Define System?

A system is comprised of a group of independent but interrelated elements comprising a unified

whole.
Define Computing?
Computing is the activity of developing and using computer technology, including computer
hardware and software.
Define Computer System?
The computer system includes not only the computer, but also any software and peripheral
devices that are necessary to make the computer function.
Types of Computer
Define Computer?
A computer is a device that performs four functions: it inputs data (getting information into the
machine); it stores data (holding the information before and after processing); it processes data
(performing prescribed mathematical and logical operations on the information at high speed);
and it outputs data (sending the results out to the user via some display method).
A computer system consists of both hardware and software. The hardware is the physical
equipment: the computer itself, and the peripherals connected to it. The peripherals are any
devices attached to the computer for purposes of input, output, and storage of data (such as a
keyboard, monitor display, or external hard disk).
The software consists of the programs and associated data (information) stored in the
computer. A program is a set of instructions that the computer follows to manipulate data.
Being able to run different programs is the source of a computer’s versatility. Without programs,
a computer is just a lot of high-tech hardware that doesn’t do anything. But with the detailed,
step-by-step instructions of the program (painstakingly written by humans) the computer can be
used for tasks ranging from word processing a letter to Aunt Mary, to simulating global weather
patterns. The computer appears to be so amazing simply because it can execute these sets of
instruction very very fast; but it’s just following the program steps one by one in a very simple-
minded manner.
As a user, you will interact with the programs running on your computer through the input
devices connected to it, such as a mouse and a keyboard. You use these devices to provide input
(such as the text of a report you are working on) and also to give commands to the program
(such as specifying what text is to appear with bold formatting). The computer program will
provide output (the data resulting from the manipulations within the computer) via various
output devices for presenting the information (such as a monitor, a printer, or a sound output
system that beeps if the program needs your attention). These input and output devices are
discussed in separate sections of this tutorial.

http://www.unm.edu/~tbeach/terms/types.html

Types of Computer

Microcomputers
A microcomputer is a computer that has a microprocessor chip as its CPU. They are often
called personal computers because they are designed to be used by one person at a time.
Personal computers are typically used at home, at school, or at a business. Popular uses for
microcomputers include word processing, surfing the web, sending and receiving e-mail,
spreadsheet calculations, database management, editing photographs, creating graphics, and
playing music or games.
Personal computers come in two major varieties, desktop computers and laptop computers:
Desktop computers are larger and not meant to be portable. They
usually sit in one place on a desk or table and are plugged into a wall
outlet for power. The case of the computer holds the motherboard, drives,
power supply, and expansion cards. This case may lay flat on the desk, or
it may be a tower that stands vertically (on the desk or under it). The
computer usually has a separate monitor (either a CRT or LCD) although
some designs have a display built into the case. A separate keyboard and
mouse allow the user to input data and commands. Desktop Computer

Laptop or notebook computers are small and lightweight enough to be

carried around with the user. They run on battery power, but can also be
plugged into a wall outlet. They typically have a built-in LCD display that
folds down to protect the display when the computer is carried around.
They also feature a built-in keyboard and some kind of built-in pointing device (such as a touch
pad).
While some laptops are less powerful than typical desktop machines, this is not true in all cases.
Laptops, however, cost more than desktop units of equivalent processing Laptop or notebook
power because the smaller components needed to build laptops are more
expensive.
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is a handheld microcomputer that
trades off power for small size and greater portability. They typically use
a touch-sensitive LCD screen for both output and input (the user draws
characters and presses icons on the screen with a stylus). PDAs
communicate with desktop computers and with each other either by cable
connection, infrared (IR) beam, or radio waves. PDAs are normally used
to keep track of appointment calendars, to-do lists, address books, and for
taking notes.
PDA
A palmtop or handheld PC is a very small microcomputer that also
sacrifices power for small size and portability. These devices typically
look more like a tiny laptop than a PDA, with a flip-up screen and
small keyboard. They may use Windows CE or similar operating
system for handheld devices.
Some PDAs and palmtops contain wireless networking or cell phone
devices so that users can check e-mail or surf the web on the move.
Palmtop

Workstations/Servers
A workstation is a powerful, high-end microcomputer. They contain
one or more microprocessor CPUs. They may be used by a single-user
for applications requiring more power than a typical PC (rendering
complex graphics, or performing intensive scientific calculations).
Alternately, workstation-class microcomputers may be used as server
computers that supply files to client computers over a network. This
class of powerful microcomputers can also be used to handle the Workstation computer
processing for many users simultaneously who are connected via
terminals; in this respect, high-end workstations have essentially supplanted the role of
minicomputers (see below).
Note! The term “workstation” also has an alternate meaning: In networking, any client computer
connected to the network that accesses server resources may be called a workstation. Such a
network client workstation could be a personal computer or even a “workstation” as defined at
the top of this section. Note: Dumb terminals are not considered to be network workstations
(client workstations on the network are capable of running programs independently of the server,
but a terminal is not capable of independent processing).
There are classes of computers that are not microcomputers. These include supercomputers,
mainframes, and minicomputers.

Minicomputers
A minicomputer is a multi-user computer that is less powerful than a mainframe. This class of
computers became available in the 1960’s when large scale integrated circuits made it possible to
build a computer much cheaper than the then existing mainframes (minicomputers cost around
$100,000 instead of the $1,000,000 cost of a mainframe).
The niche previously filled by the minicomputer has been largely taken over by high-end
microcomputer workstations serving multiple users (see above).

Mainframes
A mainframe computer is a large, powerful computer that handles the processing for many
users simultaneously (up to several hundred users). The name mainframe originated after
minicomputers appeared in the 1960’s to distinguish the larger systems from the smaller
minicomputers.
Users connect to the mainframe using terminals and submit their tasks for processing by the
mainframe. A terminal is a device that has a screen and keyboard for input and output, but it
does not do its own processing (they are also called dumb terminals since they can’t process
data on their own). The processing power of the mainframe is time-shared between all of the
users. (Note that a personal computer may be used to “emulate” a dumb terminal to connect to a
mainframe or minicomputer; you run a program on the PC that pretends to be a dumb terminal).
Mainframes typically cost several hundred thousand dollars. They
are used in situations where a company wants the processing power
and information storage in a centralized location. Mainframes are
also now being used as high-capacity server computers for networks
with many client workstations. Mainframe computer (this
IBM z-series computer is
about 6 feet tall)
Supercomputers
A supercomputer is mainframe computer that has been optimized
for speed and processing power. The most famous series of
supercomputers were designed by the company founded and named
after Seymour Cray. The Cray-1 was built in the 1976 and installed at
Los Alamos National Laboratory. Supercomputers are used for
extremely calculation-intensive tasks such simulating nuclear bomb
detonations, aerodynamic flows, and global weather patterns. A
supercomputer typically costs several million dollars.
Recently, some supercomputers have been constructed by Supercomputer (this one is a
connecting together large numbers of individual processing units (in Cray-2 from the 1980’s)
some cases, these processing units are standard microcomputer
hardware).

