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mputer Basics C Co omputer Basics Student Edition Complete The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Computer Courseware

CustomGuide.com granted to Computer and Telecommunication Services a license agreement to print an unlimited number of copies of the CustomGuide Courseware materials within Stockton College of New Jersey for training staff, faculty and students. End users who receive this handout may not reproduce or distribute these materials without permission. Please refer to the copyright notice below for more information. © 2003 by CustomGuide, Inc. 1502 Nicollet Avenue South, Suite 1; Minneapolis, MN 55403 This material is copyrighted and all rights are reserved by CustomGuide, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of CustomGuide, Inc. We make a sincere effort to ensure the accuracy of the material described herein; however, CustomGuide makes no warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the quality, correctness, reliability, accuracy, or freedom from error of this document or the products it describes. Data used in examples and sample data files are intended to be fictional. Any resemblance to real persons or companies is entirely coincidental. The names of software products referred to in this manual are claimed as trademarks of their respective companies. CustomGuide is a registered trademark of CustomGuide, Inc.

Table of Contents Chapter One: The Essentials ............................................................................................. 5 Lesson 1-1: Hardware, Software, and Information Technology (IT).....................................6 Lesson 1-2: Computer Overview...........................................................................................8 Lesson 1-3: The Front of a Computer and Peripheral Devices............................................10 Lesson 1-4: The Inside of a Computer.................................................................................12 Lesson 1-5: The Back of a Computer (Ports) ......................................................................14 Lesson 1-6: System Bus and Expansion Cards....................................................................16 Lesson 1-7: Memory Cache.................................................................................................18 Lesson 1-8: Computer Performance ....................................................................................20 Lesson 1-9: Buying a Desktop Computer............................................................................22 Lesson 1-10: Buying a Notebook Computer .......................................................................24 Lesson 1-11: Upgrading a Computer...................................................................................26 Chapter One Review............................................................................................................28 Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware.........................................................................31 Lesson 2-1: Central Processing Unit (CPU)........................................................................32 Lesson 2-2: Memory............................................................................................................34 Lesson 2-3: RAM and ROM................................................................................................36 Lesson 2-4: Mouse...............................................................................................................38 Lesson 2-5: Keyboard..........................................................................................................40 Lesson 2-6: Digital Cameras and Web Cams.......................................................................42 Lesson 2-7: Other Input Devices .........................................................................................44 Lesson 2-8: Monitor ............................................................................................................46 Lesson 2-9: Graphics Card ..................................................................................................48 Lesson 2-10: Printer Basics .................................................................................................50 Lesson 2-11: Types of Printers.............................................................................................52 Lesson 2-12: Sound and Speakers .......................................................................................54 Lesson 2-13: Modem...........................................................................................................56 Lesson 2-14: Input/Output Devices.....................................................................................57 Lesson 2-15: Hard Drive .....................................................................................................58 Lesson 2-16: Hard Drive Maintenance................................................................................60 Lesson 2-17: CD-ROM Drive .............................................................................................62 Lesson 2-18: DVD Drive.....................................................................................................64 Lesson 2-19: Floppy Drive..................................................................................................66 Lesson 2-20: Zip and Jaz Drives .........................................................................................67 Lesson 2-21: Other Storage Devices....................................................................................68 Lesson 2-22: Formatting a Disk ..........................................................................................69 Chapter Two Review ...........................................................................................................70 Chapter Three: Understanding Software.....................................................................75 Lesson 3-1: Understanding Graphical User Interfaces ........................................................76 Lesson 3-2: Types of Software ............................................................................................77

4 Computer Basics Lesson 3-3: Operating Systems............................................................................................78 Lesson 3-4: Word Processing...............................................................................................80 Lesson 3-5: Spreadsheets.....................................................................................................81 Lesson 3-6: Databases..........................................................................................................82 Lesson 3-7: Presentation Software.......................................................................................84 Lesson 3-8: Accounting .......................................................................................................85 Lesson 3-9: Web Browsing..................................................................................................86 Chapter Three Review .........................................................................................................87 Index .....................................................................................................................................89 © 2002 CustomGuide, Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials Chapter Objectives: ; Prerequisites • Learn the difference between hardware and software • A desire to learn about computers. • Discover the various types of computers and their roles • See what’s on the front, back, and inside of a computer • Learn about the various ports on a computer • Understand what determines a computer’s performance • See what you should look for when buying a computer Computers are useful: they help us write letters, find information on the Internet, and even create our own music CDs. Some people love computers—they speak a different language that includes nonsensical words like IP address and gigabytes. But most of us are somewhat clueless when it comes to computers. We know how to turn our computer on, how to surf the Internet (maybe), and how to write a quick letter on a word processor. But that’s about it—we have to ask our kids or friends for help when something goes wrong, which is all the time. This guide takes some of the mystery out of computers. In this chapter we’ll take a good hard look at a computer from the front, back, and yes, even inside. You’ll understand what all those confusing ports on the back of the computer are for and why it’s important for your computer to have a fast CPU. Best of all, we’ll explain all of this in simple terms, so you won’t need an engineering degree to understand everything. Ready to tackle your computer? Great—turn the page and let’s get started…

6 Computer Basics Lesson 1-1: Hardware, Software, and Information Technology (IT) Figure 1-1 A typical computer setup. Figure 1-2 Microsoft Word is an example of a software application. Figure 1-1 Figure 1-2 Your desk probably contains a jumble of equipment commonly known as a computer. But what is all that stuff? What does a computer do? Unlike many other tools or appliances that have limited purposes, a computer can do any number of things: • Write letters • Browse the Internet • Send e-mail messages to people around the world • Play games • Help you balance your budget © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 7 …and that’s just the beginning of what you can do with a computer! Two basic components make up a computer: hardware and software. You simply can’t have one without the other. All computer parts that you can physically see or touch are called hardware. Hardware includes the computer’s monitor, case, keyboard, mouse, and printer. Computer programs that tell hardware how to operate are called software. You may have used software such as Microsoft Excel or Corel WordPerfect in the past. So breathe a giant sigh of relief—you don’t have to know how to program a computer to use one. A computer programmer has already done the work for you by writing the program (software). All you have to do is tell the software what you’re trying to do, and the software then directs the work of the hardware. Your computer setup Figure 1-1 shows an example of a typical computer setup and its components, but don’t may differ from the one shown in Figure worry if your setup is different. More than likely, you have all the parts that you need, 1-1. For example, you and those parts are properly connected. In any case, Table 1-1: Parts of a Computer, might have a computer provides more details about each individual component. case that is tall and skinny (tower case) or IT, short for Information Technology, is the broad subject related to computers and a flat screen monitor. managing and processing information, especially within large organizations. Many large companies have departments full of computer experts called IT departments. Table 1-1: Parts of a Computer Component Description Case or System The main computer box, technically known as the system unit, is the most Unit important part of a computer. It contains the guts and brains of the computer— something we’ll talk about later. The system unit contains a lot of holes or ports where you plug in the rest of the computer system. Monitor The monitor resembles a television set, and is where the computer displays Quick Reference information. A typical computer Keyboard The keyboard is the thing you type on to tell your computer what to do. includes the following: Mouse Like the keyboard, the mouse is another input device that you use to • System unit communicate with your computer. • Monitor Speakers Most computers can make sounds, just like a stereo system. In fact, you can • Keyboard even listen to audio CD’s on most computers or watch DVDs. • Mouse Printer A printer is where a computer writes down information or output, onto paper, or • Speakers a hardcopy. • Printer Hardware: • A computer item you can physically see or touch. Software: • A computer program that tells computer hardware how to operate. IT: • Information Technology is the broad subject related to computers and managing and processing information. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

