Basic Computer Concepts

Khalil A.Channa 1-1

What is Computer ?

Hard Ware

Software

Khalil A.Channa 3-2

 Basic Concepts of
Computer Hardware
Primary Memory

Input CPU Output

Units (Central Processing Unit) Units

■ This model of the typical digital computer is often called the

von Neumann computer.
• Programs and data are stored in the same memory: primary
memory.
• The computer can only perform one instruction at a time.
Khalil A.Channa 3-3
 Basic Concepts of
Computer Hardware
■ Input/Output (I/O): Refers to the process of getting
information into and out of the computer.
• Input: Those parts of the computer receiving information to
programs.
• Output: Those parts of the computer that provide results of
computation to the person using the computer.

Khalil A.Channa 3-4

 Sources of Data
for the Computer
■ Two types of data stored within a computer:
• Original data or information: Data being introduced to a
computing system for the first time.
– Computers can deal directly with printed text, pictures,
sound, and other common types of information.
• Previously stored data or information: Data that has already
been processed by a computer and is being stored for later use.
– These are forms of binary data useful only to the computer.
– Examples: Floppy disks, DVD disks, and music CDs.

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 Input Devices

■ Two categories of input hardware:

• Those that deal with original data.
• Those that handle previously stored data.

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 Input Devices

■ Input hardware: Those that deal with original data.

• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Voice recognition hardware
• Scanner
• Digital camera

■ Digitizing: The process of taking a visual image, or

audio recording and converting it to a binary form for
the computer.
• Used as data for programs to display, play or manipulate the
digitized data.
Khalil A.Channa 3-7
 Input Devices

■ Connecting Hardware to the computer:

• Hardware needs access through some general input/output
connection.
– Port: The pathway for data to go into and out of the
computer from external devices such as keyboards.
• There are many standard ports as well as custom
electronic ports designed for special purposes.
• Ports follow standards that define their use.
» SCSI, USB: Multiple peripheral devices (chain).
» RS-232, IDE: Individual peripheral devices.
– Peripheral device: A piece of hardware like a printer or
disk drive, that is outside the main computer.
Khalil A.Channa 3-8
 Input Devices

■ Connecting Hardware to the computer: (continued)

• Hardware needs software on the computer that can service the
device.
– Device driver: Software addition to the operating system
that will allow the computer to communicate with a
particular device.

Khalil A.Channa 3-9

 Input Devices

■ Common Basic Technologies for Storing Binary

Information:
• Electronic
• Magnetic
• Optical

Khalil A.Channa 3-10

 Input Devices

■ Electronic Circuits
• Most expensive of the three forms for storing binary
information.
• A flip-flop circuit has either one electronic status or the other.
It is said to flip-flop from one to the other.
• Electronic circuits come in two forms:
– Permanent
– Non-permanent

Khalil A.Channa 3-11

 Input Devices

■ Magnetic Technology
• Two parts to most of the magnetic forms of information
storage:
– The medium that stores the magnetic information.
• Example: Floppy disk. Tiny spots on the disk are
magnetized to represent 0s and 1s.
– The device that can “read” that information from the
medium.
• The drive spins the disk.
• It has a magnetic sensing arm that moves over the
disk.
• Performs nondestructive reading.
Khalil A.Channa 3-12
 Input Devices

■ Optical
• Uses lasers to “read” the binary information from the
medium, usually a disc.
– Millions of tiny holes are “burned” into the surface of the
disc.
– The holes are interpreted as 1s. The absence of holes are
interpreted as 0s.

Khalil A.Channa 3-13

 Input Devices

■ Secondary Memory Input Devices

• These input devices are used by a computer to store
information and then to retrieve that information as needed.
– External to the computer.
– Commonly consists of floppy disks, hard disk drives, or
CD-ROMs.
• Secondary memory uses binary.
– The usual measurement is the byte.
• A byte consists of 8 binary digits (bits). The byte is a
standard unit.

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 Input Devices

■ The four most important characteristics of storage

devices:
• Speed and access time
• Cost / Removable versus non-removable
• Capacity
• Type of access

Khalil A.Channa 3-15

 Input Devices

■ Speed (Access time) - How fast information can be

taken from or stored onto the computer memory
device’s medium.
• Electronic circuits: Fastest to access.
– 40 billionths of a second.
• Floppy disks: Very slow in comparison.
– Takes up to 1/2 second to reach full speed before access is
even possible.