Software
System software controls a computer’s operations and manages a computer’s resources. System
software includes the operating system, utilities, and computer programming tools.
Computers can’t do ANYTHING without step-by-step instructions written out for them. These
lists of instructions are called programs. Programs (and the associated data) are known as
software. Software needs to be installed onto a computer before it can be used. Software is often
sold in sets of several programs and associated data called a software package, and typically
comes on a CD-ROM or may be downloaded from the Internet. The Microsoft Office Suite is
such a collection of programs and data that allows users to manipulate words, numbers, and data.
There are two major categories of software: System software and Application software.

System Software
The operating system (OS) controls the allocation of hardware resources such as memory
space and CPU processing time, and handles the basic input and output (I/O) for data flowing
from and to storage devices (such as hard disks) and peripherals (such as your keyboard). The
operating system allows application software to access system resources without the applications
having to know the details about the system hardware. The operating system often allocates
resources and processing time between several programs which are running at once, which is
called multitasking. Multitasking allows you to perform multiple tasks at the same time, such
copying a chart from an open Excel document and pasting it into a report you have open in
Word, all while your web browser is downloading a large file from the Internet in the
background. It is the OS that plays traffic cop in this situation, deciding which program gets time
on the CPU when, and handles the flow of data.
The operating system also includes software that provides the user with a operating
environment for interacting with the computer. An operating environment could be a
command-line interface (requiring the user to type in commands to control the computer), or it
could be a graphical user interface (GUI, pronounced “gooey”) that allows users to interact
with the computer using a mouse to point and click on icons, buttons, menus, etc.
IBM PC computers originally used the PC-DOS operating system (also sold by Microsoft to
other PC users as MS-DOS). DOS is a general term that means “Disk Operating System” and old
examples include DOS 3.3 for Apple II computers, and TRS-DOS of Radio Shack TRS-80
computer. However, when most people use the term DOS, they are referring to some version of
Microsoft’s DOS for the PC — just as most people use the general term “PC” (which just means
personal computer) to refer specifically to the IBM-PC and the PC-compatible computers
descended from it.
Most PCs today use some version of the Microsoft Windows operating system (such as
Windows 2000 or Windows XP). Windows includes a GUI user environment. A smaller
number of PCs use the Linux operating system (a Unix-like OS).
Application Software
Application software runs on top of the operating system and allows the user to perform a
specific task, such as word processing a letter, calculating a payroll in a spreadsheet, manage a
database of information, reading e-mail messages, or manipulating digital photographs. Most
applications allow the production and editing of documents (which are the data files created by
the application programs). The document files (such as a report created in Word, or a PowerPoint
presentation, or a budget spreadsheet) can then be printed, displayed on a screen, or transmitted
to other locations.
Applications (and other programs) are stored on your PC as executable files (they contain
program steps that the computer can execute); documents are stored as data files.
Some common applications used on personal computers include:
A word processor (such as MS Word or Wordperfect) allows you to enter and format text (as
well as some graphics) to create reports, letters, etc. Formatting options include changing the text
size, font (typeface), line spacing, and page margins. You may also define styles that are named
formatting specifications that allow you to apply and update consistent formatting throughout a
long document. You can also use document templates that contain pre-made formatting, styles,
and content to allow you to create a document quickly without repeating work unnecessarily.
Unlike the first word processors, modern versions use a “what you see is what you get”
(WYSIWYG) approach wherein the display on the screen tries to mimic as closely as possible
the printed result you will get.
Word processors also handle block operations on chunks of text, such as copying, cutting, and
pasting paragraphs or lines (the blocks of information) from one place to another. Word
processors include dictionary software to perform spell-checking (and can also do grammar-
checking and act as a thesaurus to provide alternate words of similar meaning). Word
processors also incorporate functions to search your document contents, or to search & replace
one word with another. You will usually find clip art (small pre-made graphics) collections
available in most word processors.
Spreadsheet software (such as MS Excel) allows the user to do numerical calculations and
produce charts of the results. In a spreadsheet program, the user works in a worksheet consisting
of rows and columns (labeled with numbers and letters). The intersection of each row and
column is a cell that can contain text, numbers, or formulas. The formulas use the contents of
other cells to calculate new results; but the formulas use the cell reference (the row & column
location of the cell) and not the contents of the cell — so if the contents of a cell is changed, all
dependent formulas automatically recalculate their results. This gives the user to perform “what
if” experiments with a complex calculation.
Database management software (such as MS Access or FileMaker Pro) allow users to
manipulate large amounts of information and retrieve any part of the information that is of
interest. A structured database contains data tables that are arranged in a uniform structure of
records and fields. An example would be a listing of a company’s customers (and the
information about each one), and a listing of all orders placed by those customers. A different
type of database is free-form, and does not have the rigid structure for categorizing the
information (the World Wide Web, for example, is a huge collection of data archives with no
common structure).
Graphics software (such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator) are used to create digital media art
images and illustrations, or to edit digital images from scanners or digital cameras.
Presentation software (such as MS PowerPoint) is used to create presentations of slides
containing text and graphics (and also incorporating sound and visual effects). These
presentations can be projected from a computer display projection unit, or the slides can be
printed out onto transparencies.
What is a Computer?
The machine you think of as a “computer” is more precisely called a “general-purpose digital
electronic computer.” It is general-purpose because it can be programmed to performs a wide
variety of applications (making it different from a special-purpose computer designed to perform
only one function). Digital means that computer handles all data internally in the form of
numbers (all of the numeric data, all of the text data, and even sounds and pictures are stored as
numbers). The word digit originally meant “finger” or “toe” and since people started counting on
their fingers, the word digit also came to be applied to numbers. A different type of computer
that represents values as voltage levels is called an analog computer, but you are unlikely to ever
run into such a thing. Modern computers are all electronic because they manipulate data using
electronic switching circuits (some older computing machines, or ideas for computers, were
mechanical, using wheels, levers, etc. to perform calculations).