8 Computer Basics Lesson 1-2: Computer Overview Figure 1-3 How a computer works. Figure 1-4 Comparing a TV to a PC. Input Process/Storage Output You communicate with the The computer processes data, The computer communicates computer via an input device makes calculations, directs its results to you via an output such as a mouse, a keyboard, the work of the hardware, and device such as a monitor, a or a joystick. stores your files. printer, or speakers. Figure 1-3 Input The remote control talks to the TV; the mouse and the keyboard talk to the computer. Process/Storage The cable box deciphers which channel you want to watch; the CPU translates your instructions (via software) to the hardware. Output The television displays the channel; the monitor displays the Figure 1-4 results. Computers are not really as complicated as they initially seem. You just have to learn the basic functions of the various parts, and then you can separate them into three categories: • Input Any device that lets you talk to the computer (such as a mouse or keyboard). • Process/Storage Main functions of a computer, which happen inside the computer case. Not surprisingly, the Central Processing Unit (CPU) does all the processing; the storage function is handled by any number of drives (hard, floppy, Zip, tape-backup, CD/DVD-ROM) or disks (compact discs or floppy diskettes). • Output Any device that lets the computer talk to you (such as a monitor or speakers). If you're having trouble understanding this input/output stuff, think of your home television (TV) set. Televisions and computers are similar in several ways: • The remote control is comparable to the mouse (or any other input device such as a mouse or joystick). A remote control • The cable box (while not nearly as powerful as a computer) is similar to a computer communicates with a television much like a in that it can process information (such as deciphering which channel you want to mouse communicates watch) and, if programmable, store information (such as when to show the film using with a computer. a built-in timer). • The TV displays the channel much like a monitor displays information. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 9 There are several different types of computer systems out there. Here's a very brief description of the most common ones… Table 1-2: Types of Computers Computer Description A mainframe is a big, powerful, expensive computer that can support many users at the same time. Large businesses and organizations use mainframes. Capacity: Enormous - the capacity of several hundred or even thousands of PCs Speed: Very fast - much, much faster than a PC Mainframe Cost: Very, very expensive - can usually only be afforded by large organizations Users: Only used by large businesses and organizations A PC is a personal computer, originally designed by IBM way back in 1981. Many different companies make PCs, but all of them are IBM-compatible. What this means, according to Bill Gates, is that they will all run Microsoft Windows. Capacity: Average hard disk size is 20 GB to 80 GB Speed: Fast. Average speed is from 1 GHz to 3 GHz PC Cost: Fairly inexpensive - under $1,000 - and getting cheaper every day! Users: Just about everyone uses a PC! Homes, offices, schools… Developed by Apple, a Macintosh is a computer, but it is NOT a PC. Macs have a different operating system and use their own software and hardware. Capacity: Average hard disk size is 20 GB to 80 GB Speed: Fast. Average speed is from 500 MHz to 2 GHz Mac Cost: Fairly inexpensive, but usually more than an equivalent PC Users: Just about everyone, especially in the education and design fields A network is a group of computers that are connected so that they can share equipment and information. Most people on a network use workstations, which are simply PCs that are connected to the network. A server is a central computer where users on the network can save their files and information. Capacity: (Workstation) Same as a PC, only needs an inexpensive network card (Server) Greater than a PC, often more than 100 GE Speed: (Workstation) Same as a PC Networked (Server) Generally faster than a PC, may use multiple CPUs Computer Cost: (Workstation) Same as a PC Quick Reference (Server) More expensive than a PC but not as costly as a mainframe The Basic Computer Users: (Workstation) People in a networked office or organization Processes Are: (Server) Generally a network administrator or engineer 1. Input A laptop, or notebook, is a lighter and more portable version of a PC or Mac that 2. Processing can run on batteries. 3. Output Capacity: Average hard disk size is 10 GB to 40 GB Speed: Fast, but slightly less than a PC. Average speed is from 700 MHz to 2 GHz Different Types of Laptop Cost: Fairly inexpensive, but more than an equivalent PC Computers Include: Users: People on the move, especially business people and students • Mainframes A PDA (Personal Data Assistant) is a handheld computer that is generally used to • PCs keep track of appointments and addresses. • Macs Capacity: Much smaller than a PC - 8 MB to 64 MB of storage space • Servers Speed: Much slower than a PC - 8 MHz to 266 MHz • Laptops Palmtop/PDA Cost: Expensive when compared to the capacities of a PC Users: Business people and others who need to be organized • Palmtops or PDAs The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

10 Computer Basics Lesson 1-3: The Front of a Computer and Peripheral Devices Figure 1-5 The front of a computer case. Scanner Monitor Printer Speakers CD-ROM or System unit DVD player Floppy drive Keyboard Mouse Figure 1-5 The system unit or computer case is that plastic box that sits under your monitor or desk and is covered with slots, buttons, and lights. Computer cases come in several shapes and sizes. Older computers often have the horizontal desktop case, which has gradually been replaced by the vertical tower case. Manufacturers are now phasing out the tallest towers because the compact size of the smallest tower, known as a mini-tower, is attractive to consumers. Everything outside of and connected to the system unit is called peripherals. You can add dozens of peripherals and accessories to make it more useful and fun. Common peripherals include printers, scanners, external hard drives, CD-ROM drives, and digital cameras. Many peripherals are considered to be input devices, because they allow you to talk to your computer by inputting information. Other peripherals are output devices, because they let your computer talk back to you. One more thing: all peripherals are considered to be part of a computer’s hardware. Table 1-3: What’s on the Front or Outside of a Computer Case? Item Description System Unit or A plastic or metal case with slots, buttons, and lights in the front and holes Computer Case in the back. This is the most important part of a computer because it contains the Central Processing Unit (CPU). The system unit directs the computer, performs calculations, and stores information. Floppy Drive Reads and writes to 3½-inch floppy disks. A floppy disk can store about 1.5 MB of information—about as much as a novel. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 11 Item Description Hard Drive The computer’s main, long-term storing device. Unlike floppy disks and (Not shown) CD-ROMs, you typically cannot remove a hard disk. CD-ROM or DVD Drive CD-ROMs and DVDs for your computer can store lots of information and look exactly like CDs for your stereo and DVDs for your home DVD player. In fact, you can listen to audio CDs on a CD-ROM drive and even watch DVD movies on a DVD drive. The only real difference between a CD-ROM and a DVD is how much information they can store. A CD-ROM can store approximately 650MB (megabytes) of information, while a DVD can store much more—up to 17 GB (gigabytes) or 17,000MB on a double-sided DVD. Most CD-ROMs and DVD are read-only, meaning you can’t write information to them. You can buy special CD-ROM and DVD drives that can write or burn information to special CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, and DVD- RW discs. Zip Drive A special type of disk drive that can read and write to Zip disks. A Zip disk (Not shown) is a lot like a floppy disk, although they are faster and can store more information—from 100 to 250MB (megabytes). Tape Backup A device that you can use to store backups, or copies, of the information (Not shown) on a computer’s hard drive. Keyboard The keyboard is the thing you type on to tell your computer what to do. Input Devices Mouse Like the keyboard, the mouse is another input device that you use to communicate with your computer. Scanners work like photocopiers, except the image is translated into a Scanner digital image in your computer rather than copied onto paper. Monitor The monitor resembles a television set, and is where the computer displays information. Output Devices Speakers If visible, your computer speakers are similar to those on a stereo system (or at least a cheap stereo system). They allow your computer to play sounds. A printer is where a computer writes down information or output, onto Printer paper, or a hardcopy. Quick Reference Components Visible from the Outside of the System Unit May Include: • Floppy drive • CD-ROM or DVD drive • Zip drive or tape backup • Keyboard • Mouse • Scanner • Monitor • Speakers • Printer The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

12 Computer Basics Lesson 1-4: The Inside of a Computer Power supply Central Processing Unit (CPU) ROM-BIOS Figure 1-6 The side view of the guts of a tower case. CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive Floppy disk Ports drive Hard disk drive (HDD) Expansion cards Expansion slots Motherboard Figure 1-6 Random-access memory (RAM) Now that you know what’s on the outside, let’s crank open that mysterious computer case and look inside. But no tools required—we’ve done all the work for you. Just compare Figure 1-6 with Table 1-4: What’s Inside a Computer Case? to see what’s important. Everything plugs into a Table 1-4: What’s Inside a Computer Case? computer’s Item Description motherboard. Motherboard The main piece of circuitry in a computer. Everything connects to or is wired to the motherboard. Central Processing The computer’s brain or heart, the CPU is a computer’s main chip. The CPU Unit (CPU) is really nothing more than an incredibly fast and powerful calculator. Random Access A computer’s temporary storage place, where it gets its work done. For Memory (RAM) example, when you use a word processor to type a letter, the letter is stored in the computer’s memory. ROM-BIOS A computer’s ROM-BIOS (stands for Read Only Memory – Basic Input/Output System) is a special chip with instructions for the computer to communicate with other hardware parts. Expansion Slot An expansion slot lets you add more features and capabilities to a computer by plugging in expansion cards. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 13 Item Description Expansion Card A card that allows you to expand your computer’s capabilities, such as a modem card, a network card, a video card, or a sound card. PCMCIA Cards Notebook computers are too small to use expansion cards, so they use special credit-card sized PCMCIA cards instead. You plug in a PCMCIA card, or PC Card, into a notebook computer to give it more features and capabilities. Nobody’s getting tested on this, but PCMCIA stands for Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. Quick Reference Components Inside the System Unit May Include: • Motherboard • CPU (Central Processing Unit) • RAM (Random Access Memory) • ROM-BIOS • Expansion slots and cards • PCMCIA cards (laptops only) The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

