CHAPTER 2
Part 1:
UNDERSTANDING PC
• 4 main functions:
o Input: gather or enter data
o Process
o Output
o Storage
• Information is more powerful than raw data
BITS & BYTES
• PCs use BINARY LANGUAGE to process data into information
o Consists of 0 and 1. A 0 or 1 is a binary digit (bit). 8 bits
= one BYTE
• Megabyte: 1mil bytes
• Gigabyte: 1bil
• Terabyte: 1tril
• Petabyte: 1,000terabytes
• Common PCs:
o Ultrabook: lightweight laptop computer, low-power
processors and SSDs
o Chromebook: use Google Chrome OS. Docs and apps
stored in cloud
INPUT DEVICES: image (camera), video (webcam), sound devices
(microphone). Smartphones and tablets have a variety of sensors
that can measure acceleration
OUTPUT DEVICES: monitors (Liquid crystal display (LCD and
Light-emitting diode (LED)), OLED don’t require backlight=saves
energy
• Aspect ratio and screen resolution
• Speakers, headphones
PRINTERS
• 2 categories
o Inkjet: economical
o Laser: faster and higher-quality
Part 2:
MOTHERBOARD & RAM & PROCESSING
• Motherboard: main circuit board, contains computer’s CPU
(coordinates the functions of all other devices on pc)
o Houses slots for expansion cards (like sounds and video
cards)
• Ram: VOLITILE memory, located in motherboard, where data
and instructions are held while computer is running
• CPU: controls all functions performed by the computer’s other
components, processes all commands issued to it by software
instructions
o Performance of CPU is affected by speed of PROCESSOR
(GHz) and number of processing cores
STORING DATA & INFO
• Internal hard drive: primary PERMANENT storage of software
and files, NONVOLITILE (holds data and instructions even if
pc is off)
• SSD: no moving parts, energy efficient and less susceptible to
damage
• External hard drive: internal hard drives that have been made
portable by enclosing them in protective case, making them
SMALL & LIGHWEIGHT
• Optical drives: permanent, portable storage, data is saved to
CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs as pits that are burned into the
disc by laser
• Flash drives: portable, plug into USB
• Cloud storage: NONVOLITILE, on Internet
• Flash memory cards: transfer digital data between pc and
devices like cameras, phones, printers
CONNECTING PERIPHERALS TO THE PC
• Thunderbolt port: fastest type of port used to connect devices
to a pc
• USB: most common type of port
• Connectivity ports like Ethernet ports give access to networks
and Internet
• HDMI ports: most common MULTILEDIA PORT (connect
monitors, TVs) as they can handle both audio and video data
• Audio ports: connect headphones, mics, and speakers
• Expansion hubs can be plugged into existing ports to provide
additional ports of the same type
CHAPTER 3
Part 1:
THE INTERNET
• Computer connected to Internet acts as a client or server.
Data travels between clients and servers along a system of
communication lines (PATHWAYS)
• IP addresses are assigned to all PCs connected to Internet
COMMUNICATING ON THE WEB
• Web 2.0: collaboration on the web uses Web 2.0
o Social media
• Social networking: enables you to communicate and share info
with friends
BUSINESS ONLINE: e-commerce
• Precautions: using firewalls and antivirus software, strong
passwords
• Check to see if website is secure, shop at reputable websites,
pay with credit, check return policy, save copy of receipt, avoid
making online transactions on public PCs
Part 2:
ACCESSING THE WEB
• Once connected to the Internet, you need a software called a
web browser to LOCATE and NAVIGATE and VIEW web pages
o Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari
o Uniform Resource Locator (URL) allows you to gain
access to a website
▪ Protocol, domain, top-level domain, path (or
subdirectories
• Hyperlinks: specially formatted pieces of text or images
• Breadcrumb trails: show where you have been
• Live bookmarks:
• Social bookmarking:
SEARCHING THE WEB EFFICIENTLY
• Metasearch engines: search other search engines
• To evaluate if appropriate as a resource: author reputable, is
site intended for your particular needs, site is not biased, info