Processors
The microprocessor is the component of the personal computer
that does the actual processing of data. A microprocessor is a
central processing unit (CPU) that fits on one microchip. It is
the “brain” of the computer, but that is a rather pretentious term
since it it really just a very complex switching circuit that
executes simple instructions very rapidly.
The microprocessor integrated circuit package holds a silicon
chip that contains millions of transistors and other components
fabricated into the silicon. Because the transistors on the chip are very tiny, even a small zap of
high voltage current (such as from static electricity) can destroy a chip. This is why all large-
scale integrated circuits must be handled in ways that minimize the possibility of static electric
discharge.
Types of Microprocessors
The most commonly used CPU in PCs are made by Intel. Since IBM chose the Intel 8088 chip
for the original IBM PC, most PC clones have used one of the Intel series of CPUs:
8088 - used in IBM PC
80286 - used in IBM PC AT
80386 - used in first PC clone from Compaq
80486 - you heard phrases like “I have a 486 PC”
Pentium - Intel couldn’t trademark a number, such as 80586
Pentium II - (Hexium or sexium just wouldn’t sound right)
Pentium III
Pentium 4 - Most desktop PCs in 2004 used the P4 chip.
Data Bus
The data bus is the multi-lane electrical highway of connections that link the CPU to the other
chips on the motherboard, such as the RAM memory and I/O controllers. It is also called the
front side bus (FSB). The word size of the data bus determines how many bits can be moved
simultaneously along it.
Binary Representation
Your personal computer is a type of digital electronic computer. It is called digital because all of
the information inside it is represented and manipulated as numbers (the original meaning of
“digit” is “finger,” and since people often count using their fingers, the term digit also came to to
be applied to numbers). All of the numbers in a spreadsheet, all of the text characters in a Word
document, all of the pictures and sounds stored in a computer, are ALL represented as numbers.
The number system that you use is base 10 (since people have 10 fingers, this works out well for
them). When you write the number 1853, for example it means:

Each digit (0-9) within a base 10 number is multiplied by the power of ten corresponding to its
position. Notice that each digit place has 10 times the value of the digit place to the right of it.
But you knew all this, of course.

Binary Numbers
But what of the poor computer, which has no fingers to count on? Base 10 is not convenient for a
fingerless computer to use. What computers DO have, are electrical circuits, which are either on
or off. Just two states to work with. So the natural number system for use in an electronic
computer is base 2 (called the binary number system). Unlike you who have ten digits to
calculate with (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), the computer has only two digits (0 and 1) with which it
must do everything. So, in a computer’s memory, a tiny transistor that is on (conducting a
current) might represent a 1, while a transistor that is off would represent a 0 (zero).
The binary number 11100111101, for example, means:

Ah! So they are the same number!

1853 (base 10) = 11100111101 (base 2)
Notice that each binary digit position in the base 2 number has 2 times the value of the binary
digit position to the right of it (since this is base 2; remember how base 10 worked).
It gets cumbersome saying “binary digit” all the time, so the shorter term “bit” was invented. A
bit is one binary digit. A bit can hold either a 1 or a 0 (zero). A string of bits can hold larger
numbers (just as you use strings of base 10 digits to represent numbers larger than 9).

Binary Representation of Numbers

Base 10 Base 2
0 00000000
1 00000001
2 00000010
3 00000011
4 00000100
5 00000101
... ...
65 01000001
66 01000010
67 01000011
... ...
254 11111110
255 11111111

A particularly handy size chunk of computer memory happens to be 8 bits long. This size chunk
of memory can be used to represent any number from zero (00000000) to 255 (11111111). Why
does 11111111 (base 2) equal 255 (base 10)? Because it means:
1 x 128 + 1 x 64 + 1 x 32 + 1 x 16 +
1 x 8 + 1 x 4 + 1 x 2 + 1 x 1 = 255
And why is this a handy size chunk of memory? Because if we want to represent all of the
characters of the English alphabet, 8 digits is the first power of 2 that gives you enough
possibilities to do this (a 4-bit long chunk can only hold numbers from zero to 7...not enough).
We have a special name for a chunk of memory that is 8 bits long: it is called a byte. This is the
basic unit we use to measure computer memory size. (A chunk of memory 4 bits long is called a
“nybble,” but you don't need to know that for the test.)
Text characters are represented in computer memory as numbers. How? You need a scheme for
equating letters to numbers. The system used is called the ASCII code (American Standard
Code for Information Interchange). The capital letter A is represented by the number 65 in the
ASCII code (65 is 01000001 in binary). The first 65 ASCII codes (0 through 64) are used for an
assortment of Control characters and special characters, so capital A ended up at 65. Capital B is
66 (01000010) and so on.

ASCII Representation of Characters (just a sample)

Character Base 10 Base 2
(return) 13 00001101
(space) 32 00100000
! 33 00100001
1 49 00110001
2 50 00110010
@ 64 01000000
A 65 01000001
B 66 01000010
C 67 01000011
a 97 01100001
b 98 01100010
c 99 01100011
(delete) 127 01111111