14 Computer Basics Lesson 1-5: The Back of a Computer (Ports) Figure 1-7 The back of a computer On/Off switch case. Power receptacle Keyboard port Mouse port USB ports Ethernet connector Serial port (COM1) Parallel port (printer) Serial port (COM2) Air vents Line-out jack (speakers/headphone) Line-in jack Joystick port Microphone jack Phone jack Wall jack Video (monitor) Expansion spaces Figure 1-7 When you look at the back of a computer, you may feel a bit overwhelmed by all the slots and holes. Fortunately, manufacturers have added some fairly standard icons and color coding to help you identify what should be plugged into your computer and where. Before long, you’ll recognize those icons and colors, and the configuration won’t seem so mysterious. It’s rather like hooking up cable and a DVD player to the back of your television—unless you’re one of those people who just wait for the cable guy to take care of that heinous task. In any case, this lesson will review each item piece by piece so you You may feel a bit won’t get completely lost. overwhelmed the first Before we begin, let’s define a couple of terms. The first thing you’ll notice is that the time you look at the back of your computer has lots of holes. Those holes are called (depending on who you back of a computer. ask) jacks, ports, or connectors. You may notice that some of the connectors have holes, but some have what look like stickpins (which are aptly named pins). The ones that have holes are called female connectors; the ones that have pins are called male connectors. Let’s leave it at that. Now let’s begin. Compare Figure 1-7 to Table 1-5: What’s on the Back of a Computer Case? The back of your computer may be arranged differently but should include the same elements. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 15 Table 1-5: What’s on the Back of a Computer Case? Port Icon Description The keyboard and mouse jacks look identical on most PCs, so look for colors and icons to help you with plugging in these devices. Keyboard & Mouse Some mice and keyboards use USB ports. Older mice may use a serial port. Serial (or COM) ports are a very versatile type of port. Some of the things you can plug into a serial port include: Serial or COM a mouse, modem, scanner, or digital camera. Most computers have two serial ports: COM1 and COM2. You plug your printer into the parallel, or printer, port. Many Parallel or Printer newer printers may use a USB port. Designed to replace older Serial and Parallel ports, the USB (Universal Serial Bus) can connect computers with a number of devices, such as printers, keyboards, mice, scanners, digital cameras, PDAs, and more. Better yet, the USB port supports plug-and-play, so you can simply plug in a USB device and start using it. USB USB 1 ports can transfer information at a speed up to 12 Mbps (Megabytes per Second). Newer USB 2 ports can transfer information at a speed up to 480 Mbps. Most computers come with two USB ports. You plug your monitor into the video port. Video or Monitor / Plug in your speakers or headphone into the Line Out jack. Line Out The Line In jack allows you to listen to your computer Quick Reference Line In using a stereo system. Ports on the Back of a Computer Include: You can plug a microphone into this jack to record sounds on your computer. • Keyboard and Mouse Microphone • Serial or COM If you have a joystick, musical (MIDI) keyboard, or other • Parallel or Printer Joystick or Game gaming device, this is where you plug it in. • USB The phone or modem jack is where you plug your • Video or monitor Phone or Modem computer into a phone line. • Line in, line out, microphone You can connect your computer to a network by plugging < • • • > in an Ethernet cable in this port. • Joystick or game Network or Ethernet • Phone or modem An SCSI port is one of the fastest ways to connect a hard • Ethernet or network SCSI drive, CD-ROM drive, or other device to a computer. • SCSI A FireWire (IEEE 1394 or i.LINK) port lets you connect • Firewire Firewire such devices as hard disks and digital camcorders to a computer. A FireWire port can transfer information at a speed up to 400 Mbps (Megabytes per Second). The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

16 Computer Basics Lesson 1-6: System Bus and Expansion Cards Figure 1-8 Expansion cards plug directly into a computer’s motherboard. Figure 1-9 Most computers have around six expansion slots. Expansion slots Highway System Bus • The number of lanes • The bus width determines determines how many cars can how much information can use the highway at once flow along the bus at a time • The speed limit determines • The bus speed determines how fast cars can drive on the how fast information can travel highway You’re furious! You just bought an expensive digital camcorder only to find out that it can’t connect to your computer because your computer apparently doesn’t have a Firewire port. Don’t worry—you can easily add a Firewire port to the computer by buying an expansion card. Expansion cards allow you to add more gizmos and capabilities to a computer. You can also use expansion cards to replace a component of a computer that breaks, like a modem. Expansion cards plug into expansion slots on a computer’s motherboard. A computer talks to its expansion cards—and everything else on the motherboard— Expansion cards plug through its bus. A computer’s bus is an electronic pathway that carries information directly into the between devices in a computer. Two factors determine how information flows through the motherboard. bus: the bus width and the bus speed. • Bus Width The bus width determines how many “lanes” there are on a computer’s electronic highway. Actually, the bus width isn’t measured in lanes, but in bits. The wider the bus, the more information can travel across it at the same time. • Bus Speed The bus speed determines how fast information can travel through the bus. The higher the bus speed, the faster information can travel through it. Bus speed is measured in MHz. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 17 As if this weren’t confusing enough there are several bus types out there. They include: • ISA The Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) is the original, slowest, and oldest type of bus. The ISA bus has a width of 16 bits and a speed of 8 MHz. The ISA bus is going the way of dinosaurs and is no longer found on new computers. • PCI The Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus is the main bus found in newer computers. The PCI bus can have a width of 32 or 64 bits. The PCI bus supports Plug and Play, which lets you add new devices to a computer without a complicated installation process. • AGP An Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) is a blazingly fast bus that is currently only used for video cards. The AGP port has a width of 64 bits and supports Plug and Play. So what kind of expansion cards are out there? Here are some of the more common expansion cards that you may come across… Table 1-6: Common Types of Expansion Cards Expansion Card Description A modem allows computers to exchange information through ordinary telephone lines. Almost all computers already come with built-in modems, so Modem you would probably only want to add a modem expansion card if the original modem in a computer breaks. A network interface card (NIC) is an expansion card that connects a computer to other computers on a network. Network A video card or adapter is what generates the images and text displayed on a monitor. Computers come with a built-in video card, but some people like to Quick Reference upgrade their original video card with faster, more powerful video cards. Video or Graphics • An expansion card plugs into a computer’s A sound card lets a computer play and record sounds, just like a home stereo motherboard to give it system. additional capabilities. • A computer Sound communicates with its You can use expansion cards to add additional ports to a computer, such as expansion cards and the newer Firewire or USB 2 ports. devices through the system bus. Additional Port(s) • How much information flows through the system bus depends on the bus width and bus speed. There are several bus types: 1. ISA 2. PCI 3. AGP The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

18 Computer Basics Lesson 1-7: Memory Cache Figure 1-10 I In nt te er rn na al l E Ex xt te er rn na al l R RA AM M H Ha ar rd d D Di is sk k An illustration of how a C Ca ac ch he e C Ca ac ch he e computer searches for information in a memory cache. 1. The computer looks 2. When the computer 3. If the computer 4. If the computer still for data in the does not find what can’t find what it can’t find what it Figure 1-11 internal cache first. it’s looking for in needs in the needs, it looks at This is the fastest the internal cache, internal or external the slow as An illustration of how a way the computer it next looks in the cache, it looks in molasses hard disk police officer looks for a can get information. external cache. the slower main cache. memory (RAM). gun in a “weapons cache.” Figure 1-10 1. Hopefully the officer 2. If the officer can’t 3. If the officer can’t 4. If the officer still has his revolver in find his revolver in find his revolver in can’t find his his hand, ready for his hand, he next its holster, he next revolver, his last action. reaches down to runs back to see if stop is a gun store. his holster for the he left it in the Figure 1-11 gun. squad car. A memory cache increases a computer’s performance by storing the most recently used data. There are two types of cache: • Internal Cache (also called primary or L1 cache) When the computer needs data it first looks in the internal cache. The internal cache is inside the CPU and is the fastest possible way for the computer to get information. The internal cache can normally only contain a very small amount of information. • External Cache (also called secondary or L2 cache) If the computer doesn’t find the data in the internal cache, it then looks in the external cache. The external cache is slower than the internal cache, but much faster than the normal RAM memory. The external cache normally holds much more information than the internal cache, but still not as much as the main memory (RAM). © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 19 Quick Reference Memory Cache: • A special type of memory that greatly increases a computer’s performance. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

