15. Is my computer good enough?
See how busy it is
Task Manager
Workload is determined by number of programs
CPU does not equal performance
But what you really want to know is, is my computer good enough for this crazy, expanding world of technology? My answer, probably. It really depends on what type of user you are. An easy way to check is to see how busy you computer is, which you do by checking the task manager. If its working smoothly, and you aren’t topping your CPUs limits every computer session, your probably fine. Remember that a computer’s workload is determined by the number of programs you have running, and that the CPU by itself does not make up the whole computer's performance. There are a lot of different factors in how a computer runs. The CPU is just a big part.
Nina Bergeron

16. System Reliability Clear out unnecessary files
Install reliable antivirus
Run the disk defragmenter utility
Automate the key utilities
Now, here come the protips on how to keep your computer running and reliable.
Clear out unnecessary files. You know all those papers for class that you typed, and will never use again? Or those cute pics you downloaded to put on a friend’s locker. Or those PDFs you had to download and print for class? They are all on your hard drive right now, taking up space. That space usage is making your hard drive run slower.
Have an antivirus. I doubt any of you want a virus on your computer. It’s just bad news bears all around. So keep up with your virus protection program.
The disk defragmenter. Shout out to Molly, who talked about it last class. It’s a handy-dandy utility system that re-arranges your files on your hard drive so they can be accessed faster and the hard drive works more efficiently. Disk defragging is only a thing on mechanical hard drives, though.
Automate the key utilities. Basically, make the nice programs that make your life easier, like the disk defragger and the antivirus scan happen on a clock, so you don’t have to do it manually.
Nina Bergeron

17. It crashed. What do I do? Try restarting
Check that you have enough RAM
System Restore
Microsoft Knowledge Base
Google
Oh no. Your computer has crashed. First, try to restart it, if it isn’t doing that already by itself.
That’s not working? Check the RAM. You might have been running too many programs, which caused your computer to crash because it didn’t have enough RAM to run all the programs at once. Still isn’t working? Try the system restore. It brings your computer back to a previous state, typically before you downloaded something new. Another option of the System restore is booting it back to the factory settings. For windows its called the Windows Refresh. It removes all non-standard applications, but not personal files like photos. Did you get a error code? Look it up in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, and see what problem you may be running into. Finally, remember that Google is your friend, and probably has an idea what happened. However, I hope you aren’t trying to look up the crash on the computer that crashed, as that doesn’t always work…
Nina Bergeron

18. Questions
Name and describe the two units that compromise the central processing unit (CPU).
Control unit  coordinator of the activities of all the computer componenets
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)  performs all mathematic calculations, including logic and comparison decisions
Name and describe the series of steps in the machine cycle process
Fetch required piece of data/instruction from RAM
Decode data/instruction so computer can understand
Execute instruction
Stores result to RAM
Repeat
Nina Bergeron

19. Questions CNT.
Where do you find basic information about your computer?
Basic info is found in system properties, within the computer settings
When purchasing a new computer how would you choose the right CPU for your needs?
Know which type of user you are (Casual/Mobile/Power)
Evaluate and compare
Clock speed
Cores
Cache memory
CPU benchmarks
Nina Bergeron