Khalil A.Channa 3-16

 Input Devices

■ Cost
• Megabyte: A Million bytes.
• Gigabyte: A billion bytes.

• Two parts to a removable secondary storage device:

– The cost of the medium. (Cheaper if bought in quantity)
– The cost of the drive.
Examples: Cost for drive Cost for medium
Floppy drive (1.4MB) 59.00 .50
Zip 100 (100 MB) 99.00 10.00
CD-WR (650 MB) 360.00 and up 1.00

Khalil A.Channa 3-17

 Input Devices

■ Capacity - The amount of information that can be

stored on the medium.
Unit Description Approximate Size
1 bit 1 binary digit
1 nibble 4 bits
1 byte 8 bits 1 character
1 kilobyte 1,024 bytes ≈1/2 page, double spaced
1 megabyte 1,048,576 bytes ≈500,000 pages
1 million bytes
1 gigabyte 1,073,741,824 bytes ≈5 million pages
1 billion bytes
1 terabyte 1 trillion bytes ≈5 billion pages
Khalil A.Channa 3-18
 Input Devices

■ Type of Access
– Sequential - Obtained by proceeding through the storage
medium from the beginning until the designated area is
reached (as in magnetic tape).
– Random Access - Direct access (as in floppy and hard
disks).

Khalil A.Channa 3-19

 Primary Memory

■ Primary storage or memory: Is where the data and program that

are currently in operation or being accessed are stored during use.
• Consists of electronic circuits: Extremely fast and expensive.
• Two types:
– RAM (non-permanent)
• Programs and data can be stored here for the
computer’s use.
• Volatile: All information will be lost once the
computer shuts down.
– ROM (permanent)
• Contents do not change.

Khalil A.Channa 3-20

The Central Processing Unit

■ The Central Processing Unit ( CPU)

• Often referred to as the “brain” of the computer.
• Responsible for controlling all activities of the computer system.
• The three major components of the CPU are:
1. Arithmetic Unit (Computations performed)
Accumulator (Results of computations kept here)
2. Control Unit (Has two locations where numbers are kept)
Instruction Register (Instruction placed here for analysis)
Program Counter (Which instruction will be performed next?)
3. Instruction Decoding Unit (Decodes the instruction)
• Motherboard: The place where most of the electronics
including the CPU are mounted.
Khalil A.Channa 3-21
 Output Devices

■ Output units store and display information (calculated

results and other messages) for us to see and use.
• Floppy disk drives and Hard disk drives.
• Display monitors: Hi-resolution monitors come in two types:
– Cathode ray tube (CRT) - Streams of electrons make
phosphors glow on a large vacuum tube.
– Liquid crystal display (LCD) - A flat panel display that
uses crystals to let varying amounts of different colored
light to pass through it.
• Developed primarily for portable computers.

Khalil A.Channa 3-22

 Output Devices

■ Audio Output Devices

• Windows machines need special audio card for audio output.
• Macintosh has audio playback built in.
• Audio output is useful for:
– Music
• CD player is a computer.
• Most personal computers have CD players that can
access both music CDs and CD-ROMs.
– Voice synthesis (becoming more human sounding.)
– Multimedia
– Specialized tasks (i.e.: elevator’s floor announcements)

Khalil A.Channa 3-23

 Output Devices

■ Optical Disks: CD-ROM and DVD

• CD-ROM (Compact Disk - Read Only Memory)
– By its definition, CD-ROM is Read Only.
– Special CD drives “burn” information into blank CDs.
• Burn: A laser is used to “burn” craters into the
surface to represent a binary 1.
• Two main types of CDs:
» CD-R (Compact Disk - Recordable)
» CD-WR (Compact Disk - ReWritable)
– It takes longer to write to a CD-R than a hard drive.
– Special software is needed to record.