20 Computer Basics Lesson 1-8: Computer Performance Figure 1-12 There are lots of factors that determine a computer’s speed. Most of them are listed in Table 1-7: Factors that Affect Computer Performance. Figure 1-12 Wondering why your neighbor’s computer is so much faster than your computer? There are a number of reasons why a computer may run faster or slower. You learn about each of them by reading Table 1-7: Factors that Affect Computer Performance. A much simpler reason that your neighbor’s computer is faster than your computer is probably because it’s newer. Table 1-7: Factors that Affect Computer Performance Factor Description Arguably the single most important factor that determines a computer’s performance is the speed of its CPU. The speed of the CPU is measured in megahertz (MHz) and gigahertz (GHz). The faster the CPU, the faster the CPU Speed computer. The first PC in 1981 ran at 4.77 MHz, while today’s computers can run at speeds exceeding 3,000 MHz, or 3 GHz. The amount of RAM, or memory, is another very important factor in a computer’s performance. Generally, the more RAM a computer has the better its performance. However, you usually won’t see much of an improvement Amount of RAM after 1 GB of RAM. Video cards have their own processor and memory, just like the computer does. The faster the processor and the more memory a video card has, the faster it can draw images on the monitor. Video card performance is especially Type of Video Card important if you’re interested in playing newer, 3D computer games. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 21 Factor Description A hard drive’s average access time is how fast it can find information. Average access time is measured in milliseconds (ms), or 1/1000 of a second. The lower the access speed, the faster the hard drive. Most newer computers have an average access time of 8 to 15 ms. Another factor that determines hard drive performance is how fast it spins, in Hard Drive Speed revolutions per minute (rpms). Faster IDE hard drives may have speeds as fast as 7,200 rpm, while high-end SCSI hard drives have speeds of 15,000 rpm. Not only do you need a fast hard drive, you have to make sure that is has plenty of free storage space. Microsoft Windows uses this hard disk space to create a cache on the hard drive where it stores temporary information. Free Hard Disk Space Normally a computer stores a file in the same location on a hard drive. Over time, a hard drive can become fragmented, and instead of storing a file in the same location it begins storing parts of it all over. When the computer needs to read a fragmented file, it must read several different parts of the hard drive Hard Disk instead of just one. Defragmenting a hard drive puts the fragmented files back Fragmentation together in one place. You should defragment your computer’s hard drive about once a month. Microsoft Windows can multitask, or run more than one program or task at a time—probably no different than your job. And, just like your job, the more programs or tasks you throw at Windows, the longer it takes to complete each Multitasking one, and hence a drop in computer performance. Considerations Quick Reference Computer Performance is Determined By: • CPU speed • Amount of memory or RAM • The type and speed of the video card • A hard disk’s speed, free space, and fragmentation • How many programs are running, or multitasking, at the same time The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

22 Computer Basics Lesson 1-9: Buying a Desktop Computer Figure 1-13 What should you look for when you’re buying a new computer? That depends on what you want it to do. Table 1-8: Desktop Computer Buyer’s Guide lists some of the more important factors and features to be aware of when buying a new computer. Just make sure the information listed isn’t too out of date! Figure 1-13 Nothing’s worse than going to the computer store and listening to a know-it-all salesperson tell you to buy the most expensive computer in the store because the Radon graphics accelerator with 128 megabytes of RAM is something he thinks you’re definitely going to need. Instead of listening to a nerdy computer salesperson, who may be on commission or a sales quota, call one of your computer-geek friends or relatives, tell them how you’re going to use your computer, and ask what they would recommend. If a computer-geek friend isn’t readily available, Table 1-8: Desktop Computer Buyer’s Guide will give you a good idea of what you should look for when you buy a new computer. Just remember that computer technology changes about as quickly as the latest fashions (every six months), so this information will probably be out of date shortly after you read it. Table 1-8: Desktop Computer Buyer’s Guide Factor Budget Middle of the Road High End, Gaming Duron or Celeron at Pentium 4 at 2GHz, Pentium 4 at 3GHz, 2GHz Athlon at 1.7 GHz Athlon at 2.1GHz CPU 256MB 512MB 1GB RAM 15-inch or 17-inch CRT 17-inch CRT or 19-inch CRT or 15-inch flat panel/LCD 17-inch flat panel/LCD Monitor © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 23 Factor Budget Middle of the Road High End, Gaming 32MB 64MB to 128MB 128MB or more Video Memory 40GB to 60GB 80GB 120GB or more Hard Drive CD-ROM Drive CD-RW Drive DVD+-R/RW & CD-R/RW Drive CD or DVD Drive USB 1.0 USB 2.0 USB 2.0, Firewire Ports Ethernet, 56K modem Ethernet, 56K modem Included Devices * This information was updated May 2003. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

24 Computer Basics Lesson 1-10: Buying a Notebook Computer Figure 1-14 What should you look for when you’re buying a new computer? That depends on what you want it to do. Table 1-9: Notebook Buyer’s Guide lists some of the more important factors and features to be aware of when buying a new computer. Just make sure the information listed isn’t too out of date! Figure 1-14 Deciding on which notebook to buy is even more confusing than buying a desktop computer. That’s because there is much more variance in features and prices between various notebooks. Notebook computers can’t be upgraded as easily as desktop computers, so your decision is pretty much final. Table 1-9: Notebook Buyer’s Guide will give you a good idea of what you should look for when you buy a new notebook computer. Just remember that notebook technology changes incredibly fast, so don’t use Table 1-9: Notebook Buyer’s Guide after December 2003. Some other important factors to consider when buying a notebook include: • Size Generally speaking, while convenient and cool looking, smaller notebooks aren’t as powerful or fast as larger notebook computers. If you travel frequently and need to lug your notebook around with you, you might want to consider a smaller notebook. If your notebook doesn’t move around much you’re probably better off with a larger notebook. • Battery Life A notebook’s battery life can range any where from 2 to 7 hours. Some notebooks can even accept a second battery for extra long life. Battery life probably isn’t much of an issue if you only use your notebook when it’s plugged into the wall. • Warrantee Notebook computers are notorious for breaking down. What’s worse, they’re not very easy to open and they have their own unique notebook parts, so they’re much harder and more expensive to repair than their desktop counterparts. Most of us hate the old three-year extended warrantee sales pitch, but if you’re buying a notebook computer the cost of the extra warranty is probably worth it. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 25 • Included Devices and Features Notebook computers usually have several devices and gizmos built-in—often more than a desktop computer! A modem and Ethernet port are usually a standard part of most notebooks today. Some notebooks also have memory card readers (especially useful if you have a digital camera or PDA), Firewire ports, and even wireless networking, known as WiFi. If you’re comparing various notebook models, make sure that you know what devices are or aren’t included. Table 1-9: Notebook Buyer’s Guide Factor Budget Middle of the Road High End Duron, Celeron, Duron, Celeron, Pentium 4 at 2GHz or Pentium 3 , or Athlon at Pentium 3 or 4, or better CPU 700MHz or better Athlon at 1GHz or better 256MB 256MB 512MB RAM 16MB 32MB to 64MB 32MB to 64MB Video Memory 20GB 30GB 60GB Hard Drive CD-ROM Drive CD-RW Drive DVD & CD-R/RW Drive CD or DVD Drive USB 1.0 USB 2.0 USB 2.0, Firewire Ports 56K modem Ethernet, possibly WiFi Ethernet, WiFi (wireless (wireless networking) networking), 56K 56K modem modem, Bluetooth (a next-generation wireless port) Included Devices * This information was updated May 2003. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

26 Computer Basics Lesson 1-11: Upgrading a Computer Figure 1-15 Computer upgrades can get expensive! There’s a fine line between when it’s more cost effective to upgrade an older computer, or to simply buy a new computer altogether. Figure 1-16 Most computer upgrades require that you, or better yet someone who actually knows about computers, opens up the computer case. Figure 1-15 Figure 1-16 When you upgrade a computer, you usually replace older components with newer components to improve the computer’s performance. You can also upgrade a computer by adding additional components, such as more memory or a second hard drive. Upgrading a computer to improve its performance is often cheaper than buying a new computer. For most upgrades you will need someone with a lot of computer experience to do the upgrade for you. It’s often difficult to determine which is better—upgrading an old computer or simply buying a new computer. If you’re an average computer user, plan on buying a new computer every four or five years (sorry—someone has to break this news to you). By then, the cost of a new computer will be less expensive than any effective upgrades you do. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 27 So what can you do to upgrade a computer? The following table lists some of the more common upgrades. Table 1-10: Typical Things to Upgrade on a Computer Upgrade Description Increasing the amount of memory in a computer is probably the most effective and inexpensive upgrades you can make. More memory can significantly increase the performance of your computer. 512MB to 1GB of memory is all you Memory (RAM) should ever need—for the next year or so anyway. The hard drives in newer computers have become so huge that you may never need to buy another one. If you do somehow run out of room on your hard drive, you can buy a second one, since most computer can handle two internal hard drives. Hard Disk It’s often better to buy a whole new computer than to upgrade the CPU and CPU and motherboard. That way you get all new components all once—which is a lot Motherboard cheaper than buying them all individually. There are an endless variety of devices that you can add to a computer. You can add CD-ROM, DVD, and Zip drives, graphics cards, tape backups, and more. Add Devices and Peripherals Quick Reference Make sure any upgrades you make to a computer are worth the cost—sometimes it’s simply better to buy a new computer. Upgrades to Improve Performance Include: • Adding more memory or RAM • Adding a bigger hard drive • Adding a new CPU and motherboard (usually not recommended) • Adding new devices, such as a DVD drive The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