How does the computer know whether the 01000001 in a byte of memory is the number 65 or
the letter A? Because an application program keeps track of what it put where in memory, so MS
Word knows that a given byte where it has stored text contains numbers that represent letters.
For foreign alphabets that contain many more letters than English (such as Japanese Kanji) a
newer extension of the the ASCII scheme called Unicode is now used (it uses two bytes to hold
each letter; two bytes give 65,535 different values to represent characters).
Pictures are also represented as numbers in the computer. If you look closely at your display
screen, you can see that the image on it is made up of lots of little spots, called picture elements
(which is more commonly shortened to pixel). Each pixel in a screen image might be represented
by three bytes in the computer; the numbers in the bytes tell the display how much red, blue, and
green light should be mixed together to make the color of the pixel (three bytes can represent
millions of possible colors for each pixel).
The programs that a computer executes are also stored as numbers. Each number in this case
represents an instruction for the microprocessor (each operation the processor can perform, such
as “fetch a number into a register” and “add the contents of two resister together,” are
represented by unique binary codes).
Kilobytes, Megabytes, Gigabytes, etc.
Memory capacity and data storage capacity for computers are measured in bytes. File sizes are
also measure in bytes (one byte is 8 bits, remember). However, a byte is small (it can hold only
one character) so we use larger units:
A kilobyte (KB) is approximately 1,000 bytes. But it is NOT exactly 1,000 bytes; it is 1,024
bytes. Why a strange number like 1,024? Because 1,024 is exactly 10000000000 in binary; a nice
multiple of two is very handy for the computer. So remember: When the computer tells you that
your file takes up 40 kilobytes, it is actually using 40,960 bytes (not 40,000). But you can think
of a kilobyte as “roughly 1,000 bytes,” which is how it got its name. This web page file is
approximately 20 KB in size.
Similarly, you can think of a megabyte (MB) as approximately a million bytes, but it is precisely
1,048,576 bytes (1,024 x 1,024). The MS Word application takes up about 13 MB on the
computer’s hard disk (depending on version). A typical personal computer may have 512 MB of
memory.
A gigabyte (GB) is approximately one billion bytes (1,073,741,824 exactly). The root word for
the giga is the same one our word giant comes from, so gigabyte should technically be
pronounced with a soft g—but the pronunciation with either hard or soft g is acceptable. The
storage capacity of a typical hard disk is measures in the tens or hundreds of GB.
In case you are wondering, a trillion bytes is a terabyte, but PC capacities haven’t gotten into that
range yet.
Hardware
The term hardware refers to the physical components of the computer system (as opposed to
the software). Your computer hardware will consist of the devices within the case of the
computer itself, and any peripheral devices that are connected to the computer (such as the
mouse and keyboard).
The primary component of the computer is the motherboard (also called the main circuit
board, main logic board, mainboard, or systemboard). The motherboard is a large printed circuit
board with microchips, connectors, and other components mounted on it, and with copper
circuitry traces that connect the components together.
A motherboard typically holds the following items:
• CPU (Central Processing Unit) where the actual processing of data takes place.
• System clock circuitry (that keeps all of the digital chips in lockstep)
• Other controller chips that act as traffic cops directing data flow along the system busses
(the circuitry connecting the chips to the CPU) and I/O ports.
• RAM (the main memory, plus additional slots for adding more memory)
• ROM (containing the BIOS)
• “CMOS memory”
• Expansion slots (for adding expansion cards such as Video cards and Sound cards)
Additional information about the parts listed above can be found in the other sections of this
tutorial. Along with the motherboard, the case of your computer typically contains a power
supply (to convert the AC line current from the wall outlet to the low-voltage DC current used
by the computer) and several storage devices located in the expansion bays of the case (such as:
hard drives, floppy drives, Zip drives, and CD drives, and DVD drives).
Configurations and Specifications
When you go to purchase a computer (either online or at a compute store) you will have several
system configurations to choose from. Each configuration includes a particular set of parts or
components (both hardware and software) in a specific arrangement. A similar term,
architecture, also describes the layout and interactions of the components of a computer system.
Each system configuration will have a specification that lists the details about the components
included in that particular system.
Input and Output Devices
Before a computer can process your data, you need some method to input the data into the
machine. The device you use will depend on what form this data takes (be it text, sound, artwork,
etc.).

Similarly, after the computer has processed your data, you often need to produce output of the
results. This output could be a display on the computer screen, hardcopy on printed pages, or
even the audio playback of music you composed on the computer.

The terms “input” and “output” are used both as verbs to describe the process of entering or
displaying the data, and as nouns referring to the data itself entered into or displayed by the
computer.

Below we discuss the variety of peripheral devices used for computer input and output.

Input Devices
Keyboard
The computer keyboard is used to enter text information into the
computer, as when you type the contents of a report. The keyboard can
also be used to type commands directing the computer to perform
certain actions. Commands are typically chosen from an on-screen menu using a mouse, but
there are often keyboard shortcuts for giving these same commands.
In addition to the keys of the main keyboard (used for typing text), keyboards usually also have a
numeric keypad (for entering numerical data efficiently), a bank of editing keys (used in text
editing operations), and a row of function keys along the top (to easily invoke certain program
functions). Laptop computers, which don’t have room for large keyboards, often include a “fn”
key so that other keys can perform double duty (such as having a numeric keypad function
embedded within the main keyboard keys).
Improper use or positioning of a keyboard can lead to repetitive-stress injuries. Some ergonomic
keyboards are designed with angled arrangements of keys and with built- in wrist rests that can
minimize your risk of RSIs.
Most keyboards attach to the PC via a PS/2 connector or USB port (newer). Older Macintosh
computers used an ABD connector, but for several years now all Mac keyboards have connected
using USB.

Pointing Devices
The graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in use today require some kind of device for positioning the
on-screen cursor. Typical pointing devices are: mouse, trackball, touch pad, trackpoint, graphics
tablet, joystick, and touch screen.
Pointing devices, such as a mouse, connected to the PC via a serial ports (old), PS/2 mouse port
(newer), or USB port (newest). Older Macs used ADB to connect their mice, but all recent Macs
use USB (usually to a USB port right on the USB keyboard).
Mouse
The mouse pointing device sits on your work surface and is moved with
your hand. In older mice, a ball in the bottom of the mouse rolls on the
surface as you move the mouse, and internal rollers sense the ball
movement and transmit the information to the computer via the cord of
the mouse.
The newer optical mouse does not use a rolling ball, but instead uses a light and a small optical
sensor to detect the motion of the mouse by tracking a tiny image of the desk surface. Optical
mice avoid the problem of a dirty mouse ball, which causes regular mice to roll unsmoothly if
the mouse ball and internal rollers are not cleaned frequently.
A cordless or wireless mouse communicates with the computer via radio waves (often using
BlueTooth hardware and protocol) so that a cord is not needed (but such mice need internal
batteries).
A mouse also includes one or more buttons (and possibly a scroll wheel) to allow users to
interact with the GUI. The traditional PC mouse has two buttons, while the traditional Macintosh
mouse has one button. On either type of computer you can also use mice with three or more
buttons and a small scroll wheel (which can also usually be clicked like a button).
Touch pad
Most laptop computers today have a touch pad pointing
device. You move the on-screen cursor by sliding your finger
along the surface of the touch pad. The buttons are located
below the pad, but most touch pads allow you to perform
“mouse clicks” by tapping on the pad itself.
Touch pads have the advantage over mice that they take up
much less room to use. They have the advantage over trackballs (which were used on early
laptops) that there are no moving parts to get dirty and result in jumpy cursor control.
Trackpoint
Some sub-notebook computers (such as the IBM ThinkPad), which lack room for even a touch
pad, incorporate a trackpoint, a small rubber projection embedded between the keys of the
keyboard. The trackpoint acts like a little joystick that can be used to control the position of the
on-screen cursor.
Trackball
The trackball is sort of like an upside-down mouse, with the ball located
on top. You use your fingers to roll the trackball, and internal rollers
(similar to what’s inside a mouse) sense the motion which is transmitted
to the computer. Trackballs have the advantage over mice in that the body
of the trackball remains stationary on your desk, so you don’t need as much room to use the
trackball. Early laptop computers often used trackballs (before superior touch pads came along).
Trackballs have traditionally had the same problem as mice: dirty rollers
can make their cursor control jumpy and unsmooth. But there are modern
optical trackballs that don’t have this problem because their designs
eliminate the rollers.
Joysticks
Joysticks and other game controllers can also be connected to a computer
as pointing devices. They are generally used for playing games, and not for controlling the on-
screen cursor in productivity software.