Khalil A.Channa 3-24

 Output Devices

■ DVD (Digital Versatile Disk)

• Allows up to 17 gigabytes of storage (from 4.7 GB to 17 GB).
• Compatible with older CD-ROM technology.
• The four versions of the DVD:

Khalil A.Channa 3-25

 Output Devices

■ Storage Requirements: How much storage capacity is

needed for…
• One keystroke on a keyboard. 1 byte (8 bits)
• One page single-spaced document. 4.0 K
• Nineteen pages formatted text. 75 K
• One second of high-fidelity sound. 95-110 K
• Complete word processing program. 8.4 MG

■ Storage Capacity: How much data can be stored on…

• One inch of 1/2 in. wide magnetic tape. 4K
• One 3 1/2” floppy disk, high density. 1.4 MG
• One Compact Disk. 650 MG
• One DVD. up to 17 GB
Khalil A.Channa 3-26
 Moving Information
Within the Computer
■ How do binary numerals move into, out of, and within
the computer?
• Information is moved about in bytes, or multiple bytes called
words.
– Words are the fundamental units of information.
– The number of bits per word may vary per computer.
– A word length for most large IBM computers is 32 bits:

Khalil A.Channa 3-27

 Moving Information
Within the Computer
■ Bits that compose a word are
passed in parallel from place
to place.
• Ribbon cables:
– Consist of several
wires, molded together.
– One wire for each bit of
the word or byte.
– Additional wires
coordinate the activity
of moving information.
– Each wire sends
information in the form
of a voltage pulse.
Khalil A.Channa 3-28
 Moving Information
Within the Computer
■ Example of sending
the word WOW over
the ribbon cable
• Voltage pulses
corresponding to
the ASCII codes
would pass
through the cable.

Khalil A.Channa 3-29

 Packaging the Computer
Fast Expensive Complex Large
■ The many physical forms of the
general purpose computer: Super Computers
• All follow general
Mainframe Computers
organization:
– Primary memory
Minicomputers
– Input units
– Output units Microcomputer
– Central Processing Unit
Palmtop Computer
• Grouped according to speed,
cost, size, and complexity.
Calculator

Slow Cheap Simple Small

Khalil A.Channa 3-30
Software Tools for Maintaining
Your Computer Hardware
■ Utility Programs exist that can help diagnose and solve
computer hardware problems.
• Four major problem areas where utility programs are helpful:
– Finding and fixing problems.
• Testing Input/Output peripherals.
• Testing RAM, motherboard, video cards.
• Recovering deleted files or fixing damaged disks.
– Improving computer performance.
• De-fragmenting a disk (Packs all files closer together).
– Preventative maintenance.
– Troubleshooting.
• Locates incompatible programs.
Khalil A.Channa 3-31
What is an Operating System?

■ A program that acts as an intermediary between a

user of a computer and the computer hardware.
■ Operating system goals:
• Execute user programs and make solving user problems
easier.
• Make the computer system convenient to use.
■ Use the computer hardware in an efficient manner.

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 Computer System Structure
■ Computer system can be divided into four components
• Hardware – provides basic computing resources
– CPU, memory, I/O devices
• Operating system
– Controls and coordinates use of hardware among various
applications and users
• Application programs – define the ways in which the system
resources are used to solve the computing problems of the
users
– Word processors, compilers, web browsers, database
systems, video games
• Users
– People, machines, other computers
Khalil A.Channa 3-33
Four Components of a Computer
System

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 Operating System Definition
■ OS is a resource allocator
• Manages all resources
• Decides between conflicting requests for efficient and fair
resource use
■ OS is a control program
• Controls execution of programs to prevent errors and
improper use of the computer

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Operating System Definition
(Cont.)
■ No universally accepted definition
■ “Everything a vendor ships when you order an
operating system” is good approximation
• But varies wildly
■ “The one program running at all times on the
computer” is the kernel. Everything else is either a
system program (ships with the operating system) or
an application program

Khalil A.Channa 3-36

 Computer Startup

■ bootstrap program is loaded at power-up or reboot

• Typically stored in ROM or EPROM, generally known as
firmware
• Initializates all aspects of system
• Loads operating system kernel and starts execution

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 I/O Structure
■ After I/O starts, control returns to user program only
upon I/O completion.
• Wait instruction idles the CPU until the next interrupt
• Wait loop (contention for memory access).
• At most one I/O request is outstanding at a time, no
simultaneous I/O processing.
■ After I/O starts, control returns to user program
without waiting for I/O completion.
• System call – request to the operating system to allow user
to wait for I/O completion.
• Device-status table contains entry for each I/O device
indicating its type, address, and state.
• Operating system indexes into I/O device table to
determine device status and to modify table entry to include
interrupt.
Khalil A.Channa 3-38
 Direct Memory Access
Structure
■ Used for high-speed I/O devices able to transmit
information at close to memory speeds.
■ Device controller transfers blocks of data from buffer
storage directly to main memory without CPU
intervention.
■ Only one interrupt is generated per block, rather than
the one interrupt per byte.