28 Computer Basics Chapter One Review Lesson Summary Hardware, Software, and Information Technology (IT) • A typical computer includes the system unit, monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, and printer. • Hardware: A computer item you can physically see or touch. • Software: A computer program that tells computer hardware how to operate. • Information Technology (IT): The broad subject related to computers and managing and processing information. Computer Overview • The basic computer processes are input, processing, and output. • Different types of computers include mainframes, PCs, Macs, servers, laptops, and PDAs. The Front of a Computer and Peripheral Devices • Components visible from the outside of the system unit may include the floppy drive, CD-ROM or DVD drive, Zip drive or tape backup, keyboard, mouse, scanner, monitor, speakers, and printer. The Inside of a Computer • Components inside the system unit may include the motherboard, CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM-BIOS, expansion slots and cards, and PCMCIA cards in laptops. The Back of a Computer (Ports) • Ports on the back of a computer include: keyboard, mouse, serial or COM, printer or parallel, USB, video or monitor, line in, line out, microphone, joystick or game, phone or modem, Ethernet or network, SCSI, and/or Firewire. System Bus and Expansion Cards • An expansion card plugs into a computer’s motherboard to give it additional capabilities. • A computer communicates with its expansion cards and devices through the system bus. • How much information flows through the system bus depends on the bus width and bus speed. • There are several bus types, including ISA, PCI, and AGP. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter One: The Essentials 29 Memory Cache • Memory Cache: A special type of memory that greatly increases a computer’s performance. Computer Performance • Computer performance is determined by CPU speed, amount of memory or RAM, the type and speed of the video card, the hard disk speed, free space, and fragmentation, and the number of programs running at the same time. Upgrading a Computer • Make sure any upgrades you make to a computer are worth the cost—sometimes it’s simply better to buy a new computer. • Upgrades to improve performance include adding more memory or RAM, adding a bigger hard drive, adding a new CPU and motherboard (usually not recommended), and adding new devices, such as a DVD drive. Quiz 1. Hardware is any software that is installed on a computer’s hard disk. (True or False?) 2. Laptops are faster than desktop PCs, generally speaking. (True or False?) 3. Which of the following moves the pointer to another location on- screen? A. Pressing the arrow keys on the keyboard. B. Moving the mouse until the pointer points to that spot. C. Moving the mouse until the pointer points to that spot and clicking the left mouse button. D. Moving the mouse until the pointer points to that spot and clicking the right mouse button. 4. Which of the following is NOT a type of computer port? A. USB B. Parallel or printer C. Backup D. Network or Ethernet 5. When you type a document on a computer, every letter you type is saved to the computer’s _______ or temporary storage area. A. Hard drive B. RAM C. ROM D. CPU The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

30 Computer Basics 6. What is the ‘brain’ or main chip of a computer called? A. The RAM B. The ROM-BIOS C. The motherboard D. The CPU 7. ROM stands for ‘Read-Only Memory’ (True or False?) 8. Which of the following does NOT affect a computer’ s performance? A. The amount of memory or RAM. B. The speed of the CPU. C. The type and speed of the video or graphics card. D. The number of keys on the keyboard. Quiz Answers 1. False. Hardware is any physical part of the computer you can see and touch. 2. False. Laptops are generally slower than desktop PCs. 3. B. Move the pointer by moving the mouse until the pointer points to that spot. 4. C. There isn’t such as thing as a backup port. 5. B. RAM or Random Access Memory. 6. D. The CPU, or Central Processing Unit, is the main chip in a computer. 7. True. ROM stands for Read-Only Memory. 8. D. The number of keys on the keyboard does not affect a computer’s performance. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware Chapter Objectives: ; Prerequisites • Understand what a CPU does • A desire to learn about computers. • Learn how memory is measured • Learn about input devices: mouse, keyboard, and digital cameras • Learn about output devices: monitor, graphics, and printers • Learn about storage devices: hard drives, CD-ROMs, and DVDs Hardware is any physical part of a computer that you can see or touch. A computer’s monitor, CD-ROM or DVD drive, mouse, keyboard, and printer are all different types of hardware. This chapter takes a closer look at the physical parts that constitute a computer. This chapter is broken up into several sections, since there are several different categories of hardware devices. First we’ll examine processing devices, such as computer’s CPU and memory. You’ll finally understand what those technical sounding words megahertz and gigabyte mean. From there we’ll move on to input devices, such as the keyboard and mouse and output devices, such as the monitor and printer. The last part of this chapter discusses storage devices, such as hard drives and CD-ROM drives. That’s a lot of material to cover, so let’s get started!

32 Computer Basics Lesson 2-1: Central Processing Unit (CPU) Figure 2-1 The Intel Pentium 4 is the fastest and most recent CPU available. Central Figure 2-2 Processing Unit (CPU) The CPU can get hot! Most CPUs have a built-in fan to keep them from burning out. Figure 2-1 Figure 2-2 Inside the computer case, hidden amongst all the wiring and gizmos, is a particularly important part of the computer known as the central processing unit (or CPU, for short). The CPU is also known as the computer chip (because that’s what it is) or the microprocessor (or processor, for short). Some say the CPU is the brain of the computer while others describe it as the heart. In any case, it’s the thing that makes your computer a computer. The CPU does all the work: It calculates, it processes, it keeps things running smoothly. You might think of it as a A CPU’s speed is talented stage manager. When it does its behind-the-scenes job well, you don’t notice it; measured in you simply enjoy the performance. megahertz (MHz) or Originally, CPUs were given wildly inventive names like Chip. Okay, maybe not. The gigahertz (GHz). names were actually based on numbers like 8088. The next few names in the series—the 286, the 386, and the 486—were actually just shortened names for 80286, 80386, and 80486. Then, what would have been the 586 was dubbed the Pentium. After that, the names became rather mysterious: Pentium Pro and Pentium MMX. Finally, the names returned to a semi-ordered numbering system (albeit a mix of Roman and Arabic numerals): Pentium 2, Pentium 3, and Pentium 4. And that’s where we are at the moment. Both the Pentium 3 and the Pentium 4 are still quite common. Intel makes most CPUs. In fact, Intel is the company that came up with the name Pentium. However, AMD and VIA Technologies are two other well-known CPU manufacturers. Their CPUs are less expensive and use a different naming system (such as the AMD Athlon and the AMD Duron). Intel actually makes a less expensive version of the Pentium as well, which it calls the Celeron. The Celeron does what the Pentium does, but not as quickly. Speaking of which, speed is what the CPU is all about, and each successive version of the CPU gets progressively faster. A CPU’s speed is measured in megahertz (MHz) or, for newer models, in gigahertz (GHz). A megahertz equals millions of cycles per second; a gigahertz equals billions of cycles per second. Higher numbers equate to higher speeds. You might see an Intel Pentium 4 at 3.06 GHz, a Pentium III at 1.40 GHz, and a Celeron at 2.20 GHz. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware 33 Another common measure of a CPU is how many bits it can handle at a time. A bit is the tiniest piece of information processed by a computer. Eight bits make up one byte, and one byte equals one character. Computers used to handle 8 or 16 bits; now they’re up to 32 and 64 at a time. Don’t worry if all of this seems a bit confusing—we’ll cover bits and bytes in greater detail in a later lesson. Table 2-1: Types of CPUs CPU Speed Description 1 GHz to Intel Pentium 4 Processor 3 GHz The Pentium 4 is Intel’s more recent and fastest generation of CPUs, with processing speeds over 3 GHz. 450 MHz to Intel Pentium III Processor 1 GHz Launched in 1999, Pentium 3 CPUs are still found in some new computers. 1.06 to Intel Celeron Processor 2 GHz Intel’s Celeron CPU is an inexpensive processor designed for people on budget. Celeron processors are very similar to Pentium processors, but they have less built-in memory. 500 MHz to Intel Xeon Processor 3 GHz Don’t expect to see any Xeon-based computers at your local computer store—it’s designed for high-end servers. 850 MHz to AMD Athon Processor 1.67 GHz The Athlon processor is equivalent to Pentium processors—only it’s less expensive. 700 MHz to AMD Duron Processor 800 MHz The Duron CPU is AMD’s is similar to Intel’s Celeron processor. It has less built-in memory and is designed for people on a budget. Quick Reference Older Here’s a summary of the other most common—and obsolete—processors • The CPU, or Central Processors out there: Processing Unit, is the Processor Release Date Average Speed computer’s main chip. It Pentium II 1997 266 MHz calculates and processes Pentium 1993 133 MHz information. 486 1989 66 MHz CPU Speed is Measured 386 1985 25 MHz In: 286 1982 12.5 MHz 8088 1979 8 MHz • Megahertz (MHz). • Gigahertz (GHz). Common CPUs Include: • Intel Pentium III • Intel Pentium 4 • Intel Celeron • AMD Athlon • AMD Duron The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

