Download Computers - Lexington-Richland School District 5

Computers
Made Easy
Technology Training Center
School District Five of
Lexington & Richland Counties
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Table of Contents
How does a Computer Work? ........................................... 1
Windows / DOS World ....................................................... 3
Permanent Storage ........................................................... 5
What do I mean by Files? .................................................. 7
Directory Structures ........................................................... 8
What do Files do? ............................................................. 9
What’s a Byte? ................................................................ 11
Operating System/Applications ....................................... 12
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How does a Computer Work?
A computer works a lot like your TV. However, the TV is mostly an output machine or
device. This means that the stuff, be it information or junk, flows from the TV out to
you. It also has some input controls so that you can give it some input. These are the
volume control, the on / off switch and the channel changer, which lives under the
couch.
Output is the flow of information to you and input is the flow from you to the device.
Computers have parts to receive input, parts to give output, parts to do work, parts to
remember things while the power is on (short term memory), and parts to remember
things when the power is off (long term memory).
What Do the Parts Do
Item
Monitor (screen)
Printer
Processor (CPU)
Keyboard
Mouse
Microphone
Speakers
Modem
Memory (RAM)
Floppy Disks
Hard Disk
Function
Output
Output
Input / Processing
Input
Input
Input
Output
Input and Output
Short Term Storage
Long Term Storage
Long Term Storage
The computer’s main job is to run programs. Programs are instructions in a language
that computers and programmers understand.
A programmer, or a team of
programmers, writes a program and saves it on a long term storage device like a floppy
drive, a hard disk or a CD-ROM.
Once the program has been installed on your
computer, you load the program off the hard drive, or wherever it is stored, by double
clicking its icon (picture) from the Windows Desktop and brings it into its short term
storage, called RAM, and runs the program.
Some programs you might be familiar with are MS Office, GroupWise Email and
Windows XP. This course will not only introduce you to several different types of
programs but it will also help you overcome your fears and delve in to a whole new way
of teaching and organizing your paperwork.
Computers can be a lot of fun but they can also be very confusing. I think that the more
you know about them, the more fun you can have with them. So to get started, let’s talk
about the basics of how a computer works.
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As the illustration demonstrates below, you need input from some type of input device
such as the keyboard. The information then gets processed through the computer’s
brain which is called the CPU (Central Processing Unit). The information is then routed
to your computer’s output device such as the monitor.
INPUT
Keyboard
PROCESSING
CPU
OUTPUT
Monitor
When a User turns on the computer, we call this Booting the system. The term User
refers to the person using the computer.
Booting the system can be defined in two methods, they are:
 Cold Boot – User turns on the computer from the power switch.
 Warm Boot – Computer has been running but has locked up and user needs to
reboot. To do a warm boot, the CTRL, ALT and DEL keys are pressed and held
down at the same time. You should ONLY reboot the system when it is absolutely
necessary!
Upon booting the system, the operating system (Windows) gets loaded from the
computer’s permanent memory (hard drive) and in to the computer’s temporary memory
(RAM).
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Windows World
This is Windows XP operating system. It is very user friendly and easy to use. Here in
District Five, we use a network software program called Novell. The Novell window
appears indicating what programs are available.
On your home computer, you will not see the Novell Delivered Applications window. To
access your home computer’s programs, you will click on the Start button located on
the Taskbar in the far left corner of the screen. From Start, you can then move up to the
Programs option to access installed programs.
Years ago, computers were running the DOS operating system which was very
threatening for most new computer users. Operating environments such as Windows
try to cover up these intimidating features by using Icon driven environments. With the
use of the mouse users can double click on an icon to load a program without having to
remember a command.
This is what the DOS world used to look like. If a user didn’t know the commands,
he/she couldn’t get the computer to run a program.
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DOS World
DOS is
waiting for
a command
to be typed
Picture yourself sitting at a computer with just the DOS prompt on the screen. DOS is
busy doing what it does best, which is waiting for you to tell it what to do. And guess
what? When you don’t know the DOS commands or language, you can’t get the
computer to do anything!
Some common DOS commands are:
 DIR – Allows a user to display the contents on the C:
 COPY – Allows a user to copy a file
 DEL – Allows a user to delete a file
 REN – Allows a user to rename a file
Now, can you see why so many folks felt threatened by DOS?