Khalil A.Channa 3-39

 Storage Structure

■ Main memory – only large storage media that the CPU

can access directly.
■ Secondary storage – extension of main memory that
provides large nonvolatile storage capacity.
■ Magnetic disks – rigid metal or glass platters covered
with magnetic recording material
• Disk surface is logically divided into tracks, which are
subdivided into sectors.
• The disk controller determines the logical interaction between
the device and the computer.

Khalil A.Channa 3-40

 Storage Hierarchy

■ Storage systems organized in hierarchy.

• Speed
• Cost
• Volatility
■ Caching – copying information into faster storage
system; main memory can be viewed as a last cache
for secondary storage.

Khalil A.Channa 3-41

Storage-Device Hierarchy

Khalil A.Channa 3-42

 Caching

■ Important principle, performed at many levels in a

computer (in hardware, operating system, software)
■ Information in use copied from slower to faster storage
temporarily
■ Faster storage (cache) checked first to determine if
information is there
• If it is, information used directly from the cache (fast)
• If not, data copied to cache and used there
■ Cache smaller than storage being cached
• Cache management important design problem
• Cache size and replacement policy
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 Operating System Structure
■ Multiprogramming needed for efficiency
• Single user cannot keep CPU and I/O devices busy at all times
• Multiprogramming organizes jobs (code and data) so CPU always has
one to execute
• A subset of total jobs in system is kept in memory
• One job selected and run via job scheduling
• When it has to wait (for I/O for example), OS switches to another job
■ Timesharing (multitasking) is logical extension in which CPU
switches jobs so frequently that users can interact with each job
while it is running, creating interactive computing
• Response time should be < 1 second
• Each user has at least one program executing in memory process
• If several jobs ready to run at the same time CPU scheduling
• If processes don’t fit in memory, swapping moves them in and out to
run
• Virtual memory allows execution of processes not completely in
memory
Khalil A.Channa 3-44
 Applet

■ A small Java application that is downloaded by

an ActiveX or Java-enabled web browser.
Once it has been downloaded, the applet will
run on the user's computer. Common applets
include financial calculators and web drawing
programs.

Khalil A.Channa 3-45

 ASCII

■ American Standard Code for Information

Interchange, an encoding system for
converting keyboard characters and
instructions into the binary number code that
the computer understands.

Khalil A.Channa 3-46

 Bandwidth

■ The capacity of a networked connection.

Bandwidth determines how much data can be
sent along the networked wires. Bandwidth is
particularly important for Internet connections,
since greater bandwidth also means faster
downloads.

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 Boot

■ To start up a computer. Cold boot—restarting

computer after having turned off the power.
Warm boot—restarting computer without
having turned off the power.

Khalil A.Channa 3-48

 Browser

■ Software used to navigate the Internet.

Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet
Explorer are today's most popular browsers for
accessing the World Wide Web.

Khalil A.Channa 3-49

 Chat

■ Typing text into a message box on a

screen to engage in dialog with one or
more people via the Internet or other
network.

Khalil A.Channa 3-50

■ chip
• A tiny wafer of silicon containing miniature electric
circuits that can store millions of bits of information.

■ client
• A single user of a network application that is operated
from a server. A client/server architecture allows many
people to use the same data simultaneously. The
program's main component (the data) resides on a
centralized server, with smaller components (user
interface) on each client.

Khalil A.Channa 3-51

 Cookie

■ A text file sent by a Web server that is stored

on the hard drive of a computer and relays
back to the Web server things about the user,
his or her computer, and/or his or her computer
activities

Khalil A.Channa 3-52

■ cracker
• A person who “breaks in” to a computer through a
network, without authorization and with
mischievous or destructive intent (a crime in some
states).
■ crash
• A hardware or software problem that causes
information to be lost or the computer to
malfunction. Sometimes a crash can cause
permanent damage to a computer.

Khalil A.Channa 3-53

■ cursor
• A moving position-indicator displayed on a
computer monitor that shows a computer
operator where the next action or operation
will take place.
■ cyberspace
• Slang for the Internet.

