1. Introduction to Computing Hardware & Software

2. INSIDE THE COMPUTER Hardware Physical components of the computer. Any part that you can see and touch Examples: Boards, drives, monitor, keyboard, etc. Software Virtual components of the computer. Exists as electrical impulses when the computer is on. Examples: Windows, Word, Netscape, Excel, etc.

3. Hardware Motherboard Main circuit board inside the computer. Contains the CPU and RAM among other things. All other hardware must maintain a physical connection to the motherboard. Body of the computer. CPU: Central processor unit. Computer chip in which instructions from the software are carried out. Measured in MHz-GHz (Megahertz-Gigahertz, millions/billions of operations per second). Brains of the computer. RAM: Random access memory. Electronic memory in computer. Holds loaded software and any additional material created by currently running software while the computer is on. Measured in MB (megabytes). IO Bus: Circuitry that moves information between the CPU and RAM. Measured in MHz. Usually significantly slower than CPU

4. Hardware Drives Physical or permanent information storage (magnetic or optical in nature) Hard drive, floppy, CD/DVD, Zip, etc. Other Keyboard, mouse, monitor Video, hard drive, network, modem, etc.

5. SOFTWARE Instructions for CPU Written in the language of the computer (machine) Several layers of translation between user and computer Loaded and stored in RAM when started To perform a certain task (e.g. print a document), the CPU obtains the instructions from the program. Removed from RAM when user quits/exits the program or computer is shut off Memory management by programmer’s and user is critical The computer’s language Digital (numerical) in nature Binary (1’s and 0’s) Can also be thought of as a switch (on/off)…The “bit”

6. DIGITAL VERSUS ANALOG Analog Nature is analog Continuous Non-numerical nature…must be translated to a numerical value. Infinitely precise Examples: Alcohol thermometer or old-style clock that requires winding Digital Numerical by nature Discreet levels Less precise but generally more accurate than analog Examples: Digital clock, Computers

7. DIGITAL VERSUS ANALOG (Sound Wave) Analog sound wave

8. DIGITAL VERSUS ANALOG (Sound Wave) Digital sound wave

9. DIGITAL IMAGES Formats (bitmap, gif, jpeg, and so on). Color of each pixel stored as a number. Memory intensive (compression algorithms).

10. Pixel: Smallest element of a screen or printer that can display a single color.