Types and Components of the Computer System

By: Fernando Manuel Calderón and Sebastián Gabriel GuozdenForm: 1thBYear: 2011

What is a Computer?

What is the Hardware?

What is the Software?

Hardware vs. Software

Main Components of a Computer

Main or Internal Memory

Measures the size of the memory

Video Software and Hardware( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv9463LXyCE )

Index

What's a Computer?

A computer is a device, or a group of devices, designed to do something, such as process information or control a system.

What is the Hardware?

The “Hardware” are the physical parts of a computer system, the ones that you can feel and touch.

Ex: A monitor, a printer, a mouse or a pen drive.

What is the Software?

The “Software” is the set of instructions that make the computer do sth.

There are two main types of softwares:

▪ Operating System▪ Applications

Hardware vs. Software

The main difference between Hardware and Software :

▪ You can touch Hardware – it is made of physical objects.

▪ Software relates to ideas and instructions for

using the solid objects.

Main Components of a Computer The Hardware of most computers can

be divided into several types of device:▪ Input Device

▪ Processor

▪ Output Device

▪ Storage Device

Applications The “Applications” or “Programs” will allowed users

to use the computer to play a game, for example, or write a letter.

Here are a few examples of general-purpose applications and what they can be used for: Word-Processing Application Database Programs Spreadsheet Applications Presentation Applications Desktop-Publishing packages Graphics Programs Computer-Aided Design Packages Communications Software Web Page Editors Audio Production and Editing Programs

Word-Processing Application

Word-Processing Applications are used to produce letters, reports and memos.

Database Programs

Database programs are used to store and retrieve information.

Spreadsheet Applications

Spreadsheet applications are used for tasks that involve calculations or graphs or charts.

Presentation Applications

Presentation Applications are used to create slide shows and presentations.

Desktop-Publishing Packages

Desktop-Publishing Packages are used to produce posters, newsletters and magazines.

Graphics Programs

Graphics Programs are used for artwork.

Computer-Aided Design Packages

Computer-Aided Design Packages are used to produce detailed designs and plans.

Web Page Editors

Web Page Editors are used to create web pages.

Audio Production and Editing Programs

Audio Production and Editing Programs are a common way of producing high quality music at low cost.

Communication Software

Communication Software such as web browsers and email programs are used to access the internet and send and receive emails.

Input Device

An Input Device is used to put data into the computer.

Processor

A Processor does something with the data given by the Input Device

Output Device

An output device is used to tell someone or something the result that the processor came up with.

Storage Device

A Storage Device keeps all this data and the Software that is used. If the computer did not have somewhere to store things it would forget everything when it was turned off.

Main or Internal Memory One important part of the CPU is the Main

Memory. This is used to store all the data and instructions which the computer is going to use or the answers that it has produce.

Within the main memory there are two other memories that are complementary and that makes the main memory to fulfill its function, and this memories are called:

▪ Rom (Read Only Memory)

▪ Ram(Random Access Memory)

ROM

In order to reload the programs and data, the computer must be ready to do things. This means that when you switch it on the computer must already have some software in it so that it can understand what you want to do. This software is stored on a special type of main memory called Rom.

Rom would be useless for doing work or running programs, though, because we normally want to change things

RAM

This memory called RAM stores anything that needs to be changed. All the programs and all the data being used are stored here.

Measures the size of the memory

The Computer can only understand electrical signals being turned on or off. These signals can be stand for 0 (no signal being sent) or 1 (an electric signal). Everything else has to be made up of combinations of these electrical signals or no electrical signals.

The memory of the computer can be measure by:

Users Interfaces The interfaces are a part of the operating

system. Operating System is the set of instuctions

that makes the computer works. There are many types of interfaces. The

chosing of them depends on: The job that the computer has to do the types of users and their abilities.

A type of interface can be the Graphical Users Interfaces or also the command line interface (CLI)

Types of computer(old ones to new ones)

The types of computers are:▪ Mainframe▪ Terminal▪ Personal Computers▪ Laptop ▪ Netbooks▪ Palmtops

Mainframe

Big computer

Used by many companies.

Begin to be used between 1950 and 1960

Terminal

It is usally a keyboard and a monitor screen which lets a person have their own connection to the computer.

The users of these terminals couls then all share the power of single mainframes.

Personal Computers

They belong to a single person

They are contolled by a person rather than a large company.

Laptop

In 1990 po rtable compuers became popular.

They were name as Laptops.

Laptops have their own power supply and screen.

Completly portable although they have the same hardware than the PC.

Netbooks

Recently they become popular.

They are small.

Usually cheap.

Less powerfull laptops use mainly to browse internet.

Palmtops

When batteries where developed That combined a smallñer size with a longe rlife.

Smaller laptops became possible.

Some laptops can enter in human hands.

Command Line Interfaces

This is an Interface for comunicating with the computer.

With this interface you have to type in specific commands to tell the computer what to do.

This is difficult for many resons: The user must know all comands. The user must be carefull not to make any error.

Graphical Users Interfaces GUIs are typified by the use of little

pictures(called icons) to stand for things that can be done.

These icons can be pointe by an arrow on the screen contolled by the mouse.

The screen can be divided into different areas wich can have differnet things in them; these are called windows.

Puting the for elements together you get the WIMP. Graphical Users Interfaces are sometimes calles WIMP.