34 Computer Basics Lesson 2-2: Memory Figure 2-3 A hard drive might have 60GB of memory. Figure 2-4 A recordable CD (CD-R) can have up to 700MB of memory. Figure 2-5 Figure 2-4 Figure 2-3 A memory chip might have 512MB of memory. Figure 2-6 A zip disk can have between 100MB and 250MB of memory. Figure 2-6 Figure 2-5 Most people know that a computer has memory. But what does that really mean? You often hear techies toss around numbers like “60GB hard drive.” Okay, that sounds impressive, but what does it tell you? This lesson breaks memory into measurable units. The first thing you need to know is that, at its most basic level, a computer only understands the concept of “on and off.” On is represented by the number one (1); off is represented by the number zero (0). Everything that a computer does is based on this combination of ones and zeros, which is known as the binary system. These ones and zeros are digits, known as bits, which are the smallest memory unit. The term bit is short for binary digit. The second thing you need to know is that a computer saves information in bytes, not bits. So what is a byte? The term byte is short for binary digits eight. So one byte is made Everything that a up of eight bits. And a byte is the equivalent of a character, which can be a letter, a computer does is number, or a symbol. So let’s say that you’re a self-involved poet whose latest creation is based on a combination simply titled “I.” That one-word title would equal one byte. of ones and zeros, Of course, it would be fairly tedious if a computer stored everything in single bytes. The which is known as the next largest unit is the kilobyte. A kilobyte (abbreviated K or KB) equals 1,024 bytes or binary system. characters. Now let’s say you’re a short-story writer. The one-page, double-spaced masterpiece you submit to your editor would be the equivalent of a kilobyte. After the kilobyte, the next largest unit is the megabyte. A megabyte (abbreviated M or MB) equals 1,048,576 bytes or characters. If you were a novelist, your latest bestseller would equal a megabyte. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware 35 The next unit after the megabyte is the gigabyte. A gigabyte (abbreviated G or GB) equals 1,073,741,824 bytes or characters. Let’s pretend you are a researcher. A whole shelf of books devoted to your favorite subject would be the equivalent of a gigabyte. Finally, after the gigabyte comes the terabyte. A terabyte (abbreviated T or TB) equals 1,099,511,627,776 bytes or characters. Let’s imagine that you’re an egomaniac who owns MB is an abbreviation an entire bookstore filled only with books by authors you like. Such a single-minded for megabyte. GB is an store would be the equivalent of a terabyte. abbreviation for gigabyte. Okay, let’s review. The following table summarizes all the units of memory. Table 2-2: Bits and Bytes Unit Abbreviation Size Symbol Equivalent Bit — — — An atom or speck, the smallest unit of memory. Byte — 8 bits A single letter, a number, or a symbol. Quick Reference Computers function based on the binary system: Kilobyte K or KB 1,024 bytes A one-page, double- • On is represented by a spaced letter. one (1). • Off is represented by a zero (0). • Ones and zeros are Megabyte M or MB 1,048,576 bytes A best-selling novel. digits, known as bits. Bit: • Short for binary digit • Smallest memory unit Gigabyte G or GB 1,073,741,824 bytes An encyclopedia set. • Eight bits equal one byte Byte: • Short for binary digits eight. Terabyte T or TB 1,099, 511,627,776 A bookstore. • One byte equals one bytes character (letter, number, or symbol) Kilobyte (K or KB): • 1,024 bytes Megabyte (M or MB): • 1,048,576 bytes Gigabyte (G or GB): • 1,073,741,824 bytes Terabyte: • 1,099, 511,627,776 bytes The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

36 Computer Basics Lesson 2-3: RAM and ROM Figure 2-7 RAM, or Random Access Memory, works like a notepad; you can read from it and write to it. Figure 2-8 ROM, or Read Only Memory, works like a novel, you can read from it but not write to it. Figure 2-7 Figure 2-8 So now you know that computer memory is measured in various byte-sized units: kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, petrabytes, and philobytes. Okay, those last two were just made up to see if you were paying attention. Next you need to know that computers have two major types of memory: random-access memory (or RAM) and read-only memory (or ROM). Let’s discuss these two types of memory in greater detail. • RAM (random-access memory) When someone at a computer superstore tells you how much memory a new computer has, they’re really talking about RAM. RAM is the computer’s main memory, which it uses to process information. Whenever you work with a file on your computer, you’re using RAM. And the data in that file is temporarily stored in When you work with a RAM. However, RAM is volatile, which means that the data is stored only as long as file on your computer, the computer has power. Once you shut off your computer, the data is gone. you’re using RAM. However, you can and should save your data (read: your file). That’s where storage comes in, but more on that later. For now, think of RAM like a notebook: You can read from it and write to it. Technically, it could be called “read and write memory.” And, as with a notebook, you can overwrite it many, many times—provided you have an eraser! • ROM (read-only memory) ROM is the computer’s low-level memory, which it uses to perform its most basic functions. This memory is permanent; the data remains even if you shut off the computer. This only makes sense because ROM is required to restart your computer. You never hear people discuss how much ROM you have because the manufacturer usually installs it, and you never touch it. It does all the behind-the-scenes work and then disappears once you’re underway, much like a party planner. You can also think of ROM like a novel: You can read from it, but you can’t write to it (and thus, its name). © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware 37 Table 2-3: Comparing RAM and ROM RAM ROM Random-access memory Read-only memory Main memory. Low-level memory. Necessary to process information (example: work Necessary to perform the most basic functions with a file). (example: start the computer). Volatile: If not saved, data disappears when you Nonvolatile: Data remains even when you shut off shut off the computer’s power. It’s temporary. the computer’s power. It’s permanent. Often discussed when buying a computer. Seldom mentioned when buying a computer. You can read from and write to it. Comparable to a You can read from it, but you can’t write to it. Quick Reference notepad. Comparable to a novel. Computers have two types of memory: • Random-access memory (RAM). • Read-only memory (ROM). RAM: • Computer’s main memory, which is used to process information (example: work with a file). • Volatile: Unless saved, data disappears when you shut off the computer. • You can read from it and write to it. Comparable to a notebook; you can read and write to it. ROM: • Computer’s low-level memory, which is used to perform its most basic functions (example: start the computer). • Nonvolatile: Data remains even when you shut off the computer. It’s permanent. • You can read from it, but you can’t write to it. Comparable to a novel; you can only read it. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

38 Computer Basics Lesson 2-4: Mouse Figure 2-9 “Click!” “Click!” “Click!” “Click!” Clicking with the mouse. Click Double-click Right-click Figure 2-10 Press and Quickly press and Press and release the release the left release the Double-clicking with the left mouse mouse right mouse mouse. button. button twice, in button. Figure 2-11 rapid succession. Figure 2-9 Figure 2-10 Figure 2-11 Right-clicking with the mouse. Figure 2-12 Hold down the Use the mouse button center wheel Dragging and dropping while you drag to scroll with the mouse. the mouse across through Figure 2-13 your desk. screens of information. Using the scroll wheel. Drag and drop Place the pointer over an object and press and hold down the left mouse button. While still holding down the button, move the mouse (and thus the cursor) to where you want to place the object and then release the mouse button. Figure 2-12 Figure 2-13 A computer would be useless if you had no way to communicate with it. That’s why you need an input device. Essentially, an input device lets you talk to your computer. Two examples of input devices are the keyboard and the mouse. We’ll discuss keyboards later; for now let’s concentrate on the mouse. That funny-looking object that, frankly, looks like a mouse (with its oval body and long tail-like cord connecting it to the computer) is the mouse. Originally, computers only came with a keyboard. But in 1968 Doug Engelbart invented the mouse. In 1984, Apple Computers introduced the mouse with its Macintosh computers. Shortly thereafter, the The underside of a mouse was standard equipment on all computers. roller ball mouse. The mouse acts as a handheld pointing device that allows you to control the actions of that blinking item on your screen known as a cursor. Depending on the software you are using and the task you are doing, the cursor may resemble such symbols as a slanted arrow ( ), an “I” ( ), or a vertical line (⏐). A cursor is essentially a place-marker that appears on your computer screen. You move the mouse to place the cursor over an object on your screen and click the mouse buttons to select that object. Once an object has been selected, you can move it or manipulate it. We’ll cover mouse buttons in greater detail in a later lesson. Some mouse pads have The standard mouse has two buttons and a rollerball on the underside, which moves the a wrist rest to help cursor on the screen when you move the mouse. A rollerball mouse works best when used users keep their hands and wrists in better alignment. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware 39 on a mouse pad, especially one that has a rough texture on its surface. Some mouse pads now come with a wrist rest to help users keep their hands and wrists in better alignment. Like other computer components, mice come in several shapes and sizes. Some mice have three (or more) buttons, which are programmable, and some include a trackball on the top (instead of a rollerball on the underside). Most new mice include a center scroll wheel between the two buttons. Not surprisingly, this scroll wheel lets you scroll through screens of information in a fluid motion. Many new mice are also ergonomically designed to fit the user’s hand. And some new mice have Forward and Back buttons off to the side of the mouse, which help you navigate the Internet. One of the latest innovations is the optical mouse, which is becoming quite common. An optical mouse operates by using an infrared sensor, which means it uses neither a rollerball nor a mouse pad. You can identify an optical mouse by the telltale red glow A wireless mouse emanating from its underside. works just like a One other hot innovation is the wireless mouse (and keyboard). A wireless mouse and remote control. keyboard run on batteries and communicate with the computer the same way a remote control communicates with a television. Quick Reference Input devices on a standard computer: • Keyboard. • Mouse. What a mouse does: • It acts as a handheld pointing device and controls the actions of that blinking item on your computer screen known as a cursor. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