Khalil A.Channa 3-54

■ database
– A collection of similar information stored in a file,
such as a database of addresses. This information
may be created and stored in a database management
system (DBMS).
■ debug
• Slang. To find and correct equipment defects or
program malfunctions.
■ default
• The pre-defined configuration of a system or an
application. In most programs, the defaults can be
changed to reflect personal preferences.

Khalil A.Channa 3-55

■ desktop
• The main directory of the user interface. Desktops
usually contain icons that represent links to the
hard drive, a network (if there is one), and a trash or
recycling can for files to be deleted. It can also display
icons of frequently used applications, as requested by
the user.
■ desktop publishing
• The production of publication-quality documents using
a personal computer in combination with text, graphics,
and page layout programs.
■ directory
• A list of files stored in the computer.

Khalil A.Channa 3-56

■ domain
• Represents an IP (Internet Protocol) address or set of IP addresses
that comprise a domain. The domain name appears in URLs to
identify web pages or in email addresses. For example, the email
address for the First Lady is [email protected],
“whitehouse.gov” being the domain name. Each domain name
ends with a suffix that indicates what “top level domain” it
belongs to. These are: “.com” for commercial, “.gov” for
government, “.org” for organization, “.edu” for educational
institution, “.biz” for business, “.info” for information, “.tv” for
television, “.ws” for website. Domain suffixes may also indicate
the country in which the domain is registered. No two parties can
ever hold the same domain name.
■ domain name
• The name of a network or computer linked to the Internet.
Domains are defined by a common IP address or set of similar IP
(Internet Protocol) addresses.

Khalil A.Channa 3-57

■ download
• The process of transferring information from a web site
(or other remote location on a network) to the
computer. It is possible to “download a file” or “view a
download.”
■ DOS
• Disk Operating System. An operating system designed
for early IBM-compatible PCs.
■ Drop-down menu
• A menu window that opens vertically on-screen to
display context-related options. Also called
pop-up menu or pull-down menu.

Khalil A.Channa 3-58

■ DSL
• Digital Subscriber Line. A method of connecting to the Internet via
a phone line. A DSL connection uses copper telephone lines but is
able to relay data at much higher speeds than modems and does not
interfere with telephone use.
■ DVD
• Digital Video Disc—Similar to a CD-ROM, it stores and plays both
audio and video.
■ ebook
• An electronic (usually hand-held) reading device that allows a
person to view digitally stored reading materials.
■ email
• Electronic mail; messages, including memos or letters, sent
electronically between networked computers that may be across the
office

Khalil A.Channa 3-59

■ encryption
• The process of transmitting scrambled data so that only
authorized recipients can unscramble it. For instance,
encryption is used to scramble credit card information
when purchases are made over the Internet.
■ ethernet
• A type of network.
■ ethernet card
• A board inside a computer to which a network cable can
be attached.

Khalil A.Channa 3-60

■ file
• A set of data that is stored in the computer.
■ firewall
• A set of security programs that protect a computer from
outside interference or access via the Internet.
■ Firewire
• Apple® Computer's high-speed data transfer.
Frequently used to import video to a computer.
■ folder
• A structure for containing electronic files. In some
operating systems, it is called a “directory.”

Khalil A.Channa 3-61

■ fonts
• Sets of typefaces (or characters) that come in different
styles and sizes.
■ freeware
• Software created by people who are willing to give it
away for the satisfaction of sharing or knowing they
helped to simplify other people's lives. It may be
freestanding software, or it may add functionality to
existing software.
■ FTP
• File Transfer Protocol. A format and set of rules for
transferring files from a host to a remote computer.
■ gigabyte (GB)
• 1024 megabytes. Also called gig.
Khalil A.Channa 3-62
■ glitch
• The cause of an unexpected malfunction.
■ Gopher
• An Internet search tool that allows users to access textual information
through a series of menus, or if using FTP, through downloads.
■ GUI
• Graphical User Interface. A system that simplifies selecting computer
commands by enabling the user to point to symbols or illustrations (called
icons) on the computer screen with a mouse.
■ groupware
• Software that allows networked individuals to form groups and collaborate
on documents, programs, or databases.
■ hacker
• A person with technical expertise who experiments with computer systems
to determine how to develop additional features. Hackers are occasionally
requested by system administrators to try and “break into” systems via a
network to test security. The term hacker is sometimes incorrectly used
interchangeably with cracker. A hacker is called a “white hat” and a
cracker a “black hat.”