Touch screen
Some computers, especially small hand-held PDAs, have touch sensitive display screens. The
user can make choices and press button images on the screen. You often use a stylus, which you
hold like a pen, to “write” on the surface of a small touch screen.
Graphics tablet
A graphics tablet consists of an electronic writing area and a special “pen”
that works with it. Graphics tablets allows artists to create graphical images
with motions and actions similar to using more traditional drawing tools. The
pen of the graphics tablet is pressure sensitive, so pressing harder or softer
can result in brush strokes of different width (in an appropriate graphics
program).

Scanners
A scanner is a device that images a printed page or graphic by digitizing it, producing an image
made of tiny pixels of different brightness and color values which are represented numerically
and sent to the computer. Scanners scan graphics, but they can also scan pages of text which are
then run through OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software that identifies the individual
letter shapes and creates a text file of the page's contents.

Microphone
A microphone can be attached to a computer to record sound (usually through a sound card
input or circuitry built into the motherboard). The sound is digitized—turned into numbers that
represent the original analog sound waves—and stored in the computer to later processing and
playback.

MIDI Devices
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a system designed to transmit information
between electronic musical instruments. A MIDI musical keyboard can be attached to a
computer and allow a performer to play music that is captured by the computer system as a
sequence of notes with the associated timing (instead of recording digitized sound waves).

Output Devices
CRT Monitor
The traditional output device of a person computer has been the CRT
(Cathode Ray Tube) monitor. Just like a television set (an older one,
anyway) the CRT monitor contains a large cathode ray tube that uses an
electron beam of varying strength to “paint” a picture onto the color
phosphorescent dots on the inside of the screen. CRT monitors are heavy
and use more electrical power than flat panel displays, but they are
preferred by some graphic artists for their accurate color rendition, and
preferred by some gamers for faster response to rapidly changing graphics.
Monitor screen size is measured diagonally across the screen, in inches. Not all of the screen
area may be usable for image display, so the viewable area is also specified. The resolution of
the monitor is the maximum number of pixels it can display horizontally and vertically (such as
800 x 600, or 1024 x 768, or 1600 x 1200). Most monitors can display several resolutions below
its maximum setting. Pixels (short for picture elements) are the small dots that make of the
image displayed on the screen. The spacing of the screen’s tiny phosphor dots is called the dot
pitch (dp), typically .28 or .26 (measured in millimeters). A screen with a smaller dot pitch
produces sharper images.
Your computer must produce a video signal that a monitor can display. This may be handled by
circuitry on the motherboard, but is usually handled by a video card in one of the computer’s
expansion slots; often the slot is a special one dedicated to video use, such as an AGP slot
(Accelerated Graphics Port). Video cards are also called video display adapters, and graphics
cards. Many video cards contain separate processors and dedicated video memory for generating
complex graphics quickly without burdening the CPU. These accelerated graphics cards are
loved by gamers.
Flat Panel Monitor
A flat panel display usually uses an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
screen to display output from the computer. The LCD consists of
several thin layers that polarize the light passing through them. The
polarization of one layer, containing long thin molecules called liquid
crystals, can be controlled electronically at each pixel, blocking varying
amounts of the light to make a pixel lighter or darker. Other types of flat
panel technology exist (such as plasma displays) but LCDs are most commonly used in
computers, especially laptops.
Older LCDs had slow response times and low contrast, but active matrix LCD screens have a
transparent thin film transistor (TFT) controlling each pixel, so response, contrast, and viewing
angle are much improved.
Flat panel displays are much lighter and less bulky than CRT monitors, and they consume much
less power. They have been more expensive than CRTs in the past, but the price gap is
narrowing. You will see many more flat panels in the future.
As with CRTs, the display size of a flat panel is expressed in inches, and the resolution is the
number of pixels horizontally and vertically on the display.
Ink Jet Printer
For hardcopy (printed) output, you need some kind of printer attached to
your computer (or available over a network). The most common type of
printer for home systems is the color ink jet printer. These printers form the
image on the page by spraying tiny droplets of ink from the print head. The
printer needs several colors of ink (cyan, yellow, magenta, and black) to
make color images. Some photo-quality ink jet printers have more colors of
ink.
Ink jet printers are inexpensive, but the cost of consumables (ink cartridges and special paper)
make them costly to operate in the long run for many purposes.
Laser Printer
A laser printer produces good quality images by the same technology that
photocopiers use. A drum coated with photosensitive material is charged,
then an image is written onto it by a laser (or LEDs) which makes those areas
lose the charge. The drum then rolls through toner (tiny plastic particles of
pigment) that are attracted to the charged areas of the drum. The toner is then
deposited onto the paper, and then fused into the paper with heat.
Most laser printers are monochrome (one color only, usually black), but more expensive laser
printers with multiple color toner cartridges can produce color output.
Laser printers are faster than ink jet printers. Their speed is rated in pages per minute (ppm).
Laser printers are more expensive than ink jets, but they are cheaper to run in the long term if
you just need good quality black & white pages.
Other Printers
Multi-function printers are available that not only operate as a computer printer, but also include
the hardware needed to be a scanner, photocopier, and FAX machine as well.
Dot matrix printers use small electromagnetically activated pins in the print head, and an inked
ribbon, to
noisy, and are not commonly used for personal computers anymore (but they can print multi-
layer forms, which neither ink jet or laser printers can).
produce images by impact. These printers are slow and noisy, and are not commonly used for
personal computers anymore (but they can print multi-layer forms, which neither ink jet or laser
printers can).
Sound Output
Computers also produce sound output, ranging from simple beeps alerting the user, to impressive
game sound effects, to concert quality music. The circuitry to produce sound may be included on
the motherboard, but high quality audio output from a PC usually requires a sound card in one
of the expansion slots, connected to a set of good quality external speakers or headphones.
Multimedia is a term describing computer output that includes sound, text, graphics, movies,
and animation. A sound card is an example of a multimedia output device (as is a monitor that
can display graphics).
Memory
The memory of a microcomputer is where programs and data are stored when they are currently
in active use. We will cover different kinds of memory your microcomputer contains:

