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