Khalil A.Channa 3-63

■ hard copy
• A paper printout of what you have prepared on the computer.
■ hard drive
• another name for the hard disc that stores information information in a
computer.

■ home page
• The main page of a Web site used to greet visitors, provide information
about the site, or to direct the viewer to other pages on the site.
■ HTML
• Hypertext Markup Language. A standard of text markup conventions
used for documents on the World Wide Web. Browsers interpret the
codes to give the text structure and formatting (such as bold, blue, or
italic).
■ HTTP
• Hypertext Transfer Protocol. A common system used to request and send
HTML documents on the World Wide Web. It is the first portion of all
URL addresses on the World Wide Web (e.g.,
http://www.whitehouse.gov).

Khalil A.Channa 3-64

■ HTTPS
• Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. Often used in intracompany
internet sites. Passwords are required to gain access.
■ hyperlink
• Text or an image that is connected by hypertext coding to a
different location. By selecting the text or image with a mouse, the
computer “jumps to” (or displays) the linked text.
■ hypermedia
• Integrates audio, graphics, and/or video through links embedded in
the main program.
■ hypertext
• A system for organizing text through links, as opposed to a menu-
driven hierarchy such as Gopher. Most Web pages include
hypertext links to other pages at that site, or to other sites on the
World Wide Web.

Khalil A.Channa 3-65

■ Internet
• An international conglomeration of interconnected computer networks.
Begun in the late 1960s, it was developed in the 1970s to allow
government and university researchers to share information. The Internet
is not controlled by any single group or organization. Its original focus was
research and communications, but it continues to expand, offering a wide
array of resources for business and home users.
■ IP (Internet Protocol) address
• An Internet Protocol address is a unique set of numbers used to locate
another computer on a network. The format of an IP address is a 32-bit
string of four numbers separated by periods. Each number can be from 0 to
255 (i.e., 1.154.10.266). Within a closed network IP addresses may be
assigned at random, however, IP addresses of web servers must be
registered to avoid duplicates.
■ Java
• An object-oriented programming language designed specifically for
programs (particularly multimedia) to be used over the Internet. Java
allows programmers to create small programs or applications (applets) to
enhance Web sites.
■ Javascript/ECMA script
• A programming language used almost exclusively to manipulate content
on a web page. Common Javascript functions include validating forms on
a web page, creating dynamic page navigation menus, and image rollovers.

Khalil A.Channa 3-66

■ Linux
• A UNIX®-like, open-source operating system developed primarily by
Linus Torvalds. Linux is free and runs on many platforms, including both
PCs and Macintoshes. Linux is an open-source operating system, meaning
that the source code of the operating system is freely available to the
public. Programmers may redistribute and modify the code, as long as they
don't collect royalties on their work or deny access to their code. Since
development is not restricted to a single corporation more programmers
can debug and improve the source code faster..

■ Megabyte (MB)
• Equal to 1,048,576 bytes, usually rounded off to one million bytes (also
called a “meg”).
■ Memory
• Temporary storage for information, including applications and documents.
The information must be stored to a permanent device, such as a hard disc
or CD-ROM before the power is turned off, or the information will be lost.
Computer memory is measured in terms of the amount of information it
can store, commonly in megabytes or gigabytes.

Khalil A.Channa 3-67

■ Menu
• A context-related list of options that users can choose from.
■ Menu bar
• The horizontal strip across the top of an application's window. Each word
on the strip has a context sensitive drop-down menu containing features
and actions that are available for the application in use.
■ Merge
• To combine two or more files into a single file.
■ MHz
• An abbreviation for Megahertz, or one million hertz. One MHz represents
one million clock cycles per second and is the measure of a computer
microprocessor's speed. For example, a microprocessor that runs at 300
MHz executes 300 million cycles per second. Each instruction a computer
receives takes a fixed number of clock cycles to carry out, therefore the
more cycles a computer can execute per second, the faster its programs
run. Megahertz is also a unit of measure for bandwidth.

Khalil A.Channa 3-68

■ Modem
• A device that connects two computers together over a
telephone or cable line by converting the computer's
data into an audio signal. Modem is a contraction for
the process it performs: modulate-demodulate.
■ Monitor
• A video display terminal.
■ Mouse
• A small hand-held device, similar to a trackball, used to
control the position of the cursor on the video display;
movements of the mouse on a desktop correspond to
movements of the cursor on the screen.

