2016年5月18日星期三

1.1 explain the hardware aspect of computing technology:central processing unit (CPU),storage,input and output

1.CPU 


    Alternately referred to as a processor, central processor, or microprocessor, the CPU (pronounced sea-pea-you) is the Central Processing Unit of the computer. A computer's CPU handles all instructions it receives from hardware and software running on the computer. Tip: The CPU is often referred to as the brain of the computer. However, it is more appropriate to refer to software as the brain and the CPU as a very efficient calculator.
      A CPU is really good with numbers, but if it wasn't for the software it wouldn't know how to do anything else. 
*Note: Many new computer users may improperly call their computer and sometimes their monitor the CPU. When referring to your computer or monitor, it is proper to refer to them as either the "computer" or "monitor" and not a CPU. 
     Processors produce heat, so they are covered with a heat sink to keep them cool and running smoothly. The CPU chip is usually in the shape of a square or rectangle and has one notched corner to help place the chip properly into the CPU socket. On the bottom of the chip are hundreds of connector pins that plug into each of the corresponding holes in the socket.               However, Intel and AMD have also experimented with slot processors that were much larger and slid into a slot on the motherboard. Also, over the years, there have been dozens of different types of sockets on motherboards. Each socket only supports specific types of processors and each has its own pin layout. The CPU was first developed at Intel with the help of Ted Hoff and others in the early 1970's. The first processor released by Intel was the 4004 processor. Components of the CPU In the CPU, the primary components are the ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) that performs mathematical, logical, and decision operations and the CU (Control Unit) that directs all of the processors operations. Over the history of computer processors, the speed (clock speed) and capabilities of the processor have dramatically improved. For example, the first microprocessor was the Intel 4004 that was released November 15, 1971, and had 2,300 transistors and performed 60,000 operations per second. The Intel Pentium processor has 3,300,000 transistors and performs around 188,000,000 instructions per second. Types of CPUs In the past, computer processors used numbers to identify the processor and help identify faster processors. 
      For example, the Intel 80486 (486) processor is faster than the 80386 (386) processor. After the introduction of the Intel Pentium processor (which would technically be the 80586), all computer processors started using names like Athlon, Duron, Pentium, and Celeron. Today, in addition to the different names of computer processors, there are different architectures (32-bit and 64-bit), speeds, and capabilities. Below is a list of the more common types of CPUs for home or business computers. 2.storage


 -Posted by: Margaret Rouse WhatIs.com   
       In a computer, storage is the place where data is held in an electromagnetic or optical form for access by a computer processor. There are two general usages. 5 Data Storage Technologies to Watch in 2016 For the past 13 years, the experts at SearchStorage.com have honored the best and brightest technologies for the upcoming year. As always, we're proud to present a batch of technologies we believe will make a big impact on the data storage market.
 1) Storage is frequently used to mean the devices and data connected to the computer through input/output operations - that is, hard disk and tape systems and other forms of storage that don't include computer memory and other in-computer storage.
      For the enterprise, the options for this kind of storage are of much greater variety and expense than that related to memory. This meaning is probably more common in the IT industry than meaning 2.
 2) In a more formal usage, storage has been divided into: 
(1) primary storage, which holds data in memory (sometimes called random access memory or RAM) and other "built-in" devices such as the processor's L1 cache, and 
(2) secondary storage, which holds data on hard disks, tapes, and other devices requiring input/output operations. 
       Primary storage is much faster to access than secondary storage because of the proximity of the storage to the processor or because of the nature of the storage devices. On the other hand, secondary storage can hold much more data than primary storage. In addition to RAM, primary storage includes read-only memory (ROM) and L1 and L2 cache memory.   
      In addition to hard disks, secondary storage includes a range of device types and technologies, including diskettes, Zip drives, redundant array of independent disks (RAID) systems, and holographic storage. Devices that hold storage are collectively known as storage media. A somewhat antiquated term for primary storage is main storage and a somewhat antiquated term for secondary storage is auxiliary storage. Note that, to add to the confusion, there is an additional meaning for primary storage that distinguishes actively used storage from backup storage. This was first published in September 2005. 3.input 


