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Agenda SESSION 1 Introduction Nothing new under the Sun Computer Components Computer Types The Secret? But why do they all seem so dierent? 1

Introduction to Computers

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AgendaSESSION 1

Introduction

Nothing new under the Sun

Computer Components

Computer Types

The Secret?

But why do they all seem so different?

1

Introduction

tell you “Click X to do Y“

teach you step-by-step how to send an email/Skype your son/etc

advise you on the best computer

etc…

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Why Not?Because nobody can remember that stuff

It will be different next week

Everyone’s needs are different

“I can’t be bothered with all this medical stuff, show me how to do brain surgery”

These Sessions Will Not:

IntroductionShow you HOW to be comfortable with new technologies

Show you WHY the new ways may be advantageous for you

Help overcome the fear

Accept change

By Explaining the jargon

Introducing the concepts

Getting you to think “Oh, this is like…”

Showing you can’t “break” a computer… usually

These Sessions Will Try to:

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There’s Nothing New Under The Sun

How have computers changed what we do?

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There’s Nothing New Under The Sun

How have computers changed what we do?

They HAVEN’T changed WHAT

They HAVE changed HOW

So you don’t HAVE to embrace them… it’s your choice.

Don’t be pressured.

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What Do We Do With Computers

We eat

We work

We play games

We read

We write letters

We shop

We listen to music

We go to the theatre

We entertained ourselves at home

We watch TV and films

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What Did We Do Before Computers

We ate

We went to work

We played games

We read

We wrote letters

We shopped

We listened to music

We went to the theatre and films

We entertained ourselves at home

We watched TV and videos7

Before The TelephoneWe ate

We went to work

We played games

We read

We wrote letters

We shopped

We listened to music

We went to the theatre

We watched films at the cinema

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Before TrainsWe ate

We went to work

We played games

We read

We wrote letters

We shopped

We listened to music

We went to the theatre

We sang around the piano9

The Secret of Computers?

All computers work the same way They follow recipes/patterns/instructions…

… and it is:

Like cooking a meal

Like playing a piece of music

Like knitting a scarf

Like building IKEA furniture10

Cooks work the same way! They follow a recipe

Initially recipes are in cookery books on a shelf

The book with the recipe is taken from the shelf

The cook opens the book at the right page, reads the recipe from the book and follows it

The cook writes any changes to recipe into the book

The book with the modified recipe is put back on the shelf

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Computers work the same way! They follow instructions

Initially all data (apps and information) is on storage devices

Data is loaded into memory

Processor reads app from memory and follows instructions, using data when required

Processor writes data into memory

New data is saved to storage device

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Cooking vs Computers

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Cooking ComputersInitially recipes are in cookery books on a shelf

Initially all data is on storage devices

The book with the recipe is taken from the shelf and put on work surface

Data is loaded into memory and displayed on desktop

The cook opens the book at the right page, reads the recipe from the book and follows it

Processor reads app from memory and follows instructions, using data when required

The cook writes any changes to recipe into the book

Processor writes data into memory

The book with the modified recipe is put back on the shelf

New data is saved to storage device

An App or Program

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A set of instructions to achieve a result

Like a recipe in cooking

Or a pattern in knitting

Or a blueprint in building

Or a score in music

A set of Apps is like a set of kitchen tools or musical instruments… probably more than one can do the job but one is perfect.

Computers vs Eating

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Computers EatingMainframe RestaurantMidframe Snack Bar

Server TakeawayWorkstation Designer Kitchen

Desktop Normal KitchenLaptop Camping Stove

Smartphone All of the above but the plates are tiny!

Tablet A BIG Smartphone

Personal Computers

The First Computers

Abacus

Slide Rule

Sextant

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Analog and special purpose

The First “Computers”

A job - a human who performed calculations or computations (1613) e.g. log tables

Babbage’s Difference Engine (1822)

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First Programable ComputersJacquard Loom

Punched cards

Pianola

Punched paper roll

Colossus

Pinboard and paper tape

at Bletchley Park used by Alan Turing and the code breakers

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Computer ComponentsMEMORY

•Fast, expensive, forgets when powered offSTORAGE

•Slow, cheap, remembers when powered offPROCESSOR

•Does as it is told to by the appDISPLAY

•Displays what the app wantsKEYBOARD

•Relays your wishes to the appsPOINTER

• Identifies the bit you are interested in•APP ( OR PROGRAM)

•The set of instructions to perform a task - the recipe or pattern19

Memory

Fast, expensive and needs power

Usually called Random Access Memory (RAM)

Its the processor’s scratchpad and data source

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IBM 360/65 1KB

Modern Laptop 8GB

x 8,000,000=

StorageThe generic name for anything that holds data after being powered off.