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■ MP3
• Compact audio and video file format. The small size of the files
makes them easy to download and e-mail. Format used in portable
playback devices.
■ multimedia
• Software programs that combine text and graphics with sound,
video, and animation. A multimedia PC contains the hardware to
support these capabilities.
■ MS-DOS
• An early operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation
(Microsoft Disc Operating System).
■ network
• A system of interconnected computers.

Khalil A.Channa 3-70

■ palm
• A hand-held computer.

■ PDA
■ Personal Digital Assistant. A hand-held computer
that can store daily appointments, phone numbers,
addresses, and other important information. Most
PDAs link to a desktop or laptop computer to
download or upload information.

Khalil A.Channa 3-71

■ PDF
• Portable Document Format. A format presented by Adobe Acrobat
that allows documents to be shared over a variety of
operating systems. Documents can contain words and pictures and
be formatted to have electronic links to other parts of the document
or to places on the web.
■ Pentium chip
• Intel's fifth generation of sophisticated high-speed microprocessors.
Pentium means “the fifth element.”
■ peripheral)
• Any external device attached to a computer to enhance operation.
Examples include external hard drive, scanner, printer, speakers,
keyboard, mouse, trackball, stylus and tablet, and joystick.
■ personal computer (PC)
• A single-user computer containing a central processing unit (CPU)
and one or more memory circuits.

Khalil A.Channa 3-72

■ petabyte
• A measure of memory or storage capacity and is
approximately a thousand terabytes.
■ petaflop
• A theoretical measure of a computer's speed and can be
expressed as a thousand-trillion floating-point
operations per second.
■ platform
• The operating system, such as UNIX®, Macintosh®,
Windows®, on which a computer is based.
■ plug and play
• Computer hardware or peripherals that come set up with
necessary software so that when attached to a computer,
they are “recognized” by the computer and are ready to
Khalil A.Channa 3-73
use.
■ pop-up menu
• A menu window that opens vertically or horizontally on-screen to display
context-related options. Also called drop-down menu or pull-down menu.
■ printer
• A mechanical device for printing a computer's output on paper. There are
three major types of printers:
■ Dot matrix: creates individual letters, made up of a series of tiny ink
dots, by punching a ribbon with the ends of tiny wires. (This type of
printer is most often used in industrial settings, such as direct mail for
labeling.)
■ Ink jet: sprays tiny droplets of ink particles onto paper.
■ Laser: uses a beam of light to reproduce the image of each page using
a magnetic charge that attracts dry toner that is transferred to paper and
sealed with heat.
■ program
• A precise series of instructions written in a computer language that tells
the computer what to do and how to do it. Programs are also called
“software” or “applications.”

Khalil A.Channa 3-74

■ programming language
• A series of instructions written by a programmer
according to a given set of rules or conventions
(“syntax”). High-level programming languages are
independent of the device on which the application (or
program) will eventually run; low-level languages are
specific to each program or platform. Programming
language instructions are converted into programs in
language specific to a particular machine or
operating system (“machine language”) so that the
computer can interpret and carry out the instructions.
Some common programming languages are BASIC, C,
C++, dBASE, FORTRAN, and Perl.

Khalil A.Channa 3-75

■ pull-down menu
• A menu window that opens vertically on-screen to
display context-related options. Also called
drop-down menu or pop-up menu.
■ push technology
• Internet tool that delivers specific information directly
to a user's desktop, eliminating the need to surf for it.
PointCast, which delivers news in user-defined
categories, is a popular example of this technology.
■ QuickTime®
• Audio-visual software that allows movie-delivery via
the Internet and e-mail. QuickTime mages are viewed
on a monitor.

Khalil A.Channa 3-76

■ search engine
• Software that makes it possible to look for and retrieve material on
the Internet, particularly the Web. Some popular search engines are
Alta Vista, Google, HotBot, Yahoo!, Web Crawler, and Lycos.
■ server
• A computer that shares its resources and information with other
computers, called clients, on a network.
■ shareware
• Software created by people who are willing to sell it at low cost or
no cost for the gratification of sharing. It may be freestanding
software, or it may add functionality to existing software.
■ spider
• A process search engines use to investigate new pages on a web
site and collect the information that needs to be put in their indices.
■ spreadsheet
• Software that allows one to calculate numbers in a format that is
similar to pages in a conventional ledger.