• RAM
• ROM
• CMOS

RAM
RAM is the main memory space of your computer. The term RAM means Random Access
Memory, and it comes from the early days of computers when mainframes had two types of
memory: Random access, in which any bit of memory could be addressed at any moment; and
Sequential memory (such as data stored on tape) where bits could only be accessed in a certain
order. All of the memory in your computer is random access, so don’t worry about sequential
memory.
The RAM is the workspace of your computer. If your computer has more RAM, it can open
more and larger programs and documents simultaneously. It’s like you having a large worktable
to spread work papers out on instead of a tiny desk. The documents you are currently editing
(and the programs your computer is using to let you do it) are stored in the RAM.
RAM consists of banks of microchip transistors that are either on or off (representing a 1 or a
zero). RAM chips need constant power to remember what is stored in them; a power interruption
of even a fraction of a second (perhaps caused by nearby lightning) can cause the RAM to lose
its contents. For this reason, RAM is said to be volatile (from “easily evaporated”) and this is
why it is important to save your work often to a more permanent storage such as a hard disk.
The specific type of RAM used by your computer could be SDRAM (synchronous dynamic
RAM), or RDRAM (Rambus dynamic RAM), or DDR SDRAM (Double-data-rate SDRAM)—
but don’t worry about the details. Just be sure to get the proper kind for your system when you
purchase more RAM.
RAM is usually installed into sockets on the motherboard as DIMMs (Dual Inline Memory
Module), small circuit boards that hold the RAM chips. You can even install more RAM into
your computer, but you must take precautions not to allow static electricity to damage the RAM
or motherboard. The architecture of a given motherboard will limit the amount of extra RAM
you can add.
RAM size is measured in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, etc., as discussed in the section on binary
numbers. A typical computer in 2004 might have 512 MB of RAM installed.
Virtual Memory
The amount of RAM limits how large and how many programs and data files you can have open
at once. You normally couldn’t simultaneously open a two programs that each require 70 MB of
RAM on a computer that has only 128 MB of RAM.
However, modern operating systems use virtual memory to get around this roadblock. If
everything won’t fit into RAM at once, the OS can automatically swap out currently unused data
to the hard disk, and swap in whatever data are needed. But this comes at a price! Hard disks
(mechanical devices) are much slower than RAM (electronic storage), so your computer will run
much slower if using virtual memory. If you run into this, it’s best to just buy more RAM.
ROM
Microcomputers also have some ROM (Read Only Memory) on the motherboard. ROM does
not need power to remember its contents, so this is where a computer stores the programs that are
needed to start up (boot up) the computer system. (The instructions can’t be stored in RAM,
since RAM loses its contents when the computer is off; and they can’t be kept on the hard disk,
since just reading data from a hard disk requires programs.)
When the computer is first turned on, the program stored in the ROM is feed to the processor.
This initial program checks to see that everything is in order and looks for storage devices on
which it can locate a copy of the operating system; it then loads the first part of the OS into
RAM, then hands control over to that program to finish the boot process.
The startup instructions stored on ROM in a PC are part of the BIOS (Basic Input Output
System). The BIOS also contains the low-level interface code needed to access the drives,
keyboard, and produce simple display output.
Note that what we call “ROM” is in most cases nowadays stored on an EEPROM chip
(Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM). The motherboard includes special circuitry that
allows the “permanent” contents of the chip to be updated if needed, but this is rarely done
(EEPROM can only be re-written a limited number of times—but that limit may be 10,000
times).
CMOS
The “CMOS memory” of a computer is a small amount of “semi-permanent” storage where
changeable data can be stored that needs to remain available while the computer is turned off. A
small battery on the motherboard keeps the CMOS ‘alive’ when power is off.
The CMOS memory (called PRAM, or “Parameter RAM” on the Macintosh) can store such
information such as what hard drive or copy of the OS you want to boot from, what are your
default monitor settings, etc. The BIOS picks up this information and uses it during boot up. The
CMOS memory can also hold the time and date so that your computer remembers this even when
power its has been off. If your computer can’t remember the proper time, or can’t remember
system settings when it’s off, the small battery may need to be replaced.
Note that I used the term “CMOS memory” in quotes. CMOS (pronounced ‘See-Moss’) is a type
of transistor memory that requires very little power to store data, so this type of chip was used in
the early days for storing semi-permanent data. However, almost ALL of the chips in your
computer nowadays (such as the RAM) uses CMOS technology, and (irony) the “CMOS semi-
permanent memory” in many modern PCs is NOT stored on CMOS chips, but may use flash
memory (a kind of EEPROM). But the terms “CMOS memory” and “the CMOS” are still used
to refer to the semi-permanent memory.
Storage Devices

Storage devices, such as disk drives, store your documents (data files) and programs (executable
files) when they are not currently in use for processing. Unlike the contents of RAM, the
data stored on these devices does not vanish when power is turned off.

The major categories of storage devices are magnetic, solid state, and optical.
Hard Disk Drive
A hard disk drive contains disks made of metal and coated with a metal
oxide that can be magnetized. A tiny electromagnetic read/write head on
the end of a seek arm magnetizes tiny spots on the disk to store data.
Magnetic spots magnetized in one direction represent a one; spots
magnetized in the opposite direction represent a zero (OK, I simplified
things a little, but you get the idea). The same electromagnetic head can
later sense the magnetic fields of the spots as they pass underneath the
head, allowing the data to be read back from the disk.

Hard drives are rated by their storage capacity, typically tens or hundreds of gigabytes. They are
also rated by how fast the disks spin (in rpm, rotations per minute), which is typically
thousands of rpm. Another way to rate a hard disk is by average access time (measured in
milliseconds, ms), which tells on average how long it would take the drive to retrieve any
bit of data from the disk. Typical seek times are around 6 ms.

The electronics that control the hard disk often incorporate some cache memory. The drive reads
in several sectors of data instead of just one—that way, if the CPU happens to request
those next sectors, the drive can send them immediately without having to wait for the disk
to rotate back around again.

The controller electronics for a hard drive may be IDE, or ATA, or SCSI, or something else.
Don’t worry about this detail here, but you do need to get the right kind to go into your
computer if you want to add additional drives. You can also plug additional hard drives
externally into the USB or Firewire ports of a computer, if desired.
Floppy Diskette
In a floppy diskette the disk is made of flexible mylar plastic coated with
metal oxide that can be magnetized. Floppy diskettes are 3.5" in size
(older style floppy diskettes for early PCs were 5.25").

A shutter protects the disk surface from dirt and fingerprints; the shutter
slides out of the way when the disk is inserted into the drive so that
the read/write heads can reach the disk.

A small plastic slider can be slid to unblock a hole in the corner of the diskette to write-protect
the disk (so data can’t be accidentally erased).

High-density floppy diskettes hold 1.44 MB. The access time is much slower than for a hard
disk, and they are somewhat unreliable. Many new computers don’t have a floppy drive,
but you can purchase an external drive to plug in if you need to.
Zip Disk

A Zip disk is similar in size to a floppy diskette, but thicker. It is basically a

“super floppy” but the higher construction tolerances and smaller
read/write heads allow the Zip disk to hold more data than a floppy.
The first Zip disks held 100 MB. Later Zip drives could read 250
MB Zips (in addition to the old 100 MB disks). An even newer
model Zip drive uses 750 MB disks.

Both Zip disk and floppy diskettes have the advantage of being removable media. Data stored on
these disks can be removed and taken to other locations. Both Zips and floppies can be
formatted for either the PC or the Macintosh (Macs can read both formats).

