Welcome Everyone! Computer Essentials Course Presented by Quinte West Public Library and Peter Ferguson
Jan 28, 2015
Welcome Everyone!
Computer Essentials Course
Presented by Quinte West Public Library
and Peter Ferguson
Before Learning about Computers
The mouse isn’t fragile
Typing ability is helpful, but not necessary.
You can’t press any key that will destroy your computer
Relax, enjoy and learn with no deadlines
Remember Inexperience is not an indication of your intelligence!!
What is a Computer?
Computers are not very intelligent (YES / NO)
They follow directions from the user
Computers are really just powerful calculators with some “extras”
They only handle instructions fast.
What is a System?
Standardized Method of doing something
Specific pieces of hardware and software that your computer needs to perform tasks
Computer system converts your keystrokes into letters and displays them on the monitor screen.
Hardware and Software
The hardware is what sits on your desk and executes the software instructions. (Physical)
Software a series of simple computer instructions organized to complete tasks. (Intangible)
The Player Piano
Piano is the hardware
the Music Roll is the software.
Player Pianos are useless unless the music roll has been written correctly.
Hardware
physical parts of a computer
Input DevicesAllows us to put things in the computer
Output DevicesAllows the computer to put things out
for us to see
Input Devices
How we tell the computer what to do keyboard
Enter letters and numbers Mouse
Point and click, select, drag Joysticks
used for games Scanner
Input pictures, text from books,
Output Devices
How it shows you what it is doing
Monitor or CRT or screen (soft-copy)View information from the computer
Printer (hard-copy)Physical image of computer information
Random Access Memory - RAM
RAM is the memory your computer uses to run applications.
The amount of RAM in your computer is fixed
sales people will define a computer's capabilities by amount of RAM
Also known as Active Memory
Working Surface: Desk or Table
Read-Only Memory - ROM
Saved information in memory can be read only and not altered (CD) ROM is built into your computer to
help it start when you turn it on Any information saved on a disk such
as information used to perform a task
Also known as Storage Memory
Storage for Documents and Programs
Memory
How the processor stores and uses immediate information You request a programComputer loads the program from the
hard drive to faster RAM memory. You save your work the information
gets written back to the hard drive.
Storage Devices
Where computers save information or dataInternal / Fixed
• Hard disk drives HDD• Compact Disc CD
External / Portable• Floppy Disk Drives FDD• Thumb Drives USB
Internal Storage Disks
Hard disk/hard drive A fixed permanent storage unit that
holds a great deal of information. Compact Disc Drive
Stores information such as programs, games, and back ups of documents that are permanent
External / Portable Storage
Floppy disk/disketteA portable disk on which information is
magnetically written that can be read, copied, or deleted.
"Floppy" describes older 5.25" disks which were flexible, while the more common 3.5" disks are hard cased
Thumb DrivesLarge storage capacity for files and
documents
Central Processing Unit or CPU
All processes and tasks are performed by CPU Printing Screen views Saving files
Megahertz (MHz) is the CPU speed in which it performs instructions
It’s the Brains of the Computer
Icons
Pictures that represent actual items like:Hard drivesApplicationsActionsTasksDocuments / FilesPictures
Operating System or Platform
Software provides a "user interface" to:manage filesstart applications or programscustomize computer settingsother tasks
PCs use Microsoft Windows XP, VISTA
Macintoshes use the Macintosh OS (operating system.)
Software Applications
a piece of software intended to do a
particular task such as accounting,
typing, number-crunching, or making
pictures
Popular Software Applications
Word Processing (MS Word, WordPerfect)
Spreadsheets (MS Excel, Lotus 123)
Database (Access, Fox Pro)
Presentation (PowerPoint, Presentations)
Browsers (MS Internet Explorer, Fire Fox,)
File or Document
any single creation by an application, A single chartA paintingA four page paperA web pageA thesis with graphics and footnotes.A government form
Cursor
a visual indicator on the screen that lets you know where your mouse is positioned.
allows you to insert text or select existing items to be erased or deleted, copied or modified.
Network
A group of computers that are connected with each other by: telephone lines (Internet) fiber-optic cables Cables
Benefits on a computer network: share files send information very quickly enable multiple users to communicate at one
time.
Which way is the School Bus Going?