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Permanent Storage
The way the computer holds its’ programs and files is through the hard drive. Programs
and files can be stored on floppy disks, hard disks and CD-ROMs. When the computer
needs to call up a program, it searches for the information on the designated drive.
 Floppy drive locations are A: and B:
 The computer’s local hard drive is C:
 The CD-ROM drives are D: and E:
 Network drives are F: through Z:
Understanding Directories/Folders
The hard drive is divided into directories/subdirectories. Windows calls these Folders.
When software is installed on your computer, the computer needs a way of organizing
the program files and data files. Folders keep related files together.
Windows
C:\
Free
Disk
Space
MS Office
*Excel
*PowerPoint
*Access
*Word
Print Shop
Netscape
My Documents
GroupWise
For example, the portion of the hard drive reserved for Print Shop would contain the
program files that make up Print Shop as well as additional data files a user wishes to
save here.
When we refer location of the files and folders on the hard drive, we refer to this as the
path. So the path for Print Shop would be C:\PrintShop. The path for PowerPoint
would be C:\MSOffice\PowerPoint.
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Organizing Files
Files can be stored in folders on the computer’s hard drive as well as on a network
drive. A network is nothing more than several computers linked together to order to
share data and equipment. The illustration below outlines the different folders for both a
hard drive and a shared network drive.
If I were to retrieve the file, Linda’s Resume, I would look for the file on the C:, then
double click on the My Documents folder.
If I were to look for the Monkey.gif file, I would look for the S: drive, double click on the
Graphics folder, double click on K12 Clipart, and finally double click on Digital Pictures
folder.
Typical Directory Structure
C:|\
 Bookshelf
 Encarta
 Groliers
 MS Office
 Excel
 Word
 Access
 PowerPoint
 MS Works
 My Documents
 Linda’s Resume
S:\
<SHARED Drive>
 Documents
 Graphics
 K12 Clipart
 Scanned Art
 Digital Pictures
 Bear.gif
 Monkey.gif
 Osiris
 Templates
Linda’s Resume is a file saved on the C:
in the My Documents folder
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What do I mean by Files?
Each file has a name, a location, and a length, and usually a date of when it was last
changed. Files are stored in several places.
 on floppy disks
D: or E:
A: or B:
 on hard drives
 on CD's
C:
 in the computers memory (RAM)
 in the computers special read only memory (ROM)
 on tapes of a tape back-up device
 on file servers
F: through Z:
File Server
Any files that are in the memory of the computer are lost when the power is turned off.
That is not as scary as it sounds because what you usually have in memory is only a
temporary copy of the file, the original stays on the hard drive or floppy or wherever it is
usually kept. Pretty well the only time the original is in memory is when you are
creating a new file and haven't saved it yet.
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Directory Structures
D: or E:
A: or B:
I’m the
File Server
C:
F: through Z:
The Hard Drive is the Local Drive
C:|\
 Bookshelf
 Encarta
 Groliers
 MS Office
 Excel
 Word
 Access
 PowerPoint
 MS Works
 My Documents
 Netscape
 Pegasus
 PrintShop
Network Drives can be F: - Z:
S:\
<SHARED Drive>
 Documents
 Graphics
 K12 Clipart
 Scanned Art
 Digital Pictures
 Templates
 Windows
DRIVES represent the storage location
whereas FOLDERS and DIRECTORIES
represent storage containers which hold
related program files and documents as
well as user FILES and DOCUMENTS.
What Do Files Do?
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Files hold and store information that can be read by the computer. That's all they do.
All files are basically the same, they all have a name, a location, a date and they all hold
information. However, they can hold lots of different kinds of information, so we often
think of this as different kinds of files.
Here are some of the main types of files you will encounter. They often have certain
letters at the end of their names so you can tell from their names what sort of
information is inside. Some files you can easily look at the information inside and many
others you can't, at least not without a program that is
specifically designed to look
inside that type of file.
File Name
Anything.com
Anything.exe
Anything.bat
What’s Inside?
A list of instructions for
the computer, a
program.
A list of instructions for
the computer, a
program
What does it do?
It runs, you execute it by typing the
name or double clicking on it.
A list of instructions for
the computer, a
program
It runs, you execute it by typing the
name or double clicking on it.
Usually small and quite easy for you
to make.
It is there for you to read. Any word
processor can read the TXT format.
When viewed using a graphics
program, you can see a picture.
When viewed using a browser
Program, you can see the text in a
pretty format. When viewed using an
ordinary editor, you can see the text
and the codes that make it pretty.