       Input device A common computer input device, a keyboard. A user presses a key which transfers information to a computer. In computing, an input device is a peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment) used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or information appliance.
* Examples of input devices include keyboards, mouse, scanners, digital cameras and joysticks.
      Vv Many input devices can be classified according to: modality of input (e.g. mechanical motion, audio, visual, etc.) whether the input is discrete (e.g. key presses) or continuous (e.g. a mouse's position, though digitized into a discrete quantity, is fast enough to be considered continuous) the number of degrees of freedom involved (e.g. two-dimensional traditional mice, or three-dimensional navigators designed for CAD applications) Pointing devices, which are input devices used to specify a position in space, can further be classified according to: Whether the input is direct or indirect. With direct input, the input space coincides with the display space, i.e. pointing is done in the space where visual feedback or the pointer appears. 
       Touchscreens and light pens involve direct input. *Examples involving indirect input include the mouse and trackball. Whether the positional information is absolute (e.g. on a touch screen) or relative (e.g. with a mouse that can be lifted and repositioned) Direct input is almost necessarily absolute, but indirect input may be either absolute or relative.[clarification needed] 
*For example, digitizing graphics tablets that do not have an embedded screen involve indirect input and sense absolute positions and are often run in an absolute input mode, but they may also be set up to simulate a relative input mode like that of a touchpad, where the stylus or puck can be lifted repositioned.


4.output 


        Output device Page issues An output device is any piece of computer hardware item used to communicate the results of data processing carried out by an information processing system (such as a computer) which converts the electronically generated information into human-readable form.[1][2] Display devicesEdit A display device is an output device that visually conveys text, graphics, and video information.        Information shown on a display device is called soft copy because the information exists electronically and is displayed for a temporary period of time. Display devices include CRT monitors, LCD monitors and displays, gas plasma monitors, and televisions.[3] Input/outputEdit Inputs are the signals or data received by the system, and outputs are the signals or data sent from it. 
           There are many input and output devices such as multifunction printers and computer-based navigation systems that are used for specialised or unique applications.[1] In computing, input/output refers to the communication between an information processing system (such as a computer), and the outside world. Inputs are the signals or data received by the system, and outputs are the signals or data sent from it. Types of outputEdit Some types of output are text, graphics, tactile,[4] audio, and video. Text consists of characters (letters, numbers, punctuation marks, or any other symbol requiring one byte of computer storage space) that are used to create words, sentences, and paragraphs. 
       Graphics are digital representations of nontext information such as drawings, charts, photographs, and animation (a series of still images in rapid sequence that gives the illusion of motion). Tactile output such as raised line drawings may be useful for some individuals who are blind.
        Audio is music, speech, or any other sound. Video consists of images played back at speeds to provide the appearance of full motion.[3] Graphics (Visual)Edit Graphical output displayed on a screen.
        A digital image is a numeric representation of an image stored on a computer. They don't have any physical size until they are displayed on a screen or printed on paper. Until that point, they are just a collection of numbers on the computer's hard drive that describe the individual elements of a picture and how they are arranged.[5] Some computers come with built-in graphics capability of . Others need a device, called a graphics card or graphics adapter board, that has to be added.[6] Unless a computer has graphics capability built into the motherboard, that translation takes place on the graphics card.[7] Depending on whether the image resolution is fixed, it may be of vector or raster type. Without qualifications, the term "digital image" usually refers to raster images also called bitmap images. Raster images that are composed of pixels and is suited for photo-realistic images. Vector images which are composed of lines and co-ordinates rather than dots and is more suited to line art, graphs or fonts.[5] To make a 3-D image, the graphics card first creates a wire frame out of straight lines. Then, it rasterizes the image (fills in the remaining pixels). It also adds lighting, texture and color.[7] TactileEdit Haptic technology, or haptics, is a tactile feedback technology which takes advantage of the sense of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user.[8] Several printers and wax jet printers have the capability of producing raised line drawings. There are also handheld devices that use an array of vibrating pins to present a tactile outline of the characters or text under the viewing window of the device.[4] AudioEdit Speech output systems can be used to read screen text to computer users. Special software programs called screen readers attempt to identify and interpret what is being displayed on the screen[9] and speech synthesizers convert data to vocalized sounds or text.[6] also it is used to produce music, speech or other sounds VideoEdit See Digital scent technology. ExamplesEdit These examples of output devices also include input/output devices.[10]
[11] Printers and visual displays are the most common type of output device for interfacing to people, but voice is becoming increasingly available.
[12] Speakers Headphones Screen (Monitor) Printer Punched card input/output Punched tape Voice output communication aid Automotive navigation system Braille embosser Video Plotter Wireless.



Conclusion:


Surely computers have very elaborated role in daily day life of humans. The biggest proof is present at our surroundings. Just having a look around at our surroundings will be enough to prove the involvement of computers in everyday lives. Shopping, banking, traveling, stocking, literature, entertainment, public sector, private sector, almost everywhere computers are playing their roles efficiently. Computers can be designated as one of the most creative innovations of human beings. In coming days computers are even going to be more pervasive, because technology is getting advanced day by day.


References:
-www.webopedia.com
-www.computer weekly.com
-searchstorage.techtarget.com
-study.com
-www.techopedia.com
-www.thegeminigeek.com


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