40 Computer Basics Lesson 2-5: Keyboard Esc key Function keys or “F” keys Status lights Figure 2-14 The 101-key enhanced keyboard Esc F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 Print Scroll Pause Num Caps Scroll Lock Lock Lock Lock Screen ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) + Insert Home Page Num / * ` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 = Backspace Up Lock Tab Q W E R T Y U I O P { } | Delete End Page 7 8 9 [ ] \\ Down Home PgUp + Caps A S D F G H J K L : \" 4 5 6 Lock ; ' Enter Z X C V B N M < > ? 1 2 3 Shift , . / Shift PgDn End Enter . Ctrl Alt Alt Ctrl 0 Ins Del Alt key Arrow keys Numeric keypad Shift key Ctrl key Figure 2-14 Like the mouse, the keyboard is an input device that allows you to talk to the computer. The keyboard is easily recognizable because it resembles a typewriter keypad. If the typewriter predates you, then look for the component that’s covered with buttons that have letters, numbers, and symbols on them. An ergonomic If you’ve ever used a typewriter, you probably recognize many of the keys on a keyboard. keyboard is designed In any case, the alphanumeric, symbol, and punctuation keys are self-explanatory. And to relieve the stress we’ll review the rest of the keys that are unique to a (101-key and 104-key) keyboard. of typing for long However, we will ignore the three keys found above the numeric keypad (, , and ) because they are all fairly useless on most computers today. NOTE: If your keyboard includes multimedia and Internet buttons above the keys, consult the manual that comes with your keyboard to learn their functions. Table 2-4: Special Keys and Their Functions Key(s) Description The key doesn’t do anything by itself—it needs another key to make things happen. For example, pressing the key while holding down the key switches between any programs that are currently running. Just like the key, the key doesn’t do anything by itself—you need to press another key with it to make things happen. For example, pressing the key while holding down the key cuts whatever is selected. The key is the help key, and pressing it displays helpful information about what you’re doing. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware 41 Key(s) Description The (Escape) key is the “Wait, I’ve changed my mind” key and is the same as clicking Cancel in a dialog box. For example, if you click something and an unfamiliar dialog box appears, you can close it by pressing the key. The key is the “Carry out my orders” key and is the same as clicking the OK button in a dialog box. For example, after you’ve typed the name of a program you want to run in a dialog box, press to run the program. The key also adds new lines and starts new paragraphs if you’re entering text. When you’re in a dialog box, pressing the key moves to the next field. When you’re using a word processor, the key works just like you’d think it would and jumps to the nearest tab stop whenever you press it. The arrow keys move your computer’s cursor across the screen. Nothing surprising here. The key deletes or erases whatever you select—files, text, or graphical objects. If you’re working with text, the key erases characters to the right of the insertion point. Use the key to fix your typing mistakes—it erases characters to the left of the insertion point. The key jumps to the beginning of the current line when you’re working with text. The key jumps to the end of the current line when you’re working with text. The key moves up one screen. The key moves down one screen. Quick Reference • A keyboard lets you enter information and commands into a computer. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

42 Computer Basics Lesson 2-6: Digital Cameras and Web Cams Figure 2-15 A digital camera. Figure 2-16 A Web cam usually sits on top of a computer’s monitor. Figure 2-17 Figure 2-15 Cameras with more megapixels can take sharper and more detailed pictures. Figure 2-17 Figure 2-16 A megapixel contains A digital camera lets you take pictures that you can transfer to a computer. Once you’ve one million pixels. transferred your pictures you can print them, insert them in word processing document, or send them in an e-mail message. You can also edit digital photos, to remove such undesirable objects as redeye or an ex-boyfriend. The quality of the pictures a digital camera takes depends on its resolution, which is measured in megapixels. One megapixel is equal to one million, or 1000 × 1000 pixels. The higher the number of megapixels, the clearer and more detailed the picture. Digital cameras don’t use film—they store their pictures on a type of removable memory called flash cards. Flash cards can store anywhere from a dozen to several hundred pictures, depending on how much memory they have. There are three different types or formats of flash cards out there: • CompactFlash: Definitely the most common type of “digital film” out there, CompactFlash cards can typically store anywhere from 8MB to over 1GB. • SmartMedia: SmartMedia is another a very popular type of memory card because of its small size. SmartMedia cards are also widely used in many PDAs. SmartMedia cards are available in capacities ranging from 2 MB to 128 MB. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware 43 • Memory Stick: Sony makes this type of memory card for use in its own products: Sony digital cameras, Sony PDAs, etc. Memory sticks are available in capacities ranging from 4 MB to 128 MB. Another popular toy you can add to your computer is a Web cam. A Web cam is a tiny digital video camera that usually sits on top of a computer’s monitor. People use Web cams for videoconferencing and to send live images over the Internet. Table 2-5: Comparison of Megapixels Megapixels Image Size Description Under 1 640×480 Entry level and obsolete digital cameras have a measly resolution of 640x480 pixels. These cameras are fine if you want to e-mail someone a picture or send someone a photo on a computer, but the quality of a printed image is terrible when printed as 4x6in photo. 1 1024×768 Supposedly 1024×768 resolution is this is enough to make sharp 4x6 inch prints. The truth is, at this point it depends more on the quality of the digital camera than the resolution. Many printed photos can still look “digital” or blurry at this resolution. 2 1600×1200 Two-megapixel cameras can take fine 4x6 inch prints and even respectable 8x10s, about what you'd expect from a low-end film camera. 3 2048×1536 Once you reach the three-megapixel bracket the quality of print is normally excellent up to 8x11 prints. If you're looking for a really good digital camera with strong features and good image quality, three megapixels is a good range to search in. 4 2272×1740 Four-megapixel cameras are starting to get into the “enthusiast” territory. They take exceptionally sharp photos and can print even larger prints than 8x11. 5 2560×1920 We’re definitely in enthusiast professional territory now. Five-megapixel cameras are even used by professional photographers to take really big prints. Quick Reference • A digital camera lets you take pictures and transfer them to a computer. • The quality, or resolution of the pictures a digital camera can take are measured in megapixels, or millions of pixels (dots). The more pixels, the better the resolution. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

44 Computer Basics Lesson 2-7: Other Input Devices Figure 2-18 There’s usually not enough room to use a mouse on an airplane or on the beach. It’s for this reason that most laptops have built-in touch pads and AccuPoint Pointing ® Devices. Figure 2-18 The keyboard and mouse are the two most common input devices for a computer, but ® there are many more. Most respectable laptops have a built-in touch pad or AccuPoint Pointing Device or pointing stick that works like a mouse. Other mouse alternatives include track balls and light pens. Other common computer input devices include scanners for copying images to a computer, joysticks for playing games, and microphones for recording sound. You can learn about these input devices by taking a look at the table on the next page. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware 45 Table 2-6: Other Input Devices Input Device Description A touch pad is a small, touch-sensitive pad used as a pointing device on some portable computers. By moving a finger or other object along the pad, you can move the pointer on the display screen. Touch Pad An Accupoint Pointing Device, or pointing stick, is another mouse substitute ® that is found on many laptop computers. An Accupoint Pointing Device usually ® sits in the middle of the keyboard and resembles an eraser at the end of a AccuPoint pencil. ® Pointing Device A track ball is essentially a mouse lying on its back. To move the pointer, you rotate the ball with your thumb, your fingers, or the palm of your hand. Track Ball A light pen is input device that utilizes a light-sensitive detector to select objects on a display screen. A light pen is similar to a mouse, except that with a light pen you can move the pointer and select objects on the display screen by Light Pen directly pointing to the objects with the pen. A scanner is a lot like a photocopier. Instead of producing copies, a scanner converts images into digital information and stores it in a computer. Scanner Mostly used for computer games, a joystick is a lever that moves in all directions and usually controls some type of movement on the computer. Quick Reference Joystick Other Input Devices If your computer has a sound card (and most computer have one) you can plug Include: in a microphone to digitally record sounds to your computer. • Touch pads ® • AccuPoint Pointing Microphone Devices • Track balls • Light pens • Scanners • Joysticks • Microphones The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