Khalil A.Channa 3-77

■ UNIX®
• A very powerful operating system used as the basis of many high-end computer applications.
■ upload
• The process of transferring information from a computer to a web site (or other remote location
on a network).
■ v. To transfer information from a computer to a web site (or other remote location on a
network).
■ URL
• Uniform Resource Locator.
■ 1. The protocol for identifying a document on the Web.
■ 2. A Web address (e.g., www.census.gov). A URL is unique to each user. See also
domain.
■ UPS
• Universal Power Supply or Uninterruptible Power Supply. An electrical power supply that
includes a battery to provide enough power to a computer during an outage to back-up data and
properly shut down.
■ USB
• Universal Serial Bus. An industry standard for connecting different compatible peripheral
devices across multiple platforms. Devices include printers, digital cameras, scanners, game
pads, joysticks, keyboards and mice, and storage devices. USB peripherals offer the use of
plug-and-play convenience by eliminating the need to turn off or restart the computer when
attaching a new peripheral. Users can connect USB peripherals whenever they need them. For
example, a user producing a newsletter could easily swap a digital camera for a scanner-without
any downtime. Small, simple, inexpensive, and easy to attach, USB supports simultaneous
connection of up to 127 devices by attaching peripherals through interconnected external hubs.

Khalil A.Channa 3-78

■ USB hubUSB hub
• A multiple-socket USB connecter that allows several USB-
compatible devices to be connected to a computer.
■ USENET
• A large unmoderated and unedited bulletin board on the Internet
that offers thousands of forums, called newsgroups. These range
from newsgroups exchanging information on scientific advances
to celebrity fan clubs.
■ user friendly
• A program or device whose use is intuitive to people with a
nontechnical background.
■ video teleconferencing
• A remote “face-to-face chat,” when two or more people using a
webcam and an Internet telephone connection chat online. The
webcam enables both live voice and video.

Khalil A.Channa 3-79

■ virtual reality (VR)
• A technology that allows one to experience and interact with images in a simulated three-
dimensional environment. For example, you could design a room in a house on your computer
and actually feel that you are walking around in it even though it was never built. (The Holodeck
in the science-fiction TV series Star Trek: Voyager would be the ultimate virtual reality.) Current
technology requires the user to wear a special helmet, viewing goggles, gloves, and other
equipment that transmits and receives information from the computer.
■ virus
• An unauthorized piece of computer code attached to a computer program or portions of a
computer system that secretly copies itself from one computer to another by shared discs and
over telephone and cable lines. It can destroy information stored on the computer, and in extreme
cases, can destroy operability. Computers can be protected from viruses if the operator utilizes
good virus prevention software and keeps the virus definitions up to date. Most viruses are not
programmed to spread themselves. They have to be sent to another computer by e-mail, sharing,
or applications. The worm is an exception, because it is programmed to replicate itself by
sending copies to other computers listed in the e-mail address book in the computer. There are
many kinds of viruses, for example:
■ Boot viruses place some of their code in the start-up disk sector to automatically execute
when booting. Therefore, when an infected machine boots, the virus loads and runs.
■ File viruses attached to program files (files with the extension “.exe”). When you run the
infected program, the virus code executes.
■ Macro viruses copy their macros to templates and/or other application document files.
■ Trojan Horse is a malicious, security-breaking program that is disguised as something
benign such as a screen saver or game.
■ Worm launches an application that destroys information on your hard drive. It also sends
a copy of the virus to everyone in the computer's e-mail address book.

Khalil A.Channa 3-80

■ WAV
• A sound format (pronounced “wave”) used to reproduce sounds on a
computer.

■ webcam
• A video camera/computer setup that takes live images and sends them to a
Web browser.
■ Window
• A portion of a computer display used in a graphical interface that enables
users to select commands by pointing to illustrations or symbols with a
mouse. “Windows” is also the name Microsoft adopted for its popular
operating system.
■ World Wide Web (“WWW” or “the Web”)
• A network of servers on the Internet that use hypertext-linked databases
and files. It was developed in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, a British
computer scientist, and is now the primary platform of the Internet. The
feature that distinguishes the Web from other Internet applications is its
ability to display graphics in addition to text.
■ word processor
• A computer system or program for setting, editing, revising, correcting,
storing, and printing text.

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Khalil A.Channa 1-82