Wire recorder

Tape recorder

Personal computers originally had a “floppy”

Usually seen as a hard drive

Can also be tape

Or CDROM/DVD

Or “CLOUD”

Or … TBD

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Floppies

x 1,000,000 =

1.4MB

1TB Hard Drive

The Processor - the brain

Reads the program and data from memory

Executes the instructions

Stores the results in memory

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1980

2014

Some Jargon - UnitsBytes

1 Character

Kilobytes

1000 bytes

Megabytes

1000 kilobytes

Gigabytes

1000 megabytes

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A Kilobyte(KB)- An average email text is about 2 kilobytes A 5-page paper might be 100 kilobytes

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1000 Bytes = 1 Kilobyte1ByteMy first thought was how did the Apollo computer compare to the iPhone? It turns out that's a really tough comparison to make. The iPhone is so advanced compared to the computer used in Apollo's guidance system that it's hard to believe they both came from the same planet -- at roughly the same period in time when viewed in contrast to man's time line on Earth. To really make a comparison that makes much sense it's much easier to look at the home computers of the late 1970's and early 1980's. Take Intel's venerable 8086 for example -- you might know it better as "x86". Released in 1979, just a decade after Apollo 11's trip to the Moon, the 8086's cousin, the 8088, formed the basis for the IBM PC we all know and love. When the IBM PC "XT" was released in 1981, the lowest end configuration had 8 times more memory than Apollo's Guidance Computer -- 16k, vs the Apollo's 2k. The read-only storage of the AGC was 32k, I

1000 KiloBytes = 1 Megabyte1KB

A Megabyte (MB) - audio is about 1 megabyte per minute A high quality digital picture is about 2-5 megabytes

Apollo 11 Guidance Computer 2KB

First IBM PC 16KB

"640K ought to be enough for anybody.” Bill Gates, 1981 (denied)

A Gigabyte - High definition video is about 10 gigabytes a minute

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1000 Megabytes = 1 Gigabyte1MB

BBC Micro 32MB

A Terrabyte (TB)

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1000 Gigabytes = 1 Terrabyte1GB

Dell Laptop 1GB RAM

Biggest XP Laptop 4GB RAM1 minute HD Movie 10GB

A MainframeAs big as a house

Lots of big boxes

££££££££ in price

Used for complex calculations

Cards In and Out (I/O)

Disk and Tape Storage

Used by many people at the same time using terminals or text-only Visual Display Units (VDU)

IBM introduced a standard architecture - and took over the world for 3 decades.

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IBM 360/65

IBM 3279 VDU

A MiniGeneric name for a number of expensive but limited use computers that were smaller than a mainframe

e.g. DEC PDP, English Electric 4Pi, ….

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A ServerFaster, more storage, more memory

Lots in one room

Used to save and process all types of data

Processor and Storage

No keyboard or display

Network connected

Replaced Mainframes

Professionally managed

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A WorkstationFor complex tasks

Faster, more storage, more memory

Used by graphics designers, video editors, special effect engineers, scientists

Used to save and process lots of complex data

High resolution screens

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A DesktopThe first Personal “Home” computer

A simplified workstation

Designed by “Mainframe thinking”

It looked like a VDU

Several Components

Screen

Keyboard

Box of bits - the system unit

IBM introduced a standard architecture

But a mainframe-based text user interface

TRS-80

Apple II

IBM PC

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A LaptopAll components in one box

Portable

More expensive than a desktop

More convenient than a desktop

Quieter than a desktop

BUT… all the same type of components

Apple Macbook

Dell Latitude

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Small is goodPortable laptops changed the way people used computers

People were not tied to their homes or offices

People really had a Personal computer

This was a major new revenue source for manufacturers

If small is good then smaller must be better

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A Netbook or NotebookJust a small laptop

Smaller keyboard

Smaller screen

No CD drive

Less expensive than laptop

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A ChromebookA new concept from Google

All the normal components EXCEPT for storage

All data is stored online - at Google in their CLOUD

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TabletsJust the same inside as Mainframes, Servers, Desktops, Laptops and Notebooks - but repackaged

BUT a different operating system and user interface AND memory that remembers AFTER power is removed

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Questions?About today

Still unanswered

Anything else

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Follow the course on the web at wingvillagehall.club

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