46 Computer Basics Lesson 2-8: Monitor Figure 2-19 Similar in appearance to a television screen, a monitor displays images and text on its screen. Figure 2-20 Flat-panel monitors are more expensive than traditional monitors, but they take up less space and use less electricity. Figure 2-21 Figure 2-19 Figure 2-20 Common controls found on the front of a monitor. Move Image Stretch Image Pincushion Left-Right Left-Right In-Out Brightness Move Image Stretch Image Wider-Narrower Contrast Up-Down Up-Down Image Figure 2-21 A computer’s monitor looks and works a lot like a TV screen. The monitor is really only half of what makes text and images appear on the screen. The other half is the graphic card, or video/display adapter. The monitor plugs into the graphics card in the back of the computer. Flat panel or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors, like the one in Figure 2-20, will eventually replace older CRT monitors, like the one shown in Figure 2-19. A flat panel monitor is the same type of display that is found in laptop computers. Flat panel monitors are thin, lightweight, and use a lot less electricity than traditional monitors. Flat panel monitors are also considerably more expensive than traditional monitors, although the price is dropping. Flat panel monitors are wider than traditional monitors are; in fact a 15- inch flat panel monitor has almost the same viewing area as a 17-inch traditional monitor! • Size 0.28 mm dot pitch The size of a monitor is measured diagonally across the screen, just like TVs. Common monitor sizes are 15, 17, 19, and 21 inches. The most popular monitor size is currently 17 inches. Dot pitch is the • Dot Pitch distance between Dot pitch refers to the distance between each pixel, or dot, on the screen, as pixels or dots on a measured in millimeters (mm). The smaller the dot pitch, the closer the dots, and the screen. Dot pitch is sharper the image is. If you’re in the market for a monitor try to find one with a 0.28 measured in mm or less. millimeters (mm). © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware 47 • Refresh Rate The refresh rate determines how quickly the monitor redraws, or updates, the image on the screen. Higher refresh rates are better, since they flicker less and are easier on the eyes. The refresh rate is measured in herz (Hz), or the number of times per second the monitor redraws the entire screen. If you’re buying a new monitor, make sure to get one with a refresh rate of 72 Hz or better. • Screen Savers and Energy Star Compliance A screen saver is a moving picture that appears on your computer screen when you don’t use your computer for a while. Screen savers originally prevented phosphor burn, which occurred when a static image became etched onto the screen after a long The Energy Star period of time. Today’s monitors aren’t susceptible to phosphor burn, but some Logo people still use screen savers for fun. Most monitors are Energy Star compliant. This means they automatically turn themselves off after a period of time to save electricity. You turn the monitor back only by simply moving the mouse or pressing a key on the keyboard. Quick Reference CRT Monitors: • Older type of monitor that looks like a television set. Flat Panel LCD Monitors: • Newer type of monitor that is thin, lightweight and somewhat more expensive. Other Things to Know about Monitors: • The size of a monitor is measured diagonally across the screen. Average monitor sizes range from 15-inches to 21-inches. • The monitor refresh rate determines how quickly the monitor redraws, or updates, the image on the screen. Most monitors have a refresh rate of 72MHz or better. • A screen saver is a moving picture that appears on your computer screen when you don’t use your computer for a while. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

48 Computer Basics Lesson 2-9: Graphics Card Figure 2-22 A computer’s monitor plugs into the graphic card, an expansion slot that plugs into a computer’s motherboard. Figure 2-23 Newer computer games have fantastic graphics— Figure 2-22 but you’ll need a 3D graphics accelerator card to see them. Figure 2-23 The second part of a computer’s video system is the graphic card or video adapter. A graphics card is an expansion card that plugs into a computer’s motherboard and is responsible for all the text and pretty images that appear on your computer’s monitor. Many computers don’t have a graphics card at all—all the video capabilities are instead built into the computer’s motherboard. Graphics cards come in many models and prices. More expensive graphics cards are faster and can display more complex, 3D graphics—something especially useful if you’re into computer games. Here are the basics about graphic cards: • Screen Resolution Resolution has to do with how much information can fit on the computer screen. Obviously you can’t adjust how large or small your computer’s monitor is (without buying a new one that is), but you can make all the images on your screen larger or smaller so you can see more information at once. You can adjust the screen resolution to suit your needs and preferences. For more information about screen resolution see Table 2-7: Common Screen Resolutions. • Color Depth Color depth is the number of colors that are displayed on the screen at once. So why would you want to change the number of colors displayed on your screen? Perhaps you want to use higher color depth settings to make videos and photographs more realistic. Or some finicky games also require you to use a specific color depth. For more information about color depth see Table 2-8: Common Color Depths. • Graphics Card Memory Graphics cards have their own memory, or RAM, just like a computer. You’ll need more memory to display higher screen resolutions and color depths. Video cards can have anywhere from 1 MB all the way up to 128 MB of memory. If you’re buying a new computer, make sure it has at least 64 MB of memory. • 3D Graphics Accelerator A 3D graphics accelerator card has its own CPU that is used to create 3D graphics. If you’re even considering playing games on your computer, you should have a 3D graphics accelerator card, as most newer games require one. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.

Chapter Two: Understanding Hardware 49 Table 2-7: Common Screen Resolutions Resolution Description No longer supported in most computers, 640 by 480 used to be the lowest resolution setting. Larger and cheaper monitors have made 640 by 480 resolution effectively obsolete. 640 by 480 This has been the standard resolution setting for most computers, and is the lowest setting on newer monitors. This is a good in-between resolution, allowing you to display quite a bit of information on the screen without having to use a magnifying glass to read it. Use this setting if you have a 15-inch or 800 by 600 17-inch monitor. Higher Resolutions Require More Speed and Video Memory The new standard, 1024 by 768 puts a lot of information on your screen, but the images can start getting small and difficult to read at this point (unless you have a large monitor). Use this setting if you have a 17-inch or larger monitor or when you want to see a lot of information at the same time, for example if 1024 by 768 you’re working on a large spreadsheet, graphic files, or multiple windows. Depending on how expensive the graphics card in your computer is, there may be several higher modes of resolution which continue to display more and more information and smaller and smaller images. Higher resolutions Quick Reference Table 2-8: Common Color Depths Screen Resolution: Color Depth Description • Determines how much No longer supported on many computers, 256 colors was the standard color information can fit on the depth years ago, but most computers and video cards are fast enough to run with computer screen at once. more colors without taking a performance hit, making this color depth almost Common screen obsolete. resolutions include 256 Colors 800 by 600 and 1,024 by 768. 16-bit color displays roughly 65,000 colors at once. This is the point where pictures become photo-realistic. This is a good color depth setting because it can Color Depth: display photo-realistic images without slowing your computer down. You have to • Color depth is the number really squint to see much difference between 16-bit color and higher levels of 16-bit color depth. of colors that are displayed on the screen More Colors Require More Speed and Video Memory at once. Common color 24-bit color displays 16.7 million of colors at once. Depending on how expensive depths include 16-bit and the graphics card in your computer is there may be several higher modes of color 24-bit color. depth, which continue to display more and more colors on the screen. Video Cards: 24-bit • Have their own memory and processor. Generally 32-bit color displays 16.7 million of colors at once. 32-bit color is faster and more speaking, the more efficient than 24-bit color. memory a video card has, the higher the resolution 32-bit and color depth it can display. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

50 Computer Basics Lesson 2-10: Printer Basics Figure 2-24 InkJet printers are the most inexpensive and popular type of printer sold today. Figure 2-25 A printer’s resolution determines the quality of the images it can produce. Figure 2-24 300 dpi 600 dpi Figure 2-25 A printer is an output device that puts text and graphics on paper. Using the printer is often the last step in creating something on a computer, whether it’s a letter, spreadsheet, or digital photograph. Unfortunately, there’s a lot to know about printers—especially if you’re buying one. Here are the main printer concepts you should know: • Type of Printer There are several different types of printers out there: InkJet and Laser printers are the most common. InkJet printers are the cheapest and most common type of printer and can be found in both homes and businesses. Laser printers are usually faster than InkJet printers, but they normally can only print in black and white. Laser printers are used mainly by businesses. • Color vs. Black and White Color used to be an expensive option for printers, but not any more. Most InkJet printers can print in color and so can an increasing number of laser printers. Most laser printers still print in black in white—great for text but not for images and graphics. • Resolution A printer’s resolution helps determine the quality of the images it can produce. Higher resolution means higher quality images. Printer resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi). Generally, 600-dpi resolution works great for text documents, while you will probably want 1200 dpi or better resolution for printing images. See Figure 2-25 for a good illustration of varying resolutions. © 2003 CustomGuide Inc.