Readme.txt
Anything.gif
Text, that is readable
information.
Graphical information
Lesson.htm
Textual information
It runs, you execute it by typing the
name or double clicking on it. Bigger
and more common than .COM's
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What do you do with files?
What you do with a file depends on the type of information that it holds, but some things
can be done with all files. You can access all files on your computer’s hard drive from
Windows Explorer. The Windows Explorer can be accessed from the Start menu,
under Programs or you can double click on the Windows Explorer icon from the
Desktop. The Windows Explorer will be covered in-depth at a later date.
Run them - if they
hold a program.
Look inside them, if
they hold graphics
information or text.
Listen to them,
if
they
hold
audio
information.
From Windows
Explorer, files can
be activated by
double clicking on
the file.
Copy them - this is one of the main things you will do. When you run a program, what
actually happens is that the file, with the program inside, is copied from the long term
storage device into the RAM, where its' list of instructions are executed (run).
Move them - This is like copying except that the original is NOT left behind. It is often
safer to copy a file from one place to another and then delete the original.
Delete them. When you no longer need a file, you can zap it--get rid of it.
Create them. When you compose a document in a word processor or any other
program such as an editor or spreadsheet, you are creating a new file. Once you create
the file then you will save the file for future use.
Permanent Storage
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What’s a Byte?
A byte is equal to one character. Therefore, when you see a file size of
14Kb this means that the file size is 14 thousand characters.
Byte = One Character
Kilobyte
14Kb = 14 Kilobyte
Kilo = Thousand
14Kb = 14 Thousand Characters
Megabyte
Gigabyte
14Mb = 14 Megabyte
Mega = Million
14Gb = 14 Gigabyte
Giga = Billion
14Mb = 14 Million Characters
14Gb = 14 Billion Characters
Disk Size
Floppy Disk = 1.44MB
Hard Disks range from 540Mb, 6Gb, and larger
CD-ROMs are approximately 650Mb
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Maximize
Windows Desktop
Close
Title bar
Minimize
DeskTop
Short-Cuts
Taskbar
Start Menu
Novell-Apps
Multitasking
ALT+TAB
Or use the Taskbar
MS Word
Windows Explorer
Snagit/32
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1.
7.
10.
8.
2.
3.
9.
4.
5.
6.
Number
Name of Part
Input, Output,
processing, or
storage*
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Keyboard
Mouse
Compact Disk
Central Processing Unit
Monitor
Floppy Disk Drive
Printer
NOTE:
Some
things
can be
more
than one
Floppy Disk
CD-ROM Drive
Headphones
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Computer Hands-on Practice
SECTION I
Complete the following steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Load Solitaire
Minimize
Load WordPad
Minimize
Load Calculator
Minimize
Load Paint
Minimize
SECTION II
Click Paint from the Taskbar, create a simple drawing of yourself.
1. Use the Select tool to highlight (outline) your picture
2. Click Edit and Copy to move your image into the
Clipboard (RAM)
3. Click on Wordpad from the Taskbar
4. Type the following into the document: My self Portrait
5. Highlight the title and change Font style to Comic Sans and
size to 14.
6. Bring in your picture from the Clipboard by Clicking on the Clipboard
icon or selecting Edit and Paste from the toolbar
If your image doesn’t appear, Click back on Paint from the Taskbar. Select
Edit from the menu and select Copy. Return to WordPad and select Edit
then Paste
SECTION III
Complete the following steps:
1. Load Solitaire from the Taskbar
2. Close
3. Load WordPad and save your file as SELF PORTRAIT
4. Close WordPad
5. Load Calculator
6. Close
7. Load Paint
8. Close…Do NOT Save
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Operating Systems
Windows communicates with the user through a graphical user interface
(GUI), which makes the computer easy to use. A GUI displays buttons,
icons, menus, and other controls on the screen. Using the mouse, a user
can operate the computer by interacting with the images on the screen. In
addition, Windows 95 includes convenient accessories and programs that
help maintain your computer system and make the computer more useful.
Some of the FUN items we will be covering at a later date are Paint,
Calculator, WordPad, and Solitaire.
Software Applications
Email - E-mail applications allow users to communicate with friends and
colleagues around the world. In addition, you can join mailing lists, recover
folders, search for messages in folders by keyword, clean out and manage
folders, and attach files from other applications to e-mail messages.