We had Zip drives in our previous PCs and Macs at UNM-LA, but our newer computers don't
use these, so you may never have to deal with them.
Flash Drive
A USB Flash Drive is a portable solid state memory device that plugs into
a USB port on your computer. They have many other names (such as key
drive, pocket drive, thumb drive, pen drive). They have replaced floppy
diskettes and Zip disks at UNM-LA as our preferred means to carry files
around. They work on both Macs and PCs.

These small drives store data on flash memory microchips (a kind of EEPROM). Flash memory
can be erased and re-written a limited number of times (typically many thousands of
times). Some units have a write-protect switch.

The storage capacity varies, but anything from 16 MB to over a gigabyte are available.
Flash Memory Cards

The same kind of flash memory used in the USB flash drives above are
is used in small memory cards (a Secure Data SD card, and a
Compact Flash card are shown on the right). These cards are are
used by PDAs, digital cameras, MP3 music players, and other
digital devices. You can attach a flash memory card reader to your
computer to read and write data to these cards as well. These
memory cards (and other types not shown here) come in a variety of storage capacities
from tens of megabytes to over a gigabyte.
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) is an optical storage medium that can hold
about 670MB. “Optical” means that light is used to read the data from the disk (it is not a
magnetic medium). CD-ROMs are very cheap to produce in large
quantities, so most software is distributed on CD-ROMs.

Data is stored on a CD-ROM as small pits in the plastic of an inner

layer, which is then aluminized and overcoated with another clear
layer. A laser beam inside the CD-ROM drive is bounced off the
disk and the sequences of pits and not-pits (the reflectivity is
different) is converted into the ones and zeros of the data.

CD-ROM drives are rated by speed, such as 32x, which means 32 times faster than the first CD-
ROM drives.
CD-R and CD-RW

CD-R (Compact Disc - Recordable) and CD-RW (Compact Disk - ReWritable) are CDs that can
be written to (if your computer has a CD-RW drive).

The CD-R discs have a layer of dye that is changed by a higher power laser in the drive to record
data (the low power reading laser does not change the data). The CD-R can only have its
data surface changed ONCE at each spot (although you can write multiple sessions to one
disk until it is full). After that, it is read-only. CD-Rs can hold 700 MB of data.

The CD-RW discs contain a phase-change material that different power laser beams can read,
write, and erase, so these disks can be used many times (but must be erased before re-
writing).
DVD

DVD-ROM discs (DVD = Digital Versatile Disc) are optical storage media similar to CD-
ROMs, but with a higher storage capacity. DVDs use smaller spots to record data, and the
disks can be dual-layer and double-sided, with each layer holding 4.7 GB of data (so a
dual-layer/double-sided DVD can hold 18 GB of data).

Like CDs, DVDs also have recordable variants, although there are still multiple formats (DVD-R
and DVD+R) competing for dominance. A single-layer DVD-R can hold 4.7 GB of data
(Dual Layer discs can hold twice as much).
DVD drive speeds are rated in terms of how many times faster that the original DVD dirves they
are (a 6x DVD drive is 6 times faster)
Ports and Peripherals
Serial Port A serial port transmit data one bit at a time. Typically on older PCs, a
modem, mouse, or keyboard would be connected via serial ports. Serial cables are
cheaper to make than parallel cables and easier to shield from interference.

Parallel Port
The parallel port of older PCs could transmit 8 bits of
data at a time, so it was faster than the old serial port (just
as more traffic can move along a multi-lane highway than
can move along a one-lane road). The parallel port was
typically used to connect a printer to the computer.
Peripherals are devices that are attached to a computer
system to enhance its capabilities. Peripherals include input devices, output devices,
storage devices, and communications devices.
All peripherals must have some way to access the data bus of the computer (the
communications channel on the motherboard that connects the processor, RAM, and
other components). To do this, peripherals are connected via some kind of port (also
called a I/O port, for input/output) on the computer (and a cable with the proper
connectors is needed).
In some cases, the controller chips and circuitry for a port may be included on the
motherboard itself (especially in laptop computers). In other cases, an expansion card
in one of the expansion slots on the motherboard provides the needed port. This card
is also called a controller card or an interface card. The software needed to handle
the interface through the controller card is called a device driver, a type of system
software.
A video card that allows output to be sent to a monitor is an example of an interface
card. The part of the video controller card that protrudes through the case of the
computer includes a port (or ports) that monitor cables can connect to.
Let’s look at some of the kinds of ports used on personal computers.
USB port

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a newer type of serial

connection that is much faster than the old serial ports. USB
is also much smarter and more versatile since it allows the
“daisy chaining” of up to 127 USB peripherals connected to
one port.
USB ports can support the connection of many kinds of
devices (keyboard, mouse, printer, audio in/out, external
floppy or Zip drives, scanner, flash drive, etc.). Newer PCs and Macs include several USB
ports, some often located in handy spots on the front panel of the computer case or the
side of the keyboard. USB connections are hot-swappable (they can be connected and
disconnected while the devices are turned on; this is not always true for older
connection methods).
An updated version, called USB 2.0 has a speed of 480 Mbits/sec, which is 40 times
faster than the older USB port’s high-speed mode (the connectors look the same).
FireWire (IEEE 1394)
FireWire is a high speed interface that was developed by
Apple computer. Sony uses a version called i.Link. It is often
called IEEE 1394 when used on PCs (since Apple charges an
extra fee for using the name “FireWire”). The first version of
FireWire (FireWire 400) works at speeds of 400 Kbits/sec, and
the newer FireWire 800 supports twice that speed. FireWire is
hot-swappable and supports up to 63 daisy-chained peripherals
per port.
FireWire works especially well for digital video and audio (from a digital camcorder) as
well for connecting external hard drives or other high-bandwidth peripherals. The
FireWire connection can also supply 60 watts of power to the peripheral.
SCSI
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface), pronounced
“scuzzy,” is an older high-speed interface technology. Up to six
devices can be daisy-chained to a SCSI port on your computer,
but, unlike the plug-and-play nature of USB and FireWire, the
user must manually set the SCSI ID number of each device and
add connection terminators as needed. In other words, it was a
much bigger pain than the newer interfaces.
SCSI was used as the fast port on older Macintosh computers and some PC laptops.
SCSI is also used as an interface bus for connecting internal hard disk drives in some
machines.
PCMCIA
PCMCIA stands for (Personal Computer Memory Card
International Association). It is a standard for extension cards for
mobile computers. PCMCIA cards are about the size of a credit
card and are typically inserted into a slot in the side of your laptop.
The card may contain extra memory (which was it primary original
use) or it may contain expansion peripherals such as a modem, a
tiny hard disk drive, a networking adapter, etc. Type I, II, and III
cards are different thicknesses.
PCMCIA cards are also called PC Cards since most people can’t remember PCMCIA
(the standard joke is that it stands for “People Can’t Memorize Computer Industry
Acronyms”).
Ethernet
Connecting your computer to a network requires a
network adapter. This circuitry and port could be
built into the motherboard (as is often the case in
laptops and Macs), or your computer may have a
network interface card (NIC) in one of its
expansion slots. Your computer also needs the
necessary networking software installed.
The most commonly used networking technology is
Ethernet (we use it to connect together the PCs,
Macs, and server computers on the UNM-LA Local
Area Network). The picture at the right shows a typical Ethernet port and Ethernet cable
connector. Ethernet comes in different speed ratings, such as 10 megabits/sec, 100
megabits/sec, and gigabit/sec speeds.
PS/2 Ports
PS/2 ports are special ports for connecting the
keyboard and mouse to some PC systems. This
type of port was invented by IBM.

