Computer Fundamentals

Charles Babbage

Father of the computer- created the cow catcher.

Software

Set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do. It is what guides the hardware and tells it how to accomplish each task.

Power Supply

A device that provides power to a computer.

Device Driver

Computer program designed to convert data output from one device to a format compatible with another device

Order of bytes from least to greatest

bits, byte, kilobyte, megabyte, gigabyte, terabyte.

Digital Video Disk (DVD)

An optical disk (like a CD) that holds 4.7 to 9.0 gigabytes of data depending on the format

Why do computers evolve?

Because of the continual shrinking of microprocessors.

WiFi Connections

Connection via a universal wireless network (called Wireless Fidelity) standard that uses radio waves

User Friendly

Something anyone can operate

Macintosh Computer release year

1980's

Transistor

1st electronic component that led to the miniaturization of the computer

Analytical Engine

1st mechanical computer. Ran off of punched cards. Created by Charles Babbage, but never completed by him.

Integrated Circuit

2nd electronic component step that led to the miniaturization of the computer

Microprocessor

3rd step leading to the miniaturization of the computer.

Hard Drive

A "permanent" storage device that stores digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating rigid disks with magnetic surfaces. The capacity is approximately 100 GB. The device is either permanently installed within the computer case or can be portable

Bluetooth

A technical industry standard that facilitates communication between wireless devices such as personal digital assistants, handheld computers, and wireless enabled laptop computers or desktop computers

Universal Serial Bus (USB) Port

A type of data entry portal or bus for computer data

Wireless Local Area Connection (WLAN)

A type of local area network that uses high-frequency radio waves rather than wires to communicate between nodes

Compact Disk (CD)

AKA: Optical disk; Portible and tranferable read-write or read-only data storage device. Sometimes called a CD-ROM, CD-RW, or compact disk. Capacity is 1-8 gigabytes of data. Optical drive unit is required to read-write data from the disk

Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

An electronic tool for organizing data, a handheld computerized personal organizer device

Wireless Network

Any type of computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Brain of the computer that performs instructions defined by software

Herman Hollerith

Built the first working mechanical computer based off of the Analytical Engine. Started IBM (International Business Machines)

Server

Computer with massive hard drive capacity that is used to link other computers together so that data can be shared by multiple users. A computer system in an ambulatory care facility is likely linked or networked with a central server

Wide Area Network (WAN)

Connecting together of computers on a large area for the purpose of sharing data

Backup

Copying or saving data to a secure location to prevent loss of data in the event of a disaster

Xerox

Created the first ever PC

Tape Drive

Data storage device that uses magnetic tape as the storage media

ENIAC

Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer was the first electronic general-purpose computer. It was digital, and capable of being reprogrammed to solve "a large class of numerical problems".

Steve Jobs & Steve Wosniak

Founded Apple Computer, and made the Macintosh that made personal computers affordable to people.

Binary Code

Groupings of 1's and 0's that makes information that a computer can understand.

Firewall

Hardware device or software program designed to prevent unauthorized access to a computer system

Supercomputer

Most powerful computers of all, with extremely fast processing speeds. Can perform really complex scientific calculations. They span in size from a few times the size of a desktop computer to the size of an entire room.

Local Area Network (LAN)

Network of computers usually in one office, building or physically constructed location.

Micro Computer

PC's, desktops, workstations, servers, tablets, handhelds, wearable.

Motherboard

Printed circuit board on which the CPU, RAM chips and other electronic circuit elements of a digital computer are frequently located.

Operating System (OS) software

Programs that make the computer work. E.g. Windows 8, Windows Vista, OS X, iOS, Android, Ubuntu Linux, Unix, etc.

RAM

Random Access Memory - temporary place to store material that works quickly. erased when computer turns off. Volatile.

ROM

Read Only Memory- Permanent instructions that cannot be changed. It makes the BIOS function. Checks your OS.

Cyberspace

Reference to the nonphysical space of binary computer communication

Ergonomics

Scientific study of work and space, including factors that influence worker productivity and that affect workers' health

Application Software

Software that serves a definite purpose/application. E.g.: Word, Excel, Photoshop, WordPerfect...

Operating System (OS)

Software used to control the computer and its peripheral equipment.

Boot Process

Starting up a computer from a halted state or powered down (i.e. power-off) condition.

Hard Drive

Storage device that stores digitally encoded data on rapidly rotating rigid disks with magnetic surfaces. The device is either permanently installed within the computer case or can be portable

Ethernet

The networking of computers using metallic conductors or hard wires

Documentation

Written material that accompanies purchased software containing the information neccesary for using the software appropriately; sometimes known as the manual

John von Neumann

Wrote a paper that helped people understand how to work a computer.

Mainframe

a little less powerful than supercomputers; can execute multiple tasks at one time at a very high speed.

Mini Computer

also called "mid range computers." multi-user computers that have less storage capabilities; used in businesses for specific tasks.

Output

device that projects images, gives sound, and basically gives out the info from the computer so the user can obtain it (ex: monitor, printer, projector, speakers)

Input

device used to insert data into a computer or other device (ex: keyboard, mouse, microphone, scanner, voice recognition)

Auxiliary Storage Devices

ex: network drive, hard drive, flash drive, google drive.