Internet - The Internet is a network (group) of computers linked together.
Those connected to the network can share information, even though they
may be thousands of miles apart.
MS Office – The Office Suite is a powerful software package that consists
of a word processor (Word), spreadsheet (Excel), database (Access), and
a presentation program (PowerPoint). It contains all the features you need
to create, format, layout, and enhance word processing, spreadsheet, and
database documents as well as incorporate graphics, tables, sound and
video.
Print Shop – Print Shop is a graphics program which allows users to
create flyers, banners, invitations, stationary, mailing labels, and many
others documents.
Computer Terms to Know
3.5-inch diskette—A standard type of storage medium used in most PCs that works
with a corresponding 3.5-inch diskette drive. These portable diskettes are flat 3.5-inch
squares that store up to 1.44MB (megabytes) of data. The diskette has a hard plastic
shell case that protects the Mylar disk inside that magnetically records data.
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)—This port enables the graphics controller to
communicate with the computer and access its main memory. The AGP is a high-speed
port, designed to handle 3-D technology and store 3-D textures in the main memory
rather than the video memory.
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bay—The location inside a computer case where storage systems, such as CD-ROM
drives, are placed.
CD-ROM (compact disc, read-only memory) drive—A device that reads CD-ROMs.
These drives are standard on many PCs and are available in various speeds, which are
represented as multiples of X. Most systems presently offer drives averaging 32X or
40X.
CD-RW (compact disc-rewriteable) drive—A CD-based drive that can record or erase
data, as well as read it.
chipset—A collection of microchips that allow hardware peripherals in PCI (Peripheral
Component Interconnect) and ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) buses to
communicate without using the CPU. This frees processing time in the CPU to perform
other tasks.
CPU (central processing unit)—Think of the CPU, or microprocessor, as the brain of a
system. The CPU is a silicon chip that deciphers and initiates your commands. The
clock speed of CPUs (recorded in MHz [megahertz], or millions of cycles per second) is
a major factor of how fast the microprocessor can perform its calculations.
DIMM (dual in-line memory module)—A circuit board that contains multiple memory
chips that can be inserted into memory expansion slots to increase RAM (randomaccess memory). DIMMs support 64-bit and higher buses, and have 168 pins.
DRAM (dynamic random-access memory)—A type of computer memory that is very
popular in PCs because of its low price.
DVD (digital versatile disc) drive—A drive that can read audio and software CD-ROMs
and DVDs, which store up to 4.7GB (gigabytes) of information on each side of the disc.
Ethernet—The most common type of protocol used for LANs (local-area networks).
Protocols are sets of standards that spell out the rules for how PCs communicate and
exchange data.
expansion cards—Circuit boards that fit into expansion slots directly on the
motherboard to provide the computer with new devices, such as a graphics card,
internal modem, sound card, etc.
expansion slots—Available openings on the motherboard where you can place
additional cards or boards via PCI, AGP, or ISA connections.
GHz (gigahertz)—A measurement used to gauge the speed of a CPU. One GHz is
equivalent to 1 billion cycles per second.
graphics accelerator—A video adapter that has its own processor to enhance
performance. These accelerators are designed to handle high-end graphic activities,
leaving the CPU to handle other system requirements. Accelerators typically use
conventional DRAM (dynamic random-access memory), or a special type of VRAM
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(video RAM), to accommodate the video circuitry and the processor to access the
memory simultaneously.
hard drive—The main component a computer uses to permanently store and retrieve
information. These drives are sealed boxes that are typically found inside the PC case.
Today's hard drives have an average storage capacity of 10GB (gigabytes) to more
than 20GB.
ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)—A standard bus model that supports 16-bit
expansion cards. Faster PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) and USB (Universal
Serial Bus) buses are displacing ISA buses because the majority of hardware
peripherals are now constructed for these newer standards.
KB (kilobyte)—An amount of storage equivalent to 1,024 bytes, or approximately 1,000
characters of information.
Kbps (kilobits per second)—A unit of measurement for the speed of data transmission;
1Kbps is equivalent to 1,024bps (bits per second). Modem speeds are measured in
Kbps. The fastest modems typically found in today's computers are capable of
transmitting information at speeds slightly above 56Kbps. But in reality, they're limited to
a top speed of 53Kbps by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) restrictions
on phone line voltage.
keyboard—The main input device for a computer that is similar to an electric typewriter
keyboard, with a few extra keys for various computing functions.
