Computer components

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.

Skills: none

IT concepts: computer components (input devices, output devices, memory, storage and CPU), network application vs. stand-alone application, information flow, operating system, application program, program file vs. data file, embedded system, general purpose computer, RAM, ROM, hardware cost trend

Where does this topic fit?

• Internet concepts– Applications– Technology– Implications

• Internet skills– Application development– Content creation

Computer components

Memory

CPU

Storage devices

Inputdevices

OutputDevices

Input devices

Output devices

Storage devices

CPU and memory

Let’s trace the information flow in a word processing, a stand-alone application.

Power is off

DBProg

SSProg

WPProg

Store both data and program files

Operating systemStore both the OS and application programs

Power on – copy OS to memory (bootstrap)

DBProg

SSProg

WPProg

Operating system

Operating system

OS displays the login screen

DBProg

SSProg

WPProg

Operating system

Operating system

Keyboard Display

After login, OS displays the desktop

DBProg

SSProg

WPProg

Operating system

Operating system

Display

What happens when we write, print and save a word processing document?

Copy word processing program into memory

DBProg

SSProg

WPProg

WPProg

Mouse

1

2

Operating system

Operating system

Display

WP program displays a blank document

DBProg

SSProg

WPProg

WPProg

Operating system

Operating system

Display

Enter and display the document

DBProg

SSProg

WPProg

WPProg

WPDoc

DisplayKeyboardMouse

Operating system

Operating system

Both programs and data

Print the document

DBProg

SSProg

WPProg

WPProg

WPDoc

PrinterMouse

Operating system

Operating system

Save the document

DBProg

SSProg

WPProg

Operating system

WPProg

WPDoc

Mouse

WPDoc

Operating system

Display

Turn power off

DBProg

SSProg

WPProg

Operating system

WPDoc

Things with computers inside (embedded)

General purpose computer

Special purpose computer

Programs in volatile, random access memory (RAM)

Programs in fixed, read only memory (ROM)

A few questions

Where does the Internet fit in our system diagram?

The Internet is Input and Output device

What is the input device on the iPad tablet computer?

What other input and output devices would you like to see on a tablet computer?

Is the storage capacity of your computer greater or less than the memory capacity?

What is the cost trend for memory, storage and CPU chips?

Why would you want more memory on your next computer?

Why would you want more storage on your next computer?

Computer components

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.

Skills: none

IT concepts: computer components (input devices, output devices, memory, storage and CPU), network application vs. stand-alone application, information flow, operating system, application program, program file vs. data file, embedded system, general purpose computer, RAM, ROM, hardware cost trend

Connectivity speed in context

Memory

CPU

Storage device

Internetdownload

Internetupload

8 GB/s

30 plus MB/s

4 Mb/s 1 Mb/s

SSD, Win 7 laptop

HD, Win Vista laptop HD, Win XP desktop

ATTO disk benchmark:SSD speed increase