Audio Ports
The three small connectors shown at the right are
for connecting sound input (from a tape player, for
example), sound out (to connect you PC’s sound
output to your stereo system of external speakers),
and a microphone input port.

PCI, ISA, ATA, IDE, SCSI

Your computer may have interface bus standards built in that have no external
connectors. The expansion slots in a PC or Mac are typically PCI (Peripheral
Component Interconnect), which displaced the older ISA standard in PCs and
NuBus slots in Macs. Often you will find a special slot for a video card, such as an AGP
(Accelerated Graphics Port) slot. You will also run into interface standards for
adding additional hard drives or optical drives inside your computer, such as IDE,
EIDE, ATA, Serial ATA, and SCSI. You don’t need to remember that last bunch for
this class.
Networking and Telecommunications
You will often have the need to connect your computer to other computers in order to
share information. This is typically done with a connection to a data network, or with a
connection over a telephone line.

Networking
A Local Area Network (LAN) is used to connect computers spread over a relatively
small area, such as a university campus, or several offices in a building, or a home. The
computers on the network can share data, and they can also access printers connected to
the network. All of the computers and printers on the network are called nodes of the
network.
If your personal computer is connected to a network, it is called a network
workstation (note that this is different form the usage of the term workstation as a
high-end microcomputer). If your PC is not connected to a network, it is referred to as a
standalone computer.
In order to connect to a network, your computer will need a network adapter. This
circuitry and port could be built into the motherboard or it could be on a network
interface card (NIC) in one of the computer’s expansion slots. Your computer will
also need the necessary networking software installed. Ethernet is the most common
networking technology used.
If the computers connected to a network have equal status, it is called a peer-to-peer
network. A typical home network might be done this way.
Larger LANs usually have one or more computers that act as file servers to provide
data and software to the other computers on the network. The other workstations are
referred as client computers, and this is a server/client network. You may also find
terminals connected as nodes on a network (terminals have only a screen and a
keyboard, and no processing power; they connect over the network to a computer that
does the actual processing).
At UNM-A, we have a server (named Chicoma, after the tallest mountain in the Jemez)
on our campus LAN that validates your login name and password when you use one of
our PCs as a client workstation, and provides files to network clients. Students can also
use terminals in building 3 (if we still have any in Room 306) to connect to Chicoma to
run software for some of our programming classes. In our Mac lab, we use a peer-to-
peer setup to allow the students to get files from the teacher’s Mac.
It is also possible to do wireless networking, and you will see more of this in the future.
A wireless LAN (WLAN) uses radio waves to carry the network traffic. They are usually
based on the IEEE 802.11 specification, also called Wi-Fi (for “wireless-fidelity”).
Telecommunications
Telecommunication refers to transmitting data over a long distance. For personal
computers, this usually entails connecting to other computers over a telephone line or
other connection.
A telephone line carries an analog signal, one that has a continuously varying
waveform. This is different from the discrete digital signals that represent numbers in
your computer. To communicate over a phone line, you computer needs a modem
(which stands for modulator-demodulator). The modem takes the digital information
from your computer and modulates it onto an analog wave in the range of sound
frequencies that can be carried over phone lines. The modem also takes analog signals
from the phone line and demodulates them to extract the digital information, which it
passes to your computer. The computer on the other end of the phone line is also
equipped with a modem.
Computer modems typically communicate at 56K (56 kilobits per second), but if your
phone connection is not good the modems will shift to a slower speed at which a reliable
exchange of data can take place. A telecommunications connection via a phone modem
is called a dial-up connection.
Many modems can also function as fax machines. You can “print” a document as a fax
image to send to a distant fax machine.
Broadband
Many users are finding a 56K telephone modem connection too slow (especially with
increased popularity of the Internet). Broadband connections allow faster transfer of
information. The most popular kinds are DSL, cable, and satellite.
A DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connection works over your telephone line and requires
a special DSL modem. Unlike a regular modem, the DSL modem signal is carried at
higher frequencies, beyond those of sound. It has a wider bandwidth since it is not
limited to the audio band, and it has the advantage that you can use the telephone line
simultaneously for voice and DSL communications. DSL requires special equipment
installed at the phone company end, and you must not be located too far from the phone
company’s junction.
A cable connection (requiring a special cable modem) uses your cable television line to
transmit and receive data. Similarly, a link to satellite TV broadcast satellites can be
used to provide broadband access to areas DSL or cable TV can't service.
Internet
One of the primary reasons for getting a network or telecommunications connection for
your computer is to access the Internet. The Internet is a wide area network (WAN)
that spans the globe and uses the TCP/IP protocol to transmit information. To access
the Internet, you need a dial-up or broadband connection through an Internet Service
Provider (ISP), or access to a network that has a gateway connection to the Internet.
Many information resources and services are available via the Internet; the two most
popular are electronic mail (e-mail) and the World Wide Web (the Web). Both of
these services use a client/server model: there are servers on the Internet that handle e-
mail traffic or offer web pages. To access these, you need to run appropriate client
software on your computer. Popular e-mail clients include Eudora and Outlook Express.
World Wide Web client programs are called web browsers, and popular examples are
Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera, Firefox, and Safari.
Electronic mail entails sending and receiving private messages between users connected
to the Internet. (This is different from public posting of messages on electronic forums
such as Usenet Newsgroups or web forums.) Your messages are held for you on an e-
mail server until you access them using you e-mail client software.
The World Wide Web is free-format a collection of data archives called web pages that
include text, graphics, animation, sound, and video. Web pages are linked together
using hypertext links (hyperlinks); simply clicking on a link displays another web
page. All manner of information is available on the Web from individuals, businesses,
universities, government bureaus, etc.