L1 (Level 1 cache)—Also known as primary cache, this type of memory is much faster
and more efficient than normal RAM (random-access memory). L1 cache is usually
located directly on the CPU (central processing unit) and stores information that is
frequently accessed.
L2 (Level 2 cache)—Also known as secondary cache, this type of memory can be
located directly on the CPU (central processing unit) or on a separate chip or expansion
card. L2 cache is used to supplement L1 cache and is generally larger in size, but
slower to access.
Mb (megabit)—A measurement equivalent to approximately 1 million bits. Bits are
typically represented in computer terminology by a lowercase “b.”
MB (megabyte)—Also referred to as a meg, a megabyte is a measurement of computer
storage that equals 1,048,576 bytes. Bytes are typically represented in computer
terminology by an uppercase “B.”
MHz (megahertz)—A measurement used to gauge the speed of a CPU (central
processing unit). One MHz is equivalent to 1 million cycles per second.
microprocessor—An integrated circuit known as the CPU (central processing unit) that
controls the computer.
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modem—Acronym for modulator/demodulator. A communications device that allows a
computer to transmit data over analog telephone lines by exchanging digital signals for
analog signals. Modem speeds are expressed in Kbps (kilobits per second). The fastest
modems typically found in today's computers are capable of transmitting information at
speeds slightly above 56Kbps. But in reality, they're limited to a top speed of 53Kbps by
the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) restrictions on phone line voltage.
monitor—A type of display screen for desktop systems that resembles a TV screen in a
hard-shell case. Monitors attach to a computer via cables and display the image signals
produced by the system.
motherboard—A circuit board inside a computer that provides the foundation for the
system. The motherboard holds all the internal circuitry for the system, such as the
CPU, buses, memory sockets, expansion slots, etc.
mouse—A device that provides the user with on-screen control in a graphical user
interface. A mouse is designed to fit easily in your hand, and it features two to three
buttons on top. Users roll the mouse around on a pad to manipulate the cursor.
MPEG (Motion Pictures Experts Group)—A method of compression for storing video
and audio in digital form. There are various degrees of MPEG, such as MPEG-1
regarding a standard for compressing video and audio on CD-ROM, and MPEG-2 for
full-screen, broadcast-quality video.
NIC (network interface card)—An expansion board that allows the computer to be
connected to a network.
OS (operating system)—Software that handles the computer's basic functions and acts
as a foundation to run additional programs. Operating systems recognize keyboard
input, send the output to monitors and printers, control peripheral devices, handle
system security, and keep records of files and directories. Microsoft Windows 95,
Windows 98, and Windows NT are examples of operating systems.
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)—An Intel-designed bus that features quick
communications between a peripheral and the computer's CPU (central processing
unit). PCI buses allow users to install additional peripherals on a system and provide
plug-and-play capability.
ports—Multipin connectors that enable external devices, such as monitors and printers,
to be connected to the computer.
RAM (random-access memory)—A temporary workspace for data; the computer uses
RAM to hold information it is processing. The amount of RAM determines the size and
number of programs that users can run simultaneously, and it affects the overall
processing speed of the computer.
RDRAM (Rambus dynamic random-access memory)—A type of memory developed by
Rambus that might replace the current standard of memory, SDRAM (synchronous
dynamic random-access memory). By dramatically increasing the speed at which data
transfers, RDRAM is intended to improve performance in memory-intensive tasks.
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resolution—A term that refers to the amount of sharpness and clarity of an image.
High-resolution devices produce sharper, more defined images.
sound card—An expansion board that provides audio capability and enables the
computer to digitize sound beyond basic beeps.
SDRAM (synchronous dynamic random-access memory)—A memory type that
provides higher speeds than DRAM by synchronizing the computer's internal clock with
the memory, which allows for speeds up to 100MHz.
SGRAM (synchronous graphics random-access memory)—A type of DRAM memory
used in conjunction with graphics accelerators and video adapters.
USB (Universal Serial Bus)—An external bus that is expected to eventually replace
serial and parallel ports for adding peripherals to a system. Most of today's PCs feature
two or more USB ports that provide plug-and-play and hot-swapping capabilities.
Zip drive—A type of storage system designed by Iomega that holds 100MB or 250MB
of data on portable diskettes. Zip drives are a popular device used for storing,
transporting, and backing up files.
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