CSCI 1200 Microcomputer Applications Julie Benoit jbenoit@cs.dal.ca
Announcements • Quiz today – computing history. • Lab 1 – email, login, meeting your TA.
Types of Computers Supercomputer : • fastest computers. • specialized research and scientific applications. • Blue Mountain : 1.6 trillion operations per second.
Types of Computers Mainframes : • timesharing. • terminal access. • banks, travel agents and insurance. • supercomputer - a few programs as fast as possible. • mainframe - many programs/users at once.
Types of Computers • Workstations – high-end desktop. • Personal Computers – one user. • Portable Computers – one user on the go.
Types of Computers Special-Purpose Computers : • programs etched in silicon so they can’t be altered. • often attached to sensors to measure and/or control the environment
Types of Computers Embedded Computers : • enhance consumer goods • control a variety of hardware devices, including robots
Types of Computers Servers : • provide software and other resources to computers over a network.
Networks • connecting computers to share information and resources. • LANs and WANs. • Internet : network of networks.
Internet • World Wide Web for usability • Electronic mail • Multimedia content • Self-publishing • On-line transactions
Basic Components • Input • Output • Processor • Memory
Basic Components • Input – keyboard & mouse. • Output – monitor & printer. • Processor – math & comparison. • Memory – hold data & instructions.
Memory RAM – Random Access Memory : • usually what we mean. • memory accessed by the CPU. • current programs & data. • computer must be on.
Memory Secondary Memory : • storage. • saving copies to secondary memory. • hard drive, CD, DVD, disk, tape, USB drive.
Software Note : computers are useless without software. Software – the instructions that tell hardware what to do. ROM – Read Only Memory
Bit • binary digit. • binary means 2 : 0 or 1. • computer circuits = switches. • switch on = 1, high, yes. • Switch off = 0, low, no.
Byte • grouping of 8 bits. • 28 = 256. • 0 … 255. • bytes are grouped into words. • Computers operate on words.
Bit Strings Represent • numbers. • alphanumeric : ASCII / Unicode. • instructions. • other stuff : sound or image data for example.
Volume / Size / Capacity • Kilobyte (K) – thousand bytes • Megabyte (MB) – million bytes • Gigabyte (GB) – billion bytes. • Terabyte (TB) – trillion bytes. • Petabye (PB) – quadrillion bytes. Note : MB vs Mb
CPU • Central Processing Unit. • converts input to output. • carries out instructions. • mathematical & logical operations. • communicates with other devices.
CPU • motherboard : – circuit board. • location of the CPU. • Compatibility : • instruction sets • Performance / Speed : • clock speed, GHz.
CPU Parts • ALU – arithmetic logic unit. • Bus – data travels in parallel. • Cache & Registers – high speed, local memory.
Computer Speed • Instruction set • Word Size • Specialized hardware • Parallel processing • Clustering multiple machines • Memory
Memory • main memory / RAM. • CPU reads main memory. • addressed cells (Random Access). • info held using electrical current: • need for ROM, CMOS, Flash & secondary memory.
